Wrestling

Morningside College wrestling head coach Tim Jager has announced the names of 12 recruits who will join the Mustangs for the 2012-13 season.

Blake Andersen, a 149 pounder from Hoskins, Neb. Andersen is a senior at Norfolk High School, where he had a 39-7 record, was a district champion, and placed fourth in the Class A 138 lb. division of the state tournament this past season.

Andersen placed fourth in the Class A 135 lb. division of the state tournament as a junior and was a Class A 130 lb. state qualifier as a sophomore.

Nick Bauerly, a 149 pounder from Olathe, Kan. Bauerly is a senior at Olathe South High School, where he had a 23-8 record and was a Class 6A 138 lb. state tournament qualifier this past season.

He had a 34-13 record and was a Class 6A 135 lb. state qualifier as a junior. Bauerly’s best finish at the state tournament came as a sophomore when he had a 34-16 record and placed sixth in the Class 6A 125 lb. division of the state tourney.

Chris Bridgeford, a 197 pounder from Mondamin, Iowa. Bridgeford is a senior at Logan-Magnolia High School, where he had a 46-3 record this past season. Bridgeford was a district and sectional tournament champion and placed seventh in the Class 1A 195 lb. division of the state tournament.

He had a 40-14 record and was a Class 1A 189 lb. state qualifier as a junior.

Trew Bushhousen, a 174 pounder from Lincoln, Neb. Bushhousen is a senior at Lincoln Southwest High School, where he had a 36-10 record this past season and placed fourth at the state tournament in the Class A 182 lb. division.

He was a Class A 171 lb. state tournament qualifier as a junior and a Class A 160 lb. state qualifier as a sophomore.

Brent Curtis, a 125 pounder from Omaha, Neb. Curtis is a senior at Omaha Burke High School, where he was a district tournament champion and the Class A 106 lb. state tournament runner-up. Curtis finished his senior campaign with a record of 44-3.

Curtis placed third in the Class A 103 lb. division of the state tournament as a junior. His only two losses at the state tournament over the past two seasons came against Dante Rodriguez of Grand Island in the 2012 state finals and the 2011 state semifinals.

Nick Drenth, a 125 or 133 pounder from Hartley, Iowa. Drenth is a senior at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School, where he had a 42-8 record and was a Class A 126 lb. state tournament qualifier during the 2011-12 season. He was a sectional tournament champion and a district tournament runner-up.

Drenth was a sectional and district champion and a Class 1A 119 lb. state tournament qualifier as a junior when he had a 36-7 record. Drenth’s best season came as a sophomore when he had a 44-4 record en route to a fifth place finish in the Class 1A 112 lb. division of the state tournament. He was a Class 1A 103 lb. state tournament qualifier as a freshman.

Ethan Lara, a 157 pounder from Sioux City. Lara is a senior at Sioux City East High School, where he posted a 40-5 record and was a Class 3A 152 lb. state tournament qualifier this past season.

Lara’s highest finish at the state tournament came as a junior when he had a 22-5 record and was the Class 3A 160 lb. state runner-up.

Kyle Loy, a 165 pounder from Indianola, Iowa. Loy is a senior at Indianola High School, where he had a 14-4 record this past season.

Jared McCoy, a 184 pounder from Climbing Hill, Iowa. McCoy competed for Woodbury Central High School during his prep career. McCoy had 156 victories during his Woodbury Central career for the second highest total in school history. This season he was a Class 1A 182 lb. sectional tournament champion and had a 35-1 record and was ranked No. 1 in the state before he was upset in the first round of his district tournament.

McCoy was a sectional and district tournament champion as both a sophomore and junior. As a junior he had a 42-8 record and placed sixth in the state in the Class 1A 189 lb. division. McCoy had a 40-10 record and was a Class 1A 171 lb. state qualifier as a sophomore.

Jacob Oertle, a 149 pounder from Kearney, Neb. Oertle is a senior at Kearney High School, where he was a district tournament runner-up and had a 32-15 record en route to a fifth place finish in the Class A 138 lb. division of the state tournament this past season.

He was the Class A 130 lb. state runner-up as a junior and was a Class A 130 lb. state qualifier as a sophomore.

Kevin Olson, a 141 pounder from Dallas, Ga. Olson will join the Mustangs with junior eligibility as a transfer from Iowa Western Community College, where he placed fifth at the North Central District Championships and was a 141 lb. junior college national tournament qualifier this past season.

