NDSU Announces Modern Era All-Time Wrestling Team for National Publication
10/31/2003 6:00:00 AM | Wrestling
(The following story was written for the Amateur Wrestling News and will appear in an upcoming edition of that magazine with further photography.)
North Dakota State University is an institution of more than 11,000 students on the eastern edge of the state. The site of five Division II national championship meets and home of USA Wrestling's cadet and junior nationals, NDSU and the city of Fargo have become synonymous with wrestling excellence.
Just minutes from the Minnesota border, North Dakota State has had the luxury of handpicking some of the best collegiate wrestlers in Division II history from that wrestling hotbed.
Grapplers from Pennsylvania to Hawaii have joined them, and over the 29-season period this modern era all-time team hails from, they've helped the four-time national champion Bison win 16 titles in the North Central Conference and place in the NCAA's top five 22 times.
There couldn't be a better time than now to announce NDSU's all-time team. As the Bison appear loaded and ready for another national title run, they'll be saying good-bye to the Division II wrestling world. North Dakota State is reclassifying to Division I and will be leaving the competitive North Central Conference after this season.
To assemble the team, we turned to head coach Bucky Maughan. Only the second wrestling coach in NDSU history, Maughan in 1964 took over a program that had suffered losing records in five of its first seven seasons of competition. Thirty-nine years later, the Bison are returning five All-Americans and a total of eight starters, and are the favorites in preseason coaches' polls to win the school's fifth Division II national championship and 17th conference championship.
Here now, from the legendary coach himself, are the members of the all-time modern era wrestling team at North Dakota State University.
118/125
The hands down pick for first team honors here goes to three-time NCAA national champion Brian Kapusta (1991-1995), who also won four North Central Conference titles and is second on NDSU's all-time individual win list. He was a four-time All-American with a third-place finish at nationals his freshman year.
“Brian was without question the best lightweight in NDSU history and the most successful in North Central Conference history,” Maughan said.
Bret Maughan (1987-1991), one of two children to wrestle for the head coach and currently the top NDSU assistant coach, gets second team honors as a two-time All-American. The younger Maughan was a three-time North Central Conference runner-up including once at a higher weight class.
Dave Calliguri (1986-1990) is on the third team with a pair of All-American honors, two NCC titles and one conference runner-up finish.
126/133
Another current member of the coaching staff makes the cut here. Graduate assistant coach Kris Nelson (1995-2000) is the first team pick. Nelson ended his collegiate career with a national title in 2000 and a pair of All-American finishes before that. He won two North Central Conference titles and was third once.
Three-time All-American and NCC placewinner Rick Goeb (1985-1988) is the second-teamer. Goeb won the 1988 national title and was runner-up in the league twice.
“Nelson earned the top spot by placing one spot higher in the NCAA and winning two NCC titles,” Maughan said.
Third team honors go to Lyle Clem (1979-1983), a two-time All-American and two-time NCC champion.
134/141
George Thompson (1994-1998), who was among the top 10 in career victories at NDSU until last season, is the first team pick. A four-time All-American, Thompson rolled up a 96-32 record en route to first, second, and third place finishes in the nation and three NCC finishes in the top three.
“He was an extremely intelligent wrestler who relied on technique rather than brawn,” Maughan said.
Lloyd Wurm (1990-1993) is the second team pick here, but barely. Wurm's North Central Conference title in 1992 lifted him past Steve Carr (1982-1984). Both wrestlers were two-time All-Americans with one national title and one fourth-place finish each.
142/149
This was a no-doubter. The all-time leader in career wins at North Dakota State, Mike Langlais (1980-1984), put up a 151-22 record that probably will never be broken. Langlais won two national titles and was second on one occasion in a five-time All-American career. Inducted to the Bison Hall of Fame in 1999, Langlais advanced to the Division I tournament three times, where he placed sixth at 150 pounds while wrestling up from his usual 142 pounds due to injuries on the team.
Langlais was “one of the best to ever represent the Bison,” according to Maughan. He was named the North Central Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler three separate years.
Second team honors go to Lon Brew (1975-1979) and third team goes to Jeff Ocel (1985-1989). Both were exceptional wrestlers and three-time All-Americans. Four appearances in the NCC finals including two conference titles influenced Brew's selection to the second team. He is seventh on NDSU's all-time wins list with a 99-22-2 record.
