Nebraska-Omaha took advantage of an opening entering the final match of the tournament and grabbed the team title at the Division II Wrestling Championships March 12-13 at Minnesota State Mankato.

In one of the most competitive championships in recent memory, the Mavs trailed conference rival North Dakota State entering the tournament's last three matches. But Bison wrestlers fell short in bids to wrap up the title, dropping finals at 184 and 197 pounds.

That opened the door for defending heavyweight titlist Les Sigman, who clinched the title for Nebraska-Omaha when his opponent, Andrew Ubben of Fort Hays State, was forced by injury to withdraw during the first period of their championship match.

The victory gave the Mavericks a 2 ¹/2-point triumph over the Bison, who were appearing in the Division II championships for the last time before moving to Division I. Defending champion Central Oklahoma finished third, nine points behind the Mavs.

The title is Nebraska-Omaha's second. The Mavericks also won in 1991.

During the first day of the meet, North Dakota State and Central Oklahoma sparred for the lead in team standings, with Nebraska-Omaha staying close behind. The top-ranked Bison entered the tourney with entries in all 10 weight classes, but were unable to carry that numerical advantage through to the finals, advancing only two wrestlers to weight-class championship matches.

Still, the Bison built enough of a lead over Central Oklahoma entering the finals to withstand victories by the Bronchos in two weight classes, including 133 pounds, where Cole Province became only the third wrestler in Division II history to win four individual titles with his victory over Donald Lockett of San Francisco State.

The Broncs also won at 174 pounds when Jason Tapia pinned Pittsburgh-Johnstown's John Burda. But Central Oklahoma's Shawn Silvis, seeking his third straight title at 165 pounds, fell to another past champion, Findlay's Waylon Lowe, who jumped up two weight classes this year after winning two straight crowns at 149 pounds. Lowe, who avenged a loss earlier this season to Silvis in regional competition, earned recognition as the meet's most outstanding wrestler for his performance.

Holding an insurmountable edge over the Bronchos, North Dakota State watched as its last remaining challenger, Nebraska-Omaha, dropped finals at 125 and 149 pounds. But Tom Meester of Augustana (South Dakota) defeated the Bison's Matt Herman at 184 pounds and then Nebraska-Kearney's Jeff Sylvester handled North Dakota State's Brian Kraemer, last year's runner-up at 197 pounds, clearing the way for Sigman to grab the title for the Mavericks.

"He's our closer, our bookend," Nebraska-Omaha coach Mike Denney said of Sigman, who collected a pin and two technical falls en route to the final. "I wouldn't want it in anyone else's hands."

Western State finished fourth, its best finish in the tournament since the mid-1960s, when it claimed team titles in 1963 and 1964 and posted top-four finishes in 1965 and 1967. Two of Western State's three weight-class finalists -- Jared Haberman at 125 pounds and Adrian Jiron at 149 -- claimed individual titles for the Mountaineers.

Another meet highlight came in the 141-pound weight class. In a rematch of last year's finalists, Truman's Merrick Meyer defeated defending titlist Shane Barnes of Adams State.

A total of 6,452 fans attended the four sessions of the championships at Myers Field House and Bresnan Arena.

Team results

1. Neb.-Omaha, 97 ¹/2; 2. North Dakota St., 95; 3. Central Okla., 88 ¹/2; 4. Western St., 76; 5. Pitt.-Johnstown, 69; 6. Augustana (S.D.), 54; 7. Findlay, 52 ¹/2; 8. Neb.-Kearney, 52; 9. Adams St., 47 ¹/2; 10. Fort Hays St., 43; 11. Shippensburg, 38; 12. UNC Pembroke, 34 ¹/2; 13. (tie) Central Mo. St., and San Fran. St., 30; 15. Northern St., 28; 16. Truman, 27 ¹/2; 17. Minn. St. Mankato, 26¹/2; 18. Chadron St., 24 ¹/22; 19. Ashland, 24; 20. Wis-Parkside, 22; 21. Mercyhurst, 21 ¹/2; 22. Colorado Mines, 21; 23. South Dakota St., 19 ¹/2; 24. Minn St. Moorhead, 17; 25. West Liberty St., 13 ¹/2; 26. Gannon, 4 ¹/2; 27. Indianapolis, 2 ¹/2; 28. Central Wash., 1 ¹/2; 29. Anderson (S.C.), 1; 30. St. Cloud St., ¹/2; 31. (tie) Carson-Newman, Kutztown, and Southwest Minn. St., 0.

