Nov. 23, 2003
OMAHA, NE – Hawkeye seniors Luke Eustice and Tyler Nixt each won titles at the 2003 Kaufman Brand Open in Omaha, NE, Saturday, while eight other Iowa wrestlers placed in the tournament. Eustice recorded a technical fall and three decisions, including one in sudden victory and one in the tiebreak period, to win his second Kaufman-Brand Open title at 125 pounds. He defeated Iowa State’s Grant Nakamura, 10-9 in the tiebreak, in the finals. Nixt won his first Kaufman-Brand Open title with a 6-4 decision over Northern Iowa’s Eric Hauan in the 174-pound finals.
Also placing for the Hawkeyes in the open division were sophomore Ty Eustice (149-2nd), sophomore Joe Johnston (157-2nd), sophomore Paul Bradley (184-2nd), senior Ryan Fulsaas (197-2nd), sophomore Adam Fellers (174-3rd) and redshirt freshman Ryan Fuller (Hwt.-5th). Placing for Iowa in the 20-and-under division were redshirt freshmen Oleg Polyatskiy (157-2nd) and Joe Uker (157-3rd).
Iowa will open the 2003-04 dual meet season Tuesday against Southwest State and Minnesota State – Mankato in Blue Earth, MN, with meet times beginning at 6 and 8 p.m., respectively. It will be a homecoming for Luke and Ty Eustice, who are natives of Blue Earth.