Brackets
LACROSSE, Wis. -- The No.1 ranked Wartburg College wrestling team finished atop the team leaderboard at the NCAA National Championships for the ninth time in program history with its 141.5 points Saturday. This also marked the second consecutive team trophy as the Knights won it last season as well.
"We wrestled lights-out in the semifinals this morning," said co-head coach Jim Miller. "We were really excited to have five in the finals and eight All-Americans."
"(Today's team win) was a compilation of every round," said co-head coach Eric Keller. "We've always said the match in front of us is most important and our guys really took ahold of that and took care of business without looking ahead."
Augsburg finished in second with 86.5 points as the streak continued of Wartburg/Augburg finishing in the top two every year at the Championships since 1995.
Senior Byron Tate (Clinton) became the program’s second three-time National Champion and first at 197 with his 7-2 decision over Dustin Barter of St. John’s.
"Byron has gotten berter every year," commented Miller. "When he went out there and wrestled, he thought he could win every match and is a good leader on and off the mat."
Sophomore Kenny Anderson (Billerca, Ma.), junior Kodie Silvestri (Franklin, N.J.) and sophomore Landon Williams (Davenport) all won the first National Titles of their careers at 125, 141 and 165, respectively.
Silvestri was also named the NWCA’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Other place winners included senior Bradley Banks (Stockbridge, Ga.) took second at 174, classmate Dylan Azinger (DeWitt) placed fourth at 184 and sophomore Ryan Fank (Independence) took fourth at 285 and freshman Drew Wagenhoffer (Sussex, N.J.) took sixth place at 149.
Wagenhoffer was a New Jersey State High School Champion last season as a high school senior and the fact that he became an All-American in his freshman season is pretty remarkable.
"Not many freshman even make our team, let alone become an All-American," said Miller. "His knee has been bothering him since the Augsburg dual so the fact that he (finished in the top eight) when he wasn't 100% is pretty incredible."
"To many other people, the injury he sustained could have been season-ending," stated Keller. "He made the most of his national wild card and had a great day as he turned around and defeated the guy from Manchester that he lost to earlier at the Desert Duals."
The Knights finished the weekend with eight competitors receiving All-American honors. This feat is also remarkable as 60% of the Orange and Black's lineup this season was new to the program or varsity competition.
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