Choinski Wins 157-Pound Title At WIAC Championship
Sophomore Mark Choinski became just the third UW-Oshkosh champion since 1999 when he won the 157-pound weight class at the WIAC Wrestling Championship (presented by Culver's) held Friday (Feb. 10) in Platteville.
Choinski (19-2) went unbeaten in four contests and captured the victory in his division with a 13-4 win over UW-La Crosse's Jackson Schoen. Choinski advanced to his championship bout with Schoen by defeating UW-La Crosse's Michael Murnane, 5-3.
Choinski began his road to the title by ousting UW-Whitewater's Scott Schieldt, 8-1, and receiving a medical forfeit from UW-Platteville's Dustin Reynolds.
Choinski joins Joel Dziedzic (2001 champion at 149 pounds) and Nazar Kulchytskyy (2012 champion at 157 pounds) as UW-Oshkosh's only WIAC champions in the last 18 years.
UW-Oshkosh's Kody Azarian (8-2) advanced to the final of his weight class and took second place after losing a 13-0 decision to UW-La Crosse's Dustin Weinmann at 141 pounds. Weinmann enter the championship as the top-ranked wrestler in the NCAA Division III.
Azarian qualified for his title bout with Weinmann by sticking UW-Eau Claire's Kyle Eberle to the mat in 1:08 and defeating UW-La Crosse's Hayden Schlough, 5-3.
The Titans also received a fourth-place finish from Anthony Senthavisouk (9-12) at 125 pounds. Senthavisouk lost his third-place match by a 17-2 result to UW-Whitewater's Mike Tortorice.
Senthavisouk lost his opening bout by a 12-4 score to UW-Eau Claire's Zackary Sirny before defeating Riley Lull and Nelson Baker of UW-La Crosse by decisions of 7-5 and 10-8 (sudden victory), respectively.
UW-Oshkosh had a trio of fifth-place finishers in Colten Cashmore at 174 pounds, Julius Smith at 184 and Elijah Burdick at 285.
Cashmore (14-11) compiled a 3-2 record and earned fifth place with a pin of UW-Stevens Point's Cody Nielsen in 6:58. He also defeated Nielsen by a 4-3 score in the quarterfinal round.
Smith (6-6) tallied a 2-2 record and finished fifth after defeating UW-Eau Claire's Jacob Olson, 12-9. Smith's other win was a 3-2 result over UW-Eau Claire's Grant Balconi.
Burdick (10-11) placed fifth after receiving a medical forfeit from UW-Platteville's D'Andre Johnson. Burdick's 3-2 record in the tournament also included a pin of UW-Whitewater's Austin Parks in 4:34 and a 1-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh teammate Michael Dunlap.
UW-Oshkosh finished sixth in the team standings with 75 points.
UW-La Crosse, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, scored 160 points to win its first WIAC title since 2011 and 16th overall.
Five-time defending WIAC UW-Whitewater finished second in the six-team meet with 108 points while UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point shared third place with 97.5. UW-Eau Claire took fifth place with 89 points.
Other UW-Oshkosh competitors at this year's WIAC Championship were Diego Rosas (0-2) at 125 pounds, Ethan Altabet (0-2) and Bennett Temple (0-2) at 133, Dellas Vandenberg (0-2) at 141, Joe Pelkey (1-2) at 149, Josh Becker (1-2) at 157, Corey Knudsen (0-2) and Aristide Serrano (0-2) at 165, AJ Stengel (0-2) at 174, Husam Alabed (0-2) at 184, John DePersia (2-2) and Patrick Reilly (0-2) at 197 and Michael Dunlap (0-2) at 285.
WIAC Championship Match Results:
125: Zac Denny (UW-Whitewater) Def. Zackary Sirny (UW-Eau Claire), 7-2
133: Joe Brodman (UW-Whitewater) Def. Ryan Weinmann (UW-La Crosse), 10-6
141: Dustin Weinmann (UW-La Crosse) Def. Kody Azarian (UW-Oshkosh), 13-0
149: Mason Geary (UW-La Crosse) Def. Kal Gerber (UW-La Crosse), 7-5
157: Mark Choinski (UW-Oshkosh) Def. Jackson Shoen (UW-La Crosse), 13-4
165: Logan Hermsen (UW-Stevens Point) Def. Toby Mosley (UW-Eau Claire), 6-4
174: Richard Carlson (UW-La Crosse) Def. Jon Goetz (UW-Platteville), 8-1
184: Jordan Newman (UW-Whitewater) Def. Grant Wedepohl (UW-Platteville), 10-2
197: Michael Otomo (UW-La Crosse) Def. Cecil Philson (UW-Eau Claire), 10-4
285: Donny Ralston (UW-Stevens Point) Def. Konrad Ernst (UW-La Crosse), 8-0
John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet: Dustin Weinmann of UW-La Crosse
Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year: Dave Malecek of UW-La Crosse
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete (Sponsored by Badgerland Financial): Alex Friedman of UW-La Crosse
Qualification for the NCAA Division III Championship that UW-La Crosse will host on March 10-11 at the La Crosse Center will be based on regional competition. UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater will participate at the Midwest Regional hosted by Manchester University (Ind.) while UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville will compete at the West Regional hosted by Concordia College-Moorhead (Minn.). Both regional events will be held on Feb. 25.