March 16, 2003
West Liberty, WV - A pair of University of Minnesota-Morris wrestlers were selected to the NCAA II Academic All-American Wrestling Team, which was announced at the NCAA II National Wrestling Championships in West Liberty, WV on Saturday, March 15.
Eric Steinhoff, a senior from Luverne, MN was a first team selection. Steinhoff a four-year starter on the UM-Morris wrestling team, served as team captain this season, and earned All-NSIC honors by placing second in the NSIC Wrestling Championships at 184 pounds. This is the second time Steinhoff has been selected on the Academic All-American Team. Steinhoff has earned a 3.76 grade point average while majoring in Political Science, and has recently been admitted to the Law School at the University of Minnesota.
Steinhoff currently serves as Vice President in the University of Minnesota Student Senate. In the fall semester of 2001, Steinhoff served as an intern for South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle in Washington, D.C. During his term of service Steinhoff faced the 9/11 terrorism attack firsthand with the anthrax attack in Daschle's office.
Joel Fugleberg, a senior from Roseau, MN was one of 16 wrestlers selected for the third straight year to the NCAA II Academic All-American Wrestling Team. Fugleberg a four-year starter on the Cougar wrestling team also served as team captain this season while wrestling at 149 pounds. Fugleberg has also been a member of the All-NSIC Wrestling Team, but was unable to finish this season due to an injury that required surgery.
Fugleberg has earned a 3.22 grade point average while majoring in Biology. Fugleberg has been admitted to Northwestern School of Chiropractic Medicine in Minneapolis where he will begin his post-graduate studies next fall.
Fugleberg and Steinhoff were the 28th and 29th wrestlers that have been selected to the NCAA II Wrestling Academic All-American team under UM-Morris head coach Doug Reese.
"I am very proud of these fine student-athletes," said Reese. "Both Eric and Joel possess great leadership skills and will be sorely missed. They are impact individuals. They have left their mark here at UM-Morris and now more importantly they will leave a distinct mark in the area of medicine, law and public policy in the future. We have really been blessed to have such fine wrestlers and students come through our program. It is really a credit to our institution," commented Reese.