North Dakota State wrestlers won four individual titles to help the Bison win the Division II Wrestling Championships March 18 at Frost Arena in Brookings, South Dakota. The title was North Dakota State's third after previously winning in 1988 and 1998.

After losing two first-round matches, North Dakota State's remaining wrestlers put on a near-perfect performance, with the remaining five earning all-America honors.

"I don't know what to say," Bison coach Bucky Maughan said. "We only had five all-Americans but we won by quite a few points. I'm so proud of these guys that I can't find the words for it."

North Dakota State won by a comfortable margin, scoring 91 1/2 points to runner-up Central Oklahoma's 75. Nebraska-Omaha (73 1/2), South Dakota State (72) and Pittsburgh-Johnstown (58) rounded out the top five.

Bison senior Kris Nelson, winner of the 133-pound title, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Nelson beat South Dakota State's Scott Braun, 10-6, and finished the season with a 23-7 record.

North Dakota State's Wayne Mooney followed with a win at 157 and Todd Fuller added another win at 174.

The final North Dakota State wrestler to take the mat, Steve Saxlund, felt a different kind of pressure.

"I didn't want to be the only one to finish second," he said after claiming his second national championship in three years with an 8-7 victory over Kevin Boccella of Shippensburg. Saxlund was national champion in 1998 and runner-up in 1999.

Nebraska-Omaha appeared to be in good position for the championship following the first day. The Mavericks emerged with five semifinalists and eight wrestlers still alive. But only Chris Blair at 165 reached the finals, falling to Titus Taylor of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

Host South Dakota State had two national champions. Paul Konechne at 141 and heavyweight Jon Madsen earned titles, with Konechne gaining all-America status for the third time. Madsen, a redshirt freshman, wasn't even a starter at the beginning of the season and came to the national tournament unseeded. Madsen defeated No. 1 seed Jeremiah Constant of Central Oklahoma, the only returning champion from last year's tournament. Madsen defeated Fort Hays State's Keith Blaske, 4-3, in the finals.

TEAM RESULTS

1. North Dakota St., 911/2; 2. Central Okla., 75; 3. Neb.-Omaha, 731/2; 4. South Dakota St., 72; 5. Pitt.-Johnstown, 58; 6. Ashland, 48; 7. Minn. St.-Mankato, 43; 8. Neb.-Kearney, 34; 9. Fort Hays St., 32; 10. Carson-Newman, 31 1/2; 11. San Fran. St., 29; 12. Shippensburg, 281/2; 13. Western St., 26 1/2; 14. Central Mo. St., 251/2; 15. SIU-Edwardsville, 22 1/2; 16. Southern Colo., 20 1/2; 17. (tie) American Int'l and Central Wash., 15; 19. West Liberty St., 14; 20. (tie) Chadron St. and Moorhead St., 121/2; 22. (tie) Anderson (S.C.) and Gannon, 12; 24. (tie) Augustana (S.D.) and Truman, 81/2; 26. Wis.-Parkside, 8; 27. St. Cloud St., 5 1/2; 28. (tie) Adams St. and Northern Colo., 4; 30. Kutztown, 31/2; 31. Indianapolis, 2 1/2.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

First round: Jared Haberman, Western St., def. Rob Jankowski, Wis.-Parkside, 16-4; Kelly Martinez, San Fran. St., def. Brandon Newill, Pitt.-Johnstown, 7-5; Chris Peretti, Ashland, def. Adam Kramer, Minn. St.-Mankato, 8-3; Kortney Lake, Adams St., def. Tom Grafstrom, Moorhead St., 6-3; Mack LaRock, Neb.-Omaha, pinned Nick Gates, UNC Pembroke, 6:36; Mark Dodgen, Central Okla., def. Jeff Putt, Shippensburg, 6-4; Brian Burzynski, Kutztown, def. Zach Gressett, Neb.-Kearney, 4-3; Drew Passley, Central Mo. St., def. Jason Romero, Northern Colo., 7-5, sudden victory.

Quarterfinals: Haberman def. Martinez, 12-2; Peretti def. Lake, 12-2; Dodgen def. LaRock, 5-3; Passley def. Burzynski, 13-9.

Semifinals: Peretti def. Haberman, 6-4; Dodgen def. Passley, 18-10.

Finals: Dodgen def. Peretti, 7-5. Third place -- Newill pinned Putt, 1:43. Fifth place -- Haberman def. Passley, 9-6. Seventh place -- Gressett def. LaRock, 7-2.

First round: Kris Nelson, North Dakota St., def. Rob English, Pitt.-Johnstown, 13-5; Wesley Watson, West Liberty St., def. Yves Lamitie, American Int'l, 9-2; Chad Flores, Neb.-Kearney, def. Jason Zinn, Shippensburg, 2-0; Chris Shears, Ashland, def. Scott Larson, Moorhead St., 11-7; Luke Shaw, Central Mo. St., bye; Aaron Sanders, St. Cloud St., def. Chas Thompson, Fort Hays St., 7-2; Brad Russell, Wis.-Parkside, def. Andy Wilson, Indianapolis, 4-1; Scott Braun, South Dakota St., def. Armando Orozco, San Fran. St., 6-1.

