OMAHA, Neb. — Nebraska-Omaha senior Les Sigman has been named the North Central Conference Wrestler of the Year by a vote of league coaches. The coaches also selected Nebraska-Omaha’s Cody Garcia as the Freshman of the Year and Nebraska-Omaha’s Mike Denney as the Coach of the Year.
Sigman, a native of Sturgis, S.D., became only the fourth NCAA Division II wrestler to win four national championships when he claimed his fourth NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship in the heavyweight division. He compiled a 23-0 collegiate record and a 24-0 mark in open competion this season with 18 occuring by fall. He won nine tournaments this season and finished his career with a 179-7 mark, a new UNO school record for career wins. Sigman was a four-time regional and four-time North Central Conference champion. In his four trips to the national tournament he never allowed an offensive point to be scored on him.
Garcia, a native of Hutchinson, Kan., finished the season with a 39-4 record and won the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship and NCAA Division II North Central Region championship in the 125-pound weight class. During the season he won six of eight tournaments and reached the finals in seven of the eight. His only Division II loss of the season occurred in double overtime. He recorded 19 wins by fall and is a member of the NWCA academic first team.
Denney, in his 27th year, was named the Coach of the Year at the NCAA Division II North Central Regional.
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