Schmitz went 4-0 and helped lead UW-La Crosse to a second-place finish at the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He is now 11-3 on the season. Schmitz, ranked first in NCAA Division III at 174 pounds, opened with a win by major decision (12-3) over Delaware Valley College's (Pa.) Juan Vega. He then won by fall (4:20) over Coe College's (Iowa) Jeremy Garvin in the quarterfinal dual. The fall secured the win for UW-La Crosse for criteria 2 after the match ended in a 19-19 tie (UW-La Crosse won 20-19). Schmitz beat second-ranked Zach Molitor of Augsburg College (Minn.) by decision (4-2) in UW-La Crosse's semifinal win over the top-ranked Auggies. Schmitz completed the weekend with a win by decision (8-2) over Wartburg College's (Iowa) Ben Scott in the championship dual.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Joe Pitsch, Junior, 285 pounds, Oshkosh, Wis. (North)
UW-Oshkosh, Nazar Kulchytskyy, Freshman, 149 pounds, Prairie du Chien, Wis.
UW-Platteville, Allen Fish, Sophomore, 125 pounds, Lake River, Ill. (Byron)
UW-Stevens Point, Brandon Jochem, Junior, 197 pounds, Hustisford, Wis.