Quarterfinals: Nelson def. Watson, 17-4; Flores def. Shears, 3-0; Shaw def. Sanders, 4-0; Braun def. Russell, 11-5.

Semifinals: Nelson def. Flores, 13-7; Braun def. Shaw, 6-3.

Finals: Nelson def. Braun, 10-6. Third place -- English def. Shaw, 4-0. Fifth place -- Shears def. Flores, medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Sanders pinned Watson, 0:58.

First round: Paul Konechne, South Dakota St., def. Adrian Jiron, Western St., 17-1; Oscar Frias, Chadron St., def. Ronnie Stafford, Northern Colo., 7-6; Jake Thielbar, North Dakota St., def. T. J. Hellickson, Ashland, 3-1; Joe Schneider, Central Okla., bye; Kurt Karjalainen, Neb.-Kearney, bye; Brad Kieffer, Truman, def. Rafael Calixto, American Int'l, 19-2; Roderick Ratcliff, Neb.-Omaha, def. Shaine Jaime, Central Wash., 8-6; Dan Tashner, Kutztown, def. Lamont Tucker, West Liberty St., 7-0.

Quarterfinals: Konechne def. Frias, 16-2; Thielbar def. Schneider, 6-5; Karjalainen def. Kieffer, 4-1; Ratcliff def. Tashner, 4-1.

Semifinals: Konechne def. Thielbar, 5-4; Karjalainen def. Ratcliff, 9-6.

Finals: Konechne pinned Karjalainen, 3:21. Third place -- Jaime def. Thielbar, 3-2. Fifth place -- Kieffer def. Ratcliff, 6-4. Seventh place -- Schneider def. Tashner, 8-7.

First round: Lazaro Reinoso, Carson-Newman, def. Pete Dickinson, Moorhead St., 11-6; Nick Spencer, West Liberty St., def. Jody Trantham, Colorado Mines, 6-1; John Alexander, Minn. St.-Mankato, def. Brandon Pfizenmaier, Neb.-Kearney, 5-4; Boyce Voorhees, Neb.-Omaha, def. Jason Dye, Chadron St., 7-4; Gable Sullivan, Central Okla. def. Aaron Veskrna, South Dakota St., 5-3; Marshall Hahn, Northern Colo., def. Brett Owen, Shippensburg, 5-1; Jeff Harrington, Southern Colo., bye; Corey Kline, Ashland, def. Nathan Graumenz, SIU-Edwardsville, 7-5, sudden victory.

Quarterfinals: Reinoso def. Spencer, 8-6; Voorhees def. Alexander, 6-2; Sullivan def. Hahn, 4-3; Kline def. Harrington, 5-4.

Semifinals: Reinoso def. Voorhees, 8-5; Sullivan def. Kline, 2-1.

Finals: Reinoso, def. Sullivan, 15-3. Third place -- Kline def. Voorhees 3-1, sudden victory. Fifth place -- Pfizenmaier def. Spencer, 4-3. Seventh place -- Veskrna def. Dickinson, 16-6.

First round: Shad Benton, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Jason Thompson, Moorhead St., 11-5; Jason Schommer, Chadron St., bye; Matt Petsinger, Minn. St.-Mankato, pinned Lee Gatlin, Central Mo. St., 1:34; Royce Johnson, Western St., bye; Alan Cartwright, Neb.-Omaha, def. Jack Anderson, Central Wash. 8-4; Tony Morgan, Carson-Newman, def. Brad Shefchik, Wis.-Parkside, 9-4; Joe Veres, Ashland, def. Nathan Gomez, Central Okla., 9-5; Wayne Mooney, North Dakota St., bye.

Quarterfinals: Schommer pinned Benton, 1:44; Johnson pinned Petsinger, 2:10; Cartwright def. Morgan, 7-3: Mooney def. Veres, 5-1.

Semifinals: Johnson def. Schommer, 9-6; Mooney def. Cartwright, 9-4.

Finals: Mooney def. Johnson 5-2. Third place -- Petsinger pinned Morgan, 1:03. Fifth place -- Schommer pinned Cartwright, 6:59. Seventh place -- Benton pinned Veres, 1:44.

165-pound class

First round: Chris Blair, Neb.-Omaha, def. Zach Davis, Ashland, 5-3; Matt Gadient, Minn. St.-Mankato, def. Scott Goldstein, Anderson (S.C), 6-5, sudden victory; Ryan Buterbaugh, Pitt.-Johnstown, bye; Tyler Bryant, South Dakota St., def. Matt Ballard, Central Wash., 8-7; Jody Marple, Central Okla., def. Dave Vondy, Western St., 5-2; Jason Warthan, Indianapolis, bye; Grady Wolf, North Dakota St., bye; Titus Taylor, SIU-Edwardsville, pinned Dustin Randle, Southern Colo., 4:42.

Quarterfinals: Blair def. Gadient, 2-1; Buterbaugh def. Bryant, 6-4; Marple def. Warthan, 8-1; Taylor pinned Wolf, 7:00.

