Another small program in Minnesota that we lost after the 1991-1992 season, Gustavus Adolphus saw their best years on the mat throughout the 50's and 60's. They won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team title in 1965, 1966 & 1967. Today we take a look at their best.
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| Ade Sponberg |
The thing that seems to interest the wrestling community most about Cornell's Kyle Dake is the fact that he won NCAA titles at four different weight classes. 141, 149, 157 & 165. While not NCAA Division I titles, it might be of interest that Ade Sponberg won four MIAC titles at four different weights. One of those weights was 127 lbs. Another of those weights was HWT. On the football team he went from being the little fast guy that ran the ball his freshman year to the big and strong guy that plowed through the linemen to squash the runner as a senior.
Having more success in the upperweights, Sponberg placed third at the 1958 NAIA championships as a senior. Upon graduation he coached both football and wrestling at Gustavus Adolphus before taking on Athletic Director stints at both Augustana (SD) and North Dakota State. He was also vice president of NCAA Division II athletics for a while.
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Dennis Sager
177 lbs |
Dennis Sager won two MIAC titles for Gustavus Adolphus in 1966 and 1967. A three time All American, Sager placed 6th at the 1966 NAIA championships & then entered the NCAA Division II championships taking fifth. In 1967 he took sixth in NCAA Division II.
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| John Feldman |
While he did wrestle & did play as a defensive back on the Football team, John Feldman's true calling in athletics was in Track & field. Coming to Gustavus Adolphus after two years in community college at Rochester, Feldman came into the MIAC championships to collect gold medals. All together he won six conference titles in three events over two years. The long jump, the Pole Vault and the triple jump.
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Jed Mass
191 lbs |
Mass was an NCAA Division II All American for Gustavus Adolphus placing fourth in 1965
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152 lbs
Gordy Frisch |
A two time MIAC champion, Gordy Frisch placed sixth at the NCAA Division II tournament in 1967
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| Larry Baker |
Also a member of the football team, Baker started every game during his collegiate career. In wrestling he was a two time MIAC runner-up.
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152 lbs
Dave Nerothin |
A three time MIAC champion, Nerothin was named the outstanding wrestler at the 1969 championships his senior season. As a junior in 1968 he made the NCAA Division II finals. He ended his wrestling career with a record of 83-17.
Also a football player, he was captain of two MIAC championship teams in 1967 & 1968.
Post graduation Nerothin went on to get graduate degrees in both Dentistry & Anesthesiology
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