Titans Compile 1-2 Record At NWCA National Dual Meet Championships
UW-Oshkosh followed setbacks to a pair of nationally ranked opponents with a victory over Western New England University (Mass.) at the U.S. Marine Corps National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships held Friday (Jan. 10) in Louisville, Ky.
UW-Oshkosh was eliminated from the championship portion of the 24-team NCAA Division III tournament after defeats of 32-12 to 17th-ranked Millikin University (Ill.) and 23-13 to 25th-ranked Olivet College (Mich.). The Titans then wrestled to a 33-14 win over Western New England University.
Colten Cashmore and Jordan Lemcke both went unbeaten for the Titans in championship play while Wesam Alabed, Denis Murphy and AJ Schoenfuss won one bout apiece.
In UW-Oshkosh's loss to Millikin University, Schoenfuss gave the Titans a 6-5 lead with his pin of Nick Sabian in 4:20 at 133 pounds.
The Big Blue then won six consecutive bouts before Cashmore cut UW-Oshkosh's deficit to 32-9 with his 7-2 triumph over Logan Hagerbaumer at 197 pounds. Lemcke followed with a 3-1 victory over Evan Betz at 285 pounds to create the contest's final score.
UW-Oshkosh's seven defeats to Millikin University wrestlers included Brandon Lenczner's 7-1 loss to Peter McCusker at 149 pounds and Jordan Blanchard's 5-1 setback to Jake Tisza at 174.
Against Olivet College, UW-Oshkosh built a 7-3 lead on wins by Murphy at 125 pounds and Alabed at 141. Murphy defeated Cameron Mahlich, 7-3, while Alabed ousted Andre Bourlier, 16-3.
Olivet College rebounded from its early deficit to the Titans with five straight victories, including Kamyab Kamali's pin of Bryce Herlache at 184 pounds that gave the Comets a 23-7 advantage.
UW-Oshkosh scored the final six points of the match on wins by Cashmore at 197 pounds and Lemcke at 285. Cashmore edged Trevor Piggott, 1-0, while Lemcke defeated Owen Miller, 4-0.
Three Titans lost decisions to Olivet College wrestlers by five points or loss – Schoenfuss by a 6-3 result to Reese Wallis at 133 pounds, Lenczner by a 6-2 score to Hunter Murphy at 149 and Blanchard by a 6-1 verdict to Haydn Kinjorski at 174.
In UW-Oshkosh's victory over Western New England University, the Titans (3-8) followed an opening-bout loss with five straight victories to take a 21-4 lead over the Golden Bears.
Schoenfuss started the Titans' string of victories with a pin of Nick Calderone in 39 seconds at 133 pounds. Alabed followed with a 13-8 win over Justin DeLucia at 141 pounds, Eli Mondrella a 9-5 victory over Christopher Gresis at 149 and Shane Dziadosz a 7-3 triumph over Alex Starr at 157 before Muzi Sitshela pinned Jeff Suschana in 5:09 at 165.
After a pair of Western New England University victories, UW-Oshkosh closed the match with pins by Cashmore at 197 pounds and Ben Kitslaar at 285. Cashmore stuck Mathieu Messina to the mat in 4:48 while Kitslaar glued Ben Falivene to the surface in 15 seconds. Kitslaar's pin was the fastest by a UW-Oshkosh wrestler this season.
Wartburg College (Iowa) captured the team title at the NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships with a 24-15 win over Augsburg University (Minn.), 24-15.
UW-Oshkosh is off until it hosts ninth-ranked UW-La Crosse on Jan. 23 in Kolf Sports Center.
NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships • Event Program