Argo wrestlers sign three matmen

GREAT FALLS, Mont. —University of Great Falls wrestling coach Caleb Schaeffer has announced the signing of three athletes to NAIA Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Myles Mazurkiewicz is a 133 lb. wrestler from Havre High School in Havre, Montana. The future Argo was a two-time state finalist and a two-time state champion for the Blue Ponies. Myles has a career high school record of 152-16. Mazurkiewicz hopes to compete at 133 lbs. for the Argos.

“Anytime you can sign an in-state athlete with the aggressive style of wrestling that Myles will bring to the University of Great Falls, it’s a big deal,” said University of Great Falls wrestling coach Caleb Schaeffer. “He will make an immediate impact to our team with his style of wrestling and he will be fun to watch.”

The Argo wrestling team has also signed Clay Vermulm from Cut Bank High School in Cut Bank, MT where he wrestled at the 125 lb. weight class for the Wolves. He finished his high school career with a 72-35 record and has placed fifth, third, and fourth place at the Montana All-Class wrestling tournament during his high school career. Due to an illness, he wrestled just eight matches during his senior season and went 8-1 with seven pins. Clay currently carries a 3.63 GPA and plans on studying English while attending the University of Great Falls.

“Clay is the perfect student athlete we are looking for. He is a great student and hard worker in the classroom,” said Schaeffer. “Clay will be adding a much needed depth to the 125 lb. weight class and his determination to be the best will make him a great addition to the University of Great Falls.”

Otto Phillips will also be joining the Argo wrestling team from Salmon, Idaho where he wrestled at the 133/141 lb. weight class during his prep career and accumulated a 150-13 career record. He has won the state title twice and placed all four years at the state tournament. He plans on pursuing a degree in Biology while at the University of Great Falls and currently has 3.53 GPA.

“Otto is another great student-athlete that the Argo wrestling team is always trying to find, “said Schaeffer. “Otto is a tremendous athlete and will be a force on the mat and will also be a great student. We are very fortunate to sign an athlete of his caliber.”

04/06/2009

Argo Wrestling recognized as top NWCA/NAIA Academic team for second straight year

GREAT FALLS, MT, April 6, 2009 — The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/NAIA has announced the 2008-09 NWCA/NAIA All-Academic Team and individual award winners. The announcement includes the All-Academic Team made up of 36 individual wrestlers from within the NAIA.

Heading the Team GPA Ranking for the second year in a row was the University of Great Falls wrestling program. This year’s #1 national ranking marks the second consecutive time the program has reached the top position. The back to back #1 rankings follow a steady climb up the rankings from 6th in 2006 and 4th in 2007. The NWCA only ranks the top 10 teams in each division annually.

“I am very proud of our team being recognized for their academic achievements. It truly shows the quality of student athletes we continue to recruit to our university as they excel both on and off the mat,” said UGF head wrestling coach Caleb Schaeffer. Schaeffer praised the university faculty again this year, “Our faculty are amazing. They do a tremendous job of teaching our students and going the extra mile to help them be successful. They really care about whether or not these students are successful.”

Athletic Director Jim Hall praised the team’s accomplishment. “This is another great achievement for our wrestling program and university” stated Hall. “This academic achievement is the highest honor our team can achieve. Our student athletes have worked diligently toward earning their degrees with excellence and this accomplishment is deserving of our utmost acknowledgement, praise, and celebration.”

In addition to the team rankings, the NWCA also released the list of individual wrestlers who made the All-Academic Team. The University of Great Falls had five Argonaut grapplers among the 36 honorees. Michael French (SO, Malta, MT) and Brendon DeCock (JR, Huntley, MT) were also NAIA All-Americans this past season.

Leading the way for the Argonauts was Michael French, who finished in third place at the 2009 NAIA National Tournament at 184 lbs. with a 3.78 GPA. Also earning academic honors for the University of Great Falls were Brendon DeCock (Huntley, MT) with a 3.55, Scott Lucas (SO, Anchorage, AK) with 3.46, Cut Bank native Alex Calvi with a 3.45 and Jason Pence (JR, Prineville, OR) with a GPA of 3.36.

Hall stated, “Today is a great day for our University as we celebrate the academic achievements of an outstanding group of our students. These awards and accolades are testament to our university’s commitment to educating the whole student. Our wrestling program, under Coach Schaeffer’s leadership, exemplifies everything college athletics is supposed to be about; excellence in the classroom first, then success in competition.”