NCAA Division II's Top Teams in Action Friday
UNO, ranked No. 1 in NCAA II and 8-0 in duals, will return home this weekend for its only home dual meet of the season, hosting No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato, 11-1 in duals, Friday night at 7, in a rematch of the National Dual Tournament championship. The match will be televised on NET2, statewide cable.
The probable UNO lineup:
125: No. 2 Cody Garcia (31-3 overall; 6-0 duals)
or Jimmy Ball (10-11; 0-0)
133: No. 6 Dan Hilario (16-8; 6-2)
141: No. 3 Mitch Waite (14-7; 5-1)
149: No. 6 Shane Unger (14-6; 5-3)
157: No. 1 Patrick Allibone (24-6; 7-1)
165: No. 5 Ross Taplin (31-11; 5-3)
174: No. 2 J.D. Naig (26-4; 8-0)
184: Nate Oviatt (14-15; 2-6)
197: Nick Edmonds (7-17; 2-6)
Hwt: No. 1 Les Sigman (16-0; 7-0)
Last Week
The Mavericks swept two road duals to move to 8-0 on the season. UNO downed No. 3 ranked Central Oklahoma, 19-15 and No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney, 23-13.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 27th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 260-101-5 career mark. He has twice been named the NCAA II National Coach of the Year and led the 1991, 2004 and 2005 Mavericks to NCAA II national championships. UNO has also won three National Dual titles, in 1997, 2005 and 2006.
Maverick Notes...
Sunday's dual with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville has been canceled. The Cougars notified UNO this week that they would be unable to make the trip to Omaha. That leaves the Mavericks with just Friday's match as the only home dual of the season. The Mavs have won 13 of their past 14 dual meets, dropping the final match last year to Augustana...UNO leads the series with Minnesota State, 17-5, including a 20-10 win in the championship match of the National Dual Tournament in January...heavyweight Les Sigman has won 65 straight matches entering Friday's action...Sigman was named a wrestler of the week by the NCC for his weekend wins that helped UNO to two dual victories. He shares the award with MSU heavyweight Tim Kraemer.
On Deck
UNO will have one final dual meet in the regular season, traveling to Sioux Falls, S.D., to face No. 5 ranked Augustana at 7 p.m. The Mavericks will then have until Feb. 26 to prepare for the NCAA II North Regional on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse.
The probable UNO lineup:
125: No. 2 Cody Garcia (31-3 overall; 6-0 duals)
or Jimmy Ball (10-11; 0-0)
133: No. 6 Dan Hilario (16-8; 6-2)
141: No. 3 Mitch Waite (14-7; 5-1)
149: No. 6 Shane Unger (14-6; 5-3)
157: No. 1 Patrick Allibone (24-6; 7-1)
165: No. 5 Ross Taplin (31-11; 5-3)
174: No. 2 J.D. Naig (26-4; 8-0)
184: Nate Oviatt (14-15; 2-6)
197: Nick Edmonds (7-17; 2-6)
Hwt: No. 1 Les Sigman (16-0; 7-0)
Last Week
The Mavericks swept two road duals to move to 8-0 on the season. UNO downed No. 3 ranked Central Oklahoma, 19-15 and No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney, 23-13.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 27th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 260-101-5 career mark. He has twice been named the NCAA II National Coach of the Year and led the 1991, 2004 and 2005 Mavericks to NCAA II national championships. UNO has also won three National Dual titles, in 1997, 2005 and 2006.
Maverick Notes...
Sunday's dual with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville has been canceled. The Cougars notified UNO this week that they would be unable to make the trip to Omaha. That leaves the Mavericks with just Friday's match as the only home dual of the season. The Mavs have won 13 of their past 14 dual meets, dropping the final match last year to Augustana...UNO leads the series with Minnesota State, 17-5, including a 20-10 win in the championship match of the National Dual Tournament in January...heavyweight Les Sigman has won 65 straight matches entering Friday's action...Sigman was named a wrestler of the week by the NCC for his weekend wins that helped UNO to two dual victories. He shares the award with MSU heavyweight Tim Kraemer.
On Deck
UNO will have one final dual meet in the regular season, traveling to Sioux Falls, S.D., to face No. 5 ranked Augustana at 7 p.m. The Mavericks will then have until Feb. 26 to prepare for the NCAA II North Regional on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse.
