For Immediate Release
Monday, November 21, 2022
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC Wrestler of the Week
Eric Faught (149 lbs, R-Jr., Clear Lake, Iowa / Clear Lake HS) – Upper Iowa
- Claimed the title at 157 pounds at the Augsburg Invite with a perfect 5-0 day
- Scored an early decision and then three-straight falls to earn his shot at the bracket championship
- In the finals, outlasted Drake Hayward of Minnesota State 8-6 in sudden victory
Other Top Performances
Miles Fitzgerald (AUGIE) defeated Ryan Dolezal of South Dakota State. He earned an 11-2 major decision win with four takedowns, one escape point, one penalty point and a point for riding time.
Braydon Huber (UMary) won 4-of-5 matches at the Younes Open to take second at 165 pounds. He domi-nated his first three matches to win by a fall, a technical fall and a major decision. He won an 8-3 decision over UNK's Kaden Hart in the semifinals. He just missed the title after suffering a narrow 8-7 decision to 4th ranked Hunter Mullin of Western Colorado in the finals.
Drake Hayward (MSU) went 3-1 and finished second in the Gold Bracket at the Augsburg Invitational. He won by major decision over Reily Dolan (Upper Iowa) 12-3 and then by fall over Leo Blawou (Central) at 2:19. In the semifinals, he won by decision over Blake Jagodzinske 11-7. Hayward lost in sudden victory in the first place match to Eric Faught (Upper Iowa).
Austin Frantzich (MINOT) won both his matches Saturday by pin in the Beavers' home tri-dual against Sas-katchewan and Jamestown. Austin won by pin in 2:10 against Max Meekins of Saskatchewan and in 4:02 over Trappier Botz of Jamestown.
Caden Steffen (SMSU) went 3-1 to place second in the 184-pound division at the Younes Hospitality Open. He opened the day with an 8-2 decision victory. He followed that up with a 3-2 victory over Quayin Short, a division 1 wrestler from Wyoming. Next, Steffen picked up a 4-1 victory over NAIA national finalist Tyson Beauperthuv. In the finals, Steffen fell to the top ranked division 2 wrestler at 184, Billy Higgins by a 3-2 decision.
Shane Gantz (UWP) won the 165lb class at the Findlay open by a 9-1 major decision over Samuel York (Un-attached). He won the semifinals by major decision 10-2 over Owen Zablocki of Indianapolis. He won in the quarterfinals by 14-0 major decision over Kenny Snyder of host Findlay. He won 19-4 via tech fall in the second round. He started day with a win by fall at :43.
NSIC Wrestling Pages
NSIC Wrestlers of the Week
11/7/22: Caleb Meekins – St. Cloud State
11/14/22: Caden Steffen – SMSU
11/21/22: Eric Faught – Upper Iowa
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 96 individual national champions. For additional information, visit
NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit
NCAA.org.
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