Final Results: Brackets || Team Scores


Upper Iowa sophomore Blake Sorensen’s run at the 2013 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships ended tonight with a loss in the 174 title bout in Birmingham, Ala.  Sorensen got down early after a quick takedown by Notre Dame’s Eric Burgey just one second into the match.  The Peacock grappler was able to score three escapes in the match, but in the end placed second after the 14-3 major decision.
 
The Denver, Iowa native finished the tournament with a 3-1 record improving on his 1-2 mark a year ago.  For the season, Sorensen put together 35 wins to just 12 losses.  In his first match, he defeated Travis Budke of Fort Hays State with a 15-4 major decision.  He earned his first All-American honor with a 10-5 win by decision over Brendan McKeown of East Stroudsburg moving into the championship semifinals. 
 
In the semis on Saturday morning, Sorensen and Patrick Martinez were deadlocked at 1-1 after each earned an escape from the bottom position, but in the final seconds of the third period, the UIU sophomore struck.  Just seconds after being warned for stalling, Sorensen caught an exposed Martinez and finished the move off for a takedown in the final seconds to win 3-1 and move into the finals.
 
As a team, the Peacocks finished fifth for their fourth straight top six finish at the NCAA Championships.  Upper Iowa scored 49 points to claim their fifth place finish.  Nebraska-Kearney won the team title for the second straight year with 108 points behind a pair of National Champions.  Fellow NSIC-member, St. Cloud State, claimed second with 105 points and one champion, while newcomer to NCAA Division II, Notre Dame, scored 103.5 points with two champions to claim third.  The final NCAA team trophy went to Central Oklahoma, who posted 73 points and had one champion.  Forty-five NCAA Division II institutions were represented at this year’s championships.