125-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Joey Bareng, San Fran. St., def. Curry Pickard, UNC Pembroke, 6-5 (tiebreaker); James Phillips, Ashland, def. Desmond Radunz, Minn. St. Moorhead, 3-1; Jared Haberman, Western St., def. Ricky Randazzo, Mercyhurst, 16-0 (technical fall, 5:31); Aaron Graumann, Augustana (S.D.) def. Chonci Houston, Carson-Newman, 6-2; Andy Uhl, Findlay, def Eric Sanders, North Dakota St., 5-3; Seth Groff, Chadron St., def. Doug Curnes, West Liberty St., 4-1; Dustin Tovar, Neb.-Omaha, def. Wiley Craft, Indianapolis, 17-2 (technical fall, 4:53); Bryce Abbey, Neb.-Kearney, pinned Jamie Thomas, Shippensburg, 4:45.

Quarterfinals: Bareng def. Phillips, 7-4; Haberman def. Graumann, 13-2; Uhl def. Groff, 6-3; Tovar def. Abbey, 8-6.

Semifinals: Haberman def. Bareng, 16-1 (technical fall, 7:00); Tovar def. Uhl, 11-2.

Final: Haberman def. Tovar, 8-1.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Pickard def. Radunz, 7-4; Randazzo def. Houston, 3-2; Sanders def. Curnes, 4-3; Thomas def. Craft, 6-1.

Second round: Abbey def. Pickard, 11-10; Randazzo def. Groff, 6-5; Graumann def. Sanders, 3-2; Thomas def. Phillips, 4-2.

Third round: Abbey pinned Randazzo, 4:50; Thomas def. Graumann, 10-2.

Semifinals: Abbey pinned Bareng, 2:01; Thomas def. Uhl, 10-3.

Third place: Abbey def. Thomas, 12-0.

Fifth place: Bareng def. Uhl, 11-5.

Seventh place: Randazzo def. Graumann (medical forfeit).

133-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Roylando Lucas, UNC Pembroke, def. Mike Hansen, Central Mo. St., 4-2; Mitch Waite, Neb.-Omaha, def. Adam Keiswetter, Neb.-Kearney, 4-3; Cole Province, Central Okla., pinned Sonny Phillip, Shippensburg, 3:51; Kourtney Lake, Adams St., def. Jamie Andersh, Northern St., 5-1; Nick Magee, North Dakota St., def. Aaron Mann, Central Wash., 7-4; Zach Meissner, Ashland, def. Ryan Finn, Mercyhurst, 5-4; Donald Lockett, San Fran. St., def. Derek Miller, St. Cloud St., 12-3; Jack Scott, Findlay, def. Ryon Mazzocco, Pitt.-Johnstown, 8-2.

Quarterfinals: Lucas def. Waite, 5-4; Province def. Lake, 5-4 (tiebreaker); Magee def. Meissner, 4-2; Lockett pinned Scott, 6:22.

Semifinals: Province def. Lucas, 7-1; Lockett def. Magee, 12-4.

Final: Province def. Lockett, 6-3.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Keiswetter def. Hansen, 14-2; Andersh pinned Phillip, 4:42; Mann def. Finn, 11-1; Miller def. Mazzocco, 14-9.

Second round: Keiswetter def. Scott, 12-5; Andersh pinned Meissner, 8:23 (tiebreaker); Lake def. Mann, 4-2; Waite pinned Miller, 6:59.

