The Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association (MWCA) Dave Bartelma Hall of Fame handed out honors to coaches and wrestlers this week.
Matt Mauseth of Chatfield (Class 1A), Kurt Becker and Bill McDonald of Watertown-Mayer (Class 2A) and Dan Engebretson of Mounds View (Class 3A) were named the MWCA coaches of the year for their classes. Mauseth was named the state coach of the year, and Marty Morgan of Mounds View was named the state assistant coach of the year.
Alex Braun of Woodbury was named Mr. Minnesota Wrestler, and Lanna Walter of Sauk Centre/Melrose was named Ms. Minnesota Wrestler. Braun, headed to Oklahoma for college, was a Class 3A champion for the second year in a row, winning this season at 145 pounds. Walter, headed to Sioux Falls for college, was the girls state champion at 123 pounds this season.
The MWCA also inducted 13 new members.
The inductees: Gary Brantl (Plummer), Luke Eustice (Blue Earth Area), Ty Eustice (Blue Earth Area), Wes Haglund (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg), Mike Hendrickson (Little Falls), Chuck Keogh (Waubun), Ardell Knudsvig (Ada), Chuck Marks (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa), Jim Richardson (Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Southland), Dean Salo (Menahga/Perham), Doug Salo (New York Mills), Ray Thorkildson (Waubun) and Mike Thorn (St. Michael-Albertville).
