Titans To Wrestle At WIAC Championship

UW-Oshkosh guns for its second top-four finish in three years when it competes at the 56th Annual Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Wrestling Championship on Sunday (Feb. 27) in Platteville. Competition begins at 9 a.m. in UW-Platteville's Williams Fieldhouse.

UW-La Crosse earned its league-leading 14th championship last season with 154 points. UW-Whitewater placed second with 118 points, UW-Stevens Point third with 117, UW-Platteville fourth with 105.5, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 90.5 and UW-Eau Claire sixth with 63.

This year’s event features six individuals who have combined to win 10 WIAC titles and three teams ranked in the Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA Division III rankings. UW-La Crosse lists second in the country, while UW-Whitewater is 17th and UW-Stevens Point 18th.

UW-La Crosse senior Matt Mauseth will vie for his fourth straight title at 149 pounds and would become the first individual in WIAC history to achieve that feat. Senior Albie McKinney will aim for his third consecutive first-place medal at 125 pounds, while junior Mike Schmitz will attempt for a third straight crown at 174 pounds.

Junior Bebeto Yewah is the defending champion in the 133-pound bracket after placing second in 2009, while senior Cory Ferguson claimed the 165-pound division last season and was second two years ago.

UW-Stevens Point senior Ben Engelland secured the 184-pound crown in 2010 after posting runner-up performances in 2008 and 2009.

Additional returning second-place finishers from a year ago include UW-Stevens Point junior Joe Mileski (125), UW-La Crosse senior Alex Dahl (141), UW-La Crosse senior Ryan Farwell (157), UW-Stevens Point sophomore Jordan Schulte (165), UW-La Crosse senior Mitch Artist (184) and UW-Whitewater junior Adam Latella (197). UW-Stevens Point senior Chad Gregory fashioned a runner-up finish at 285 pounds in 2008.

Sam Engelland (Jr. • Neenah), with his 28-5 record, should give the Titans a contender at 184 pounds. Zachary Mueller (Jr. • Jackson) owns 22 victories this season and will grapple at 133 pounds, while Carl DeLuca (Jr. • Wisconsin Rapids) at 125 and Jose Quintana (Jr. • Burnsville, Minn.) at 157 each carry a winning record into their brackets. UW-Oshkosh's lineup also includes Kyle Kleuskens (Sr. • Freedom) at 141 pounds, Nick Hite (Fr. • Stoughton) at 149, Aaron Konitzer (Jr. • Abrams) at 165, Aaron Geiger (Jr. • Mishicot) at 174, Aaron Erickson (Jr. • Merrill) at 197 and Ryan Heath (Jr. • Merrill) at 285.

Each of this year’s league champions, along with nine at-large qualifiers, advance to the NCAA Division III Championship in La Crosse. Individuals will receive at-large bids based on voting by the league coaches following the WIAC championship. The national event will be hosted by UW-La Crosse at the La Crosse Center March 11-12.