Mehlert, a 149-pound junior, was named Dick Walker Outstanding Wrestler at the 2003 Iowa Conference Wrestling Championship after winning his weight class as the third seed. In the quarterfinals, he pinned sixth-seeded Jeff Wiele of Coe College at 4:02. Mehlert upset second-seeded Clint Manny of Simpson in the semifinals (8-3) and upset top-seeded Garrett Kurth of Luther, the defending Conference Champion and 2002 National runner-up, in the finals (8-5).