150/157
Reigning national champion Paul Carlson (2000-present) headlines this middleweight group. Carlson is the two-time defending North Central Conference champion and has a shot at cracking the top 10 in career victories at NDSU. He was an NCAA runner-up two years ago.
Mark Reimnitz (1975-1979) is close behind Carlson for second team accolades. Reimnitz is seventh in school history by winning percentage. He charted a 94-20-1 record, winning at an .822 clip. Reimnitz captured one national title and one conference title.
Wayne Mooney (1996-2000) is the third team pick. Mooney was a two-time All-American and two-time NCC finalist, winning national and conference crowns in 2000 as the Bison captured their third NCAA title.
158/165
The only national champion in school history at this class, Mark Pazdernik (1994-1998) is the first team member. Pazdernik won the 1998 title and also recorded a seventh-place finish. He was a two-time North Central Conference champion.
Second-teamer Mark Anderson (1988-1992) also was a two-time conference champion. Anderson placed second and fourth at the NCAA championships in his career.
Joel Vettel (1990-1994) is the third team pick with a national runner-up finish to his credit. Vettel was a three-time NCC finalist, winning one conference title in 1994.
167/174
Named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2002 national championships, Todd Fuller (1998-2002) won his third NCAA title that year and is the first team honoree.
Fuller won a pair of North Central Conference titles and was a three-time league finalist. He finished his career sixth on NDSU's all-time victories list with a 101-29 record and was named the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's male athlete of the year for a 35-4 record and 11 pins in 2001-02.
Inducted in October to the Bison Hall of Fame, U.S. Olympian John Morgan (1982-1986) is the second-teamer. Morgan was seventh in the 1988 games of Seoul, South Korea, and was a first alternate on the 1992 team in Barcelona, Spain. He also wrestled for the U.S. World team from 1989 to 1991. His record of 98-36 at NDSU was the fourth best win total when he departed and is still in the top 10.
Lance Koenig (1990-1994) is the third team pick. Koenig was an NCAA and NCC runner-up who also placed sixth in the nation once and was third in the conference on one occasion.
177/184
One of the standouts at any weight, Steve Saxlund (1996-2001) was a four-time NCAA finalist who won three national titles. He helped the Bison to three Division II titles in his career while compiling a 107-19 record that is the third most victories in school history. Saxlund was named the North Central Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler four times in his career and garnered the Division II honor his senior year.
Pat Johannes (1984-1988) was a three-time All-American and four-time North Central Conference finalist at NDSU. The second team selection here, he put up a 107-29-1 career record and is tied with Saxlund for that No. 3 spot on the all-time wins list.
Third team honors go to Steve Hammers (1979-1984). Hammers was a two-time All-American and two-time NCC runner-up.
190/197
Because we're going back to only to 1975 with this team, we've left out perhaps the most successful post-college wrestler from North Dakota State. Brad Rheingans, a U.S. World and Olympic team member and 1975 Pan-Am Games champion, left the Bison program in 1975 and would be the No. 1 here if not for the time constraint.
Three-time All-American Ryan Wolters (1994-1998), a national champion for the Herd in 1998, is the first team honoree here. Wolters won a North Central Conference title his freshman year and followed with a pair of third-place finishes.
Brian Kraemer, a senior with this year's NDSU squad, is already a three-time All-American and is the second-teamer. Kraemer is the defending NCAA and NCC runner-up at 197 and the favorite in two preseason polls to win those titles this season. Maughan said Kraemer's absence of a national championship was enough to keep him out of the No. 1 spot.
Third team honors go to Matt Palmer (1984-1988), who was a three-time All-American and a third-place finisher three years in the North Central Conference.
Heavyweight
The “all time best closer” in school history according to Maughan, two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Nick Severson (1998-2002) is the No. 1 pick here. Severson's pin with 1:01 left in the third period of the 2001 national title bout clinched the team championship for the Bison and gave Severson his first NCAA title. He went on to a North Central Conference championship the next year.
Tim Tekautz (1989-1993) is the second-teamer after a two-time All-American career. Tekautz reached the NCC finals three times and won two titles while also placing third one time.
