It was a productive day for the UW-Parkside wrestling team at Truman State University March 1. The Rangers were one of nine teams participating in the regional at the Pershing Arena in Kirksville, Missouri.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the NCAA II nationals to be held as part of the NCAA II Winter Sports Festival in Houston, Texas, Friday-Saturday, March 13-14. Six Rangers will be making the trip and include Cody Zimmerman, Craig Becker, Corey VanGroll, Luke Haag, Luke Rynish and Malcolm Briggs.

Nebraska-Omaha, the defending national champ which has won four of the last five national titles, won the regional with a score of 162.5, well ahead of Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma which tied at 99 points. Nebraska-Omaha was inserted into this regional for the first time this season.

UW-Parkside finished fourth with 86.5 points. Ashland was fifth; 76.5; Findlay was sixth, 65.5; Indianapolis was seventh, 52; followed by host Truman State, 16; and another newcomer to the region, Newman, 5.5.

Craig Becker was crowned regional champion at the 149-pound level. Corey VanGroll championed the 165-pound grouping.

Becker moved his unblemished record to 29-0. He won his opening match by a convincing 18-0 decision. His next match, a 5-1 victory, set up a championship match with Nebraska-Omaha's Esai Dominguez. Becker held off the No. 2 seed, 1-0.

Like Becker, VanGroll won his first match easily, 15-0. He then kept his shutout string going, with a 7-0 win in his next bout. VanGroll decisioned Justin Shannon of Findlay, 7-4 in the title tilt. VanGroll, who won the 174-pound regional championship last season, will bring a 40-6 record to nationals.

Zimmerman (125) and Haag (184) each finished in second place.

Zimmerman, who won the 125-pound championship last season at regionals, settled for second this time around. He won his opening match, 7-0, then advanced to the championship bout with a 7-2 triumph. He fell to Tim Elliott of Central Oklahoma, 3-0.

Haag won big, 16-0, to open his day, then pulled out a 6-5 decision before getting pinned in the finals by Brent Pankoke (6:15) of Nebraska-Omaha. Haag owns a 35-11 record.

Briggs finished in third place. He won 9-4, then dropped to the lower bracket after an 8-6 loss. He qualified for nationals with an 8-5 victory, setting up his victorious third place match, which was a 3-2 win over Andrejs Zalaiskains of Findlay. Briggs has a 28-11 record.

Rynish dropped his third place match, 9-6, finishing in fourth place. He won 11-6 to start the day and then lost, 9-0. His 8-5 win in the lower bracket sewed up a trip to the Lone Star State.

For complete results, go to: http://gobulldogs.truman.edu/pages/men/wrestling/09superregion2.asp

Qualifiers by School

See what the Kenosha News had to say: http://www.kenoshanews.com/sports/six_uwp_wrestlers_going_to__nationals_4473216.html