OREM, Utah – Six members of the North Dakota State wrestling team were named All-Western Wrestling Conference as announced by the conference March 12. Steven Monk and Trent Sprenkle were named to the first team and Mark Erickson, Tyler Johnson, Mac Stoll and Evan Knutson were third team honorees.
Individuals earned spots on the respective teams with their finish at the 2012 NCAA West Regional/WWC Championships on March 4 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. All seven league schools competed at the West Regional.
Three defending West Regional individual champions successfully kept their titles and earned First Team All-WWC honors, including Air Force’s Cole VonOhlen (149) and Wyoming’s Shane Onufer (165) and Pat Martinez (174). Onufer also won his fourth consecutive title and his fourth straight first team honor.
Six of the 10 members named to the First Team All-Conference were repeat winners from one of the three all conference squads in years past. The only newcomers to earn first team honors were North Dakota State’s Trent Sprenkle(125) and Northern Iowa’s Joe Colon (133), Levi Wolfensperger (141) and Blayne Beale (285). In fact 12 of the 30 student-athletes named All-WWC are multi-year winners.
Team-wise, Wyoming led the way with four first-team honorees. Northern Iowa was next with three spots on the first team, while North Dakota State held down two and Air Force landed one. In all, the Cowboys led the way with seven all-conference honorees. The Bison and Falcons had six wrestlers earn all-league honors and the Panthers saw five of their grapplers earn all-conference honors.
The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.
FIRST TEAM ALL-WWC
125 – Trent Sprenkle (NDSU), Jr., Billings, Mont. (Billings HS)
133 – Joe Colon (UNI), RSo., Clear Lake, Iowa (Clear Lake HS)
141 – Levi Wolfensperger (UNI) RFr., Denver, Iowa (Denver HS)
149 – Cole VonOhlen (AFA), Jr., Jackson, Minn. (Jackson County Central HS)**
157 – Steven Monk (NDSU), So., Wausau, Wis. (Wausau West HS)*
165 – Shane Onufer (Wyoming), Sr., Auburn, Wash. (Auburn HS)***
174 – Pat Martinez (Wyoming), So., Hemet, Calif. (Temecula Valley HS)*
184 – Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming), Sr., Meeker, Colo. (Meeker HS)***
197 – Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming), RJr., Blackfoot, Idaho (Blackfoot HS)**
285 – Blayne Beale (UNI), Jr., Davenport, Iowa (Davenport West HS)
SECOND TEAM ALL-WWC
125 – Michael Martinez (Wyoming), Sr., Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Pagosa Springs HS)***
133 – Zach Zehner (Wyoming), RFr., Tomahawk, Wis. (Tomahawk HS)
141 – Casey Cruz (UNC), Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo. (Wasson HS)*
149 – Josh Wilson (UVU), Jr., Morgan, Utah (Morgan HS)
157 – David Bonin (UNI), Jr., Broussard, La. (Comeaux HS)**
165 – Gabe Burak (UNC), Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo. (Coronado HS)
174 – Clayton Gable (AFA), Jr., Dallastown, Pa. (Dallastown Area HS)*
184 – Ryan Loder (UNI), Sr., Granite Bay, Calif. (Granite Bay HS)*
197 – Nick Bayer (UNC), So., Maple Valley, Wash. (Tahoma HS)
285 – LJ Helbig (Wyoming), Jr., Mason, Mich. (Mason HS)**
THIRD TEAM ALL-WWC
125 – Greg Rinker (AFA), So., Northampton, Pa. (Northampton HS)
133 – Tyler Untrauer (AFA), Sr., Midwest City, Okla. (Midwest City HS)
141 – Avery Garner (UVU), So., Boise, Idaho (Centennial HS)
149 – Mark Erickson (NDSU), Jr., Roseau, Minn. (Roseau HS)
157 – Josh Kreimier (AFA), So., Fort Collins, Colo. (Loveland HS)
165 – Ethan Smith (UVU), RFr., Midway, Utah (Wasatch HS)
174 – Tyler Johnson (NDSU), Sr., Bismarck, N.D. (Bismarck HS)
184 – Mac Stoll (NDSU), Jr., Dent, Minn. (Perham HS)
197 – Josh Mohr (AFA), Jr., Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee HS)
285 – Evan Knutson (NDSU), Fr., Wausau, Wis., (Wausau West HS)
* denotes two-time honoree
** denotes three-time honoree
*** denotes four-time honoree