Third team selection Don Meyer (1975-1979) missed one year of his wrestling career with knee surgery and joined the Bison wrestlers late each year because he played football for NDSU. But Meyer still managed a national runner-up finish in 1976 and NCC titles in 1976 and 1977.
NDSU's Modern Era All-Time Wrestling Team
118/125
1. Brian Kapusta (108-17-0 from 1991-1995)
2. Bret Maughan (76-34-1 from 1987-1991)
3. Dave Calliguri (91-21-1 from 1986-1990)
126/133
1. Kris Nelson (83-40-0 from 1995-2000)
2. Rick Goeb (64-26-0 from 1985-1988)
3. Lyle Clem (76-29-0 from 1979-1983)
134/141
1. George Thompson (96-32-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Lloyd Wurm (50-12-0 from 1990-1993)
3. Steve Carr (58-21-2 from 1982-1984)
142/149
1. Mike Langlais (151-22-0 from 1980-1984)
2. Lon Brew (99-22-2 from 1975-1979)
3. Jeff Ocel (74-32-5 from 1985 to 1989)
150/157
1. Paul Carlson (69-30-0 from 2000-present)
2. Mark Reimnitz (94-20-1 from 1975-1979)
3. Wayne Mooney (96-30-0 from 1996-2000)
158/165
1. Mark Pazdernik (75-38-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Mark Anderson (74-25-1 from 1988-1992)
3. Joel Vettel (80-42-0 from 1990-1994)
167/174
1. Todd Fuller (101-29-0 from 1998-2002)
2. John Morgan (98-36-0 from 1982-1986)
3. Lance Koenig (72-21-4 from 1990-1994)
177/184
1. Steve Saxlund (107-19-0 from 1996-2001)
2. Pat Johannes (107-29-1 from 1984-1988)
3. Steve Hammers (71-29-0 from 1979-1984)
190/197
1. Ryan Wolters (82-31-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Brian Kraemer (70-39-0 from 2000-present)
3. Matt Palmer (84-34-0 from 1984-1988)
Heavyweight
1. Nick Severson (70-22-0 from 1998-2002)
2. Tim Tekautz (92-25-0 from 1989-1993)
3. Don Meyer (43-11-0 from 1975-1979)
North Dakota State University is an institution of more than 11,000 students on the eastern edge of the state. The site of five Division II national championship meets and home of USA Wrestling's cadet and junior nationals, NDSU and the city of Fargo have become synonymous with wrestling excellence.
Just minutes from the Minnesota border, North Dakota State has had the luxury of handpicking some of the best collegiate wrestlers in Division II history from that wrestling hotbed.
Grapplers from Pennsylvania to Hawaii have joined them, and over the 29-season period this modern era all-time team hails from, they've helped the four-time national champion Bison win 16 titles in the North Central Conference and place in the NCAA's top five 22 times.
There couldn't be a better time than now to announce NDSU's all-time team. As the Bison appear loaded and ready for another national title run, they'll be saying good-bye to the Division II wrestling world. North Dakota State is reclassifying to Division I and will be leaving the competitive North Central Conference after this season.
To assemble the team, we turned to head coach Bucky Maughan. Only the second wrestling coach in NDSU history, Maughan in 1964 took over a program that had suffered losing records in five of its first seven seasons of competition. Thirty-nine years later, the Bison are returning five All-Americans and a total of eight starters, and are the favorites in preseason coaches' polls to win the school's fifth Division II national championship and 17th conference championship.
Here now, from the legendary coach himself, are the members of the all-time modern era wrestling team at North Dakota State University.
118/125
The hands down pick for first team honors here goes to three-time NCAA national champion Brian Kapusta (1991-1995), who also won four North Central Conference titles and is second on NDSU's all-time individual win list. He was a four-time All-American with a third-place finish at nationals his freshman year.
“Brian was without question the best lightweight in NDSU history and the most successful in North Central Conference history,” Maughan said.
Bret Maughan (1987-1991), one of two children to wrestle for the head coach and currently the top NDSU assistant coach, gets second team honors as a two-time All-American. The younger Maughan was a three-time North Central Conference runner-up including once at a higher weight class.
Dave Calliguri (1986-1990) is on the third team with a pair of All-American honors, two NCC titles and one conference runner-up finish.
