National title gives Maughan 401 wins

The Forum, Fargo, North Dakota

Bucky Maughan Wrestling coach, NDSU Now has a 401-112-12 record in 40 years as a wrestling coach

By Jeff Kolpack jkolpack@forumcomm.com
Sports - 01/19/2004

North Dakota State won a Division II wrestling title on the mat. And Bison head coach Bucky Maughan got a 2-for-1 deal in the record book.

The Bison defeated Central Oklahoma in the championship match of the NCAA Division II Dual Tournament Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, Ohio. After the teams wrestled to a 15-15 tie, it took until the seventh match criteria before NDSU was awarded the championship because it had the most near-fall points.

The first six criteria were total near-fall points, most vic tories, most number six-point wins, most five-point technical falls, most four-point technical falls, most major decisions and fewest forfeits.

Neither team registered a major decision, technical fall, pin or forfeit. The result left NDSU with a 6-0 dual record and Maugh an, in his 40th year, with a career mark of 401-112-12.

It was believed to be his 400th win. But NDSU’s dual national title win against Central Oklahoma in 2001 was decided the same way -- by criteria. But it was recorded as a tie in the Bison record book, according to the NDSU sports information office.

“It’s a title,” Maughan said. “(The criteria) is what they do to determine the champion.”

Whatever the case, Maughan said the milestone victory was not important to him on Sunday.

“We won a national title with it,” he said. It was the third time in four years the Bison and the Bronchos wrestled for the title. Central won in 2002. The tournament started in 1999. “We wrestled pretty well all weekend,” Maughan said. “This is the first step in trying to win the national tournament.” The Bison couldn’t stay around to accept the title trophy. The match started at 2 p.m. NDSU’s flight out of Cleveland left at 6. “We just ran out of there,” Maughan said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546