Winter Athletes named to All-American Team
Greg Miller, Staff Writer
14 different Auggie student athletes were awarded with All American honors as either a member of the first, second or third team, or as an honorable mention.
Senior basketball player Booker Coplin was awarded d3hoops.com All-America men’s basketball honors for the second straight year when he was named to this season’s All-America Honorable Mention team. Coplin led the MIAC in Points Per Game with 23.7, as well as being top five in many other statistical categories. Coplin was also named to the DIII Recess All Star team.
Senior hockey player Nikki Nightengale was also named to her second straight All-America team, making the second team again, a first in team history. She became the fifth Augsburg Women’s hockey player to ever be named to an All American team. Nightengale was second in the MIAC in both assists and points by a defender.
Women’s wrestling had four All-America honorees in its inaugural season including two-time National Champion Emily Shilson. Gabby Skidmore (6th place at nationals), Vayle-Rae Baker (6th place at nationals) and Marlynne Deede (6th place at nationals) joined Shilson as the first Women’s wrestlers to be named to the All American team.
Eight men’s wrestlers were named to the All-America team this year. Seniors Victor Gliva (3rd at regions, ranked 4 nationally), David Flynn (regional champion, ranked 3 nationally) and Aaron Wilson(regional Champion, ranked 4 nationally), as well as Ryan Epps(2nd at regions, ranked 2 nationally), Lucas Jeske (3rd at regions, ranked 4 nationally) and Tanner Vassar (regional champion, ranked 1st in the nation). Juniors Solomon Nielsen (regional champion, ranked 3rd nationally) and Lance Benick (2nd at regions, ranked 3rd nationally) also made the All-American team for the men’s wrestling team.