Two Ashland University wrestlers – junior Jacob Southwick and senior Brandon Kelly – earned All-America laurels March 12 at the NCAA Division II Championships at Kearney, Neb. The Eagles placed 20th in the final team standings.

Southwick finished fourth at 285 pounds. This is the first All-America citation of his career. Kelly placed seventh at 165 pounds. This is his second All-America award. When he wrestled at Newberry, he

placed eighth at nationals. This is Kelly’s first year at AU.

Southwick demonstrated a high level of mental and physical toughness as he went 3-1. The junior won his first three matches of the day before losing to Charlie Alexander of Western State, 2-1, in the battle for third place. Alexander is ranked third in the country; Southwick is ranked fifth.

Southwick also wrestled Matt Meuleners of Northern State, who entered the tourney ranked second in the country and who went on to win a national title.

Southwick’s first match Saturday was a 5-2 decision against Ben Hohensee of Nebraska-Kearney. He followed that up with a 9-2 win over Patrick Carey of CSU-Pueblo before nipping Nebraska-Omaha’s

Taylor Escamilla, 2-1.

Southwick finishes the year with a 36-6 record. He’s the third wrestler in school history to finish with 36 wins in a season, joining Corey Kline (1995-96) and Todd Winter (1986-87). The school, single-season

mark for wins is 37, held by Jeff Freedman (1978-79) and Reggie Johnson (1980-81). Southwick set the school record for pins (18) this season.

Kelly went 1-1 March 11. He started the next day with a 6-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha’s Nathan Sigman. Kelly then lost by technical fall to Tad Merritt of St. Cloud State. Merritt is ranked second in the nation.

Kelly wrapped up seventh place with a 13-9 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside’s Matt Gille. Gille is ranked fifth in the country. Kelly is ranked seventh.

One other AU wrestler was in action Saturday. Senior Kyle Kanaga, wrestling at 141 pounds, bowed out of the tournament thanks to an 11-2 loss to Pitt-Johnstown’s Jack Bachman. This was Kanaga’s second

trip to nationals. He went 1-2 at this event and finished the year with a 26-12 record.

Nebraska-Omaha won its third consecutive national title. UNO finished with 102.5 points. St. Cloud State was second with 90.5 points and Augustana was third with 81.5 points. AU finished with 18 points.

Steve Costanzo of St. Cloud State was named the 2010-11 coach of the year and Western State’s 197-pound Donovan McMahill was named the most outstanding wrestler of the tournament.