SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 18 Augustana wrestling team will be traveling to Kearney, Neb. on Saturday, Jan. 14 for the Midwest Duals hosted by Nebraska-Kearney. Wrestling will begin at 9 a.m. at the Health & Sports Center and Cushing Coliseum.
Augustana will take on four teams at the Midwest Duals beginning at 9 a.m. with the last dual starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. The Vikings will face off against No. 23 Lindenwood at 9 a.m., Colorado Mesa at 10: 30 a.m., No. 21 CSU-Pueblo at 12 p.m. and will conclude the day against San Francisco State at 1:30 p.m.
The Vikings go into the Midwest Duals with a 6-2 (1-0 NSIC) dual record on the season and have beaten No. 7 Northern State twice. Augustana is led by two ranked wrestlers in Aero Amo (184) and Michael Lowman (285).
Lowman enters the weekend ranked No. 8 at 285 pounds with a 16-6 record. Lowman sports a 4-1 (1-0 NSIC) dual record and has five pins and one tech fall on the season.
No. 23 Lindenwood
Lindenwood enters the Midwest Duals 2-1 with dual wins over No. 18 Fort Hays State and Ouachita Baptist and having lost to UIndy.
The top wrestlers for the Lions are juniors Hunter Haralson and Batchka Zulkhuu. Haralson is ranked No. 5 at 133 pounds with a record of 12-5. Zulkhuu is ranked No. 10 at 174 pounds with a record of 9-4.
Colorado Mesa
Colorado Mesa is receiving votes in the lasted NWCA Division II poll and has a dual record of 5-0. The Mavericks have defeated No. 12 California Baptist, tied for No. 23 Minnesota State, tied for No. 23 Simon Fraser, Adams State and Southwest Minnesota State.
Colorado Mesa is led by Daniel Salazar, Payton Tawter and Jason Buhr. Salazar is ranked No. 12 at 141 pounds with a record of 15-5. Tawter enters the dual ranked No. 9 at 157 pounds and has a record of 16-7. Buhr is ranked No. 12 at 165 pounds with a record of 19-7.
No. 21 CSU-Pueblo
CSU-Pueblo enters the Midwest Duals with a 2-2 dual record with wins over No. 6 Mercyhurst and No. 2 Norte Dame College and losses against Wheeling Jesuit and No. 5 Wisconsin Parkside.
The ThunderWolves are paced sophomore Kyle Fantin and junior JaCobi Jones. Fantin is ranked No. 11 at 157 pounds with a record of 12-6 and Jones is ranked No. 3 at 165 pounds sporting a record of 4-3.
San Francisco State
San Francisco State has a 2-7 dual record on the season with wins coming against Southern Oregon and Simpson University. The Gators have had duals against two Division I top-25 teams in Indiana and Rutgers.
The Gators are led by redshirt freshman Nathan Cervantez and sophomore Matt Gamble. Cervantez is 7-5 at 133 pounds and Gamble is 7-7 at 125 pounds.
After the Midwest Duals, Augustana will finish out the regular season with duals against NSIC opponents. On Jan. 21, the Vikings will take on Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn.