No. 2 Mavs Host Augsburg, Travel to Dana
The University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling team will compete in a pair of non-conference duals this week beginning with a 7 p.m. home contest against perennial NCAA Division III power Augsburg on Friday, Jan. 26. Nebraska-Omaha will then travel to Blair, Neb. for a 7 p.m. dual against defending NAIA national champion Dana.
Watch Live
Friday night's dual against Augsburg will be broadcast live on NET2 (Cox Channel 16).
Records & Rankings
The Mavericks are ranked No. 2 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association top 20 poll released on Jan. 24. Seven Mavs are ranked among the top eight in individual rankings.
Four Mavericks are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight class, including: Cody Garcia (125), Todd Meneely (149), Ross Taplin (165), and JD Naig (174). Jacob Marrs (197) is ranked second, Tony Lewis (285) is seventh, and Sim Bribieseca (141) is ranked for the first time this season at eighth.
Augsburg enters Friday night's dual as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division III. Dana is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest NAIA rankings.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 28th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 266-102-5 career mark. He has twice been named the NCAA II National Coach of the Year and led the 1991, 2004, 2005, and 2006 Mavericks to NCAA II national championships.
Last Week
UNO used pins by Ross Taplin at 165 pounds and J.D. Naig at 174 to post a 37-12 North Central Conference win over St. Cloud State last Friday night at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse. The Mavericks, now 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the NCC, also got a technical fall by Todd Meneely and major decisions by freshman Jeff Rau and redshirt freshman Jacob Marrs at 197. UNO won seven of the eight matches, with each team defaulting one, the Mavericks at 125 and the Huskies at heavyweight.
J.D. Naig and Jacob Marrs won titles Saturday to highlight UNO's showing in the Glen Brand Open at Sapp Fieldhouse. Naig, the defending NCAA II champion, won the 174-pound crown with a 4-0 record and was named the meet's outstanding wrestler. Naig, now 31-7, scored a 10-5 decision over Andy Johnson, unattached, in the final. Marrs, a redshirt freshman, was 3-0 and pinned Jake Smith, unattached, in just 2:01 in the title bout.
In all, UNO had six wrestlers who placed in the 125-man, 11-team field. No team scoring was kept. Heavyweight Tony Lewis dropped a 7-4 decision to Michigan State's Freddie Deramus to finish second with a 2-1 mark.
On Deck
UNO will host two of the top teams in Division II next week, beginning with a 7 p.m. dual against No. 3 Central Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 2. The Mavericks will then host top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Feb.3 beginning at 7 p.m.
Watch Live
Friday night's dual against Augsburg will be broadcast live on NET2 (Cox Channel 16).
Records & Rankings
The Mavericks are ranked No. 2 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association top 20 poll released on Jan. 24. Seven Mavs are ranked among the top eight in individual rankings.
Four Mavericks are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight class, including: Cody Garcia (125), Todd Meneely (149), Ross Taplin (165), and JD Naig (174). Jacob Marrs (197) is ranked second, Tony Lewis (285) is seventh, and Sim Bribieseca (141) is ranked for the first time this season at eighth.
Augsburg enters Friday night's dual as the No. 1 team in NCAA Division III. Dana is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest NAIA rankings.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 28th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 266-102-5 career mark. He has twice been named the NCAA II National Coach of the Year and led the 1991, 2004, 2005, and 2006 Mavericks to NCAA II national championships.
Last Week
UNO used pins by Ross Taplin at 165 pounds and J.D. Naig at 174 to post a 37-12 North Central Conference win over St. Cloud State last Friday night at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse. The Mavericks, now 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the NCC, also got a technical fall by Todd Meneely and major decisions by freshman Jeff Rau and redshirt freshman Jacob Marrs at 197. UNO won seven of the eight matches, with each team defaulting one, the Mavericks at 125 and the Huskies at heavyweight.
J.D. Naig and Jacob Marrs won titles Saturday to highlight UNO's showing in the Glen Brand Open at Sapp Fieldhouse. Naig, the defending NCAA II champion, won the 174-pound crown with a 4-0 record and was named the meet's outstanding wrestler. Naig, now 31-7, scored a 10-5 decision over Andy Johnson, unattached, in the final. Marrs, a redshirt freshman, was 3-0 and pinned Jake Smith, unattached, in just 2:01 in the title bout.
In all, UNO had six wrestlers who placed in the 125-man, 11-team field. No team scoring was kept. Heavyweight Tony Lewis dropped a 7-4 decision to Michigan State's Freddie Deramus to finish second with a 2-1 mark.
On Deck
UNO will host two of the top teams in Division II next week, beginning with a 7 p.m. dual against No. 3 Central Oklahoma on Friday, Feb. 2. The Mavericks will then host top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Feb.3 beginning at 7 p.m.
