Morgan, Pankoke, Denson Advance to NCAA Finals
Mar 12, 2011 | General
Live Results
NCAA Live Webcast
Team Standings (Before Finals)
Updated Brackets
KEARNEY, Neb. - Mario Morgan, Ryan Pankoke and Aaron Denson advanced to the championship matches of the NCAA Division II National Championships on Saturday, as the three seniors will look to end their careers in style Saturday night.
The three Mavericks will each wrestle for their first national championships on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UNK Health & Sports Center. The matches will be broadcast live online by the NCAA.
The Mavericks are in first place in the team standings with 90.5 points and are in position to win their third straight national championship. St. Cloud State is in second with 86.5, while Augustana is in third with 81.5. UNO's three wrestlers in the finals are the most for any team. St. Cloud State has two, and Augustana has one.
Morgan, 29-4 and ranked No. 1 in the nation at 141 pounds, will be making his second straight appearance in the national finals after a 5-3 decision over No. 5 Matt Irwin of Indianapolis in the semifinals Saturday morning.
Morgan will face No. 3 Dalton Jensen of UNK (28-4), who defeated defending national champion Jay Sherer of Augustana by fall in 17 seconds in the semis. Morgan is 2-0 against Jensen this year, winning by injury default at the Loper Open and by a 4-3 decision on Jan. 29.
Pankoke, the top-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds with a 40-2 record, defeated No. 2 Victor Carazo of Grand Canyon, 3-2, in the semifinals. Pankoke will square off against No. 6 Luke Rynish (24-3) of Wisconsin-Parkside, who was ranked at the top most of the year. Pankoke, who finished third at last year's national championships, will be making his first appearance in the title match.
Denson, the No. 3 wrestler at 184 pounds, earned a 4-2 decision over Aaron Norgren of Minnesota State-Mankato in sudden victory. Denson's takedown in overtime earned him his second career appearance in the national finals, the other coming back in 2009 when he finished second. Denson (33-6) will wrestle Charlie Pipher of Western State, who is ranked second with a 19-1 record.
Taylor Escamilla lost his semifinal match at 285 pounds to top-ranked Jacob Kahnke of St. Cloud State, 4-1. Escamilla was then defeated by No. 5 Jacob Southwick of Ashland in the consolation bracket, 2-1. Escamilla finished sixth after dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 7 Christopher Dempsey of Pitt-Johnstown in the fifth-place match.
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In the consolation bracket, top-ranked George Ivanov bounced back from his first round loss on Friday to win five straight matches to finish in third place. Ivanov defeated No. 7 Jordan Shields of Mercyhurst to win the third-place match and secure 10 team points for the Mavericks. Ivanov finished his outstanding sophomore season with a 35-4 record while earning his second top-three finish in a row.
No. 1 Esai Dominguez finished seventh at 149 pounds after a forfeit win in the seventh-place match. Dominguez was knocked into the seventh-place match by Jacob Horn of St. Cloud State on Saturday morning, 5-4. Dominguez ended his third straight All-American season with a 39-5 record.
No. 3 Matt Baker fell to Carl Broghammer of Upper Iowa in a 3-2 decision at 197 pounds on Saturday morning to also be sent to the seventh-place match. Baker ended up eighth after falling to Daniel Stevenson of Findlay, 2-1, in the seventh-place match.