Third round: Keiswetter def. Andersh, 12-3; Lake def. Waite, 3-0.

Semifinals: Lucas def. Keiswetter, 5-3; Magee def. Lake, 5-3 (tiebreaker).

Third place: Lucas def. Magee, 5-2.

Fifth place: Keiswetter pinned Lake, 1:27.

Seventh place: Waite def. Andersh, 5-2.

141-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Eli Dominquez, Neb.-Omaha, def. Jason Nestor, Pitt.-Johnstown, 3-1 (tiebreaker); Merrick Meyer, Truman, def. Pacifico Garcia, San Fran. St., 6-0; Jason Rhoten, Minn. St. Mankato, def. Gerry Braun, Anderson (S.C.), 2-0; Brad Russell, Wis.-Parkside, def. R.C. LaHaye, Western St., 8-2; Shane Barnes, Adams St., def. Wade Bramlitt, Central Okla., 12-0; Joe Hagedorn, West Liberty St., def. Mathias Bitz, North Dakota St., 5-4; Joey Simcoe, Findlay, def. Matt True, Neb.-Kearney, 1-0; Willie Hilton, UNC Pembroke, def. Andre VanderVelde, Augustana (S.D.), 7-5 (tiebreaker).

Quarterfinals: Meyer pinned Dominquez, 2:51; Rhoten def. Russell, 4-3; Barnes def. Hagedorn, 10-0; Simcoe def. Hilton, 11-3.

Semifinals: Meyer def. Rhoten, 15-1; Barnes def. Simcoe, 6-1.

Final: Meyer def. Barnes, 6-3.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Nestor def. Garcia, 2-0; LaHaye def. Braun, 17-1 (technical fall, 4:18); Bramlitt def. Bitz, 5-2; VanderVelde def. True, 13-5.

Second round: Hilton def. Nestor, 3-1 (tiebreaker); LaHaye def. Hagedorn, 8-6; Bramlitt def. Russell (disqualification); Dominquez def. VanderVelde, 10-6.

Third round: LaHaye def. Hilton, 4-2; Dominquez def. Bramlitt, 10-8 (tiebreaker).

Semifinals: Rhoten pinned LaHaye, 4:27; Dominquez def. Simcoe, 7-6.

Third place: Dominquez def. Rhoten, 9-7.

Fifth place: Simcoe pinned LaHaye, 4:41.

Seventh place: Bramlitt def. Hilton, 4-1.

149-pound class

Main bracket

First round: David Nordhues, Fort Hays St., def. R. J. Paterniti, Gannon, 11-5; Jeremy Roe, South Dakota St., def. Jerod Goodwin, Central Okla., 5-2; Luke Santos, San Fran. St., def. Will Tedder, Mercyhurst, 7-4; Patrick Allibone, Neb.-Omaha, pinned Angelo Vettese, Findlay, 3:41; Mitch Napier, Indianapolis, def. Zach Stevens, North Dakota St., 6-4 (tiebreaker); Adrian Jiron, Western St., def. Zach Leathers, Shippensburg, 8-3; Ryan King, Augustana (S.D.) def. Mike Neely, Ashland, 10-4; Ryan Ickes, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Nathan Peterson, Colorado Mines, 7-4.

Quarterfinals: Roe def. Nordhues, 7-5; Allibone def. Santos, 5-4 (tiebreaker); Jiron pinned Napier, 4:46; Ickes pinned King, 2:05.

Semifinals: Allibone def. Roe, 6-1; Jiron def. Ickes, 5-3.

Final: Jiron def. Allibone, 6-2.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Paterniti def. Goodwin, 11-3; Vettese pinned Tedder, 1:07; Leathers pinned Stevens, 5:06; Peterson def. Neely, 10-7.

Second round: King def. Paterniti, 13-6; Vettese def. Napier, 13-5; Leathers def. Santos, 8-6; Peterson def. Nordhues, 8-2.

Third round: King def. Vettese, 7-1; Leathers def. Peterson, 6-3.

Semifinals: King def. Roe, 14-2; Ickes pinned Leathers, 2:29.

Third place: King def. Ickes, 8-3.

Fifth place: Leathers pinned Roe, 1:49.

Seventh place: Vettese pinned Peterson, 0:35.

157-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Matt Roncolato, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Josh Holden, Indianapolis, 6-4; Travis Peak, Chadron St., pinned Chad DeVetter, Neb.-Omaha, 6:44; Ryan Hunter, Central Mo. St., def. A. J. Sayles, Gannon, 18-2, (technical fall, 6:31); Travis Koppenhafer, Adams St., def. Joe Kenton, South Dakota St., 15-2; Paul Carlson, North Dakota St., def. Rick Rank, Colorado Mines, 7-6; Dan Dempsey, Wis.-Parkside, pinned Jerome Benjamin, UNC Pembroke, 4:12; Jack Quintana, Western St., pinned Josh Jansen, Minn. St. Moorhead, 1:42; Luke Main, West Liberty St., def. Dugan Bentley, Ashland, 2-1;

Quarterfinals: Peak def. Roncolato, 6-4 (tiebreaker); Koppenhafer def. Hunter, 15-1; Carlson def. Dempsey, 6-5; Quintana def. Main, 12-0.

Semifinals: Koppenhafer def. Peak, 15-1; Quintana def. Carlson, 8-2.

Final: Koppenhafer def. Quintana, 10-6.

Wrestlebacks

First round: DeVetter def. Holden, 5-3 (tiebreaker); Kenton pinned Sayles, 3:57; Rank def. Benjamin, 10-4; Jansen def. Bentley, 7-5.

Second round: Main def. DeVetter, 10-2; Dempsey def. Kenton. 6-2; Rank def. Hunter, 9-2; Jansen def. Roncolato, 12-4.

Third round: Main def. Dempsey, 3-2; Rank pinned Jansen, 1:08.

Semifinals: Main def. Peak, 5-2; Carlson def. Rank, 8-7.

Third place: Main def. Carlson, 5-2.

Fifth place: Rank pinned Peak, 2:07.

Seventh place: Dempsey pinned Jansen, 0:23.

165-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Dwayne Coward, UNC Pembroke, def. Brett Batholomaus, Southwest Minn. St., 10-5; Derek Donelson, Indianapolis, def. Scott Cleve, Adams St., 4-1; Mike Fiedler, North Dakota St., def. Zachary Schafer, Mercyhurst, 15-8; Waylon Lowe, Findlay, def. Aaron Dalton, Neb.-Kearney, 17-7; Jordan Johnson, Chadron St., def. Matt Neely, Ashland, 2-1; Nathan Althoff, South Dakota St., def. Mark Murphy, Shippensburg, 8-4; Shawn Silvis, Central Okla., def. Tyler Lancaster, Western St., 15-0 (technical fall, 7:00); J.D. Naig, Neb.-Omaha, def. Mark Glova, Pitt.-Johnstown, 5-0.

Quarterfinals: Coward def. Donelson, 13-4; Lowe def. Fiedler, 9-3; Althoff def. Johnson, 8-3; Silvis def. Naig, 7-1.

Semifinals: Lowe def. Coward, 5-3 (tiebreaker); Silvis def. Althoff, 10-2.

Final: Lowe def. Silvis, 8-6.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Cleve def. Batholomaus, 7-3; Schafer def. Dalton, 19-14; Neely def. Murphy, 5-3; Glova def. Lancaster, 5-0.

Second round: Naig def. Cleve, 13-2; Johnson def. Schafer, 8-5; Fiedler def. Neely, 3-2; Glova def. Donelson, 4-0.

Third round: Naig pinned Johnson, 5:34; Fiedler def. Glova, 4-2.

Semifinals: Naig pinned Coward, 6:36; Fiedler def. Althoff, 5-2.

Third place: Naig def. Fiedler, 4-1.

Fifth place: Althoff def. Coward, 13-8.

