No. 1 Mavericks Travel to NCAA II North Regional
Weekly Notes
The top-ranked UNO Maverick wrestling team will travel to Mankato, Minn. on Sunday, Mar. 2, to compete in the NCAA II North Region Championships, beginning at 12 p.m.
The top-four place finishers in each weight class will advance to the NCAA II Nationals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Mar. 14-15 at the U.S. Cellular Center.
Web Cast
The Maverick matches at the NCAA II North Region championships will be available as a live video web cast throughout the entire tournament at http://gomavs.unomaha.edu/wrestling/live_webcast.php The web cast will begin at 12 p.m with Jim Bayly calling all of the action. The finals are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Records & Rankings
Nebraska-Omaha finished the regular season with an 8-3 overall record and a 3-0 mark in the North Central Conference, capturing the final league title. UNO is currently ranked No. 1 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll released on Feb. 20.
The Mavericks have eight ranked individuals led by national champions Todd Meneely, who is ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds, and Cody Garcia, No. 1 at 125. Mario Morgan is ranked eighth at 133. Aaron Denson is third at 165 this week, Ross Taplin is fourth at 174, and Brent Pankoke is No. 2 at 184. Jacob Marrs remains at second this week at 197 pounds, while Tony Lewis moved up two spots to sixth at 285.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 29th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 276-109-5 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
NCAA Division I Northern Iowa won four of the first five matches and took advantage of a default to pin a 22-15 non-conference loss on the Mavericks last Thursday night in the Sapp Fieldhouse. The Mavericks, wrestling without two No. 1 ranked wrestlers, completed their dual season at 8-3, while the Panthers improved to 6-5-1.
Northern Iowa opened the match at 157 pounds by reeling off decisions by Tyson Reiner, Moza Fay and Alex Dolly for a 10-0 lead. No. 2 ranked Brent Pankoke ended the string for UNO with an 8-6 decision at 184 over Andy O'Loughlin. Pankoke scored an escape with 20 seconds left and earned a point with 1:08 of riding time.
The Panthers answered with a 6-5 win by Andrew Anderson over No. 2-ranked Jacob Marrs at 197 to take a 13-3 lead. Maverick heavyweight Tony Lewis, ranked No. 6, responded with a 5-1 decision to pull the Mavericks within 13-6.
But when UNO's No. 1-ranked Cody Garcia was too ill to compete, the Panthers got the default at 125 pounds to increase their lead to 19-6. Redshirt freshman Mario Morgan gave the Mavs a 10-6 decision at 133, however Northern Iowa clinched the win with C.J. Ettelson's 3-0 decision at 141 over Sim Bribieseca for a 22-9 advantage.
Freshman Tait Weatherbee, filling in for No. 1-ranked Todd Meneely at 149 pounds, scored the most dramatic win of the night. Weatherbee, trailing Nick Pickerell 8-1 in the final minute of the second period, got a reversal and pin at 4:30.
On Deck
The UNO wrestling team will travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. on Mar. 14-15 to compete in the NCAA II National Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Mavericks will be aiming for their fourth national title in the last five seasons
Probable Starters
125 - No. 1, Cody Garcia, So., (18-4)
133 - No. 8, Mario Morgan, RFr., (24-14)
141 - Sim Bribieseca, So., (23-10)
149 - No. 1, Todd Meneely, Jr., (16-2)
157 - Henry Wahle, Sr., (15-11)
165 - No. 3, Aaron Denson, RFr., (28-5)
174 - No. 4, Ross Taplin, Jr., (25-5)
184 - No. 2, Brent Pankoke, So., (25-3)
197 - No. 2, Jacob Marrs, So., (24-2)
285 - No. 6, Tony Lewis, Jr., (17-8)
The top-ranked UNO Maverick wrestling team will travel to Mankato, Minn. on Sunday, Mar. 2, to compete in the NCAA II North Region Championships, beginning at 12 p.m.
The top-four place finishers in each weight class will advance to the NCAA II Nationals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Mar. 14-15 at the U.S. Cellular Center.
Web Cast
The Maverick matches at the NCAA II North Region championships will be available as a live video web cast throughout the entire tournament at http://gomavs.unomaha.edu/wrestling/live_webcast.php The web cast will begin at 12 p.m with Jim Bayly calling all of the action. The finals are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Records & Rankings
Nebraska-Omaha finished the regular season with an 8-3 overall record and a 3-0 mark in the North Central Conference, capturing the final league title. UNO is currently ranked No. 1 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll released on Feb. 20.
The Mavericks have eight ranked individuals led by national champions Todd Meneely, who is ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds, and Cody Garcia, No. 1 at 125. Mario Morgan is ranked eighth at 133. Aaron Denson is third at 165 this week, Ross Taplin is fourth at 174, and Brent Pankoke is No. 2 at 184. Jacob Marrs remains at second this week at 197 pounds, while Tony Lewis moved up two spots to sixth at 285.
The Coach
Mike Denney is in his 29th season as the Maverick head coach. The Dakota Wesleyan graduate has a 276-109-5 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
NCAA Division I Northern Iowa won four of the first five matches and took advantage of a default to pin a 22-15 non-conference loss on the Mavericks last Thursday night in the Sapp Fieldhouse. The Mavericks, wrestling without two No. 1 ranked wrestlers, completed their dual season at 8-3, while the Panthers improved to 6-5-1.
Northern Iowa opened the match at 157 pounds by reeling off decisions by Tyson Reiner, Moza Fay and Alex Dolly for a 10-0 lead. No. 2 ranked Brent Pankoke ended the string for UNO with an 8-6 decision at 184 over Andy O'Loughlin. Pankoke scored an escape with 20 seconds left and earned a point with 1:08 of riding time.
The Panthers answered with a 6-5 win by Andrew Anderson over No. 2-ranked Jacob Marrs at 197 to take a 13-3 lead. Maverick heavyweight Tony Lewis, ranked No. 6, responded with a 5-1 decision to pull the Mavericks within 13-6.
But when UNO's No. 1-ranked Cody Garcia was too ill to compete, the Panthers got the default at 125 pounds to increase their lead to 19-6. Redshirt freshman Mario Morgan gave the Mavs a 10-6 decision at 133, however Northern Iowa clinched the win with C.J. Ettelson's 3-0 decision at 141 over Sim Bribieseca for a 22-9 advantage.
Freshman Tait Weatherbee, filling in for No. 1-ranked Todd Meneely at 149 pounds, scored the most dramatic win of the night. Weatherbee, trailing Nick Pickerell 8-1 in the final minute of the second period, got a reversal and pin at 4:30.
On Deck
The UNO wrestling team will travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. on Mar. 14-15 to compete in the NCAA II National Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Mavericks will be aiming for their fourth national title in the last five seasons
Probable Starters
125 - No. 1, Cody Garcia, So., (18-4)
133 - No. 8, Mario Morgan, RFr., (24-14)
141 - Sim Bribieseca, So., (23-10)
149 - No. 1, Todd Meneely, Jr., (16-2)
157 - Henry Wahle, Sr., (15-11)
165 - No. 3, Aaron Denson, RFr., (28-5)
174 - No. 4, Ross Taplin, Jr., (25-5)
184 - No. 2, Brent Pankoke, So., (25-3)
197 - No. 2, Jacob Marrs, So., (24-2)
285 - No. 6, Tony Lewis, Jr., (17-8)