126/133
Another current member of the coaching staff makes the cut here. Graduate assistant coach Kris Nelson (1995-2000) is the first team pick. Nelson ended his collegiate career with a national title in 2000 and a pair of All-American finishes before that. He won two North Central Conference titles and was third once.
Three-time All-American and NCC placewinner Rick Goeb (1985-1988) is the second-teamer. Goeb won the 1988 national title and was runner-up in the league twice.
“Nelson earned the top spot by placing one spot higher in the NCAA and winning two NCC titles,” Maughan said.
Third team honors go to Lyle Clem (1979-1983), a two-time All-American and two-time NCC champion.
134/141
George Thompson (1994-1998), who was among the top 10 in career victories at NDSU until last season, is the first team pick. A four-time All-American, Thompson rolled up a 96-32 record en route to first, second, and third place finishes in the nation and three NCC finishes in the top three.
“He was an extremely intelligent wrestler who relied on technique rather than brawn,” Maughan said.
Lloyd Wurm (1990-1993) is the second team pick here, but barely. Wurm's North Central Conference title in 1992 lifted him past Steve Carr (1982-1984). Both wrestlers were two-time All-Americans with one national title and one fourth-place finish each.
142/149
This was a no-doubter. The all-time leader in career wins at North Dakota State, Mike Langlais (1980-1984), put up a 151-22 record that probably will never be broken. Langlais won two national titles and was second on one occasion in a five-time All-American career. Inducted to the Bison Hall of Fame in 1999, Langlais advanced to the Division I tournament three times, where he placed sixth at 150 pounds while wrestling up from his usual 142 pounds due to injuries on the team.
Langlais was “one of the best to ever represent the Bison,” according to Maughan. He was named the North Central Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler three separate years.
Second team honors go to Lon Brew (1975-1979) and third team goes to Jeff Ocel (1985-1989). Both were exceptional wrestlers and three-time All-Americans. Four appearances in the NCC finals including two conference titles influenced Brew's selection to the second team. He is seventh on NDSU's all-time wins list with a 99-22-2 record.
150/157
Reigning national champion Paul Carlson (2000-present) headlines this middleweight group. Carlson is the two-time defending North Central Conference champion and has a shot at cracking the top 10 in career victories at NDSU. He was an NCAA runner-up two years ago.
Mark Reimnitz (1975-1979) is close behind Carlson for second team accolades. Reimnitz is seventh in school history by winning percentage. He charted a 94-20-1 record, winning at an .822 clip. Reimnitz captured one national title and one conference title.
Wayne Mooney (1996-2000) is the third team pick. Mooney was a two-time All-American and two-time NCC finalist, winning national and conference crowns in 2000 as the Bison captured their third NCAA title.
158/165
The only national champion in school history at this class, Mark Pazdernik (1994-1998) is the first team member. Pazdernik won the 1998 title and also recorded a seventh-place finish. He was a two-time North Central Conference champion.
Second-teamer Mark Anderson (1988-1992) also was a two-time conference champion. Anderson placed second and fourth at the NCAA championships in his career.
Joel Vettel (1990-1994) is the third team pick with a national runner-up finish to his credit. Vettel was a three-time NCC finalist, winning one conference title in 1994.
167/174
Named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2002 national championships, Todd Fuller (1998-2002) won his third NCAA title that year and is the first team honoree.
Fuller won a pair of North Central Conference titles and was a three-time league finalist. He finished his career sixth on NDSU's all-time victories list with a 101-29 record and was named the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's male athlete of the year for a 35-4 record and 11 pins in 2001-02.
Inducted in October to the Bison Hall of Fame, U.S. Olympian John Morgan (1982-1986) is the second-teamer. Morgan was seventh in the 1988 games of Seoul, South Korea, and was a first alternate on the 1992 team in Barcelona, Spain. He also wrestled for the U.S. World team from 1989 to 1991. His record of 98-36 at NDSU was the fourth best win total when he departed and is still in the top 10.
Lance Koenig (1990-1994) is the third team pick. Koenig was an NCAA and NCC runner-up who also placed sixth in the nation once and was third in the conference on one occasion.
