Oshkosh, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team opened its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) season with a 43-3 win at UW-Oshkosh Thursday night in Kolf Sports Center. The Eagles improve to 1-0 overall while the Titans drop to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

It is UWL's 31st win in the last 32 duals with UW-Oshkosh. The Eagles entered Thursday's dual ranked fifth in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) while the Titans were tied for 13th in the national rankings. 

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead at 125-pounds with Brandon Murphy winning by decision (2-1) over the Titans' Luc Valdez. Murphy is ranked ninth the NWCA Preseason Poll. After UW-Oshkosh's Dennis Murphy won by decision (11-4) over UWL's Cael Weinzweig at 133-pounds to force a 3-3 tie, UWL won the final eight duals. 

Sam Lorenz won by fall (2:13) over Chandler Curtis at 141-pounds to give UWL a 9-3 advantage. The Eagles' Tyler Goebel won by major decision (12-3) over Luke Moczynski at 149-pounds followed by Nolan Hertel (157) winning by technical fall (21-6, 7:00) over Cody Welker and Kaleb O'Reilly winning by major decision (12-1) over Nate Stokhaug at 165-pounds to give UWL a 22-3 lead. Hertel is ranked third in the preseason national poll. 

UWL's Seth Brossard, also ranked third in NCAA Division III, and Nolan Paar recorded back-to-back victories by fall as Brossard defeated Michael Loger at 174-pounds (4:02) and Paar beat Zakariya Price at 184 (1:17). Ben Kawczynski, tied for seventh in the NWCA Preseason Rankings at 285-pounds, won by decision (3-2) at 197-pounds for UWL over Beau Yineman. Yineman is the top-ranked wrestler in the preseason at 197-pounds.

Michael Douglas completed the victory with a win by forfeit at 285-pounds.

In exhibition matches, UWL's Parker Kratochvill won by fall (1:35) at 149-pounds while Cooper Larson won by technical fall (18-0, 4:55) at 157. 

UWL returns to action Thursday, November 17 hosting seventh-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology (N.J.) in its home opener at 7 p.m. in Mitchell Hall.