Engelland, Mueller Compete At National Championship

Sam Engelland (So. • Neenah) accounted for UW-Oshkosh's lone team point at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship held Friday and Saturday (March 5-6) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Engelland, who earned an at-large invitation to the national meet after finishing second at the WIAC Championship held Feb. 21, posted a 1-2 record as a contestant in the 174-pound weight class.

Engelland's second straight NCAA postseason appearance began with a 5-0 loss to fourth-seeded Kyle Kwiat of Ohio Northern University.

In the consolation bracket, the unseeded Engelland (33-14) defeated Christopher Karl of UW-Stevens Point, 6-2, before dropping a 2-0 decision to Seth Rehn of Coe College (Iowa). Both Karl and Rehn were unseeded.

Third-seeded Michael Schmitz of UW-La Crosse edged top-seeded Evan Brown of the University of Dubuque (Iowa), 5-2, in the title bout of the 174-pound weight class.

UW-Oshkosh's other participant at this year's national meet was Zachary Mueller (So. • Jackson). Mueller, who received an at-large bid to the event after placing third at the WIAC Championship, lost both of his matches as a competitor in the 125-pound weight division.

Mueller's first NCAA postseason experience began with an 8-4 loss to seventh-seeded Joshua Roberts of Augsburg College (Minn.).

The unseeded Mueller (24-16) then suffered a 16-0 loss to second-seeded Mark Kist of Wartburg College (Iowa) in the consolation bracket.

Top-seeded Clayton Rush of Coe College earned a 14-3 victory over third-seeded Tyler Erdman of Elizabethtown College (Pa.) in the championship match of the 125-pound weight class.

Augsburg College scored 110.5 points to capture its 11th national title. UW-La Crosse finished second in the team standings with 100.5 points, while two-time defending champion Wartburg College placed third with 83.5, Coe College fourth with 76 and Delaware Valley College (Pa.) fifth with 50.5.

UW-Oshkosh tied for 44th place in the team rankings with one point. The meet featured wrestlers from 59 schools.