Kearney, Neb. – The 8th-ranked University of Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team scored 127.5 points to win the 2011 RMAC Championships/NCAA Super Regional 4 Sunday night at San Francisco State in San Francisco, Calf.

UNK ended Western State's two-year reign as RMAC champions in the 11-team race. Before the Mountaineers (120 points) back-to-back first place finishes, the Lopers won this tournament from 2002-08.

Grand Canyon of Arizona (117) and SF State (97.0) rounded out the top four team.

For NCAA purposes, the Lopers qualified six individuals (top four finish) for the NCAA Championships. This year's tournament is being hosted by UNK at the Health & Sports Center on March 11th & 12th.

Juniors T.J. Hepburn (East Hampton, Conn.) at 149 lbs., Dalton Jensen (Missouri Valley, Ia.) at 141 lbs., and Joey Wilson (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) at 165 lbs., all earned their first RMAC Championships. Hepburn, riding a 25-match win streak, was named RMAC Wrestler of the Year as well.

Next, senior Ben Hohensee (Monett, Mo.) finished runner up at 285 lbs. ad did junior Caleb Kociemba (Hillsboro, Ore.) at 174 lbs. Sophomore Ross Brunkhardt (Merino, Colo.) placed third at 184 lbs. to round out UNK's national qualifiers.

Finally, sophomores Nick Bauman (197 lbs.), Josh Smith (125 lbs.) and Stephen Weimer (133 lbs.) each finished fifth and scored crucial team points.

Hepburn, now 35-3 on the year, pinned Mariano Montoya of New Mexico Highlands in the first round, then majored Auesten Moore from Grand Canyon. In the semifinals, he recorded a 10-4 decision against Kenny Jordan of Adams State, who had been ranked nationally most of the year at 141 lbs.

In the finals, Hepburn pinned Mitchell Means of Fort Hays State in 2:29.

Jensen improved his record to 27-4 by recording a 16-3 major decision against Bery Tack of Mesa State and a 4-2 decision against Chadron State Jimmy Savala of Chadron State. He then won by injury default in the finals against Naveed Bagheri of SF State. Bagheri came in ranked No. 2 nationally and as a two-time RMAC champ.

UNK's final champ, Wilson started the tournament off with an 8-2 decision against Briston Brenton from Chadron State, then in the next round won 8-4 over Jordan Larsen from Colorado Mines. Now 36-8, he got past Dylan Grannard of Mesa, 14-11, in the finals.

Kociemba etnered the tournament with a 6-1 record and got back-to-back decisions, without giving up any points, to advance to the finals. There, he lost 9-2 to defending champion Victor Carazo of Grand Canyon.

Hohensee used a pin and two decisions to advance to the finals where 3rd-ranked Charlie Alexander of Western State was his opponent.

Alexander earned 3-1 sudden victory win over Hohensee in a dual three weeks ago. Just like the previous meeting, the score was tied at one going to the overtime periods. Alexander used an escape, and then rode Hohensee for 30 seconds, to claim another title.

At 184 lbs., Brunkhardt went 3-1with his only loss coming to 7th-ranked Ryan Becerra of GCU, 3-1, in the semifinals.

Bauman (Brighton, Colo.), Smith (Houston, Texas) and Weimer (Clovis, Calif.) each helped the Lopers by combining for eight wins.

Weimer lost to top-ranked Todd Wilcox of GCU, 3-1, in the 133 lbs. semis but won by major decision in his final match. Bauman also recorded a major in the 197 lbs. fifth place match while Smith beat Mesa's Dan Romero, 7-4, in his final match of the year.

On Saturday, redshirt freshman Jared Hatley (Torrington, Wyo.) went 0-2 at 157 lbs. to be eliminated.

The brackets for the NCAA's will be announced next week.