Cedar Falls, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team advanced to the semifinals of the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals Saturday afternoon in the UNI-Dome at the University of Northern Iowa. The Eagles, seeded fourth in the tournament, are now 7-2 on the season.

UW-L, ranked fourth in the Brute-Adidas NWCA Division III rankings, faces top-seeded and top-ranked Augsburg College (Minn.) in the semifinals Sunday, Jan. 9.

The Eagles opened with a 30-12 victory over 13th-seeded Delaware Valley College (Pa.). Albie McKinney earned a win by decision (12-7) over Charlie Frankel at 125-pounds for UW-L. Adam Sheley followed with a win by fall (3:42) over Zach Haynes at 133 and Bebeto Yewah won by decision (7-6) over Matt Ulrich at 141. Matt Mauseth then won by default over Emanual Ajagbe at 149.

Delaware Valley earned its first win of the dual at 157-pounds as Jesse Harrington won by decision (3-2) over Ryan Farwell. UW-L's Cory Ferguson, Mike Schmitz and Mitch Artist followed with wins by major decision. Ferguson defeated Dale Fava (10-2) at 165-pounds; Schmitz beat Juan Vega (12-3) and 174 and Artist beat Jacob Phillips (11-0) at 184.

Aaron Karns won by decision (8-5) over the Eagles' John Poppie at 197-pounds while Cody Gardner earned a win by fall (1:33) over UW-L's Billy Mayer. 

UW-L then earned a 20-19 win over Coe College (Iowa) in the quarterfinals. The dual ended in a 19-19 tie, but based on the second criteria of the number of wins by fall, the Eagles earned the victory.  Schmitz earned the only win by fall in the dual, defeating Coe's Jeremy Garvin at 174-pounds (4:20). 

Sheley, Yewah, Mauseth and Artist also earned wins over Coe for UW-L. Sheley won by major decision (13-2) over Drew Hinschberger at 133; Yewah won by decision (13-8) over Chris LeClere at 141; Mauseth won by decision (8-5) over James Locke at 149 and Artist defeated Seth Rehn by decision (7-1) at 184. 

Coe's Clayton Rush defeated McKinney at 125-pounds by major decision (15-5) while Dale Handley won by major decision over Farwell at 157 (9-1). Nick LeClere earned a victory by technical fall (22-7, 6:00) over Ferguson at 165. 

Ethan Ball (197-pounds) and Alex Burkle (285) each won by decision over Coe. Ball defeated Poppie (11-10) and Burkle beat Mayer (9-4).

UW-L returns to action Sunday, Jan. 9 in the semifinals versus Augsburg College (Minn.) at 11 a.m.