2006 Nationals Champions
FINDLAY, Ohio — The University of Nebraska at Omaha became the first team since 1995 to win three straight national titles Saturday night, crowning three individual champions. Cody Garcia, J.D. Naig and Les Sigman all went to the winner’s circle, with Sigman gathering his fourth straight heavyweight title.
The win gives UNO NCAA Division II wrestling titles in 1991, 2004, 2005 and 2006. UNO also won the 1970 NAIA tournament championship.
The Mavericks finished with 117 points, their highest total ever. Nebraska-Kearney, with two champions, was second with 98.5, followed by Shippensburg at 66.5, Central Oklahoma at 64.5 and Minnesota State, Mankato with 63.5.
Sigman edged Nebraska-Kearney’s Tervel Dlagnev, capping an undefeated season and an amazing career. He scored an escape to open the third period in a conservative championship bout. It was the third win for Sigman over Dlagnev this season. Sigman was also named the meet’s outstanding wrestler. He registered a fall, technical fall, leading 17-1, and blanked two opponents.
Garcia dominated his finals match, scoring a 5-1 decision over Jamie Thomas of Shippensburg to improve to 39-3 on the season.
Unger gave up back points midway through the match, then came back with a reversal, but fell short of Findlay’s No. 3 ranked Antonio Guerra, 5-4, in a battle of sophomores. Unger, ranked No. 6, finished the season at 21-9.
No. 1 ranked Naig, now 32-3, delivered his second straight fall to win his second straight title, pinning Indianapolis junior Michael Jackson in 6:53. Naig also had a fall in his semifinal match and opened the tournament with a major decision, giving him 5 bonus points. He has now had six pins in nine tournament victories over the past three years. He had two falls last year in winning the 165-pound crown.
The only other wrestlers to win four consecutive national titles were Tim Wright, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville from 1984-87, Dan Russell, Portland State, 1988-91, and Cole Province, Central Oklahoma, 2001-04.
Central Oklahoma was the last team to win as many as three straight team titles. The Bronchos won four in succession from 1992-95.
The Mavericks finished with seven All-Americans in all, the most since 2000 when eight won honors.
UNO’s 2006 All-Americans:
Cody Garcia – 125 National Champion
Dan Hilario – 133 8th place
Shane Unger – 149 2nd place
Patrick Allibone – 157 3rd place
Ross Taplin – 165 3rd place
JD Naig – 174 National Champion
Les Sigman – Hwt National Champion
Championship matches
125: Cody Garcia, UNO, dec. Jamie Thomas, Shippensburg, 5-1
133: Brett Allgood, Nebraska-Kearney, dec. Andy Uhl, Findlay, 9-7
141: Thad Benton, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, dec. Kyle Evans, Central Oklahoma, 4-2
149: Antonio Guerra, Findlay, dec. Shane Unger, UNO, 5-4
157: Brad Becker, Wisconsin-Parkside, WBF, David Nordhues, Fort Hays State, 6:29
165: Nathan Baker, Minnesota State, Moorhead, dec. Zach Schafer, Mercyhurst, 10-5
174: J.D. Naig, UNO, WBF, Michael Jackson, Indianapolis, 6:53
184: Tanner Linsacum, Nebraska-Kearney, dec. Mike Corcetti, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 10-7
197: Plamen Paskalev, Central Missouri State, dec. Corey Jacoby, Shippensburg, 5-3
Hwt: Les Sigman, UNO, dec. Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney, 1-0