Park Rapids’ Ben Baumgartner had an impressive freshman season as a member of the Concordia College wrestling team.
Baumgartner compiled a 21-13 overall record at 149 pounds and contended for a spot in the NCAA Division III National Championships.
In five dual meets, Baumgartner went 3-2 beginning with a 13-7 decision over Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Isaac Novacek in Concordia’s 16-15 victory on Nov. 18. At the NWCA National Duals at Fort Wayne, Indiana on Jan. 8-9, Baumgartner defeated Levi Azinger 11-6 as the Cobbers defeated No. 12-rated Coe College 21-17 and dropped a 15-0 decision to Daniel Downes in Concordia’s 26-18 loss to No. 14 Roger Williams. Baumgartner lost to Seth Ehlang 8-6 in overtime in Concordia’s 30-10 win over Dickinson State on Jan. 28 and defeated Zachary Beaumaster 9-3 as the Cobbers defeated Southwest Minnesota State 18-16 on Feb. 18.
Baumgartner also wrestled in six tournaments during the regular season.
At the Pointer Open at Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Nov. 7, Baumgartner finished third by going 4-1. Baumgartner defeated Cory Pych of Harper College 7-2 and Joe Pelkey of Wisconsin-Oshkosh 12-8. After losing to Concordia’s Aaron Senne 4-2 in overtime in the semifinals, Baumgartner defeated Pych 5-2 and Concordia’s Rylee Anderson by forfeit.
ADVERTISEMENT
At the Dakota Wesleyan Open on Nov. 14, Baumgartner went 1-2 with a 6-3 decision over St. Olaf’s Bryant Ridgway and dropping matches to Grand View’s Derek Miller 2-1 and York’s Jimenez Lupe 11-5.
Baumgartner placed fourth at the Finn Grinaker Open at Concordia on Nov. 21 with a 16-7 major decision over MSU Moorhead’s Caleb Radley, a 15-0 loss to Northern Iowa’s Thomsen Max, victories over MSU Moorhead’s Emmett Fink (9-5), South Dakota State’s Tayt Boeckholdt (5-2) and North Dakota State’s Nathaniel Rykerd (10-5), and a loss to Northern Iowa’s Hunter Washburn (15-5).
At the Candlewood Suites Duals at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Dec. 5, Baumgartner defeated Cornell’s Anthony Curtis 12-8, Augsburg’s Marcus Hamer 3-1 and La Crosse’s Aaron Sweeney 9-7 in exhibition matches.
The Matman Invitational at Mount Vernon, Iowa on Jan. 16 saw Baumgartner lose to Morningside’s Steven Garcia 11-5, pin Simpson’s Anthony Derrick in 1:54 and lose to Coe’s Josh Dankle 9-8.
In the final tournament of the regular season, Baumgartner split four matches at the Don Parker Open at Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Feb. 6. Baumgartner lost to Augsburg’s Rashed Kennedy (3-1), won by injury default over Concordia’s Tyler Johnson, defeated St. Olaf’s Bryant Ridgeway (7-5) and lost to Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Bradley Prentice (7-6).
Concordia capped off the season with a runner-up showing at the NCAA West Regional at Minneapolis Feb. 27. Baumgartner finished fourth by pinning Lakeland’s Ian Gioacchini in 3:32 in the first round, pinning Wisconsin-Platteville’s Mason Bohm in 55 seconds in the quarterfinals before falling 10-2 to Augsburg’s Rashad Kennedy in the semifinals. Baumgartner edged Branden Schorr of St. John’s 7-6 in the consolation semifinals before being denied a trip to nationals with a 9-4 loss to Bohm in the third-place match.
Augsburg won the West Regional title with 155.50 points while Concordia followed with 124 points. Baumgartner scored 13.50 points for the Cobbers.
The Cobbers, who started the season ranked No. 24 in the nation, ended the season with a 14-5 record in dual meets and ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Division III poll.
