Wrestlers Take Mat For Final Time in 2008

COMPLETE NOTES: at UNK Loper Open

2008 Finale

The final competition of the calendar year is upon the Bears as they head to the Kearney Open on Saturday. Northern Colorado will face opponents from the defending NCAA Division II Champions in host Nebraska-Kearney, as well as Central Missouri, Chadron State, Colorado School Of Mines, Central Oklahoma, Nebraska-Omaha, Western State and Utah Valley. 

Schedule Change

Due to the Northern Colorado men's basketball game being televised on Altitude Sports & Entertainment, the wrestling dual against Stanford has been moved and will now take place on Saturday, January 17 at 7:00 p.m. 

Lucky Number 13

Freshman 149-pounder Mitchell Polkowske has now won 13 straight bouts and is 13-1 on the season. After winning all three matches at the Northern Duals, he was awarded the Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Week, for the first award of the year for the Bears. Polkowske is now ranked 22nd according to the Wrestling Report. 

Tony Times Five

In all five of the publications that release national rankings, junior 125-pounder Tony Mustari is ranked. He is 14th in both W.I.N. Magazine and Amateur Wrestling News, is 17th in the Intermat/NWCA Coaches Poll and is 24th according to the Wrestling Report. Mustari is currently 9-3 on the season and his last two losses are to nationally ranked grapplers. Mustari was ranked throughout the majority of the 2007-08 season and his next victory will be the 60th of his career.

To Be The Best...

Head Coach Jack Maughan has taken the old saying of to be the best you have to compete against the best to heart. In three of the first five duals this season, NC has competed against nationally ranked teams and has several ranked squads remaining on the schedule. This weekend at the UNK Loper Open the Bears will inevitably match-up against several members of Nebraska-Kearney's team, the defending Division II National Champions. The next duals are both against ranked squads as they face Nebraska and Michigan at Nebraska on January 3.

Overtime Period

After every home event, please join the Northern Colorado coaches and members of the wrestling community at Old Chicago's, season sponsor of Northern Colorado wrestling, to break down that evening's match. 

Back In The Blue & Gold

After taking last season off to train in the sport of Judo, Kenny Hashimoto returns to the Northern Colorado roster for his junior season. Hashimoto will not compete in the opening meets, but figures to be an important figure in Western Wrestling Conference action. In 2006-07, Hashimoto advanced to the NCAA Championship at 141-pounds.

Playing Hosts

Northern Colorado earned the distinct honor of hosting the NCAA West Regional in Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion on March 7. Tickets are available by calling the Northern Colorado ticket office at 970.491.4TIX or going online at www.uncbears.com. Winners of the NCAA West Regional automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship in St. Louis, Mo. The NCAA West Regional also serves as the Western Wrestling Conference Championships, where last season the Bears finished fourth overall.

Second Place

Northern Colorado finished the 2008 regular season in second place in the Western Wrestling Conference standings, behind two-time champions Northern Iowa. In the first year of the league, 2006-07, the Bears posted a 2-4 record. At the Western Wrestling Conference Championships, the Bears finished fourth.

Starting 22

Head coach Jack Maughan begins his 22nd season at the helm of the Bears wrestling program. He sports a dual record of 124-158-1 in his 21 years and is one of the winningest coaches in school history. Both assistant coaches remain the same for 2008-09 in Austin DeVoe and Ben Cherrington, while the director of operations, Leister Bowling begins his second season and the quartet adds Shane Carwin to the fold as a volunteer coach.