Seventh place: Johnson def. Glova, 6-2.

174-pound class

Main bracket

First round: John Burda, Pitt.-Johnstown, pinned Zac Cornett, Colorado Mines, 3:17; Tommy Bauer, Ashland, pinned Dusty Wilking, Augustana (S.D.), 3:34; Aaron Meister, Fort Hays St., def. Paul Bergman, Mercyhurst, 2-0; Brett Barbarick, Central Mo. St., pinned Travis Krinkie, Minn. St. Mankato, 4:18; Jason Tapia, Central Okla., pinned Andy Sinclair, Northern St., 2:18; Jason Radtke, Gannon, pinned Caleb Young, Neb.-Kearney, 2:06; Thad Pike, North Dakota St., def. Nathan Jones, Carson-Newman, 19-4 (technical fall, 6:43); Careef Robertson, Anderson (S.C.), def. Cameron Bretz, Western St., 5-4.

Quarterfinals: Burda def. Bauer, 3-2; Meister pinned Barbarick, 6:35; Tapia def. Radtke, 25-8 (technical fall, 6:54); Pike def. Robertson, 4-2 (tiebreaker).

Semifinals: Burda def. Meister, 8-2; Tapia def. Pike, 7-2.

Final: Tapia pinned Burda, 1:25. P CLASS=Subhed-75ptUnivbld> Wrestlebacks

First round: Wilking pinned Cornett, 0:29; Krinkie def. Bergman, 10-7; Sinclair pinned Young, 4:52; Bretz pinned Jones, 1:38.

Second round: Wilking def. Robertson, 3-2; Krinkie def. Radtke, 7-6; Barbarick pinned Sinclair, 0:54; Bauer def. Bretz, 17-5.

Third round: Wilking def. Krinkie (medical forfeit); Barbarick def. Bauer, 8-6.

Semifinals: Meister def. Wilking, 6-3; Pike pinned Barbarick, 2:24.

Third place: Pike def. Meister, 3-2.

Fifth place: Barbarick def. Wilking, 5-4.

Seventh place: Bauer def. Krinkie (medical forfeit).

184-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Randy Pyle, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Bryan Tapley, Central Okla., 10-2; Ryan Kopiasz, Minn. St. Moorhead, def. Ben Holscher, Chadron St., 9-1; Greg Nurrenbern, Truman, def. Derek Brunson, UNC Pembroke, 10-4; Matt Hermann, North Dakota St., def. Matt Trout, Western St., 10-6; Tom Meester, Augustana (S.D.), pinned Casey Woodall, Adams St., 4:32; Corey Jacoby, Shippensburg, def. Kris Klepacz, Findlay, 10-6; Jordan Nicholas, Fort Hays St., def. Jon Dierks, Minn. St. Mankato, 10-2; Ben McAvinew, Mercyhurst, def. Kevin Grece, Central Mo. St., 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Kopiasz def. Pyle, 12-11; Hermann def. Nurrenbern, 6-5; Meester def. Jacoby, 13-5; Nicholas def. McAvinew, 6-4.

Semifinals: Hermann def. Kopiasz, 4-2 (tiebreaker); Meester def. Nicholas, 5-2.

Final: Meester def. Hermann, 10-1.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Tapley def. Holscher, 10-3; Brunson def. Trout, 16-6; Klepacz def. Woodall, 14-1; Dierks def. Grece, 5-2.

Second round: Tapley def. McAvinew, 3-1 (tiebreaker); Jacoby def. Brunson, 2-1 (tiebreaker); Nurrenbern def. Klepacz, 9-2; Pyle def. Dierks (medical forfeit).

Third round: Jacoby pinned Tapley, 6:59; Pyle def. Nurrenbern, 6-2.

Semifinals: Jacoby def. Kopiasz, 7-4; Pyle def. Nicholas, 4-1.

Third place: Pyle def. Jacoby, 6-2.

Fifth place: Kopiasz pinned Nicholas, 0:38.

Seventh place: Nurrenbern def. Tapley, 9-2.