He competed for Darton College as a freshman and was a 141 lb. junior college national tournament qualifier.

Olson is a 2010 graduate of East Paulding High School, where he was a three-time state tournament place winner and set a school record with 178 career victories. He placed sixth in the Class AAAAA 140 lb. division of the state tournament as a senior.

Nathan Ryan, a 133 pounder from Moville, Iowa. Ryan is a senior at Woodbury Central High School, where he won 152 matches during his career for the fourth highest victory total in school history. Ryan had a 41-7 record, was a sectional and district tournament champion, and a Class 1A 120 lb. state tournament qualifier this past season.

He had a 42-9 record, was the Class 1A 112 lb. state runner-up, and was a sectional and district tournament champion as a junior. Ryan had a 37-15 record and was a Class 1A 112 lb. state qualifier as a sophomore.

The recruits will join a Morningside wrestling team that posted a 9-6 dual record this past season, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) en route to a second consecutive GPAC championship.

Brian Block, a 184 lb. junior from Sibley, Iowa,and Joe Sievert, a 174 lb. junior from Akron, Iowa, were named Co-Most Valuable Players for the Morningside College wrestling team at the Mustangs’ post-season awards banquet held Sunday.

Block had a 24-5 record with nine falls and earned NAIA All-America honors with a fourth place finish at the NAIA National Championships. Sievert had a 30-2 record with nine falls and also earned All-America honors with a seventh place finish at the national tourney.

Block moved into seventh place on Morningside’s all-time victory list with a career record of 83-23, while Sievert moved into ninth place with a 76-14 career record.

Other award winners were:

Most Improved – Kory Kistner, a 125 lb. junior from Sioux City.

Hustler – Taylor Phipps, a 149 lb. junior from Crete, Neb.

Team Captain/Leader – John Sievert, a junior heavyweight from Akron, Iowa.

Coaches Appreciation – Jake McManigal, a 141 lb. senior from Center, Neb., and Jared Wildeboer, a 167 lb. senior from Parkersburg, Iowa.

Sportsmanship – Harrison Johnson, a 157 lb. sophomore from Sterling, Colo.

Outstanding Junior Varsity – Nate Taylor, a 141 lb. freshman from Rock Valley, Iowa.

Morningside won its final seven duals of the 2011-12 season to finish the campaign with a record of 9-6, including a perfect 6-0 record in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) to win its second consecutive GPAC championship. The Mustangs were ranked seventh nationally in the NAIA post-season poll.

John Sievert, a junior heavyweight from Akron, Iowa, broke the Morningside College single-season and career pin records during the 2011-12 wrestling season.

Sievert pinned 24 of his opponents to shatter the previous Morningside single-season record of 14 falls in a season set by Ben Knight during the 2008-09 campaign. He raised his career total to 36 falls to break the former Mustang record of 28 falls set by Knight from 2007-11.

Sievert led the Mustangs in victories with a 43-13 record to finish two wins shy of the Mustangs’ single-season standard of 45 triumphs in a season by Jake Stevenson in 2005-06. Aside from leading the team in victories and falls, Sievert also topped the Mustangs with 47 escapes and 12 two-point near falls.

Sievert moved into 13th place on Morningside ’s all-time victory list with a 65-30 career record.

Joe Sievert, a 174 lb. junior from Akron, had the Mustangs’ top winning percentage with a 30-2 record for a .938 victory rate. Sievert won his first 28 matches of the season before he suffered a 7-2 loss against Ty Knowler of Grand View University in the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament. Aside from leading the Mustangs in winning percentage, Sievert also topped the Mustangs with 95 takedowns, 21 reversals, and 14 three-point near falls.

Sievert has a 76-14 career record over the past three seasons to move into ninth place on Morningside’s all-time victory list.

Matthew Maresh, a 149 lb. senior from Central City, Neb., had the Mustangs’ fastest fall of the season with a 26-second pin against Steven Scott of Bethany College on Jan. 21 at the York College Open.

Garret Lambrecht, a 141 lb. freshman from Wood River, Neb., had a 22-9 record with 12 falls to lead the Mustangs’ newcomers in victories and falls.

Brian Block, a 184 lb. junior from Sibley, Iowa, posted a 24-5 record this season to raise his career mark to 83-23 to move into seventh place on Morningside’s all-time victory list.

