11/7/2003 6:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Few teams have enjoyed more success than North Dakota State University in Division II college wrestling.
Only three other schools have won more national titles than North Dakota State's four.
So, when the announcement was made that NDSU is reclassifying to Division I next year, tears of joy were shed around the Division II wrestling world.
That's because the Bison wrestling program, under 40th-year head coach BUCKY MAUGHAN, has become one of the toughest to beat in Division II history. NDSU has a streak of 35 straight winning seasons, and over that time the Bison have placed in the nation's top five 26 times.
Both trends will likely continue this season.
North Dakota State was selected by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association to win the NCAA title this upcoming March, and the North Central Conference coaches picked the Bison to win the league crown.
In fact, this season looks promising all over the preseason papers. Six NDSU wrestlers are favored by the league coaches for individual NCC championships, and the Bison hold down one of the top three spots at all 10 weights.
Three senior wrestlers could crack the all-time wins list in the Bison record book. BRIAN KRAEMER (Cold Spring, MN) is 70-39 entering his last year, PAUL CARLSON (St. Francis, MN) is 69-30, and MIKE FIEDLER (Sauk Centre, MN) is 68-28. To join that elite group, they'll have to reach 97 wins -- a mark set last year by their former teammate, Matt Strawser.
With only six wrestling teams remaining in the NCC this season after Northern Colorado's departure to Division I, the best dual meet record in the league's round robin schedule will determine the NCC team champion instead of the tried-and-true double elimination tournament.
Last year the Bison were 6-0 in NCC duals but ended up taking second place in the championship tourney.
North Dakota State qualified seven wrestlers for the NCAA tournament from that NCC meet a year ago, and six of them are back including national champion Carlson (157) and national runner-up Kraemer (197). Both men are preseason favorites to win NCAA titles this year.
Eight veterans return to the starting lineup, there are 11 total letterwinners back, and a tough group of incoming freshman headlined by a five-time high school state champion will spice up that mix.
Here's how the Bison will stack up this year, weight-by-weight...
125 POUNDS
The departure of two-time All-American Matt Strawser here has left a wide open void at this lightweight spot, but the Bison can turn to one of the most highly touted high school recruits in NDSU history to fill in.
ERIC SANDERS (Wabasha, MN) is the likely starter at 125 after winning five straight Minnesota State High School League titles. Sanders is only the second Minnesota wrestler to accomplish the feat, and that has caught the eyes of coaches all around the North Central Conference. He is the preseason No. 3-rated wrestler in the league.
Another true freshman, MIKE MEGER (Owatonna, MN), is the likely backup here. Meger was a two time placewinner at the Minnesota high school state tournament in his prep career.
The brothers JAKE ANDERSON and COLE ANDERSON of Pelican Rapids, MN, may challenge for mat time. Jake is a junior with a 4-3 career record at NDSU, while the younger Cole is a true freshman.
133 POUNDS
NCAA qualifier NICK MAGEE (Hudson, WI) returns as the starter here. Magee was fourth in the North Central Conference as a freshman last year before bowing out of the national tournament in the second round. The No. 2-rated wrestler in the NCC preseason poll, he was 22-14 a year ago.
Depth is a concern at 133, where true freshman TONY NOYES (Spicer, MN) is listed as the only alternate behind Magee. Noyes posted a 42-0 record last year for New London-Spicer en route to a state title.
141 POUNDS
Two-time All-American senior LUCAS CHRISTIANSON (Apple Valley, MN) and sophomore MATHIAS BITZ (Bismarck, ND) are at the front of this class.
Bitz wrestled the front half of NDSU's schedule last year before Christianson re-emerged and went on to a fifth-place finish in the North Central Conference.
Christianson is a 44-31 career wrestler for NDSU and the top rated individual in the NCC at 141. Bitz put up a 19-17 mark last season.
The Bison have nice depth with four wrestlers at 141, but collegiate experience is limited.
Freshman PETER HAYES (Wadena, MN) should be a strong contender for the starting spot. Hayes was 40-0 last year for Wadena-Deer Creek High and won the Minnesota high school state title.
Freshman CHRIS BRANDRIET (Brookings, SD) is also available after redshirting last season with the Herd.
149 POUNDS
Five wrestlers listed at 149 led by sophomore NCAA qualifier ZACH STEVENS (Erwinna, PA) give the Bison an excellent combination at this middleweight class.
