Saturday, January 21
Fargo, N.D.
7 p.m.
North Dakota State Athletics
vs
Wyoming
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
NDSU Wrestling Set for Home Duals Against Wyoming, Utah Valley
1/20/2023 1:59:00 PM | Wrestling
FARGO, N.D. - No. 17 North Dakota State wrestling will host a pair of Big XII duals this weekend at the Scheels Center, hosting Wyoming on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Utah Valley on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are available online at GoBison.com/tickets or by visiting or calling the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex at (701) 231-6378 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets will also be available on Saturday night and Sunday at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 3-17.
On the Xtra
Friday's dual against Wyoming will be televised live on WDAY Xtra. Cullen Holt (play-by-play) and Jack Maughan (color) will have the announcing duties.
Dual Coverage
While Friday's dual will be televised, both duals will be streamed live on NDSU All-Access. The duals will also have live results through TrackWrestling. Links for coverage will be available on GoBison.com.
Series History
The Bison face Wyoming for the 22nd time in head-to-head competition, holding an 8-13 record against the Cowboys. NDSU claimed a 22-14 win over Wyoming last season. NDSU is 12-3 all-time against Utah Valley, winning the last three meetings overall, including a 25-12 win in Brookings in February of 2021, the last time the two met.
Caliendo Named Big XII Wrestler of the Week
Michael Caliendo became the second Bison to be named Big XII Wrestler of the Week this season after his win over #2 Shane Griffith in a dual at Stanford last week. He joins Jared Franek, who picked up the honor on December 12. Caliendo is the seventh Bison overall to win Big XII Wrestler of the Week.
Highest Ranking In Program History
Earlier this season, the Bison climbed to No. 15 in the NWCA Coaches Poll, the highest official ranking in the program's Div. I history. Prior to this season, the Bison had never been ranked higher than 19. In the InterMat poll this week, NDSU climbed one spot to No. 14, which marks the highest the Bison have ever been in any poll in Div. I.
New Program Record for Individual Rankings
The Bison have eight wrestlers receiving ranking recognition in FloWrestling and InterMat. The previous Div. 1 era high was seven, last season. Jared Franek also becoming the highest ranked wrestler at in the Div. 1 era at No. 2.
Bison Second In First NWCA Mid-Major Poll
While the Bison are ranked No. 14 by InterMat and No. 17 in the NWCA Coaches Poll, NDSU also picked up a ranking of second in the first NWCA Mid-Major Top 20 poll, behind only Cornell.
Freshman Caliendo Makes Strong Statement with Battles Against NCAA Champions
Redshirt freshmen Michael Caliendo (14-2) took runner up at the Southern Scuffle, losing 3-2 to #2 Shane Griffith (Stanford), 2021 NCAA Champion. Caliendo avenged the loss last week, defeating #2 Griffith 6-3. Caliendo's only other loss this season came to #1 Keegan O'Toole (Missouri), the 2022 NCAA Champion. In the loss, Caliendo secured two takedowns and held a lead before falling 15-8. O'Toole has only allowed three takedowns all season.
Franek Defends Scuffle Title, Pentz and March Also Win, as Bison Take 2nd
Jared Franek (157) claimed his second-straight Southern Scuffle title to open up 2023. Kellyn March (149) recorded two ranked wins and Owen Pentz (197) added three ranked wins as both went 5-0 to lift their first Scuffle titles. The Bison took second overall, finishing behind Oklahoma State, but ahead of Missouri, Stanford and Minnesota.
Jared Franek Notches Ranked Win #26, Ties Monk for NDSU Record
With Franek's victory over #3 Kendall Coleman (Purdue) in the Southern Scuffle final, he secured his 26th ranked victory, matching Steven Monk's NDSU Div. I record. It was also the highest ranked win in Franek's career.