Morningside had three other 20-match winners in Jordan Langley, a 157 lb. sophomore from Sergeant Bluffs, Iowa, with a 22-10 record; Harrison Johnson, a 157 lb. sophomore from Sterling, Colo., with a 22-17 record; and Kory Kistner, a 125 lb. junior from Sioux City, with a 20-8 record.

Jake McManigal, a 141 lb. senior from Center, Neb., had an 8-12 record in an injury plagued season to finish his career with a 73-63 record for the 10th highest victory total in Morningside history.

Jared Wildeboer, a 165 lb. senior from Parkersburg, Iowa, had a 19-17 record to finish his career in 11th place on Morningside’s all-time victory list with a 71-69 career mark.

Andrew Anthofer, a 184 lb. junior from Coon Rapids, Iowa, had an 18-15 record to climb into 17th place on Morningside’s all-time victory list with a 61-39 career record.

The Mustangs had four wrestlers earn NAIA All-America honors at the NAIA National Tournament, led by Kistner, who was the national runner-up at 125 lbs. The Mustangs’ other All-Americans were Block with a fourth place finish at 184 lbs.; Joe Sievert with a seventh place finish at 174 lbs.; and Wildeboer with an eighth place finish at 165 lbs.

Morningside won its final seven duals of the season to finish the campaign with a 9-6 dual record, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) to win its second consecutive GPAC championship.

Morningside College is ranked No. 7 in the nation in the NAIA post-season wrestling poll released on March 9.

The Mustangs, who were also ranked sixth in the final regular season poll, posted a 9-6 record in duals this season, including a perfect 6-0 mark in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) competition, to repeat as league champions. Morningside finished second at the NAIA North Qualifying Group Tournament and 12th at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships.

Morningside has six wrestlers in the final NAIA individual rankings, led by Cory Kistner, a junior from Sioux City, who is ranked second at 125 lbs. Kistner had a 20-8 record this season and was the 125 lb. runner-up at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships.

The Mustangs other nationally ranked wrestlers are:

Brian Block, a junior from Sibley, Iowa, who had a 24-5 record this season and is ranked fourth at 184 lbs.

Joe Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, who had a 30-2 record and is ranked seventh at 174 lbs.

Jared Wildeboer, a senior from Parkersburg, Iowa, who had a 19-17 record and is ranked eighth at 165 lbs.

Jordan Langley, a sophomore from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, who had a 22-10 record and is ranked 12th at 157 lbs.

John Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, who had a 43-13 record with a school-record 24 falls and is ranked 12th at heavyweight.

Click here for the complete NAIA Post-Season Top Poll.

Kory Kistner was a national runner-up with a second place finish in the 125 lb. division at the 2012 NAIA Wrestling National Championships held Thursday through Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa.

The fourth-ranked Kistner earned NAIA All-America honors with his second place finish. He lost by fall in 1:06 against No. 1-ranked Mitchell Lofstedt of Southern Oregon University in Saturday night’s 125 lb. title bout.

Kistner advanced to the 125 lb. championship match with an 8-1 decision against Baker University’s Alan Callahan, an 8-7 overtime decision against Albert Tapia of Wayland Baptist University, a 4-3 decision against fifth-ranked Sean Silva of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the quarterfinals, and a 5-2 decision against sixth-ranked Danny Luttrell of the University of Great Falls in the semifinals.

Kistner finished the campaign with a streak of 15 victories in his final 17 matches to finish with a record of 20-8.

Lofstedt stormed through the bracekt en route to his national title. He pinned four of his five opponents in the first period and won his other match by a 16-1 technical fall to finish the season with a record of 39-2.

The Mustangs had three other wrestlers earn NAIA All-America honors with place winning performances. Brian Block finished fourth at 184 lbs., Joe Sievert was seventh at 174 lbs., and Jared Wildeboer was eighth at 165 lbs. The four place winning efforts helped lead Morningside to a 12th place finish in the team standings with 52.5 points.

Block, ranked second in the nation, won a 7-0 shutout decision against Kody Reed of Montana State University-Northern before he lost by fall in 8:52 against sixth-ranked Weston Keleher of Missouri Baptist University in the quarterfinals. He rebounded with a 7-6 decision against No. 1-ranked Kody Kersten of Midland University for his second victory in three outings against Kersten this season. Block added a 6-0 win against 11th-ranked Robert Shadrach of Baker to move into Saturday’s consolation bracket semifinals.