177/184
One of the standouts at any weight, Steve Saxlund (1996-2001) was a four-time NCAA finalist who won three national titles. He helped the Bison to three Division II titles in his career while compiling a 107-19 record that is the third most victories in school history. Saxlund was named the North Central Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler four times in his career and garnered the Division II honor his senior year.
Pat Johannes (1984-1988) was a three-time All-American and four-time North Central Conference finalist at NDSU. The second team selection here, he put up a 107-29-1 career record and is tied with Saxlund for that No. 3 spot on the all-time wins list.
Third team honors go to Steve Hammers (1979-1984). Hammers was a two-time All-American and two-time NCC runner-up.
190/197
Because we're going back to only to 1975 with this team, we've left out perhaps the most successful post-college wrestler from North Dakota State. Brad Rheingans, a U.S. World and Olympic team member and 1975 Pan-Am Games champion, left the Bison program in 1975 and would be the No. 1 here if not for the time constraint.
Three-time All-American Ryan Wolters (1994-1998), a national champion for the Herd in 1998, is the first team honoree here. Wolters won a North Central Conference title his freshman year and followed with a pair of third-place finishes.
Brian Kraemer, a senior with this year's NDSU squad, is already a three-time All-American and is the second-teamer. Kraemer is the defending NCAA and NCC runner-up at 197 and the favorite in two preseason polls to win those titles this season. Maughan said Kraemer's absence of a national championship was enough to keep him out of the No. 1 spot.
Third team honors go to Matt Palmer (1984-1988), who was a three-time All-American and a third-place finisher three years in the North Central Conference.
Heavyweight
The “all time best closer” in school history according to Maughan, two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Nick Severson (1998-2002) is the No. 1 pick here. Severson's pin with 1:01 left in the third period of the 2001 national title bout clinched the team championship for the Bison and gave Severson his first NCAA title. He went on to a North Central Conference championship the next year.
Tim Tekautz (1989-1993) is the second-teamer after a two-time All-American career. Tekautz reached the NCC finals three times and won two titles while also placing third one time.
Third team selection Don Meyer (1975-1979) missed one year of his wrestling career with knee surgery and joined the Bison wrestlers late each year because he played football for NDSU. But Meyer still managed a national runner-up finish in 1976 and NCC titles in 1976 and 1977.
NDSU's Modern Era All-Time Wrestling Team
118/125
1. Brian Kapusta (108-17-0 from 1991-1995)
2. Bret Maughan (76-34-1 from 1987-1991)
3. Dave Calliguri (91-21-1 from 1986-1990)
126/133
1. Kris Nelson (83-40-0 from 1995-2000)
2. Rick Goeb (64-26-0 from 1985-1988)
3. Lyle Clem (76-29-0 from 1979-1983)
134/141
1. George Thompson (96-32-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Lloyd Wurm (50-12-0 from 1990-1993)
3. Steve Carr (58-21-2 from 1982-1984)
142/149
1. Mike Langlais (151-22-0 from 1980-1984)
2. Lon Brew (99-22-2 from 1975-1979)
3. Jeff Ocel (74-32-5 from 1985 to 1989)
150/157
1. Paul Carlson (69-30-0 from 2000-present)
2. Mark Reimnitz (94-20-1 from 1975-1979)
3. Wayne Mooney (96-30-0 from 1996-2000)
158/165
1. Mark Pazdernik (75-38-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Mark Anderson (74-25-1 from 1988-1992)
3. Joel Vettel (80-42-0 from 1990-1994)
167/174
1. Todd Fuller (101-29-0 from 1998-2002)
2. John Morgan (98-36-0 from 1982-1986)
3. Lance Koenig (72-21-4 from 1990-1994)
177/184
1. Steve Saxlund (107-19-0 from 1996-2001)
2. Pat Johannes (107-29-1 from 1984-1988)
3. Steve Hammers (71-29-0 from 1979-1984)
190/197
1. Ryan Wolters (82-31-0 from 1994-1998)
2. Brian Kraemer (70-39-0 from 2000-present)
3. Matt Palmer (84-34-0 from 1984-1988)
Heavyweight
1. Nick Severson (70-22-0 from 1998-2002)
2. Tim Tekautz (92-25-0 from 1989-1993)
3. Don Meyer (43-11-0 from 1975-1979)
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