NCAA Division II National Championships
Team Standings
1. Nebraska-Omaha - 90.5
2. St. Cloud State - 86.5
3. Augustana - 81.5
4. Upper Iowa - 62.0
T5. Newberry - 60.0
T5. Western State - 60.0
UNO Wrestlers
125 - Josh Keszler (1-2) DNP
W Forfeit, Madison Gambrell (GCU)
L Dec. 7-5, #2 John McDonald (NBU)
L Dec. 9-5, #4 Jose Matos (GU)
133 - Trent Cox (1-2) DNP
W Dec. 3-2, Eric Ellington (SCSU)
L Dec. 6-0, #1 Todd Wilcox (GCU)
L Dec. 3-0, #3 Ryan Link (UPJ)
141 - #1 Mario Morgan (3-0)
W Dec. 9-4, Simon Rice (SU)
W Fall; 6:26, #4 Naveed Bagheri (SFSU)
W Dec. 5-3, #5 Matt Irwin (IU)
149 - #1 Esai Dominguez (3-2) 7th Place
W Major Dec. 17-5, Matthew Thomas (SFSU)
L Dec. 6-4, #4 Nate Herda (AC)
W Fall; 2:14, Brandon Russow (UCM)
L Dec. 5-4, #5 Jacob Horn (SCSU)
W Forfeit, #8 Kenny Jordan (ASU)
157 - #1 George Ivanov (5-1) 3rd Place
L Dec. 11-9, Winston Robbins (UIU)
W Dec. 5-0, #6 Sean Byrnes (NBU)
W Dec. 8-1, Seth Phalen (WLSU)
W Dec. 2-1, #5 Marcus Edgington (AC)
W Major Dec. 12-0, Teddy Bristol (GCU)
W Dec. 5-3, #7 Jordan Shields (MC)
165 - Nathan Sigman (1-2) DNP
L Dec. 6-1, #1 Mike Williams (UNCP)
W Dec. 6-1, Isaiah Jimenez (SFSU)
L Dec. 6-2, #7 Brandon Kelly (AU)
174 - #1 Ryan Pankoke (3-0) TBD
W Dec. 9-3, Trent Zempel (CSC)
W Dec. 5-2, #4 Ben Becker (MSU)
W Dec. 3-2, #2 Victor Carazo (GCU)
184 - #3 Aaron Denson (3-0) TBD
W Major Dec. 8-0, Craig Draper-Johnson (SWMS)
W Fall; 1:53, #8 Ross Brunkhardt (UNK)
W Dec. 4-2 SV, #5 Aaron Norgren (MSU)
197 - #4 Matt Baker (2-3) 8th Place
W Dec. 3-2, Eddie Ebewo (ESC)
L Dec. 9-3, #1 Donovan McMahill (WSC)
W Dec. 4-1, #7 Pat Mahan (MSU)
L Dec. 3-2, Carl Broghammer (UIU)
L Dec. 2-1, Daniel Stevenson (UF)
285 - Taylor Escamilla (2-3) 6th Place
W Dec. 3-2 TB1, Ben Hohensee (UNK)
W Dec. 6-4, #7 Christopher Dempsey (UPJ)
L Dec. 4-1, #1 Jacob Kahnke (SCSU)
L Dec. 2-1, #5 Jacob Southwick (AU)
L Dec. 3-1, #7 Christopher Dempsey (UPJ)
NCAA Live Webcast
Team Standings (Before Finals)
Updated Brackets
KEARNEY, Neb. - Mario Morgan, Ryan Pankoke and Aaron Denson advanced to the championship matches of the NCAA Division II National Championships on Saturday, as the three seniors will look to end their careers in style Saturday night.
The three Mavericks will each wrestle for their first national championships on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the UNK Health & Sports Center. The matches will be broadcast live online by the NCAA.
The Mavericks are in first place in the team standings with 90.5 points and are in position to win their third straight national championship. St. Cloud State is in second with 86.5, while Augustana is in third with 81.5. UNO's three wrestlers in the finals are the most for any team. St. Cloud State has two, and Augustana has one.
Morgan, 29-4 and ranked No. 1 in the nation at 141 pounds, will be making his second straight appearance in the national finals after a 5-3 decision over No. 5 Matt Irwin of Indianapolis in the semifinals Saturday morning.
Morgan will face No. 3 Dalton Jensen of UNK (28-4), who defeated defending national champion Jay Sherer of Augustana by fall in 17 seconds in the semis. Morgan is 2-0 against Jensen this year, winning by injury default at the Loper Open and by a 4-3 decision on Jan. 29.
Pankoke, the top-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds with a 40-2 record, defeated No. 2 Victor Carazo of Grand Canyon, 3-2, in the semifinals. Pankoke will square off against No. 6 Luke Rynish (24-3) of Wisconsin-Parkside, who was ranked at the top most of the year. Pankoke, who finished third at last year's national championships, will be making his first appearance in the title match.
Denson, the No. 3 wrestler at 184 pounds, earned a 4-2 decision over Aaron Norgren of Minnesota State-Mankato in sudden victory. Denson's takedown in overtime earned him his second career appearance in the national finals, the other coming back in 2009 when he finished second. Denson (33-6) will wrestle Charlie Pipher of Western State, who is ranked second with a 19-1 record.
Taylor Escamilla lost his semifinal match at 285 pounds to top-ranked Jacob Kahnke of St. Cloud State, 4-1. Escamilla was then defeated by No. 5 Jacob Southwick of Ashland in the consolation bracket, 2-1. Escamilla finished sixth after dropping a 3-1 decision to No. 7 Christopher Dempsey of Pitt-Johnstown in the fifth-place match.
