January 11, 2005
Northern Colorado Wrestling to Open Home Dual Season With Oregon State, Portland State.
Complete Northern Colorado Wrestling Game Notes in PDF Format
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University of Northern Colorado Bears (1-3)
vs. Oregon State University Beavers (5-3, 3-0 Pac 10)
Dual #5 l Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 l 3 pm (Mountain)
Greeley, Colo. l Butler-Hancock Hall (4,500)
Friday will be Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day at the Butler-Hancock Hall. All UNC faculty and staff will receive free admission to the match by showing their University I.D.
University of Northern Colorado Bears
at Colorado Collegiates
Tournament #5 l Saturday, Jan. 15, 2005 l 10 am
Colorado Springs, Colo. l Cadet East Gym (1,000)
University of Northern Colorado Bears (1-3)
vs. Portland State University Vikings (0-8, 0-5 Pac 10)
Dual #6 l Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005 l 7 pm (Mountain)
Greeley, Colo. l Butler-Hancock Hall (4,500)
Sunday will be Youth Night at Butler-Hancock Hall. All youths 18 & under will be admitted to the match for $1.
MEET INFORMATION
The University of Northern Colorado wrestling team will get their season into full swing this weekend with a trio of events on the schedule. Northern Colorado will open the home dual season by hosting both Oregon State (Friday, 3 p.m.) and Portland State (Sunday, 7 p.m.). The Bears will also travel to the Air Force Academy for the 20th annual Colorado Collegiates on Saturday.
THE BEAR FACTS
DUAL ACTION
Both Oregon State and Portland State will be taking part in a pair of duals when they take on the Bears this weekend. Oregon State is slated to take on the Bears on Friday at 3 p.m., then will travel to Laramie, Wyo., to wrestle against Wyoming at 7 p.m. Portland State will wrestle at Colorado Mines on Sunday afternoon before coming to Greeley to take on the Bears at 7 p.m. in Butler-Hancock Hall.
WELCOME BACK
The Bears welcomed back three wrestlers to the starting lineup on Friday in the squad's 27-12 win at Utah Valley State. Head coach Jack Maughan was able to return Mark Hastings (133 lbs.), Dustin Uhland (149 lbs.) and Tanner Linsacum (197 lbs.) to the starting lineup. Both Uhland and Linsacum picked up wins over their Utah Valley State competition, while Hastings suffered an 8-7 loss.
HART LEADS THE WAY
Redshirt freshman Shawn Hart leads the Bears this season with 15 victories. Hart has also gone 3-1 in four dual matches. Hart posted a 14-3 record as a member of the Bear Wrestling Club last season.
BEARS' TOUGH START IN CALIFORNIA
The Bears took seven freshmen on their trip to California to begin the dual season in early December and came back with an 0-3 record. The Bears suffered dual losses to Cal State Fullerton (29-12), Cal State-Bakersfield (40-9) and San Francisco State (25-15). A trio of Bears were able to post winning records in the three matches in California. Kenny Hashimoto (141 pounds), Shawn Hart (174 pounds) and Tim Sexton (197 pounds) were all able to tally 2-1 records on the road trip.
HOPKIN NOTCHES 2ND PLACE AT UNK RUNZA LOPER OPEN
Sophomore 197-pounder Reece Hopkin placed second overall at the UNK Runza Lopern Open in Kearney, Neb., on Dec. 11. Hopkin went 2-1 at the tournament by recording wins over Dana College's Wade Jordan and Nebraska-Omaha's Ben Strandberg before falling to Nebraska-Kearney's Jeff Sylvester in the finals.
MCMILLAN, HART STAR AT 23RD ANNUAL CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITE
The University of Northern Colorado wrestling squad completed its action on day two at the 23rd annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with a pair of losses in consolation matches. The Bears advanced both 174-pounder Shawn Hart and heavyweight Jason McMillan into day two's action the prestigious event. However, both Hart and McMillan each suffered a loss in the consolation bracket to end their turn in the tournament.
HART NAMED OUTSTANDING WRESTLER AT THE OLD CHICAGO OPEN
University of Northern Colorado's Shawn Hart was named the Outstanding Wrestler and Reece Hopkin took home the Most Pins title (three) at the 2004 Old Chicago Northern Colorado Open on Sunday in Butler-Hancock Hall. As a team, the Bears tallied four place-winners for members of the squad competing under the umbrella of Northern Colorado. Hart (1st - 174 lbs.), Mikell Surber (2nd - 157 lbs.), Cole Allison (2nd - 184 lbs.) and Andy Etzen (4th - 141 lbs.) all placed in the top four for the Bears. Hart earned Outstanding Wrestler honors based largely on two of his victories over top-notch competition. Hart won the championship match 9-4 over NCAA Div. II preseason No. 1-ranked Aaron Meister (Fort Hays State). Hart reached the finals by edging past Matt Trout (Western State), 4-2. Trout was a 2004 NCAA Div. II national qualifier. Several unattached wrestlers with UNC ties competed well in the tournament and they included: Blayze Bahe (1st - 125 lbs.), Kyle Swenson (1st - 133 lbs.), Kyle Kaiser (4th - 133 lbs.), Kenny Hashimoto (1st - 141 lbs.), Nathan Gerrard (4th - 149 lbs.) and Reece Hopkin (1st - 197 lbs.) Northern Colorado volunteer assistant coach Tony Schunke competed in the heavyweight division and captured the championship by winning all three matches.