Pentz Reaches Pin Milestone, Pins #4 at Scuffle
Owen Pentz became just the 10th Bison in the Division I era to record 20 pins with a fall in his opening match at the Southern Scuffle. The junior also pinned #4 Ethan Laird (Rider) in the semis and added another in the Stanford dual to sit at 22. With the pin over Laird, Pentz has pinned the #2, #3 and #4 ranked wrestlers in his career.
100 W's for Kish
With NDSU's 30-6 victory over Buffalo in mid-December, North Dakota State head coach Roger Kish scooped up his 100th career dual victory. Kish has since improved to 103-69 in his 12th season as the leader of the Herd.
March Nearly Matches Own NDSU Pin Record
In a dual against Buffalo, Kellyn March pinned Kaleb Burgess in 13 seconds, one second shy of March's fastest career pin and the NDSU Div. I record pin of 12 seconds, set last season in a dual against Edinboro's Clayton Bashor.
Program Hits 600
In the dual victory at Stanford, NDSU wrestling secured program victory No. 600 in dual competition.
The Bison at Home
NDSU holds a 283-121-8 (.697) record at home over the course of the program's 65-year history. Since January of 2019, the Bison are 17-6 (.739) with five of the six losses coming against ranked opposition.
NCAA D1 Qualifiers
The Bison have 58 NCAA Div. I qualifiers in 14 years of postseason eligibility, including 15 over the last three seasons. Rich in wrestling history, the Bison sent 26 to NCAA Div. I Championships from 1971 to 1991, bringing the total to 84. The Bison have 10 All-Americans at the Div. I Championships, including a best finish of 3rd by Steven Monk at 165 in 2014. In 2015, Kurtis Julson and Hayden Zillmer both placed in the top 8.
Head Coach Roger Kish
Roger Kish is in his 12th season at the helm of NDSU wrestling, taking over the program in 2011-12 after he spent two years as an assistant coach under the legendary Bucky Maughan. Under his tenure, the Bison have had seven All-Americans. and two Big XII Champions; Cam Sykora (133 in 2020) and Luke Weber (165 in 2021). Kish was a two-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up for Minnesota at 184 pounds with a career record of 117-27 for the Gophers. He then spent two seasons on staff at Minnesota as a graduate assistant.
Tickets
Tickets are available online at GoBison.com/tickets or by visiting or calling the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex at (701) 231-6378 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets will also be available on Saturday night and Sunday at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 3-17.
On the Xtra
Friday's dual against Wyoming will be televised live on WDAY Xtra. Cullen Holt (play-by-play) and Jack Maughan (color) will have the announcing duties.
Dual Coverage
While Friday's dual will be televised, both duals will be streamed live on NDSU All-Access. The duals will also have live results through TrackWrestling. Links for coverage will be available on GoBison.com.
Series History
The Bison face Wyoming for the 22nd time in head-to-head competition, holding an 8-13 record against the Cowboys. NDSU claimed a 22-14 win over Wyoming last season. NDSU is 12-3 all-time against Utah Valley, winning the last three meetings overall, including a 25-12 win in Brookings in February of 2021, the last time the two met.
Caliendo Named Big XII Wrestler of the Week
Michael Caliendo became the second Bison to be named Big XII Wrestler of the Week this season after his win over #2 Shane Griffith in a dual at Stanford last week. He joins Jared Franek, who picked up the honor on December 12. Caliendo is the seventh Bison overall to win Big XII Wrestler of the Week.
Highest Ranking In Program History
Earlier this season, the Bison climbed to No. 15 in the NWCA Coaches Poll, the highest official ranking in the program's Div. I history. Prior to this season, the Bison had never been ranked higher than 19. In the InterMat poll this week, NDSU climbed one spot to No. 14, which marks the highest the Bison have ever been in any poll in Div. I.
New Program Record for Individual Rankings
The Bison have eight wrestlers receiving ranking recognition in FloWrestling and InterMat. The previous Div. 1 era high was seven, last season. Jared Franek also becoming the highest ranked wrestler at in the Div. 1 era at No. 2.