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In the consolation bracket, top-ranked George Ivanov bounced back from his first round loss on Friday to win five straight matches to finish in third place. Ivanov defeated No. 7 Jordan Shields of Mercyhurst to win the third-place match and secure 10 team points for the Mavericks. Ivanov finished his outstanding sophomore season with a 35-4 record while earning his second top-three finish in a row.
No. 1 Esai Dominguez finished seventh at 149 pounds after a forfeit win in the seventh-place match. Dominguez was knocked into the seventh-place match by Jacob Horn of St. Cloud State on Saturday morning, 5-4. Dominguez ended his third straight All-American season with a 39-5 record.
No. 3 Matt Baker fell to Carl Broghammer of Upper Iowa in a 3-2 decision at 197 pounds on Saturday morning to also be sent to the seventh-place match. Baker ended up eighth after falling to Daniel Stevenson of Findlay, 2-1, in the seventh-place match.
NCAA Division II National Championships
Team Standings
1. Nebraska-Omaha - 90.5
2. St. Cloud State - 86.5
3. Augustana - 81.5
4. Upper Iowa - 62.0
T5. Newberry - 60.0
T5. Western State - 60.0
UNO Wrestlers
125 - Josh Keszler (1-2) DNP
W Forfeit, Madison Gambrell (GCU)
L Dec. 7-5, #2 John McDonald (NBU)
L Dec. 9-5, #4 Jose Matos (GU)
133 - Trent Cox (1-2) DNP
W Dec. 3-2, Eric Ellington (SCSU)
L Dec. 6-0, #1 Todd Wilcox (GCU)
L Dec. 3-0, #3 Ryan Link (UPJ)
141 - #1 Mario Morgan (3-0)
W Dec. 9-4, Simon Rice (SU)
W Fall; 6:26, #4 Naveed Bagheri (SFSU)
W Dec. 5-3, #5 Matt Irwin (IU)
149 - #1 Esai Dominguez (3-2) 7th Place
W Major Dec. 17-5, Matthew Thomas (SFSU)
L Dec. 6-4, #4 Nate Herda (AC)
W Fall; 2:14, Brandon Russow (UCM)
L Dec. 5-4, #5 Jacob Horn (SCSU)
W Forfeit, #8 Kenny Jordan (ASU)
157 - #1 George Ivanov (5-1) 3rd Place
L Dec. 11-9, Winston Robbins (UIU)
W Dec. 5-0, #6 Sean Byrnes (NBU)
W Dec. 8-1, Seth Phalen (WLSU)
W Dec. 2-1, #5 Marcus Edgington (AC)
W Major Dec. 12-0, Teddy Bristol (GCU)
W Dec. 5-3, #7 Jordan Shields (MC)
165 - Nathan Sigman (1-2) DNP
L Dec. 6-1, #1 Mike Williams (UNCP)
W Dec. 6-1, Isaiah Jimenez (SFSU)
L Dec. 6-2, #7 Brandon Kelly (AU)
174 - #1 Ryan Pankoke (3-0) TBD
W Dec. 9-3, Trent Zempel (CSC)
W Dec. 5-2, #4 Ben Becker (MSU)
W Dec. 3-2, #2 Victor Carazo (GCU)
184 - #3 Aaron Denson (3-0) TBD
W Major Dec. 8-0, Craig Draper-Johnson (SWMS)
W Fall; 1:53, #8 Ross Brunkhardt (UNK)
W Dec. 4-2 SV, #5 Aaron Norgren (MSU)
197 - #4 Matt Baker (2-3) 8th Place
W Dec. 3-2, Eddie Ebewo (ESC)
L Dec. 9-3, #1 Donovan McMahill (WSC)
W Dec. 4-1, #7 Pat Mahan (MSU)
L Dec. 3-2, Carl Broghammer (UIU)
L Dec. 2-1, Daniel Stevenson (UF)
285 - Taylor Escamilla (2-3) 6th Place
W Dec. 3-2 TB1, Ben Hohensee (UNK)
W Dec. 6-4, #7 Christopher Dempsey (UPJ)
L Dec. 4-1, #1 Jacob Kahnke (SCSU)
L Dec. 2-1, #5 Jacob Southwick (AU)
L Dec. 3-1, #7 Christopher Dempsey (UPJ)
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