Evanston, Ill. - Three University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestlers competed at the 48th Annual Midlands Championships Wednesday at Northwestern University in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Eagles tied for 33rd overall with 3.5 points. A total of 44 teams competed, including eight of the top-15 NCAA Division I teams, according to Intermat.
Lehigh University (Pa.) led after the first day with 65.0 points. The University of Wisconsin was second (58.5) followed by the University of Iowa (52.5), University of Pittsburgh (49.5) and Iowa State University (49.0) in the top-five. Competition continues Thursday, Dec. 30 at noon.
The Eagles'
Bebeto Yewah,
Matt Mauseth and
Mike Schmitz were all invited to the championships. Each wrestler has won an NCAA Division III Championship. Yewah took the 133-pound crown and Schmitz the 174-pound championship in 2010 while Mauseth captured the 149-pound title in 2009.
In Wednesday's action at Northwestern University, Yewah won his opening match at 141-pounds with an 11-8 decision over Zac Hancock of Bucknell University (Pa.). Yewah, seeded 11th in the championships, was then forced to default due to injury in his next two matches.
Mauseth went 1-2 Wednesday at 149-pounds. He lost by technical fall (16-0) to top-seeded Kevin LeValley of Bucknell in his opening match before coming back in the wrestleback round to win by decision (8-3) over Cleveland State University's Laurence Cavello. Mauseth then lost by decision (3-2) to Ross Grande of the University of Nebraska.
Schmitz finished 2-2 at 174-pounds. He lost 2-1 to Pat Wright of Missouri University in his first match, but came back to win a pair of matches in the wrestlebacks. Schmitz defeated Brian Cobb of the Road Runner Wrestling Club by decision (8-4) and Dan Stelter of the University of Illinois by decision (2-1). He lost by fall (5:41) to Mike Evans, wrestling unattached from the University of Minnesota, in his fourth match.
UW-L returns to action Saturday, Jan. 8 at the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen Division III Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