197-pound class

Main bracket

First round: Justin Matuz, Mercyhurst, def. Ben Strandberg, Neb.-Omaha (medical forfeit); Jeff Rusher, Chadron St., def. John Goral, Wis.-Parkside, 4-2; Brian Kraemer, North Dakota St., pinned Bret Wade, Kutztown, 2:29; Ryan Krist, Ashland, def. Brian King, Fort Hays St., 13-9; Jeff Sylvester, Neb.-Kearney, def. Clint Salisbury, Findlay, 8-0; Howard Bell, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Josh Janousek, Minn. St Mankato, 3-2; Kevin Lochner, Central Okla., pinned Blake Wilson, Western St., 1:29; Corey Wilson, UNC Pembroke, def. Tim Boldt, South Dakota St. (medical forfeit).

Quarterfinals: Rusher def. Matuz, 3-1; Kraemer def. Krist, 7-3; Sylvester def. Bell, 3-2; Lochner def. Wilson; 5-0.

Semifinals: Kraemer pinned Rusher, 3:27; Sylvester def. Lochner, 6-2.

Final: Sylvester def. Kraemer, 12-4.

Wrestlebacks

First round: Goral def. Strandberg (medical forfeit); King pinned Wade, 5:20; Janousek def. Salisbury, 11-2; Wilson def. Boldt (medical forfeit).

Second round: Wilson def. Goral, 13-7; Bell def. King, 8-0; Janousek def. Krist, 13-10; Matuz def. Wilson, 3-0.

Third round: Bell pinned Wilson, 6:48; Matuz def. Janousek, 8-5.

Semifinals: Bell def. Rusher, 3-1 (tiebreaker); Lochner def. Matuz, 5-3.

Third place: Lochner def. Bell, 2-0.

Fifth place: Matuz def. Rusher (medical forfeit).

Seventh place: Janousek pinned Wilson, 5:47.

Heavyweight class

Main bracket

First round: Zach Majocha, Pitt.-Johnstown, def. Kipp Cullin, Western St., 3-2; Joe Bryce, North Dakota St., pinned Evan Love, Indianapolis, 10:29 (tiebreaker); Andrew Ubben, Fort Hays St., pinned Josh Woodruff, UNC Pembroke, 5:48; Aldo Campea, Ashland, def. Baron Blanchard, Northern St., 5-3; Willie McCowan, Central Mo. St., def. Mike Engelmann, Minn. St. Mankato, 12-4; Daren Murphy, San Fran. St., def. Angelo Caponi, Mercyhurst, 3-2; Les Sigman, Neb.-Omaha, def. Matt Meyer, Wis.-Parkside, 17-2 (technical fall, 6:54); Derek Thompson, Colorado Mines, def. Chris Bulley, West Liberty St., 5-2.

Quarterfinals: Bryce def. Majocha, 2-1 (tiebreaker); Ubben def. Campea, 5-2; McCowan pinned Murphy, 2:37; Sigman pinned Thompson, 4:06.

Semifinals: Ubben def. Bryce, 7-1; Sigman def. McCowan, 15-0 (technical fall, 7:00).

Final: Sigman def. Ubben (medical forfeit).

Wrestlebacks

First round: Love def. Cullin, 2-1 (tiebreaker); Blanchard pinned Woodruff, 3:58; Engelmann def. Caponi, 9-3; Meyer pinned Bulley, 0:47.

Second round: Thompson def. Love, 6-2; Blanchard pinned Murphy, 1:44; Campea def. Engelmann, 5-4; Meyer pinned Majocha, 2:04.

Third round: Blanchard def. Thompson, 16-0 (technical fall, 4:42); Campea def. Meyer, 3-2.

Semifinals: Blanchard def. Bryce, 7-0; McCowan def. Campea, 4-1.

Third place: Blanchard def. McCowan, 8-2.

Fifth place: Campea def. Bryce, 2-1.

Seventh place: Meyer pinned Thompson, 0:34.