DECORAH, Iowa &045; Luther College senior co-captain Jesse Reyerson, a 1999 graduate of Glenville-Emmons High School, was crowned the national champion at 165 pounds at the NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships hosted by Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio this past weekend.

Reyerson, making his fourth trip to the national tournament, captured the 2003 national title by defeating Pat North of Rochester Institute of Technology 5-1 in the championship match. North was the

No. 1 seed in the tournament and had a record of 26-2 entering the title bout.

Reyerson, the

No. 2 seed, scored a two-point reversal and three-point near fall in the final minute to claim the crown.

Reyerson became the sixth Luther wrestler to be crowned a national champion.

Reyerson completed the 2002-03 season with a record of 26-8, raising his career total to 107-41. His 107 wins ranks seventh all-time. Earlier this season, he became the ninth wrestler in the history of Luther to record his 100th career victory.

As a team, Luther placed fifth and returned home with four All-Americans, the third time in the last four years the Norse have accomplished this feat. Joining Reyerson Jeff Patzke (141), a sophomore from Apple Valley who placed eighth; Garrett South (157), a sophomore from Cumberland, Iowa who placed fourth; and Garrett Kurth (149), a senior from Waukon, Iowa who was the national runner-up for the second year in a row. Kurth won the national championship at 149 as a sophomore in 2001.

The Norse are coached by Dave Mitchell, who just completed his seventh season at the helm. During his tenure, the Norse have been consistently ranked in the top 10 in the country. He has coached 16 All-Americans, two national champions and two national runner-ups. In 2001 he led the Norse to a fourth-place finish at the national tournament.

Reyerson, a two-time Minnesota state qualifier in high school, placed fourth as a senior while helping the Albert Lea Area Tigers win the Big Nine Conference championship. He completed his high school career with a record of 144-32 which included 84 falls. He is the son of Kevin and Lori Reyerson of Glenville.