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Vikings sending five to Division II National Championships
March 9, 2004
THIS WEEK: The No. 9 Augustana College wrestling team (7-6, 2-3 NCC) concludes the season this week at the NCAA Division II National Championships, scheduled for March 12-13 in Mankato, Minn. on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato. There will be two sessions each day. The first three sessions will be held in the Myers Field House, while the championship session will be held in the Taylor Center.
Representing Augustana at the NCAA Championships are junior Aaron Graumann (125), sophomore Andre VanderVelde (141), sophomore Ryan King (149), sophomore Dusty Wilking (174) and junior Tom Meester (184).
RESULTS: Complete team and individual results from the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship will be updated throughout the tournament on www.ncaasports.com or at the Minnesota State Athletic Web site at www.msumavericks.com (click on NCAA Wrestling Championships logo).
Vikings' NCAA Championships Qualifiers
Wt, Wrestler Yr. Overall Record Regional Place
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: Four of the Vikings' qualifiers have national championship experience. Aaron Graumann placed sixth at 125 pounds last season and earned All-America honors. Last season, Andre VanderVelde qualified at 133 pounds and Ryan King qualified at 141 pounds but did not place. Tom Meester was an All-American in 2002 after finishing third at 174 pounds. This is Dusty Wilking's first appearance at the national meet.
COACHING STAFF: Jason Reitmeier (Augustana, 1997) is in his first season as head coach of the Augustana wrestling team after serving as an assistant coach for the Vikings the previous six seasons.
Reitmeier was a two-time All-American for the Vikings. He won the 1997 national championship at 142 pounds after placing third at 134 pounds in 1996. He did win the North Central Conference title at 134 pounds in 1996. Reitmeier's assistant coaches this season are Jacob Ramos, a former Viking All-American, and former Viking standout Ryan Carlson.
NORTH REGIONAL RESULTS: Augustana finished third at the North Regional Championships, which serves as the regional qualifier for the NCAA Division II National Championships. Individually, five Vikings qualified for the national championships by placing in the top four of their weight classes.
The Vikings had two individuals crowned champions at the regional championships. Junior Tom Meester won the 184-pound weight class, while sophomore Ryan King claimed the 149-pound title. Both wreslters went 3-0.
Also qualifying for nationals were Aaron Graumann, who was second at 125 pounds, Andre VanderVelde, who placed second at 141 pounds and Dusty Wilking, who was third at 174 pounds.
MEESTER, KING CROWNED NCC CHAMPS: Due to regional alignments that will be used to determine qualifiers for the NCAA Championships, there was not a North Central Conference Tournament. Instead, the NCC team championship will be determined by each team's records in five round-robin duals. The individual titles were awarded to the highest placer at the Northern Region Championships.
By winning their respective weight classes, Tom Meester (184) and Ryan King were recognized as North Central Conference champions.
MEESTER NAMED OUTSTANDING WRESLTER: Junior Tom Meester enjoyed perhaps his best weekend of the year at the North Regional Championships. Meester won all three of his matches in impressive fashion in winning the 184-pound weight class.
Meester opened the meet by pinning Mike Gritti of St. Cloud State in 4:39. He followed that with a 12-1 major decision over North Dakota State's Matt Herman in the semifinals. In the finals, he pinned Ryan Kopiasz of Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2:56. As a result, Meester was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
MEESTER MAKES MOST OF SECOND CHANCE: Tom Meester made the most of his second chance at the North Regional Championships. By winning the NCC and North Regional title, he erased a bad memory that ended his 2003 season. It was one year ago when Meester became ill and was forced to withdraw from the 2003 North Central Conference Championships. As a result, Meester, who was ranked No. 1 in the country at 174 pounds, did not qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships. The third-place finisher at 174 pounds in 2002, Meester was favored to win the national title in 2003.
MEESTER CLOSES IN ON 100 WINS: Tom Meester is closing in on his 100th career victory. Meester enters the 2004 Division II National Championships with a career record of 96-18. Four wins at the national meet would not only give Meester 100 career wins, but a national championship as well.
KING, HENRIKSEN NAMED NCC WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK: Two Vikings were named North Central Conference Wrestler of the Week this season. Freshman Cody Henriksen earned the award on February 24. That week, Henriksen went 2-0, defeating No. 4 J.D. Naig of Nebraska-Omaha 7-4 and Andy Everson of South Dakota State 8-7.
Sophomore Ryan King earned the honor on January 20 after beating two nationally-ranked wrestlers en route to a 3-0 record at the National Duals.
NATIONAL POLL: Augustana dropped two spots to No. 9 in the latest NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association rankings. The Vikings were unranked in the preseason poll, but jumped to No. 8 in the first regular season poll. They have been in the top 10 ever since.
FOUR VIKINGS NATIONALLY RANKED: Four Vkings are nationally ranked in their respective weight classes, according to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association individual rankings. Tom Meester is ranked No. 1 at 184 pounds, while Ryan King is No. 1 at 149 pounds. Aaron Graumann is No. 8 at 125 pounds, while Andre VanderVelde is No. 8 at 141 pounds.
Meester, a 184-pounder with a 26-2 overall record, withdrew from last year's NCC meet due to illness. However, Meester, a 2002 All-American, went 32-8 a year ago. He has not lost to a Division II opponent since his freshman season. King, a 149-pounder, is 29-5 this season. A returning national qualifier from 2003, King went 12-1 in dual meets and hasn't lost to a Division II opponent this season.
20 WINS: Five Vikings have reached the 20-win plateau this season. Sophomore Ryan King (149) leads the way with a 29-5 record, while junior Tom Meester (184) is 26-2. Neither wrestler has lost to a Division II opponent this season. Sophomore Andre VanderVelde (141) is now 24-9, while sophomore Dusty Wilking (174) is 25-10 and freshman Chris Trampe (133) is 20-15. Junior Aaron Graumann (125) is close to 20 wins with a 19-8 record.