Block defeated eighth-ranked Derrick Rottenberg of Southern Oregon by an 8-2 decision in the consolation semifinals before he dropped a 6-2 decision to fourth-ranked Evan Hinebauch of Montana State-Northern, last year’s champion, in the third place consolation match.

Block, who also earned NAIA All-America honors last year with a fifth place finish at 174 lbs., finished the season with a record of 24-5.

Sievert, the nation’s No. 1-ranked competitor in the 174 lb. division, trounced Oklahoma City University’s Tyson Campbell by an 18-1 technical fall in his opening bout and then won a 14-1 major decision against Nick Gill of Menlo College to reach the quarterfinals, where he suffered his first loss of the season when he was upset 7-2 by sixth-ranked Ty Knowler of Grand View University. He rebounded with a 5-2 victory against fifth-ranked Jacob McCoy of York College before he dropped an 11-9 decision against Jose Alvarez of Wayland Baptist. Sievert pinned 11th-ranked Max Payne of Montana State-Northern in 5:35 in the seventh place consolation match to finish the season with a record of 30-2.

Sievert was also a NAIA All-American two years ago when he finished third at 165 lbs. as a freshman.

Wildeboer opened the tournament with an 8-6 upset triumph against sixth-ranked Damon Jackson of Missouri Valley College and added a 13-2 major decision against Paul Gryniuk of Campbellsville University to reach the quarterfinals. A 6-4 loss against 11th-ranked Ethan Hinebauch of Montana State-Northern in the quarterfinals dropped Wildeboer into the consolation bracket, where he rebounded with a 6-5 victory against Zeke Hunt of Cumberland University before he suffered an 11-0 loss in a rematch with Jackson.

Wildeboer lost a 4-2 decision against Waldorf College’s Rashad Moss in the consolation match for seventh place to finish the season with a record of 19-17.

Garret Lambrecht (141 lbs.) and John Sievert (Hwt.) each won their first round matches.

Lambrecht opened the tourney with an 11-7 victory against Courtney Strauss of Bethany College before he lost his next two matches to close out a solid 22-9 freshman campaign.

The ninth-ranked Sievert pinned Missouri Valley’s Carl Lawrence in 6:13 in his first match before he dropped a 9-4 decision against fifth-ranked Joe Kent of Missouri Baptist. Sievert won two matches in the consolation bracket with a 4-0 decision against Chris Rowland of Shorter College and a 9-6 decision against Jarret Owens of Southern Oregon before he was eliminated.

Sievert finished the season with a 43-13 record with a school-record 24 falls.

The Mustangs’ other national tournament competitors were Alex Rust at 125 lbs., Taylor Phipps at 149 lbs., Harrison Johnson and Jordan Langley at 157 lbs., and Jake Parker at 197 lbs.

Langley had one of the Mustangs’ biggest victories on the first day of the tournament when he eliminated seventh-ranked Dalton Urrutia of Southern Oregon with a 12-8 decision in the consolation bracket.

Results
125- Kory Kistner (Morningside) def. Alan Callahan (Baker), 8-1; Kistner def. Albert Tapia (Wayland Baptist), 8-7 O.T.; Kistner def. Sean Silva (Embry-Riddle), 4-3; Kistner def. Danny Luttrell (Great Falls), 5-2; Mitchell Lofstedt (Southern Oregon) pinned Kistner, 1:07. Kistner placed second. Lofstedt pinned Alex Rust (Morningside), 1:51; Andre Sanders (Indiana Tech) def. Rust, 9-5.

141- Garret Lambrecht (Morningside) def. Courtney Strauss (Bethany), 11-7; Joel Olivas (Baker) def. Lambrecht, 10-4; Victor Thomas (Wayland Baptist) pinned Lambrecht, 2:22.

149- T.J. Moen (Grand View) def. Taylor Phipps (Morningside), 4-2; Chris Hart (Wayland Baptist) def. Phipps, 6-5.

157- Michael Hader (Great Falls) def. Harrison Johnson (Morningside), 11-2; Ishmael Rempson (William Penn) pinned Johnson, 4:02. Uxsunn Ramierez (Missouri Baptist) def. Jordan Langley (Morningside), 6-4; Langley def. Dalton Urrutia (Southern Oregon), 12-8; Langley def. Harrison Courtney (Lindsey Wilson), 5-0; Chad Lowman (Grand View) def. Langley, 13-2.

