WIAC Championship Brackets

Madison, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team captured the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship (presented by Culver's) Friday night in UW-Whitewater's in Kachel Gymnasium.  The Eagles finished with 143.0 team points to win their 17th conference title in school history, including second straight. UW-Whitewater placed second with 118.0 and UW-Stevens Point third with 116.5. UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville tied for fifth (100.0) while UW-Oshkosh was sixth (89.5).

UWL's 17 titles (1994, 1998-2011, 2017-18) are tied with UW-Whitewater for the most in WIAC history. Dave Malecek, in his 12th season as the Eagles' head coach, has now led UWL to seven conference crowns (2007-11, 2017-18).

"A total team effort," said Malecek. "We had four champions and won in the UW-Whitewater gym. As a team, we were battling all day in all positions and when we do that, we can compete with anyone."

With the win, UWL earned its 400th conference title in school history.

UWL earned the Mertz Mortorelli Coaching Staff of the Year Award.

The championship followed an individual tournament format, crowning 10 individual first-place finishers, along with a team champion.  Each institution was permitted to enter two wrestlers per weight class.  

Thirteen of UWL's 16 wrestlers competing Friday placed, including four champions. Hayden Schlough won the 141-pound title with a major decision (11-0) over teammate Reid Johnson. Schlough won by fall (6:33) over Luke Pradel of UW-Platteville in the quarterfinals and by decision (9-3) over Wesam Alabed of UW-Oshkosh in the semifinals. 

Mitch Hertel captured the 165-pound crown with a win by decision (3-1) over teammate Logan Schlough. Hertel won by decision (9-2) over Isaac Brosinski of UW-Platteville in the quarterfinals and by decision (4-3) over Eli Were of UW-Whitewater in the semifinals. 

UWL's Sawyer Massie won the 174-pound division with a win by decision (11-6) over Jon Goetz of UW-Stevens Point. He had opened with a win by decision (7-4) over Kevin Gschwendtner of UW-Platteville before a win by major decision (14-2) over Tyler Vogt of UW-Eau Claire in the quarterfinals and by major decision (12-4) over Nicholas Bonomo of UW-Whitewater in the semifinals. 

Massie was selected the John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet at the conclusion of the championship.

Konrad Ernst took the 285-pound title with a win by fall (8:22) over D'Andre Johnson of UW-Platteville in the championship. Ernst won by technical fall (15-0) over Paul Carter of UW-Eau Claire in the quarterfinals and by decision (7-1) over Lucius Rinehart of UW-Platteville in the semifinals.

It is the first career conference titles for all four wrestlers.

The Eagles had six wrestlers finish second, including Josh Stenger (133), Johnson (141), Grant Zamin (157), Logan Schlough (165), Sean O'Neil (184) and Wesley Schultz (197). Stenger had a first-round bye and then earned a win by decision (15-8) over Anthony Senthavisouk of UW-Oshkosh in the quarterfinals. He won by decision (3-2) over Matt Berlin of UW-Stevens Point in the semifinals before dropping the championship match by decision (11-8) to Hazen Rice of UW-Whitewater. 

Johnson placed second at 141-pounds after winning by fall (2:29) over Dellas Vandenberg of UW-Oshkosh in the quarterfinals and by major decision (13-0) over Hunter Pierce of UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals. He lost the title match by major decision (11-0) to Hayden Schlough.

Zamin won by major decision (8-0) over Isaac Roffers of UW-Platteville in the quarterfinals and by decision (4-3) over Boone Roycraft of UW-Stevens Point in the semifinals before losing by decision (4-0) to Mark Choinski of UW-Oshkosh in the championship dual. 

Logan Schlough won by decision (2-1) over Jordan Weinzetl of UW-Stevens Point in the quarterfinals and by decision (4-3) over Chase Schmidt of UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals before dropping the title match to Hertel. 

O'Neil won by decision (3-0) over Juwon Anderson of UW-Oshkosh in the quarterfinals and by decision (2-1) over Dan Squires of UW-Stevens Point in the semifinals. He dropped the title by sudden victory (4-3) to Grant Wedepohl of UW-Platteville. 

Schultz won by medical forfeit over Riley Kauzlaric of UW-Whitewater in the quarterfinals and by decision (6-1) over Ramsey Bloy of UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals before losing by major decision (14-2) to Jordan Newman of UW-Whitewater in the title match.

Three wrestlers finished fifth for UWL Friday, including Spencer Nevills (149-pounds), Michael Murnane (157) and Adam Gusky (197). Nevills won by fall (1:58) over Corey Knudsen in the first round. After losing by decision (9-8) to David Dudych of UW-Eau Claire in the quarterfinals, Nevills earned a win by decision (7-2) over Carter Focht of UW-Eau Claire in the consolation round. He won by major decision (10-0) over Trevor Harsh of UW-Platteville followed by a loss by decision (3-2) to Wilder Wichman of UW-Whitewater. Nevills won by fall (5:57) in the fifth-place match versus Knudsen. 

After receiving a first-round bye, Murnane won by decision (7-1) over David Granatelli of UW-Stevens Point in the quarterfinals. He lost by decision (6-2) to Choinski in the semifinals and by fall (6:54) to Carter Barkema of UW-Platteville in the consolation bracket. Murnane won by decision (5-2) over Roycraft for fifth-place. 

Gusky lost by decision (4-3) to John DePersia of UW-Oshkosh in the first round before coming back with a pair of wins. He won by medical forfeit over Riley Kauzlaric of UW-Whitewater and by decision (8-1) over Ben Stassin of UW-Stevens Point in the consolation bracket. Gusky then lost by decision (6-4) to Dylan Diebitz of UW-Stevens Point before winning by decision (10-7) over DePersia in the fifth-place match. 

In other action, UWL's Cal Hansen went 1-2 at 149-pounds. He opened with a win by decision (8-2) over Carter Focht of UW-Eau Claire in the first round. Hansen then lost by decision (8-2) to Luke Smiley of UW-Stevens Point in the quarterfinals and by decision (6-1) to Corey Knudsen of UW-Oshkosh in the consolation.

Sawyer Sarbacker went 0-2 at 133-pounds, losing by decision (6-2) to Hazen Rice of UW-Whitewater in the quarterfinals and by decision (2-0) to Chase Katzenmeyer of UW-Platteville in the consolation round.

The Eagles' Zach Villarreal was forced to medical forfeit in both of his matches at 125-pounds.

UWL returns to action Friday, February 23 at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Upper Midwest Regional in Minneapolis, Minnesota.