Auggie Wrestling won their 15th National Championship last night.

https://athletics.augsburg.edu/news/2024/3/14/mwr031424.aspx

Congrats to the Auggies and OldAuggie. I knew the 'Burgs were the dominant forces, but I don't follow D3 wrestlings as closely as I (casually) follow D1. Reading the details in the press release are mind boggling:

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

Quote• Augsburg has now won 15 NCAA Division III national titles in school history (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2024), tied with Wartburg for the most team titles in Division III. Either Augsburg or Wartburg has won every Division III national title since 1995.
• Augsburg has finished among the top two teams in men's wrestling national competition 29 times since 1975, and has finished among the top 20 teams nationally every year since 1971.
• Augsburg now has 59 men's wrestling national champions in school history -- a record 55 in NCAA Division III competition (since 1983), four in NAIA competition (1968-1983).

That's an insane run of dominance for 2 programs just 3 hours apart.

My youngest is drawn to the mat (vs the hardwood for the older siblings). We had a lot of fun following the Mounds View program this season, and watching the Big 10 and Big 12 tourneys last weekend. We will have to find time to take in some D3 duals this coming season.

Follow up question ... was UWLax expected to be in the mix, or did they get a bump from hosting?

Quote from: hazzben on March 17, 2024, 07:40:52 PMMy youngest is drawn to the mat...

Wait, wait, wait.  How did I not know this? MV had a great team this year.  Our (Maple Grove) 215-lber lost to Quin Morgan in the finals.
We just got back from the MN/USA Wrestling State Tournament.  We had 2 champs and four 5th place finishers.  Little Duff went 2-2 in a brutal bracket--so proud of him!

Yeah Quinn had a great year. My youngest is good buddies with a little sister of one of the other MV varsity wrestlers. Fun year to follow them for sure.

Quin's dad, Marty, is a terrifying individual and grade A bad ass.  A few years ago, I was working a tournament, and they asked me to go relieve someone keeping score.  My partner at the table was none other than Marty Morgan. 

Yeah, anytime you can say you were a two time collegiate national champ, 2 time greco national champ, made two world teams, and then were the primary trainer who helped Brock Lesner win a heavyweight UFC title, "Grade A bad ass" seems apropos. Gotta think Marty and his brothers are on the short list for families no one wants to mess with.

Frank with a spring update on the Johnnies:

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2024/3/21/st-cloud-orthopedics-feature-motivated-johnnies-ready-to-begin-spring-football-practice.aspx

For the Johnnies to progress they need to get better on defense. Stats below are SJU defensive stats against Trinity, UWW, Augs, and GAC...need be better at getting the opposing teams offense off the field.

Trinity:           
31 points, 438 yards total offense, 65 rushing, 373 passing, 1 punt, Total Offensive Plays SJU 61, GAC 66

UW-Whitewater:   
56 points, 513 yards total offense, 280 rushing, 233 passing, 3 punts, Total Offensive Plays SJU 71, GAC 66

Augsburg:       
24 points, 405 yards total offense, 170 rushing, 235 passing, 1  punt, Total Offensive Plays SJU 54,  GAC 79

GAC:            
38 points, 465 yards total offense, 112 rushing, 353 passing, 2 punts, Total Offensive Plays SJU 58, GAC 82

Averages against the four opponents...not good!
37.25 avg points, 455.25 avg yds, 156.75 avg rushing, 298.5 avg passing, 1.75 punts

They also need to be able to run the football.  Can't rely 100% on Aaron's arm.

Quote from: DuffMan on March 21, 2024, 08:41:34 PMThey also need to be able to run the football.  Can't rely 100% on Aaron's arm.

Yep...need to be able to run some clock with a lead. It's baffling how we struggle to run the ball with such a potent passing attack. Do we not work on run blocking or not have offensive linemen that can get a push?

Quote from: hazzben on March 17, 2024, 07:58:36 PMFollow up question ... was UWLax expected to be in the mix, or did they get a bump from hosting?

Thanks! Sorry for the delay I have been busy and one day I looked and Post Patterns were down. As far as I know, UW LaCrosse belonged in the Tourney and they do have a very good program. Each wrestler has to win his way to the tourney and I consider UW-L to be competitive each year.

As far as Wartburg and Augsburg wrestlers dominating D3; they wrestle and beat some of the smaller D1 schools in tournaments. Many times there are U of M, U of WI and U of Iowa JV wrestlers in the same tournaments and the Auggies usually hold their own. The Auggies beat the D2 schools on their schedule each year, it seems like D2 and D3 wrestling are close.

Quote from: hazzben on March 17, 2024, 07:40:52 PMCongrats to the Auggies and OldAuggie. I knew the 'Burgs were the dominant forces, but I don't follow D3 wrestlings as closely as I (casually) follow D1. Reading the details in the press release are mind boggling:

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

Quote• Augsburg has now won 15 NCAA Division III national titles in school history (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2024), tied with Wartburg for the most team titles in Division III. Either Augsburg or Wartburg has won every Division III national title since 1995.
• Augsburg has finished among the top two teams in men's wrestling national competition 29 times since 1975, and has finished among the top 20 teams nationally every year since 1971.
• Augsburg now has 59 men's wrestling national champions in school history -- a record 55 in NCAA Division III competition (since 1983), four in NAIA competition (1968-1983).

That's an insane run of dominance for 2 programs just 3 hours apart.

My youngest is drawn to the mat (vs the hardwood for the older siblings). We had a lot of fun following the Mounds View program this season, and watching the Big 10 and Big 12 tourneys last weekend. We will have to find time to take in some D3 duals this coming season.

Quote from: hazzben on March 19, 2024, 07:59:09 AMYeah, anytime you can say you were a two time collegiate national champ, 2 time greco national champ, made two world teams, and then were the primary trainer who helped Brock Lesner win a heavyweight UFC title, "Grade A bad ass" seems apropos. Gotta think Marty and his brothers are on the short list for families no one wants to mess with.

Quote from: DuffMan on March 18, 2024, 11:45:42 AM

Quote from: hazzben on March 17, 2024, 07:40:52 PMMy youngest is drawn to the mat...

Wait, wait, wait.  How did I not know this? MV had a great team this year.  Our (Maple Grove) 215-lber lost to Quin Morgan in the finals.
We just got back from the MN/USA Wrestling State Tournament.  We had 2 champs and four 5th place finishers.  Little Duff went 2-2 in a brutal bracket--so proud of him!

Congrats to Little Duff!

UMHB....My early bet for the Bishop Sycamore blowout of the 2024 college football 🏈 season.

https://x.com/d3football/status/1771223883678404940?s=46&t=g-or2FfQwhfEf-aUIDwBoA

https://x.com/parentingonwhls/status/1771259550424793463?s=46&t=g-or2FfQwhfEf-aUIDwBoA

We went to U$T on Friday to watch the Gopher volleyball team.  There was a good crowd (mostly Gopher fans), but that was the most sterile game day atmosphere I've ever been in.  They didn't even have a PA announcer.  I'll chalk it up to being a spring game, but...

Hazzben Jr. 1.0 had a "time trial" meet at UST for freshman track on Saturday. His first time competing in the hurdles, 400, and high jump. He admitted it was hard to run the quarter holding his breath the entire time. I think I've mentioned this before, but I've trained all the kids to hold their breath each Sunday morning as we drive through UST on our way to church. Made me chuckle when he said that