No. 1 Mavs Travel to Kearney for Loper Open on Sat
Dec 10, 2010 | General
Weekly release
OMAHA, Neb. - The Top-ranked UNO wrestling team will travel to Kearney, Neb., to compete at the Loper Open on Saturday, Dec. 11 beginning at 9 a.m.
Last year, Ryan Pankoke went 4-0 on the day and turned in his best finish of the season.
The Beaver Crossing, Neb., native knocked off two-time All-American and No. 4-ranked Taylor May of
Nebraska-Kearney in the championship match with a 5-2 decision.
Ten Nebraska-Omaha wrestlers finished sixth or higher in the team's final tournament of
2009.
What Happened Last Time Out
Ryan Pankoke and Esai Dominguez took home individual titles for the UNO wrestling team at
the Fort Hays Open on Dec. 7, at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.
Pankoke, the No. 2 seed, claimed the title at 174 pounds after upsetting No. 1-seed Chris
McNeil of Oklahoma State in the title match. The senior recorded a technical fall, two falls and a
4-1 decision to earn a spot in the championship match, where he then defeated McNeil, 5-4.
Dominguez, a 149-pound junior from Omaha, also went a perfect 5-0 at the open. He recorded
a technical fall, a decision, a fall and a major decision on his way to the championship match. The
No. 1-seed Dominguez defeated No. 2-seed Karon Reid of Midland University, 8-6, in the title
match.
Taylor Escamilla, a junior from Fremont, Neb., won his first three matches at 285 pounds, but
fell in the seminfinals to Ben Hohensee of Nebraska-Kearney, 3-2. Escamilla pinned Justin Glenn
of host Fort Hays State in 4:16 to capture a third-place finish. Senior Tait Weatherbee (149) and
sophomore Matt Baker (197) each finished 4-2, but did not place.
UNO Ranked No. 1 in Latest D-II Poll
As two-time defending national champions, the Mavericks started the regular season unanimously
atop the first NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll, released on Dec. 8. The
team received all eight first-place votes from the coaches' ballots, totaling 160 points. UNO
topped every poll the past two seasons on its way to winning back-to-back titles.
This year, Esai Dominguez (149), George Ivanov (157) and Elijah Madison (285) all represent
the Mavs at the top of their respective weight rankings. Terrell McKinney (125) and Mario Morgan
(141) each sit at No. 2 in their weight classes. Ryan Pankoke is fourth at 174 pounds, and #Aaron
Denson# is fourth at 184 pounds.
St. Cloud State (Minn.) collected 150 points to hold at No. 2 in the poll and Augustana (S.D.)
remained third with 141 points. Western State (Colo.), previously No. 6, moved up to fourth with
137 points and Newberry (S.C.) rounded out the top-five.
Web Cast
The Maverick matches will be available via a free live web cast at mms://live.upstreamnetworks. com/16345-70149
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 32nd season as the Mavericks head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate
has a 289-109-5 (.723) career mark. He has been named the NCAA II National Coach of the
Year three times and led the 1991, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010 Mavericks to an NCAA
Division II national championship.
Next Up for the Mavericks
The Mavericks will have a three-week holiday break from competition, but will return to the
mats on Jan. 2, when they travel to Fremont, Neb., to compete in the Viking-Warrior Open beginning
at 9 a.m.
OMAHA, Neb. - The Top-ranked UNO wrestling team will travel to Kearney, Neb., to compete at the Loper Open on Saturday, Dec. 11 beginning at 9 a.m.
Last year, Ryan Pankoke went 4-0 on the day and turned in his best finish of the season.
The Beaver Crossing, Neb., native knocked off two-time All-American and No. 4-ranked Taylor May of
Nebraska-Kearney in the championship match with a 5-2 decision.
Ten Nebraska-Omaha wrestlers finished sixth or higher in the team's final tournament of
2009.
What Happened Last Time Out
Ryan Pankoke and Esai Dominguez took home individual titles for the UNO wrestling team at
the Fort Hays Open on Dec. 7, at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.
Pankoke, the No. 2 seed, claimed the title at 174 pounds after upsetting No. 1-seed Chris
McNeil of Oklahoma State in the title match. The senior recorded a technical fall, two falls and a
4-1 decision to earn a spot in the championship match, where he then defeated McNeil, 5-4.
Dominguez, a 149-pound junior from Omaha, also went a perfect 5-0 at the open. He recorded
a technical fall, a decision, a fall and a major decision on his way to the championship match. The
No. 1-seed Dominguez defeated No. 2-seed Karon Reid of Midland University, 8-6, in the title
match.
Taylor Escamilla, a junior from Fremont, Neb., won his first three matches at 285 pounds, but
fell in the seminfinals to Ben Hohensee of Nebraska-Kearney, 3-2. Escamilla pinned Justin Glenn
of host Fort Hays State in 4:16 to capture a third-place finish. Senior Tait Weatherbee (149) and
sophomore Matt Baker (197) each finished 4-2, but did not place.
UNO Ranked No. 1 in Latest D-II Poll
As two-time defending national champions, the Mavericks started the regular season unanimously
atop the first NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association poll, released on Dec. 8. The
team received all eight first-place votes from the coaches' ballots, totaling 160 points. UNO
topped every poll the past two seasons on its way to winning back-to-back titles.
This year, Esai Dominguez (149), George Ivanov (157) and Elijah Madison (285) all represent
the Mavs at the top of their respective weight rankings. Terrell McKinney (125) and Mario Morgan
(141) each sit at No. 2 in their weight classes. Ryan Pankoke is fourth at 174 pounds, and #Aaron
Denson# is fourth at 184 pounds.
St. Cloud State (Minn.) collected 150 points to hold at No. 2 in the poll and Augustana (S.D.)
remained third with 141 points. Western State (Colo.), previously No. 6, moved up to fourth with
137 points and Newberry (S.C.) rounded out the top-five.
Web Cast
The Maverick matches will be available via a free live web cast at mms://live.upstreamnetworks. com/16345-70149
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 32nd season as the Mavericks head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate
has a 289-109-5 (.723) career mark. He has been named the NCAA II National Coach of the
Year three times and led the 1991, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010 Mavericks to an NCAA
Division II national championship.
Next Up for the Mavericks
The Mavericks will have a three-week holiday break from competition, but will return to the
mats on Jan. 2, when they travel to Fremont, Neb., to compete in the Viking-Warrior Open beginning
at 9 a.m.
Tuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
