Dana Looks to Capture Their First National Championship

SIOUX CITY, Iowa. - Dana College (Neb.) scored 117 points in the first day of competition at the 49^th Annual NAIA Wrestling National Championships.  The Vikings lead the 26-team field with Lindenwood University (Mo.) sitting in second-place at 95.5 points.  The 2006 event is being contested in the Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena in Sioux City, Iowa.

Dana led by nine points after the morning session by and then extended their advantage in the afternoon.  The Vikings have all 12 of their wrestlers still competing in the event and seven of them are in the semifinal matches.  Lindenwood, the defending national champions, also has seven wrestlers in the semifinals. 

Two individuals return to Sioux City to defend their 2005 national titles.  Mike Rio of Lindenwood (Mo.), the 2005 champion in the 149 lb class, advanced in the 157 lb. class.  He pinned Brad Lies of Newman University (Kan.) in 23 seconds, the fastest pin of the day, to advance to the semifinals.  Tyson Springer, the 165 lb. defending national champion from Dickinson State University (N.D.), advanced to Saturday's semifinal matches after defeating T.J. Stuart of William Penn University (Iowa) 10-4 in the quarterfinals.  Also advancing to the semifinals in the 149 lb. class is Anthony Haukenberry of Dana (Neb.), who captured the 2004 national title in his weight class.

The University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) sits in third place with 69.5 points while Southern Oregon University is in fourth with 69 points.  Dickinson State University (N.D.) has 61 points and Missouri Valley College recorded 55 on the day. 

Competition resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. with the championship bracket semifinal and consolation bracket matches.  The championship matches begin Saturday at 7 p.m.  For more information and complete results, visit the NAIA website at www.naia.org.

Complete Day One Results