2016 West Regional Preview
2016 West Regional
Sunday, February 27
Augsburg College – Event Website
Teams
Augsburg, Concordia-Moorhead, Concordia Wisconsin, Lakeland, MSOE, Pacific, St. John’s, St. Olaf, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, Platteville
Top Ten Ranked Individuals – 2015 All-Americans in bold
125 – #5 Stageberg (Concordia-Moorhead)
133 – #5 Foltz (Concordia-Moorhead), #8 Bennyhoff (Augsburg)
141 – #2 Behnke (Eau Claire)
149 – #7 Kennedy (Augsburg)
157 – none
165 – #9 Sladek (Concordia-Moorhead), #10 Fucile (Lakeland), Hensel (Augsburg)
174 – none
184 – none
197 – none
285 – #1 Longendyke (Augsburg), #7 Bellile (MSOE), #10 Gibson (St. Olaf)
Top 30 Teams (d3wrestle.com list)
#8 Augsburg
#16 Concordia-Moorhead
#28 Eau Claire
After surprising many on their way to the 2015 NCAA team title, Augsburg returns again as the top team in the smallest region. While it will be tough for them to repeat at NCAA champions, they are in the driver’s seat to again win the West region. Both of the 2015 All-Americans in the region wrestle for Augsburg including 285 lbs. champion Donny Longendyke and last year’s 5th place at 165 Eric Hensel. Concordia-Moorhead is the only team with a shot to dethrone Augsburg and brings a solid group including three top ten ranked wrestlers #5 Jakob Stageberg (125), #5 Gabe Foltz (133), and #9 Cole Sladek (165). The lack of strength in the West ensures that both of these teams will have large groups at the NCAA Championships.
Donny Longendyke has been the wire to wire #1 wrestler at 285 since last season’s NCAA title. Against DIII competition, only wrestler has avoided giving up bonus points, and that was a 7-1 decision. The former Nebraska Husker has anchored the top of the Augsburg lineup since his arrival last season and enters the regional and the NCAA tournament as perhaps the heaviest favorite in the field. Teammate Eric Hensel won the most falls award at last year’s tournament and played a huge role in securing the team title for Augsburg. This year, he has mixed in big wins along with some losses to the types of wrestlers he will need to beat to get on the podium again.
Nathaniel Behnke of Eau Claire finished in 5th place at the 2013 NCAA Championships at 141 and has not made it back on the podium since then. He has a new coach this year in former DIII Coach of the Year Tim Fader and has some big wins over a few of last year’s All-Americans. He is 2nd in the current rankings and will try to become an All-American for the second time in his final season.