Mavericks Finish 3rd as Meneely, Naig Capture Titl
KEARNEY, Neb. -- J.D. Naig won his third straight national title and Todd Meneely his first Saturday night, pushing the Mavericks into third place in the NCAA Division II wrestling tournament at the Health and Sports Center.
Central Oklahoma captured the team title, followed by the host school, Nebraska-Kearney.
Naig finished his season at 42-7 and his career at 140-26, fourth-best all-time at UNO, with a dominating 13-1 win over Michael Jackson of Indianapolis in the 174-pound title bout. It was the second straight year that Naig defeated Jackson in the championship match. Naig, who was third as a freshman, also won the 165-pound title as a sophomore.
Naig is just the third three-time national champion in school history, following Roy Washington in 1968-70 and Les Sigman, 2003-06.
Meneely scored a first-period takedown and then grinded out a 3-2 victory at 149 pounds over Carson Newman sophomore Mike Rogers. Meneely finished the year 35-3.
The Mavericks, fourth entering the Saturday night finals, moved past Minnesota State, Mankato in the team standings with Naig's win.
UNO 184-pounder Austin Boehm, the first true freshman to wrestle for the school in a championship match, lost his final bout to Jared Deaguero of Adams State, 9-1.
Earlier in the day, redshirt freshman Siim Bribieseca, UNO's fourth All-American in the tournament, suffered a knee injury and defaulted, finishing eighth.
Central Oklahoma captured the team title, followed by the host school, Nebraska-Kearney.
Naig finished his season at 42-7 and his career at 140-26, fourth-best all-time at UNO, with a dominating 13-1 win over Michael Jackson of Indianapolis in the 174-pound title bout. It was the second straight year that Naig defeated Jackson in the championship match. Naig, who was third as a freshman, also won the 165-pound title as a sophomore.
Naig is just the third three-time national champion in school history, following Roy Washington in 1968-70 and Les Sigman, 2003-06.
Meneely scored a first-period takedown and then grinded out a 3-2 victory at 149 pounds over Carson Newman sophomore Mike Rogers. Meneely finished the year 35-3.
The Mavericks, fourth entering the Saturday night finals, moved past Minnesota State, Mankato in the team standings with Naig's win.
UNO 184-pounder Austin Boehm, the first true freshman to wrestle for the school in a championship match, lost his final bout to Jared Deaguero of Adams State, 9-1.
Earlier in the day, redshirt freshman Siim Bribieseca, UNO's fourth All-American in the tournament, suffered a knee injury and defaulted, finishing eighth.