Stevens should be the starter. He was the North Central Conference runner-up and charted a 27-18 record last year.
Veteran junior COLLIN KELLY (Oakes, ND) is the top contender for backup duties. Kelly compiled a 17-11 record at 157 last year after starting his career at 149 two seasons ago.
Junior PHIL RIEDMAN (Valley City, ND) could be next in line, but he has competition. Riedman, 9-7 in his first two years, will battle with redshirt freshman ROSS MALIKOWSKI (St. Joseph, MN), who walked on to the club a year ago and put up a 3-4 record in open tournaments.
Sophomore RYAN ENGELHARDT (Bismarck, ND) was 3-5 last year in open tournaments, and he'll also get an early chance to contribute.
157 POUNDS
Carlson, the reigning NCAA champion and two-time defending North Central Conference titlist is the top gun in the middleweight corps. And, the No. 1-rated wrestler at 157 in the preseason national poll has one other distinction within reach.
If Carlson wins another individual conference title, he would become the sixth three-time NCC champ at North Dakota State and the first since Steve Saxlund won his third of four league crowns in 2000.
Look for redshirt freshman ERIC DuCHENE (Faribault, MN) to assume the top backup role behind Carlson. DuChene put up a 9-6 record in three tournaments last year. He'll be challenged by freshman RYAN SATHER of Dawson, MN.
165 POUNDS
Fiedler returns as the starter here after bowing out of the North Central Conference tournament with an injury last season. He was an All-American two years ago with a third-place finish at nationals.
Backup duty will be a tossup between junior BEN MERGEN (Albany, MN), and freshmen BEN LARSON (Corcoran, MN) and ANDY PICKAR (Dawson, MN).
Pickar may emerge as the favorite for the No. 2 spot. A three-time Minnesota high school state finalist, Pickar built an impressive prep resume with 126 wins and a pair of Class 3A state crowns at Brainerd.
174 POUNDS
All-American senior THAD PIKE (Hayfield, MN) is back as the starter after a third-place finish at nationals last year. Pike enters this season with a 54-39 career record that is the fourth most career wins among NDSU's active wrestlers.
Sophomore ADAM DAHLSTROM (Oakes, ND) is a strong upcoming wrestler in the backup role. Dahlstrom posted a 6-7 record last season and made one dual meet appearance.
Senior BOB GONSHOROWSKI (Washington, IA), is still looking for extended action after transferring to NDSU from the famed University of Iowa program a few years ago. Gonshorowski has a 6-8 career record for the Bison wrestling at 157 and 165 in previous years.
Incoming freshman MATT WETTERLING (Willmar, MN) will be looking to get his feet wet at 174 as well.
184 POUNDS
NDSU welcomes back freshman MATT HERMANN (Burnsville, MN) here after losing the high school star to a medical hardship early last year. Hermann posted a 9-6 record before a knee injury ended his first go-around at college wrestling.
Hermann is the probable starter here, but junior TONY VITTETOE (Wadena, MN) will push for time after seeing action in just one tournament last year. Vittetoe has a 5-12 career record.
Freshman SKIP JOHNSON (Hibbing, MN) will challenge for time. One of the tallest two wrestlers on the squad, his 6-foot-4 frame could be to his advantage at 184.
197 POUNDS
If Kraemer's ailing knee doesn't sideline him, he is a serious threat for the NCAA title he's been picked to win in the preseason poll. He turned in the third most wins on last year's squad (27-13) en route to runner-up finishes in both the NCC and NCAA.
Sophomore DAN FLATAU (Perham, MN) was a surprising walk-on addition last year who posted a 5-5 record. He'll serve in the same backup role again.
Sophomore DUSTIN BENZ (Virginia, MN) could be called upon as the backup after an impressive first season. Benz charted a 12-6 record last year, all at heavyweight, and he is a candidate to move up to that class again.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Three juniors will pace the heavyweight class this year.
JOE BRYCE (Glenwood, MN) has been very solid his first three years in the program and should be the starter. Bryce was fourth in the North Central Conference last season and has a 34-28 career record.
CHRIS TUCHSCHERER (Bowman, ND) emerged as a qualified backup late last season. He posted a 12-8 record and could see some starts again for the Herd.
NDSU will add TIM KRAEMER (Cold Spring, MN) to the mix after the football season ends. The younger brother of 197-pounder Brian Kraemer, Tim has not yet wrestled competitively for the Herd but he was with the team for parts of last year.
