Courtesy of GoCobbers.com, Release: November 4, 2009
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/04/09)-- For the past two seasons, Concordia has edged their way into national prominence in the NCAA Division III wrestling scene. The Cobbers have gone from off the charts in 2006-07 to a third-place region finish in 2007-08 to finishing the 2008-09 season being ranked eighth in the nation.
The team transformation has also been matched by individual success as the Cobbers have produced multiple All-Americans and last year had Phil Moenkedick go 35-1 and finish second at the NCAA National Meet.
The 2009-10 Concordia wrestling team will have a tough road to hoe when they hit the mat for their season opener at the Lakeland Duals on Nov. 7. The Cobbers will appear in three top-tier dual meet tournaments in the season and will square off against six different opponents in head-to-head dual matches. CC will be looking to match last year's success in dual meets when the y went 10-1 and beat MSU Moorhead for the first time in 20 years. The highlight of the 2009-10 dual-meet schedule will once again be the National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the beginning of January. Last year the Cobbers finished fifth at the prestigious meet.
Concordia starts the season ranked eighth in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Brute - Adidas preseason poll.
Individually the Cobbers will be led by Moenkedick who is now entering his junior season. Moenkedick went 35-0 to start the year in 2008-09 before finally losing in the national championship match. He has posted a record of 71-7 in his first two seasons and is ranked No.1 in the nation at 184 to start the year.
The other Cobber ranked in the top 10 of the nation to start the year is senior Lane Lunde. Lunde is ranked 10th at 165 and is coming off a year where he went 22-13 and finished fourth at the Great Lakes Regional.
Other returning regional place winners include Daron Hohbein who placed fourth at 125, Mike Holman who was fifth at 133, Ben Anderson who qualified for the NCAA National Meet and placed fourth at 141, Justin Berns who was third at 149 and Ross Dankers who placed seventh at 174. Berns led the team in wins with 38 and Anderson matched Moenkedick's win total with 35.
Head coach Clay Nagel has once again brought in a banner recruiting class that includes state champions, runner-ups and multiple year state tournament participants. There are 11 freshmen on the roster as the team starts the season and several will push for spots in the starting dual-meet team and many will make an impact at multiple-team invitationals.
Perhaps the biggest addition to the Cobbers in 2009-10 will come on the coaching staff where Nagel has added his son Matt Nagel as an assistant coach. Matt wrestled for the University of Minnesota, was a three-time Division I National Meet participant and was an All-American for the Gophers in 2006.
Concordia opens the season with the Lakeland Duals and will then open the dual-meet season by hosting St. Olaf on Nov. 13. Another highlight for the Cobbers in 2009-10 will be a trip to Las Vegas to compete in the Vegas Duals on Dec. 20.
