Index of Sports Press Releases

April 14, 2008

End-of-Season Wrestling Awards Announced

MITCHELL, S.D. — The Dakota Wesleyan University wrestling team held its year-end banquet on Sunday (April 13) at Wild Oak Golf Club. Family, friends and DWU staff attended the banquet to celebrate the 2007-08 season, and Tiger wrestlers received end-of-season awards.

Senior Tony Duarte received the Dave Backlund Leadership Award and a Tiger Desire Award. Duarte also received awards for the most takedowns (66) and most team points (77.5). The Dave Backlund Leadership Award was named after Dave Backlund, a former DWU wrestler and a big supporter of the Tiger wrestling program.

Jordan Harer was given a Tiger Desire Award and Highest GPAC Award. Blake Hodne received the Most Improved Award, and Jeff Holmes got an award for the most falls (8).

Seniors Paul Wilson and Thomas Konechne each received the Coaches Award.

The Tigers also honored its five NAIA national qualifiers: Duarte, Harer, Holmes, Malik Stewart and Brandon Goodwin.

Duarte received the NAIA Champions of Character Award and was recognized for earning NAIA All-American honors by placing fourth at the NAIA National Wrestling Championships.

The DWU wrestling team finished the season with a 4-8 overall dual record. As a team, the Tigers broke four DWU team records: takedowns (491), reversals (123), near falls (131) and major decisions (22). The Tigers tied the team record for technical falls at five.

There were also two individual records broken and two were tied. Duarte broke the individual record for season wins at 40 and takedowns at 112. He also tied the individual record for escapes at 73. Danny Hutcheson tied an individual record for near falls at 24.

Three DWU wrestlers moved up on the DWU all-time win list. Duarte moved to the second position with a career record of 88-49. Konechne leaped to third with a 71-52 overall record, and Harer jumped to sixth with a career record of 49-43.