Wrestling

Three Teams In Top 13 At NCAA Wrestling Championship; Two Win Individual Titles

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Three teams from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) finished in the top 13 following two days of competition at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship that will be held March 14-15 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. In addition, a pair of WIAC wrestlers claimed individual titles.
 
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse finished fifth with 65 points. Johnson and Wales University (Providence) and Wartburg College (Iowa) shared the national crown with 83.5 points. Augsburg University (Minn.) was third with 74, and Baldwin Wallace University (Ohio) fourth with 69.
 
Additional WIAC team finishes included: UW-Eau Claire tied for ninth with 40.5 points and UW-Whitewater placed 13th with 31.  A total of 60 teams accumulated points at the national championship.
 
UW-Eau Claire’s Jared Stricker secured his second straight national title at 174 pounds with a 7-1 decision over Nathan Lackman of Alvernia University (Pa.). He is the first two-time champion in program history.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Marcus Orlandoni claimed the 184-pound title with 2-1 sudden victory over Brandt Bombard of Augsburg University (Minn.). He is UW-La Crosse’s second 184-pound champion, joining Jeremy Miller in 2000.
 
The following wrestlers from the WIAC received All-America accolades for finishing in the top eight of their weight class:
133 pounds--Dominik Mallinder (UW-Whitewater-Fifth)
157 pounds--Tyler Goebel (UW-La Crosse-Sixth)
165 pounds--Tanner Gerber (UW-La Crosse-Third); Brayden Peet (UW-Whitewater-Fourth)
174 pounds--Jared Stricker (UW-Eau Claire-Champion)
184 pounds--Marcus Orlandoni (UW-La Crosse-Champion)
197 pounds--Ben Kawczynski (UW-La Crosse-Seventh)
 
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