Pope Wrestles at Nationals

Virgil Pope became the fourth wrestler in MSOE history to participate at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. Wrestling at 141 pounds, he competed against two eventual All Americans at the meet. Pope lost a 12-4 decision Zach McKray from Wartburg College who finished in second place overall. In the wrestle back rounds, Pope was defeated by Kevin Donahue of Cornell College by the score of 7-to-3. Donahue placed seventh and received All American status.

At the Great Lakes Regional on Saturday Feb. 21, Virgil Pope took 3rd place in the 141-pound division and was voted by the coaches to one of six at-large qualifiers to the NCAA tournament. Pope was the first MSOE wrestler since All-American Matt Schoenherr to make the trip to nationals since 2004.

Other Raiders that fared well at regionals include Matt Olsen, who placed fifth overall in the 165# division, while Sammy Deligio (125) and Adam Chaulklin (174) each won one match on the day, but did not place in the tournament.

The Raiders claimed third place finish at the 2009 Northern Wrestling Association Championship on Feb. 14. Joel VandeBoom, wrestling at 157 lbs., not only defeated a nationally ranked opponent on his way to a Northern Wrestling Association Championship crown, but he did with style. The conference coaches took notice and honored him as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Teammate Virgil Pope won the 149-weight class as the Raiders placed third at the event, behind team champion Lakeland and Concordia Wisconsin. The MSOE wrestling brain trust, Kevin Morin was chosen by his peers as the conference Coach of the Year.

VandeBoom, who is Morin’s lone graduate this year, also received Academic All America honors, which was selected by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.