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The
Mavericks host the
Kaufman-Brand Open at Lee &
Helene Sapp Fieldhouse
Saturday, in the nation's
largest single-day
collegiate meet in the
nation. The first matches
will get underway at 9 a.m.
in two divisions, an open
and one for 20 & under
competitors. The meet will
proceed with no set times
for semifinals or finals
until its conclusion.
A total of 42 teams are
expected to enter
approximately 650 wrestlers
in the meet, making it
easily the country's largest
single-day collegiate meet.
The U.S. Olympic Training
Center will send a squad in
addition to many of the top
teams in all three NCAA
divisions.
Teams
entered from NCAA Division
I: Boise Sate, Iowa, Iowa
State, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Northern Illinois, Northern
Iowa, Ohio State, Oklahoma
State, Virginia Tech,
Wisconsin, Wyoming, North
Dakota State, South Dakota
State. NCAA II: Adams State,
Augustana, Central Oklahoma,
Chadron State, Colorado
Mines, Minnesota State,
Mankato, Minnesota
State-Moorhead, UNO,
Nebraska-Kearney, Northern
State, St. Cloud State. NCAA
III: Luther, Northwestern,
Wartburg,
Wisconsin-LaCrosse. NAIA:
Briar Cliff, Buena Vista,
Dana, Mary, Missouri
Baptist, Waldorf. Junior
Colleges: Ellsworth, Iowa
Central, Labette, Lincoln,
Neosho and Ridgewater.
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Doug Hughes of Wayzata,
Minn. became the 14th member
of the Kaufman-Brand Hall of
Fame at the Nov. 18, 2006
event. Hughes is a longtime
supporter of Maverick
wrestling and was a good
friend of Ryan Kaufman.
Through his generosity, the
Mavericks have been able to
start the Ryan Kaufman
Wrestling Scholarship.
Hughes met Kaufman on the
first day of classes while
attending the University of
Minnesota and they became
great friends. The
friendship continued even
after Kaufman transferred to
UNO when Coach Denney became
the head wrestling coach.
“There are rare occasions in
one’s lifetime when that
right person comes along who
impacts the direction of
life. When I met Ryan, my
life was stalled, dreams
shattered at my fourth
school in as many years. I
was stuck in a rut that
seemed too deep to get out
of on my own, and too
embarrassed to really talk
to others about. Well Ryan
had the wisdom to see it,
and not let on, and the
generoisty of heart to stand
up for me. He provided
comaraderie, athletic
engagement and lots of
humor. Most importantly he
taught me how to bring my
concerns before God. Today,
because of the inspiration
he provided then, the
circumstances of life no
longer dictate my life, and
I can point to him and say,
“Ryan, you are a hero in my
life...I am pleased to honor
my friend...blessed by the
very opportunity, and
humbled to have my name
associated with such an
extraordinary man.”
----Doug Hughes |