165-Jared Wildeboer (Morningside) def. Damon Jackson (Missouri Valley), 8-6; Wildeboer def. Paul Gryniuk (Campbellsville), 13-2; Ethan Hinebauch (Montana State-Northern) def. Wildeboer, 6-4; Wildeboer def. Zeke Hunt (Cumberland), 6-5; Jackson def. Wildeboer, 11-0; Rashad Moss (Waldorf) def. Wildeboer, 4-2. Wildeboer placed eighth.

174-Joe Sievert (Morningside) def. Tyson Campbell (Oklahoma City) by technical fall, 18-1; Sievert def. Nick Gill (Menlo), 14-1; Ty Knowler (Grand View) def. Sievert, 7-2; Sievert def. Jacob McCoy (York), 8-2; Jose Alvarez (Wayland Baptist) def. Sievert, 11-9; Sievert pinned Max Payne (Montana State-Northern), 5:35. Sievert placed seventh.

184-Brian Block (Morningside) def. Kody Reed (Montana State-Northern), 7-0; Weston Keleher (Missouri Baptist) pinned Block, 8:52; Block def. Kody Kersten (Midland), 7-6; Block def. Robert Shadrach (Baker), 6-0; Block def. Derrick Rottenberg (Southern Oregon), 8-2; Evan Hinebauch (Montana State-Northern) def. Block, 6-2. Block placed fourth.

197- Mitchell Eichenauer (Oklahoma City) def. Jake Parker (Morningside), 9-0; Shawn Michalek (Embry-Riddle) def. Parker, 11-3.

Hwt.- John Sievert (Morningside) pinned Carl Lawrence (Missouri Valley), 6:13; Joe Kent (Missouri Baptist) def. Sievert, 9-4; Sievert def. Chris Rowland (Shorter), 4-0; Sievert def. Jarrett Owens (Southern Oregon), 9-6; Jose Lopez (Dickinson State) pinned Sievert, 6:25.

Morningside College placed four athletes on the 2012 All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Wrestling First-Team as selected by the league’s head coaches.

The Mustangs’ first-team selections are headlined by Joe Sievert, a junior 174 pounder from Akron, Iowa, who was named the 2012 Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestler of the Year. Morningside’s other first-team selections are Kory Kistner, a junior 125 pounder from Sioux City; Jared Wildeboer, a senior 165 pounder from Parkersburg, Iowa; and Brian Block, a junior 184 pounder from Sibley, Iowa.

In addition to their four first-team picks, Morningside’s Tim Jager was named the 2012 Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestling Coach of the Year. Jager led the Mustangs to a second consecutive GPAC championship by posting a perfect 6-0 dual record against their GPAC rivals. Morningside had an overall dual record of 9-6 to put its record at 75-41-2 in eight seasons under Jager.

Sievert has been ranked No. 1 in the nation at 174 lbs. for the entire season and is undefeated with a 26-0 record with eight falls. He was the 174 lb. champion at last weekend’s NAIA North Qualifying Group Tournament and was also an individual champion at this season’s Dakota Wesleyan University Open and Augsburg College Open.

Kistner has 11 victories in his last 12 matches to raise his season’s record to 16-7 with five falls. Kistner was the 125 lb. champion at the NAIA North Qualifying Group Tournament and also won an individual title at this year’s Central College Invitational.

Wildeboer has a 16-14 record with two falls. He has a 10-4 record over his last 14 matches. Wildeboer’s top tournament effort was a fourth place finish at the Central Invitational.

Block, who was ranked No. 1 in the nation earlier this season, has a 20-3 record with eight falls. He has a 16-1 record over his last 17 bouts. Block’s only defeat during that stretch came against Kody Kersten in a dual against Midland University, a loss he avenged last Saturday when he defeated Kersten 5-4 to win the 174 lb. crown at the NAIA North Qualifying Group Tournament.

In addition to their four first-team selections, the Mustangs placed Garret Lambrecht and John Sievert on the All-GPAC second-team.

Lambrecht, a freshman 141 pounder from Wood River, Neb., has a 21-7 record with 12 falls. He has a five-match winning streak and was the 141 lb. champion at the NAIA North Qualifying Group Tournament.

