November 16, 2003

Wrestling Places Eight in South Dakota

Returning All-Americans Unbeaten

      Kearney, NE – The 10th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team got its season under way yesterday at the Holiday Inn DWU Open in Mitchell, S.D. Dakota Wesleyan hosted the 16-team event. 

      UNK had eight individuals place in the top six, including three champions and one runner up. Returning All-Americans Bryce Abbey (125 lbs.), Adam Keiswetter (133 lbs.) and Jeff Sylvester (197 lbs.) each went 4-0 in to win their respective weight classes.

       True freshmen did extremely well as Tervel Dlagnev (Arlington, Texas) placed second at 184 lbs., Brandon Brill (Kearney) and Jeff Rutledge (Lincoln) tied for third at 133 lbs., Joe Ellenberger (Omaha) was fourth at 141 lbs. and Caleb Young (Perry, Okla.) won four matches at 174 lbs.

      Redshirt freshman Jon Hausserman, Norton, Kans., finishing sixth at 165 lbs., was the other Loper to place.

      Abbey narrowly defeated top seeded Aaron Grauman, 6-5, to win at 125 lbs. Like Abbey, Grauman, formerly of Augustana (S.D.), earned All-American honors last year.

      Keiswetter beat Rutledge, 6-4, to advance to the finals where he edged Jamie Adnersh of Northern State, 7-3.

      Rutledge had two falls among his four wins while Brill had to battle his way through the consolation bracket. He was pinned in his first collegiate match but came back and reeled of six straight wins, three by fall, to reach the third place match.

      Ellenberger, from Millard South, won four times 141 lbs., including two pins, with his losses coming in the semifinals and the third place match.

      Senior Jeremy Kirk (Macugnie, Pa.) had five wins at 149 lbs., three by fall, while Greeley sophomore Tyler Herman went 3-2 to lead the Lopers at 157 lbs.

      Dlagnev was dominant in his four wins as he had two pins and two major decisions. Tom Meester, an All-American in his days at Augustana (S.D.), pinned Dlagnev at 1:40 in the finals.

      Slyvester outscored his first two opponents 37-1 before pinning his third in 1:31. He then beat Minnesota State’s Josh Janousek, 4-1, in the 197 lbs. finals.

      Finally, at heavyweight, North Platte junior Jered Jorgensen won three matches, two by fall.

      UNK heads to Omaha next weekend for the UNO Open.