Only three other schools have won more national titles than North Dakota State's four.
So, when the announcement was made that NDSU is reclassifying to Division I next year, tears of joy were shed around the Division II wrestling world.
That's because the Bison wrestling program, under 40th-year head coach BUCKY MAUGHAN, has become one of the toughest to beat in Division II history. NDSU has a streak of 35 straight winning seasons, and over that time the Bison have placed in the nation's top five 26 times.
Both trends will likely continue this season.
North Dakota State was selected by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association to win the NCAA title this upcoming March, and the North Central Conference coaches picked the Bison to win the league crown.
In fact, this season looks promising all over the preseason papers. Six NDSU wrestlers are favored by the league coaches for individual NCC championships, and the Bison hold down one of the top three spots at all 10 weights.
Three senior wrestlers could crack the all-time wins list in the Bison record book. BRIAN KRAEMER (Cold Spring, MN) is 70-39 entering his last year, PAUL CARLSON (St. Francis, MN) is 69-30, and MIKE FIEDLER (Sauk Centre, MN) is 68-28. To join that elite group, they'll have to reach 97 wins -- a mark set last year by their former teammate, Matt Strawser.
With only six wrestling teams remaining in the NCC this season after Northern Colorado's departure to Division I, the best dual meet record in the league's round robin schedule will determine the NCC team champion instead of the tried-and-true double elimination tournament.
Last year the Bison were 6-0 in NCC duals but ended up taking second place in the championship tourney.
North Dakota State qualified seven wrestlers for the NCAA tournament from that NCC meet a year ago, and six of them are back including national champion Carlson (157) and national runner-up Kraemer (197). Both men are preseason favorites to win NCAA titles this year.
Eight veterans return to the starting lineup, there are 11 total letterwinners back, and a tough group of incoming freshman headlined by a five-time high school state champion will spice up that mix.
Here's how the Bison will stack up this year, weight-by-weight...
125 POUNDS
The departure of two-time All-American Matt Strawser here has left a wide open void at this lightweight spot, but the Bison can turn to one of the most highly touted high school recruits in NDSU history to fill in.
ERIC SANDERS (Wabasha, MN) is the likely starter at 125 after winning five straight Minnesota State High School League titles. Sanders is only the second Minnesota wrestler to accomplish the feat, and that has caught the eyes of coaches all around the North Central Conference. He is the preseason No. 3-rated wrestler in the league.
Another true freshman, MIKE MEGER (Owatonna, MN), is the likely backup here. Meger was a two time placewinner at the Minnesota high school state tournament in his prep career.
The brothers JAKE ANDERSON and COLE ANDERSON of Pelican Rapids, MN, may challenge for mat time. Jake is a junior with a 4-3 career record at NDSU, while the younger Cole is a true freshman.
133 POUNDS
NCAA qualifier NICK MAGEE (Hudson, WI) returns as the starter here. Magee was fourth in the North Central Conference as a freshman last year before bowing out of the national tournament in the second round. The No. 2-rated wrestler in the NCC preseason poll, he was 22-14 a year ago.
Depth is a concern at 133, where true freshman TONY NOYES (Spicer, MN) is listed as the only alternate behind Magee. Noyes posted a 42-0 record last year for New London-Spicer en route to a state title.
141 POUNDS
Two-time All-American senior LUCAS CHRISTIANSON (Apple Valley, MN) and sophomore MATHIAS BITZ (Bismarck, ND) are at the front of this class.
Bitz wrestled the front half of NDSU's schedule last year before Christianson re-emerged and went on to a fifth-place finish in the North Central Conference.
Christianson is a 44-31 career wrestler for NDSU and the top rated individual in the NCC at 141. Bitz put up a 19-17 mark last season.
The Bison have nice depth with four wrestlers at 141, but collegiate experience is limited.
Freshman PETER HAYES (Wadena, MN) should be a strong contender for the starting spot. Hayes was 40-0 last year for Wadena-Deer Creek High and won the Minnesota high school state title.
Freshman CHRIS BRANDRIET (Brookings, SD) is also available after redshirting last season with the Herd.
149 POUNDS
Five wrestlers listed at 149 led by sophomore NCAA qualifier ZACH STEVENS (Erwinna, PA) give the Bison an excellent combination at this middleweight class.
Stevens should be the starter. He was the North Central Conference runner-up and charted a 27-18 record last year.
