St. Cloud State sends four to NCAAs
Mar. 3, 2003
The St. Cloud State University wrestling team will be sending four wrestlers to the 2003 NCAA Division II championships on March 14-15, in Wheeling, W.V. The Huskies gained their four bids at the North Central Conference wrestling championships on March 2, in Fargo, N.D. Those wrestlers include senior heavyeweight Dustin Darveaux, senior 165-pounder Matt Neumueller, sophomore 174-pounder Jon Duncombe and junior 157-pounder Dan Duch.
Duncombe was SCSU's top finisher at the NCC tournament with a first place finish at 174-pounds. He gained an 8-3 win over SDSU's Bryan Cowdin in the finals. To reach the title bout, Duncombe posted a 7-4 first round win over UNO's Dan Vech and upset #2 seed Thad Pike of NDSU in the semi's by a tally of 4-3. Duncombe is the first SCSU wrestler since 1999 to win a NCC title.
At the heavyweight spot, Darveaux gained a first round bye and then defeated Dusty Hoffschneider of UNC in the semi's by a score of 4-2. In the title bout, #2 Darveaux dropped a tough 8-0 decision against #1 Les Sigman of UNO. At 157-pounds, Duch lost in first round action to #2 seed Cory Beckman of MSUM, but he rolled in the consolation bracket with a 4-3 win over SDSU's Joe Kenton and claimed third place with a forfeit win over Augustana's Matt McDougall.
At 165-pounds, Neumueller gained a 1-0 win in the first round over Blu Wahle of UNO, and then dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Tyler Bryant of SDSU in the semi's. In the wrestlebacks, Neumueller lost a 7-1 match to Jared Deaguero of UNC and later gained a forfeit win in the fifth place match that qualified him for nationals. In action at 197-pounds, Lucas Pohlmeier did not qualify for nationals but he did finish in fourth place thanks to a solid 10-8 win over Jason McMillan of UNC in the wrestlebacks. In the bout for third place, Pohlmeier dropped a 10-3 decision to Mike Engelmann of MSUM.
As a team, SCSU placed seventh overall with 31 points. Nebraska-Omaha was first in the NCC with 76 points and NDSU was second with 55/5 points. Northern Colorado (52), South Dakota State (49.5), MSU-Mankato (45) and Augustana (42.5) completed the field.
UPCOMING ACTION: St. Cloud State University (1-13, 0-6 NCC) will compete at the 2003 NCAA Division II championships on March 14-15, in Wheeling, W.V. SCSU wrestlers in action at the meet include seniors Dustin Darveaux (HWT) and Matt Neumueller (165), junior Dan Duch (157) and sophomore Jon Duncombe (174).