NASHVILLE, Tenn. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team participated in the 15th Annual Luther College Gator 'Boots" Duals on Saturday. With four nonconference duals on the schedule, the Blugolds went 2-2 on the afternoon and tallied 11 pins on the afternoon.
Round 1 Results | Round 2 Results | Round 3 Results | Round 4 Results
The first two matchups proved tough for the Blugolds as two top-25 teams in the nation. In the opening dual, UW-Eau Claire faced off against #24 ranked University of the Ozarks. Adam Rients (Jr. – Waterville, MN/WEM) and Sam Melton (So. – Shell Lake, WI/Spooner) got their first wins of the afternoon with two victories by decision. Both would end the afternoon with two wins each. Evan Lawarence (Sr. – Hugo, MN/Mahtomedi) also started strong with a pin against K. McMahon (OZAR) at 174.
Mason Hawkins (Sr. – Farmington, MN) scored the only points for UWEC in their second match against #1 ranked Loras College. After beating K. Lewis (OZAR) in the first round, Hawkins earned a big 3-1 decision victory over B. Vogel (LOR). Despite being the only one to score three points, the Blugolds suffered four losses by decision of three point or less. Hawkins led the Blugolds all day by going 3-0 and earning 12 total team points.
The third round was a bounce back for Eau Claire as they faced unranked Manchester University. A total of seven pins were award to UWEC as Jack Marley (Jr. – Trempealeau, WI/GET), Markus Brown (Fr. – Iron River, WI/Northwestern), Reid Lawrence (Hugo, MN/Mahtomedi), Jared Stricker (Fr. – Ashland, WI), Chase Melton (So. – Spooner, WI), Jackson Schichel (So. – Hastings, MN), and Mason Hawkins all pinned the opponents in 4:18 or less.
The final round held another tough and unfamiliar foe for UWEC as they faced #19 ranked Elmhurst University. Markus Brown got things started at 141 with a 8-1 decision over A. Neal (ELM). Jake Drexler, Adam Rients, Tristan Massie (So. – Hillsdale, WI/Baron) all followed suit with dominating wins at 149, 157, and 165, respectively. Evan Lawrence capped off his 2-0 day with a pin at 174 over M. Daghash (ELM). Niall Schoenfelder (Fr. – Antioch, IL) wrapped things up against the #19 ranked Blue Jays with a 4:08 pin at 184.
The Blugolds (5-4, WIAC 2-1) will take the rest of 2021 off to finish finals and celebrate the holidays. UWEC will be back on the mat on Wednesday, January 5th when the head back to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) competition against UW-Platteville.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