Semifinals: Blair def. Buterbaugh, 13-7; Taylor def. Marple, 10-3.

Finals: Taylor def. Blair, 3-1. Third place -- Marple def. Goldstein, 5-2. Fifth place -- Gadient def. Buterbaugh, medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Warthan def. Bryant, 4-0.

174-pound class

First round: Mauricio Wright, San Fran. St., def. Tony Realmuto, Central Okla., 10-2; Matt Johnson, Central Mo. St., bye; Mike Mitchell, American Int'l, def. Frank Kuchera, Neb.-Kearney, 8-2; Tyler Jones, South Dakota St., def. Jake Holscher, Chadron St., 11-0; Todd Fuller, North Dakota St., def. Steve Massouh, West Liberty St., 7-5; Travis Nagel, Moorhead St., bye; Brian Beste, Minn. St.-Mankato, def. Ted Rakar, Pitt.-Johnstown, 2-0; Jason Tapia, Southern Colo., def. Zach Stalder, Neb.-Omaha, 5-2.

Quarterfinals: Johnson def. Wright, 7-5; Mitchell def. Jones, 9-5; Fuller def. Nagel, 6-3; Tapia pinned Beste, 3:09.

Semifinals: Mitchell def. Johnson, 2-0; Fuller def. Tapia, 3-1, sudden victory.

Finals: Fuller def. Mitchell, 15-6. Third place -- Tapia def. Johnson, 10-5. Fifth place -- Nagel def. Jones, 6-3. Seventh place -- Wright def. Realmuto, 8-4.

First round: Steve Saxlund, North Dakota St., pinned John Rolling, Central Mo. St., 7:00; Ben McCrillis, American Int'l, bye; Conrad Johnson, Adams St., pinned Scott Antoniak, Neb.-Omaha, 5:39; Corey Hintz, Southern Colo., bye; Ethan Brownback, Pitt.-Johnstown, bye; Muhammed Lawal, Central Okla., def. Ty Swarm, Neb.-Kearney, 5-3; Brady Wegesin, Ashland, pinned Adams Anders, Western St., 8:07, sudden victory; Kevin Boccelia, Shippensburg, pinned Sam Kenton, Augustana (S.D.), 5:24.

Quarterfinals: Saxlund def. McCrillis, 16-3; Hintz def. Johnson, 6-2; Brownback def. Lawal, 7-2; Boccelia def. Wegesin, 8-5.

Semifinals: Saxlund def. Hintz, 11-7; Boccelia def. Brownback, 12-5.

Finals: Saxlund def. Boccelia, 8-7. Third place -- Antoniak def. Brownback, 4-2. Fifth place -- Hintz def. Swarm, 6-2. Seventh place -- Wegesin def. Kenton, 7-2.

First round: Terry Tuzzulino, San Fran. St., def. Bryan Mueller, North Dakota St., 8-5; Keith Hoffman, Shippensburg, def. Korak Simmons, Central Mo. St., 5-3; Doug Joseph, Gannon, def. J.R. Tallent, Central Oklahoma, 5-4, sudden victory 9:23; Chad Wallace, Neb.-Omaha, def. Luke Wren, Adams St., 7-4; Luke Goral, Wis.-Parkside, def. Jayson Schofield, Southern Colo., 7-3; Trevell Smittick, Fort Hays St., def. Josh Waugh, West Liberty St., 4-1; Clell Cox, Ashland, def. Tom Clemen, Northern Colo., 2-1; Ryan Rettke, Minn. St.-Mankato, bye.

Quarterfinals: Tuzzulino def. Hoffman, 5-2; Wallace def. Joseph, 6-5; Smittick def. Goral, 6-4, sudden victory; Rettke def. Cox, 6-3.

Semifinals: Tuzzulino pinned Wallace, 4:14; Smittick def. Rettke, 4-3.

Finals: Tuzzulino def. Smittick, 8-1. Third place -- Rettke def. Wallace, 9-5. Fifth place -- Goral def. Waugh, 4-2. Seventh place -- Cox def. Clemen, 10-5.

First round: Jeremiah Constant, Central Okla., pinned Jess Workman, Central Wash., 1:33; Jon Madsen, South Dakota St., bye; Dustin Darveaux, St. Cloud St., bye; Brad Hughes, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Tyrice Ellebb, Neb.-Omaha, 3-1, sudden victory; Keith Blaske, Fort Hays St., bye; Shaun Meeks, Anderson (S.C.), def. Willie McCown, Central Mo. St., 11-5; James Garvey, Augustana (S.D.), bye; Todd Proper, Gannon, def. Cody Beguin, Chadron St., 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Madsen def. Constant, 9-5; Hughes def. Darveaux, 5-2; Blaske pinned Meeks, 0:42; Proper pinned Garvey, 1:35.

Semifinals: Madsen def. Hughes by technical default at 6:10; Blaske def. Proper, 17-10.

Finals: Madsen def. Blaske, 4-3. Third place -- Constant def. Ellebb, 9-7. Fifth place -- Proper def. Hughes, medical forfeit. Seventh place -- Garvey pinned McCown, 1:30.