Mavericks Looking for 3rd Straight Mat Title
UNO will try for a third straight national championship when they take 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Division II national tournament in Findlay, Ohio. The tournament's first of four sessions will be Friday at 10 a.m. CST. The championship matches will be Saturday at 6:15 p.m. CST.
The Mavericks entered, records and 2005 national tournament finish and first-round opponents:
125: No. 2 Cody Garcia (35-3; redshirted last year)
vs. Allen Stokes, Truman State
133: No. 7 Dan Hilario (20-9; DNP)
vs. Virgil Lockett, San Francisco State
141: No. 2 Mitch Waite (19-7; injured last year)
vs. Nick DiCarlo, Anderson
149: No. 6 Shane Unger (18-8; DNP)
vs. Charlie Pingleton, Indianapolis
157: No. 1 Patrick Allibone (26-5; national champion)
vs. Jared Webster, Chadron State
165: No. 6 Ross Taplin (33-12; freshman; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Albert Miles, Pittsburg-Johnstown
174: No. 1 J.D. Naig (28-3; national champion)
vs. Jesse Sheets, Central Missouri State
184: Nate Oviatt (17-17; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Mike Howell, Fort Hays State
197: Nick Edmonds (9-20; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Michael Fowler, Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Hwt: No. 1 Les Sigman (19-0; national champion)
vs. Josh Ohl, Ashland
Last Week
The Mavericks won the North Regional title, had five individual champions and advanced 10 to the NCAA II national meet. Coach Mike Denney was named the regional meet's coach of the year and 125-pounder Cody Garcia won the award for the most falls in the least time with two in 2:24. Garcia, Mitch Waite, Patrick Allibone, J.D. Naig and Les Sigman all won titles for UNO.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 27th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 262-101-5 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.
The Nationals
The field of 160 wrestlers will begin with first round matches at 10 a.m. CST Friday on six mats. Second-round matches and the first two rounds of consolation matches will begin at 5 p.m. Friday. Semifinal matches, third-round consolation, consolation semifinals and third, fifth and seventh-place matches will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and the championship matches will begin Saturday night at 6:15.
The Mavericks entered, records and 2005 national tournament finish and first-round opponents:
125: No. 2 Cody Garcia (35-3; redshirted last year)
vs. Allen Stokes, Truman State
133: No. 7 Dan Hilario (20-9; DNP)
vs. Virgil Lockett, San Francisco State
141: No. 2 Mitch Waite (19-7; injured last year)
vs. Nick DiCarlo, Anderson
149: No. 6 Shane Unger (18-8; DNP)
vs. Charlie Pingleton, Indianapolis
157: No. 1 Patrick Allibone (26-5; national champion)
vs. Jared Webster, Chadron State
165: No. 6 Ross Taplin (33-12; freshman; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Albert Miles, Pittsburg-Johnstown
174: No. 1 J.D. Naig (28-3; national champion)
vs. Jesse Sheets, Central Missouri State
184: Nate Oviatt (17-17; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Mike Howell, Fort Hays State
197: Nick Edmonds (9-20; did not compete at nationals)
vs. Michael Fowler, Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Hwt: No. 1 Les Sigman (19-0; national champion)
vs. Josh Ohl, Ashland
Last Week
The Mavericks won the North Regional title, had five individual champions and advanced 10 to the NCAA II national meet. Coach Mike Denney was named the regional meet's coach of the year and 125-pounder Cody Garcia won the award for the most falls in the least time with two in 2:24. Garcia, Mitch Waite, Patrick Allibone, J.D. Naig and Les Sigman all won titles for UNO.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 27th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 262-101-5 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.
The Nationals
The field of 160 wrestlers will begin with first round matches at 10 a.m. CST Friday on six mats. Second-round matches and the first two rounds of consolation matches will begin at 5 p.m. Friday. Semifinal matches, third-round consolation, consolation semifinals and third, fifth and seventh-place matches will begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and the championship matches will begin Saturday night at 6:15.
