SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana wrestling heads to Kearney, Neb. for the Holiday Inn Open on Saturday, Nov. 23. The Vikings will then be idle for a week before an action-packed four-day span beginning on Dec. 5.
At last year’s Holiday Inn Open, five Vikings placed and four of those wrestlers return. TJ North and Parker Swanson each grabbed a fifth-place title and Shawn Hatlestad was defeated in the fifth-round bout to earn sixth. Jayd Docken placed fourth for the Vikings one season ago, but the junior 197-pounder will not wrestle this weekend due to injury.
Augustana is coming off a 2-1 performance at the Augustana Quadrangular on Nov. 15. The Vikings downed Morningside and Chadron State before getting clipped by Air Force in the final dual of the day.
The following day, Blake Jans led seven Vikings to a sixth-place finish or better at the Dakota Wesleyan Open as the sophomore grappler won the 133-pound title. Three Vikings finished in third, including Zach Friederich reeling off five straight wins in the 149-pound consolation bracket.
North has led the Vikings this season with six major decision wins as part of his 7-2 record. In all three duals, North gave the Vikings a 4-0 lead after winning by over eight points. In his seven wins this year, North has outscored his opponents 72-12.