Wrestler take 8th at nationals and is named All-American
| Published: 03/10/2003 |
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Senior Matt Huset became the first MSOE wrestler and men’s athlete to become an NCAA All-American after finishing eighth place in the 197-pound class at the Division III National Championship tournament in Ada, Ohio.
Huset’s quest for All-American honors was a difficult one. His first match was against the #3 seeded wrestler from Wartburg College and was defeated by a score of 7-5. Huset then was required to win his next two matches in the consolation bracket if he was to earn All-American status. He defeated his first consolation bracket opponent 2-1, which set up a match against his opponent from the College of New Jersey in what is called the "All-American Round” because the winner is guaranteed All-American status and the loser is eliminated.
In a classic struggle, Huset scored the first two points of the match with a takedown only to have his opponent tie the match with a two-point reversal at the end of the first period. Huset scored a one-point escape in the second period to lead the match by the score of 3-2 going into the final period. Huset’s opponent scored a two-point reversal early in the third period to take a 4-3 lead. It appeared that Huset’s dream of being an all-American would not become a reality as he was unable to score any points and time was ticking. With less than 15 seconds in the match, Huset scored a two-reversal to take a 5-4 lead and win.
On the second day of competition, Huset was defeated by opponents from UW-Eau Claire and Simpson College. Huset finished the season with an MSOE record of 39 wins and 7 and set the MSOE record for winning 30 matches in a row during the season. He finishes his MSOE career with 108 wins, ranking second on the university’s all-time win record.
Junior Matt Schoenherr also competed in the national tournament at the 285-pound weight class. Schoenherr was defeated in his first match by a score of 12-7, then defeated his opponent from Milliken College by the score of 11-3. In the "All-American Round", Schoenherr lost a heartbreaker by a 3-1 score. He finishes the season with a record of 29 wins and 8 losses. Schoenherr and Huset were named Academic All-Americans for the second year in a row. As a team, MSOE had its best finish, placing 35th in the nation.