Sievert, a senior heavyweight from Akron, Iowa, leads the Mustangs in victories with a 40-11 record with a school-record 23 falls. He was an individual champion at this season’s Buena Vista University Open.

Morningside’s Jordan Langley, a sophomore 157 pounder from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, was named to the All-GPAC honorable mention list. Langley has a 20-8 record with 11 falls. His best tournament effort this season was a second place finish at the Augsburg Open.

Morningside College crowned four champions en route to a second place finish at the 2012 NAIA North Qualifying Group Wrestling Tournament held Saturday in Sioux City.

The Mustangs’ champions were Kory Kistner, a junior from Sioux City at 125 lbs.; Garret Lambrecht, a freshman from Wood River, Neb., at 141 lbs.; Joe Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, at 174 lbs.; and Brian Block, a junior from Sibley, Iowa, at 184 lbs.

Block received the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler Award.

Midland University claimed the team championship with 156.5 points, followed by Morningside, 147; Dickinson State University, 105.5; Dakota Wesleyan University, 100.5; Concordia University, 96; Northwestern College, 64; Jamestown College, 41; Briar Cliff University, 35.5; and Hastings College, 33.5.

Kistner, ranked seventh in the nation, won a 12-5 decision against 10th-ranked Aspen Kmiec of Midland in the 125 lb. title bout to raise his season’s record to 16-7. Kmiec, 19-7, had reached the title round after he pinned third-ranked Bryden Lazaro of Dickinson State in 1:47 in the semifinals. Kistner pinned Pedro Ruiz of Northwestern in 1:21 and won a 3-2 decision against eighth-ranked Clayden McKim of Midland on his road to the finals.

Lambrecht won a 10-7 decision against Jake Williams of Concordia in the 141 lb. final. Williams wrestled up a weight class after he went into the tournament ranked seventh in the nation at 133 lbs. Lambrecht, 21-7, won a 10-4 decision against Adam Orton of Dickinson State and pinned Alex Stepanek of Concordia in 4:14 to reach the finals.

Sievert, the nation’s No. 1-ranked 174 pounder, was untested as he scored three lopsided victories to remain undefeated on the season at 26-0. Sievert pinned Johnathon Gonzalez of Jamestown in 4:56 in the quarterfinals, routed Tyler Sarringar of Dakota Wesleyan with a 22-7 technical fall in the semifinals, and won an 18-6 major decision against Concordia’s Alfredo Torres in the championship match.

Block, ranked second in the nation, won a 5-4 decision against No. 1-ranked Kody Kersten of Midland in the 184 lb. final in the feature bout of the tournament. Block, who raised his season’s record to 20-3, had been ranked No. 1 earlier this season before Kersten, 25-7, pinned him in a dual on Jan. 27. Block pinned his way to the title bout with fall times of 1:56 against Dan Harvey of Briar Cliff and 3:30 against Seth Crane of Concordia.

Morningside had fourth place finishes from Jordan Langley, a sophomore from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, at 157 lbs.; Jake Parker, a sophomore from Anthon, Iowa, at 197 lbs.; and John Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, at heavyweight.

Langley pinned Mike Ganny of Hastings in 4:11 before a 5-3 loss against Dakota Wesleyan’s Kyle Gerlach dropped him into the consolation bracket. Langley pinned Tim Rice of Hastings in 1:17, pinned Ariel Bosque of Northwestern in 2:36, and won a 7-4 decision against Jaykob Miller of Jamestown before he dropped an 8-6 verdict against 12th-ranked Sterling Terry of Midland in the third place consolation match.

Parker lost by a 17-1 technical fall against seventh-ranked Nic Leither of Northwestern in his first match. Parker won a 3-2 decision against Dakota Wesleyan’s Shea Klooster in the consolation bracket before he was pinned in 4:58 in a rematch with Leither in the third place consolation match.

Sievert, the nation’s sixth-ranked heavyweight, won his first match by a 10-4 decision against Dakota Wesleyan’s Josh Geppert, who finished sixth at last year’s NAIA National Tournament. Sievert held an early 3-0 lead in the semifinals before he lost by fall in 4:13 against fifth-ranked Jose Lopez of Dickinson State. Sievert won his 40th match of the season with a 7-6 decision against Colton Hill of Dickinson State before he was pinned in 1:28 by fourth-ranked Dillon Heesch of Concordia in the third place consolation match.