BEARS PLACE FIVE IN WYOMING
The University of Northern Colorado wrestling team initiated its season on Sunday at the Wyoming Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo. The Bears helped set a tournament record with over 420 entrants. The Bears had five place-winners at the tournament. Kyle Kaiser went 4-0 to capture first place in the 133-pound under 20 division. Making his collegiate debut freshman Kenny Hashimoto placed 1st in the 141-pound under-20 division. Hashimoto went 5-0 in the tournament. Freshman Andy Etzen went 7-1 in the 141-pound under-20 division and placed third in the tourney. Alex Joseph tallied a 6-2 record and placed 4th in the 174-pound under-20 division. UNC's Shawn Hart placed third in the 174-pound over-20 division with a 5-1 record. UNC head coach Jack Maughan also cited the effort of his 197-pounders Cole Allison and Reece Hopkin, who each tallied 2-2 records but did not place.
TAKEDOWN CLUB
The Northern Colorado Takedown Club has been established to help the UNC wrestling program, and the state of Colorado as a whole, return to the Division I wrestling scene. There has not been a NCAA Division I public institution with the wrestling since CSU dropped wrestling in 1985 (CU dropped the sport in 1980). To put the great state of Colorado back on the map in Division I wrestling, UNC needs the support of anyone who has ever stepped on a wrestling mat or sat in the stands under the shadows of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. All membership dues raised through the Takedown Club go back into the club itself to provide members with media guides, the Bear Hug Newsletter, posters, schedule cards, socials and other expenses. Financial support above the basic membership dues (Varsity, All-American, and National Champion Members) goes to defray programmatic expenses such as recruiting, equipment, assistant coaching salaries and travel. Get on board with the Bears as UNC makes its historic journey back into the Division I ranks. The Takedown Club will carry out its mission by: 1) Raising money through club memberships, special events and wrestling endowments; 2) Emphasizing the ideals of sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork; 3) Attending and supporting UNC Wrestling events at home and on the road; 4) Helping to promote UNC Wrestling (and the sport of wrestling in general) by educating the media and the general public on the excitement of the sport wrestling; 5) General support of the program as it moves back to Division I in 2006-2007. The cost to join the Northern Colorado Takedown Club is $30 for individuals and $50 for family, but wrestling donors are encouraged to donate to a higher level if they so choose ($100-249 Varsity Member; $250-$499 All-American Member; $500+ National Champion Member). For those members joining at the $100 and higher levels, they are automatically included in the Blue & Gold Club. For more info contact Director George Thompson at 970-351-1832.
Bears to Host 6 home duals
UNC will play host to six home duals this season but all will come after the first of the year. The Bears' home-opening dual will come against Oregon State on Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. The Bears will also play host to Portland State (Jan. 16, 2 pm), Fresno State (Jan. 29, 2 pm), Utah Valley State (Feb. 18, 6 pm), North Dakota State (Feb. 18, 8 pm) and Wyoming (Feb. 24, 7 pm).
FULL DIVISION I SCHEDULE
This season marks the second year of the return to Division I wrestling for the Bears. UNC will have a full Division I schedule this season to meet the scheduling requirements of Division I wrestling.
WRESTLING, VOLLEYBALL GAIN REQUEST FOR EARLIER DIVISION i STATUS
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Membership Subcommittee has approved a request by the University of Northern Colorado Athletic Department for reclassification of UNC's women's volleyball and men's wrestling to Division I status. The effect is that student-athletes in the two sports will be eligible for the Division I championships during the 2006-07 academic year. "We have been very confident that the volleyball and wrestling programs could compete in the NCAA Division I post-season in the very near future - this reclassification accelerates that opportunity," said Jay Hinrichs, UNC's director of athletics. NCAA legislation allows a member school to have one male and one female sport, excluding football and men's and women's basketball, classified in a division other than that in which it currently is a member. The UNC Bears are in the third year of a five-year, NCAA-mandated transition process from Division II to Division I.
UNC head coaches Jack Maughan (wrestling) and Ron Alexander (volleyball) were both excited that their programs would have a chance to compete in the NCAA postseason earlier than they had planned. "We had hoped for all programs to get the transition period shortened," Maughan said. "So wrestling feels fortunate to be able to compete in championships as soon as possible. This will help the program be more competitive in Division I sooner."
HEAD COACH
Currently in his 18th year at UNC, head coach Jack Maughan will continue a new era as the Bears re-enter the Division I ranks after a more than 30-year absence. With the Bears competing as an Independent school, Maughan will hope to be instrumental in forming a new wrestling conference with neighboring rivals Wyoming and Air Force along with former North Central Conference rivals North Dakota State and South Dakota State. Maughan captured his 100th career win last season in the Bears' final home dual, a 26-11 win over Utah Valley State. Maughan and his wife, Brenda, were married in the offseason and are expecting their first child this January. The family lives in Windsor.
