March 12, 2005

Wrestling Has Four All-Americans

Lopers Have Another Top 10 Finish

            Kearney, Neb. –   At the NCAA Championships in Omaha, the 3^rd-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team had four All-Americans and finished in the top 10 for the sixth time since 1998.

            UNK scored 54.5 points to place sixth while host UNO rallied to win its second straight national title (109.5). Augustana was runner up (101.0) with Minnesota State-Mankato coming in third place (77.5).

            This is UNK's second highest finish ever at the NCAA meet, trailing only the runner up effort of 2003.

            Kearney senior Adam Keiswetter (133 lbs.) led the way with a third place finish. He becomes the fourth Loper to earn All-American honors three times in a career.

            Yesterday, Keiswetter, ranked 5^th nationally, was upset in the first round by Mike Hansen of Central Missouri. He stayed alive by having two pins in the consolation rounds.

            Today, Keiswetter had three more pins, including one of Hansen. In the third place match, Keiswetter won in overtime, pinning 3^rd-ranked Shane Perkey of Indianapolis at 7:51.

            Keiswetter ends his career with 104 wins, 61 by fall, and is one of only six Lopers to reach the 100 win plateau.

            Kansas senior Bryce Abbey (125 lbs.), the winningest wrestler in school history, joins Ali Elias ('91) as the only Lopers to earn All-American honors four times in a career.

            Today, Abbey lost to top ranked Aaron Graumann of Augustana, 5-4, in the semifinals. Abbey lost to him  by the same score earlier this year. Graumann went on to win the national title.

            Abbey then lost another one point match, 3-2, to UNO's Dustin Tovar, before winning the fifth place match by forfeit. He ends his career with 134 victories.

            At 197 lbs., Lyman junior Jeff Sylvester, ranked 3^rd nationally, earns All-American honors for the second straight year by placing seventh.

            He lost to 4^th-ranked Josh Janousek of Mankato State, 7-2, but bounced back to pin Cory Wellnitz of Northern State to win the seventh place bout. The Morrill grad finishes the year a stellar 36-8.

            Finally, Texas freshman Tervel Dlagnev placed sixth. He lost in the semifinals to No. 1 ranked Les Sigman of UNO, 15-3. It was Dlagnev's fourth loss to Sigman, who went on to win his third national title, this year.

            The Texan then lost to 7^th-ranked Mike Englemann of Mankato State, 6-4, and 3^rd-ranked Josh LeadingFox of Central Oklahoma, 6-5.

            Dlagnev ends the year 38-8, one of the finest single season efforts in Loper lore.