Augustana will send Aero Amo as its lone representative to the NCAA Championship at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. on March 11-12. Amo is coming off winning the NCAA Super Region III 184-pound Championship two weeks ago. Aero Amo comes in ranked No. 3 in the latest WCA Rankings at 184 pounds. The Vikings ended the season with 18 dual wins this season, tying the school record. This is the seventh straight year Augustana has achieved double-digit victories.
Tough Region gets the Best of Augustana
Augustana had seven wrestlers advanced to day two of the NCAA Super Region III Championship but the loaded region put an end to all but one Vikings’ season. Tim Weber (174 Pounds) was the only other Augustana wrestler to place at the Super Region III Championship
Path To The Title: Amo Tasked With Tough Bouts
Aero Amo will have a favorable first-round matchup, but will be tested throughout the bracket. Amo begins his title hunt against Brandon O’Neill from Ashland University.
Amo comes in as one of two wrestlers undefeated against Division II opponents in the 184-pound bracket, while O’Neill comes in with a 9-13 record, the only losing record in the bracket. Win or lose, Amo’s opponent will be either No. 6 Jon Inman (35-2) from Fort Hays State or Cody Spinks (23-2) from Alderson Broaddus.
The top seed in the 184-bracket is Joey Davis from Notre Dame (Ohio). Davis enters the NCAA Championship with a perfect 127-0 record in his collegiate career.
With the No. 4 ranking, Amo has three ranked opponents on his half of the bracket in No. 2 Travis McKillop from Pittsburgh-Johnstown, No. 5 Montrail Johnson from Wisconsin-Parkside and No. 6 Jon Inman from Fort Hays State. McKillop comes in the most dominant wrestlers in Division II with an average team score of 4.95.
Amo currently holds a 4-0 record this season against wrestlers in the field.