Bison Second In First NWCA Mid-Major Poll
While the Bison are ranked No. 14 by InterMat and No. 17 in the NWCA Coaches Poll, NDSU also picked up a ranking of second in the first NWCA Mid-Major Top 20 poll, behind only Cornell.
Freshman Caliendo Makes Strong Statement with Battles Against NCAA Champions
Redshirt freshmen Michael Caliendo (14-2) took runner up at the Southern Scuffle, losing 3-2 to #2 Shane Griffith (Stanford), 2021 NCAA Champion. Caliendo avenged the loss last week, defeating #2 Griffith 6-3. Caliendo's only other loss this season came to #1 Keegan O'Toole (Missouri), the 2022 NCAA Champion. In the loss, Caliendo secured two takedowns and held a lead before falling 15-8. O'Toole has only allowed three takedowns all season.
Franek Defends Scuffle Title, Pentz and March Also Win, as Bison Take 2nd
Jared Franek (157) claimed his second-straight Southern Scuffle title to open up 2023. Kellyn March (149) recorded two ranked wins and Owen Pentz (197) added three ranked wins as both went 5-0 to lift their first Scuffle titles. The Bison took second overall, finishing behind Oklahoma State, but ahead of Missouri, Stanford and Minnesota.
Jared Franek Notches Ranked Win #26, Ties Monk for NDSU Record
With Franek's victory over #3 Kendall Coleman (Purdue) in the Southern Scuffle final, he secured his 26th ranked victory, matching Steven Monk's NDSU Div. I record. It was also the highest ranked win in Franek's career.
Pentz Reaches Pin Milestone, Pins #4 at Scuffle
Owen Pentz became just the 10th Bison in the Division I era to record 20 pins with a fall in his opening match at the Southern Scuffle. The junior also pinned #4 Ethan Laird (Rider) in the semis and added another in the Stanford dual to sit at 22. With the pin over Laird, Pentz has pinned the #2, #3 and #4 ranked wrestlers in his career.
100 W's for Kish
With NDSU's 30-6 victory over Buffalo in mid-December, North Dakota State head coach Roger Kish scooped up his 100th career dual victory. Kish has since improved to 103-69 in his 12th season as the leader of the Herd.
March Nearly Matches Own NDSU Pin Record
In a dual against Buffalo, Kellyn March pinned Kaleb Burgess in 13 seconds, one second shy of March's fastest career pin and the NDSU Div. I record pin of 12 seconds, set last season in a dual against Edinboro's Clayton Bashor.
Program Hits 600
In the dual victory at Stanford, NDSU wrestling secured program victory No. 600 in dual competition.
The Bison at Home
NDSU holds a 283-121-8 (.697) record at home over the course of the program's 65-year history. Since January of 2019, the Bison are 17-6 (.739) with five of the six losses coming against ranked opposition.
NCAA D1 Qualifiers
The Bison have 58 NCAA Div. I qualifiers in 14 years of postseason eligibility, including 15 over the last three seasons. Rich in wrestling history, the Bison sent 26 to NCAA Div. I Championships from 1971 to 1991, bringing the total to 84. The Bison have 10 All-Americans at the Div. I Championships, including a best finish of 3rd by Steven Monk at 165 in 2014. In 2015, Kurtis Julson and Hayden Zillmer both placed in the top 8.
Head Coach Roger Kish
Roger Kish is in his 12th season at the helm of NDSU wrestling, taking over the program in 2011-12 after he spent two years as an assistant coach under the legendary Bucky Maughan. Under his tenure, the Bison have had seven All-Americans. and two Big XII Champions; Cam Sykora (133 in 2020) and Luke Weber (165 in 2021). Kish was a two-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up for Minnesota at 184 pounds with a career record of 117-27 for the Gophers. He then spent two seasons on staff at Minnesota as a graduate assistant.
Players Mentioned
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