Veteran junior COLLIN KELLY (Oakes, ND) is the top contender for backup duties. Kelly compiled a 17-11 record at 157 last year after starting his career at 149 two seasons ago.
Junior PHIL RIEDMAN (Valley City, ND) could be next in line, but he has competition. Riedman, 9-7 in his first two years, will battle with redshirt freshman ROSS MALIKOWSKI (St. Joseph, MN), who walked on to the club a year ago and put up a 3-4 record in open tournaments.
Sophomore RYAN ENGELHARDT (Bismarck, ND) was 3-5 last year in open tournaments, and he'll also get an early chance to contribute.
157 POUNDS
Carlson, the reigning NCAA champion and two-time defending North Central Conference titlist is the top gun in the middleweight corps. And, the No. 1-rated wrestler at 157 in the preseason national poll has one other distinction within reach.
If Carlson wins another individual conference title, he would become the sixth three-time NCC champ at North Dakota State and the first since Steve Saxlund won his third of four league crowns in 2000.
Look for redshirt freshman ERIC DuCHENE (Faribault, MN) to assume the top backup role behind Carlson. DuChene put up a 9-6 record in three tournaments last year. He'll be challenged by freshman RYAN SATHER of Dawson, MN.
165 POUNDS
Fiedler returns as the starter here after bowing out of the North Central Conference tournament with an injury last season. He was an All-American two years ago with a third-place finish at nationals.
Backup duty will be a tossup between junior BEN MERGEN (Albany, MN), and freshmen BEN LARSON (Corcoran, MN) and ANDY PICKAR (Dawson, MN).
Pickar may emerge as the favorite for the No. 2 spot. A three-time Minnesota high school state finalist, Pickar built an impressive prep resume with 126 wins and a pair of Class 3A state crowns at Brainerd.
174 POUNDS
All-American senior THAD PIKE (Hayfield, MN) is back as the starter after a third-place finish at nationals last year. Pike enters this season with a 54-39 career record that is the fourth most career wins among NDSU's active wrestlers.
Sophomore ADAM DAHLSTROM (Oakes, ND) is a strong upcoming wrestler in the backup role. Dahlstrom posted a 6-7 record last season and made one dual meet appearance.
Senior BOB GONSHOROWSKI (Washington, IA), is still looking for extended action after transferring to NDSU from the famed University of Iowa program a few years ago. Gonshorowski has a 6-8 career record for the Bison wrestling at 157 and 165 in previous years.
Incoming freshman MATT WETTERLING (Willmar, MN) will be looking to get his feet wet at 174 as well.
184 POUNDS
NDSU welcomes back freshman MATT HERMANN (Burnsville, MN) here after losing the high school star to a medical hardship early last year. Hermann posted a 9-6 record before a knee injury ended his first go-around at college wrestling.
Hermann is the probable starter here, but junior TONY VITTETOE (Wadena, MN) will push for time after seeing action in just one tournament last year. Vittetoe has a 5-12 career record.
Freshman SKIP JOHNSON (Hibbing, MN) will challenge for time. One of the tallest two wrestlers on the squad, his 6-foot-4 frame could be to his advantage at 184.
197 POUNDS
If Kraemer's ailing knee doesn't sideline him, he is a serious threat for the NCAA title he's been picked to win in the preseason poll. He turned in the third most wins on last year's squad (27-13) en route to runner-up finishes in both the NCC and NCAA.
Sophomore DAN FLATAU (Perham, MN) was a surprising walk-on addition last year who posted a 5-5 record. He'll serve in the same backup role again.
Sophomore DUSTIN BENZ (Virginia, MN) could be called upon as the backup after an impressive first season. Benz charted a 12-6 record last year, all at heavyweight, and he is a candidate to move up to that class again.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Three juniors will pace the heavyweight class this year.
JOE BRYCE (Glenwood, MN) has been very solid his first three years in the program and should be the starter. Bryce was fourth in the North Central Conference last season and has a 34-28 career record.
CHRIS TUCHSCHERER (Bowman, ND) emerged as a qualified backup late last season. He posted a 12-8 record and could see some starts again for the Herd.
NDSU will add TIM KRAEMER (Cold Spring, MN) to the mix after the football season ends. The younger brother of 197-pounder Brian Kraemer, Tim has not yet wrestled competitively for the Herd but he was with the team for parts of last year.
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
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