Wrestling Event Receives Endorsement
of National Wrestling Coaches Association
SIOUX CITY, IOWA -- A total of nine returning national champions and
top-ranked wrestlers head final line-up for the Collegiate All-Star
Challenge in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, December 30, 2006. Athletes
from across the country will represent their institutions in 13 matches
between some of the finest wrestlers in NCAA Division II and Division
III, the NAIA and the nation’s Junior Colleges.
Returning national champions scheduled to compete include: Mark Dickman
(149) and Jake Dieffenbach (165) of Lindenwood University and Jesse
Laber (197) of the University of Mary. Athletes who have earned a No. 1
ranking this season are: Andrew Lacroix (141) of Roger Williams
University, Joe Soto (141) of Iowa Central, Mikel Delk (149) of Ft.
Hays State, Hayden Harrison (157) of Embry-Riddle, Jasper Lockett (184)
of Missouri Valley College and Sam Sand (285) of Jamestown.
Also competing are four wrestlers ranked No. 2 in the country: Richard
Byrd (2) of Embry-Riddle, Jestin Hulegaard (133) of Buena Vista, Joffre
Lander (184) of Embry-Riddle and Nate Buys (197) of Augustana (SD).
The inaugural Collegiate All-Star Challenge has also received the
endorsement of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) for
its efforts to promote the sport of wrestling.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our wrestling champions in
an area that obviously has one of the best fan bases and wrestling
traditions in this country,” stated NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer.
“Sioux City has a demonstrated history of support for amateur wrestling
and we are forever grateful for their tireless effort on behalf of our
college heroes.”
Wrestling gets underway at 7:00 p.m. at the Long Lines Center (adjacent
to the Tyson Events Center) in Sioux City.
Final match assignments (individual
ranking in parentheses):
125 pounds: (2) Richard Byrd - Embry-Riddle vs. (6) Anthony
Nicolicchia Roger Williams
133 pounds: (2) Jestin Hulegaard - Buena Vista vs. (3) Burke
Barnes - Dana
141 pounds: (1) Andrew Lacroix - Roger Williams vs. (1) Joe Soto
- Iowa Central and (3) Terrance Almond - Dana vs. (4) Chris Frejie -
Western State
149 pounds: (1) Mark Dickman - Lindenwood vs. (1) Mikel Delk -
Ft. Hays State
157 pounds: (1) Hayden Harrison - Embry-Riddle vs. (3) Austin
Scarset - Augustana
165 pounds: (1) Jake Dieffenbach - Lindenwood vs. (6) Blake
Peterson - Truman State
184 pounds: (1) Jasper Lockett - Missouri Valley vs. (2) Joffre
Lander - Embry-Riddle and (6) Mike Howell - Ft. Hays State vs. (8) Jay
Figgins - Loras
197 pounds: (2) Nate Buys - Augustana vs. (’05 NAIA Champion)
Jesse Laber - Mary and (4) Ben Strandberg - Buena Vista vs. (5) Andrew
Lundgren - Northwestern (IA)
285 pounds: (1) Sam Sand - Jamestown vs. (3) Andrew Ubben - Ft.
Hays State
All tickets are general admission and will be available only at the
door. Adult tickets are $10 and children under age 12 are $5.