NCAA wrestling: St. Cloud State, Augsburg win national titles

Led by 125-pounder Tim Prescott's individual championship, St. Cloud State clinched the team championship early in Saturday's evening session of the NCAA Division II wrestling tournament in St. Louis.

The national championship is the first team title for any sport in St. Cloud State history.

The Huskies entered the finals with a 12-point lead on Nebraska-Kearney and at least a share of the team title. The Lopers needed their two finalists to win by fall and have the Huskies' two finalists — Prescott and heavyweight Austin Goergen — lose to forge a tie.

Prescott, however, made sure the Huskies didn't have to share. He scored a 3-2 decision over T.J. North of Augustana (S.D.) to earn national titles for both himself and his team.

Goergen finished second, falling 8-6 to Ziad Haddad of Kutztown (Pa.) in the final.

The Huskies finished with 84.5 points, six more than runner-up Nebraska-Kearney. Maryville (61), Mercyhurst (58) and Ouachita Baptist (58.5) completed the top five.

St. Cloud State's Clint Poster at 157 and Gabe Fogerty at 165 both lost in the semifinals before coming back to finish third. St. Cloud State had two other placewinners: Mike Rohne, who took fifth at 133, and Larry Bomstad, who was seventh at 149.

Auggies senior 125-pounder Mike Fuenffinger won his second consecutive national title, scoring a 15-2 major decision over Lucas Malmberg of Messiah (Pa.). Fuenffinger was selected the tournament's outstanding wrestler.

Augsburg senior heavyweight Donny Longendyke edged Rhode Island College's Terrance Jean-Jacques 1-0 in the final.

Augsburg senior 133-pounder Chad Bartschenfeld finished second, falling 4-3 to Matthew Grossmann of Wilkes (Pa.)

Augsburg finished with 100 points, outdistancing runner-up Wartburg, which had 89.5. Wabash (66.5), Wisconsin-Whitewater (60.5) and Delaware Valley (58.5) rounded out the top five.

"As the season went on, we took our lumps, I know that, but it didn't make a difference," said Auggies coach Jim Moulsoff, named Division III coach of the year. "We learned along the way and we grew, because [the wrestlers knew] they're going to crown a national champ come March, and that was their goal, and that's what they did. That's what we did."