Morningside added fifth place finishes from Alex Rust, a freshman from Rock Rapids, Iowa, at 125 lbs.; Taylor Phipps, a sophomore from Crete, Neb., at 149 lbs.; Harrison Johnson, a sophomore from Sterling, Colo., at 157 lbs.; and Andrew Anthofer, a junior from Coon Rapids, Iowa, at 184 lbs.

Kory Kistner, a junior 125 pounder from Sioux City, has been named the NAIA National Wrestler of the Week and the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestler of the Week.

Kistner won his only match of the week when he pinned Briar Cliff University’s Nate Garcia in 1:08 to help the Mustangs wrap up the 2011-12 GPAC championship with a 42-3 dual meet victory against the Chargers last Wednesday. Morningside finished unbeaten in the GPAC with a 6-0 record.

Kistner’s pin was the fastest of four falls the Mustangs had in the win against Briar Cliff. Kistner, ranked seventh in the nation in the latest NAIA rankings, improved his record to 13-7.

Morningside wrapped up the 2011-12 GPAC wrestling championship when it routed Briar Cliff 42-3 on Wednesday in the HPER Center.

The victory enabled the sixth-ranked Mustangs to finish their dual season with a 9-6 record, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the GPAC. The Mustangs won their final seven duals of the campaign after they began the season 2-6.

The Mustangs, who were also GPAC kingpins in 2010-11, stormed past the Chargers with wins in nine of the 10 weight divisions, including four by fall.

Three of the Mustangs’ pins came in the first period, including a fall from Kory Kistner, who had the fastest fall of the night when he disposed of Briar Cliff’s Nate Garcia in just 1:08 in the 125 lb. opening bout.

Jake McManigal pinned Devin DeRocher in 1:21 in the 141 lb. match and Joe Sievert stopped Tyler Baughman in 1:29 at 174 lbs. to remain undefeated at 23-0.

The Mustangs’ other pin came from Jordan Langley, who had a fall time of 5:52 in his win against Thomas Patterson in the 157 lb. bout.

Brian Block won by a 15-0 technical fall at 184 lbs. and Andrew Anthofer had a 13-3 major decision at 197 lbs.

Morningside will host the NAIA North Region Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Joe Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestler of the Week.

Sievert, the nation’s No. 1-ranked wrestler in the NAIA 174 lb. division, went 3-0 in duals last week to remain undefeated for the season at 22-0. Two of his victories were major decisions and the other triumph came by fall. Sievert won major decisions by margins of 11-3 against David Carter of Northwestern College and 19-6 against Casey Paprocki of Buena Vista University. His fall came in 3:44 against David Gerhardus of Hastings College.

Sievert received the award for the second time this season.

Brian Block, a junior from Sibley, Iowa, has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Wrestler of the Week.

Block went 4-0 with a pair of falls at last Sunday’s Luther College Gator Duals in New Orleans, La. Block pinned Nick Pearch of Luther College in 2:20, won an 8-0 major decision against Cody Catalina of Waynesburg University, pinned Joseph Richard of Delaware Valley College in 2:27, and won a 9-1 major decision against Josh Kirkland of Loras College.

Block, ranked fourth nationally in the NAIA in the 184 lb. weight class, improved his season’s record to 10-2 with five falls.

Morningside, ranked ninth nationally in the NAIA, went 1-3 at the Gator Duals to put its season’s record at 2-4 heading into the Cliff Keen National Duals to be held Jan. 7 and 8 in Springfield, Ill.

Joe Sievert, a junior from Akron, Iowa, has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Wrestler of the Week.

Sievert, ranked No. 1 in the nation in the NAIA in the 174 lb. division, was the 174 lb. champion at last Saturday’s Augsburg College Auggie-Brute-Addidas Open. Sievert won all four of his matches at the tournament, including an 11-7 decision against Wade Gobin of Upper Iowa University in the championship match. Earlier in tourney he pinned Jayden DeVilbiss of Luther College in 1:57, won a 10-0 major decision against David Carter of Northwestern College, and won a 6-1 decision against Josh Kohler of Augustana College.

Sievert also won the 174 lb. title at this year’s Dakota Wesleyan University Open and has an 8-0 record so far this season.

Morningside will compete in its first dual meet of the season on Friday, Dec. 2, against Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D.