Pioneers compete at Auggie Invite

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville wrestling team had 11 placewinners and five wrestlers finish in the top three of their weight classes at the Auggie-Adidas Invitational hosted by Augsburg University at Si Melby Hall.

Twenty-five Pioneers competed Saturday at the invite which consisted of three divisions and 19 schools in attendance.

Two Pioneers claimed titles in their respected divisions. Freshman Nathan Wynsma took first in the Silver division at 165 pounds. After pinning his first opponent (2:16) and advancing with two technical falls, Wynsma won by a 2-0 decision over Wartburg's Jacob Herrmann to take the championship match. Freshman Coy Ruess took the title in the Bronze division at 157 pounds. Ruess won by 18-2 technical fall and a 9-2 decision to advance to the championship match where he won by tie breaker over Southwest Minnesota State's Sean Howk.

UW-Platteville had three Pioneers finish third in their bracket. Sophomore Devan VandenBush earned a third place finish at 165 pounds in the Gold division. VandenBush pinned Augsburg's Josh Verbeten (1:34) in the third place match after pinning Minnesota State Moorhead's Justin Dravis (6:27) and falling by a 7-2 decision in the semifinal. In the Silver division, sophomore Adam Beine finished third at 157 pounds. Beine tallied a 7-6 and 3-1 decision to advance to the third place match where we won by a 5-0 decision over Brandon Kidd of Rochester Community Tech. Competing in the Bronze division, sophomore Caleb Coleman took third place at 174 pounds. Coleman pinned Alex Lozano of Iowa Lakes (0:58) and fell in the semifinal to progress to the third place match where he won by a 15-4 major decision over Juan Diaz of Iowa Lakes.

Other placewinners for the Pioneers included:

Gold

Isaac Wiegel 125 pounds – Fifth Place 

Max Schmitz 197 pounds –Sixth Place

Silver 

Sebastian Sorondo 125 pounds – Fifth Place

Asher Wiegand – 133 pounds – Sixth Place

Jacob Sklenar – 184 pounds – Fifth Place

Bronze

Omar Otero – 149 pounds – Sixth Place

The Pioneers will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. when they host UW-Stevens Point in Williams Fieldhouse.