University of Minnesota Athletics
Wrestling Team Has Sights Set on National Title
11/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
When a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships is a disappointment, it says something about the expectations surrounding a program. The Golden Gophers played the role of underdog through the early part of last season but quickly proved they were one of the elite teams in the nation.
Defending national champions Cole Konrad and Dustin Schlatter lead a group of four All-Americans and seven NCAA qualifiers who return from last year’s team. In addition, C.P. Schlatter and Roger Kish both won Big Ten titles last year and also have their sights set on capturing national titles this season. With an abundance of talent and experience returning, Minnesota expects nothing less than to finish at the top as a team this year.
“Last year we were fighting to get to the top and didn’t finish where we wanted to be,” Head Coach J Robinson said. “This year the guys are a little hungrier. They realize that being No. 1 during the year doesn’t equate to being there at the end of the year, so they’re taking a different approach.These guys expect to do great things, and they have the maturity to understand what they need to do to reach their ultimate goal.”
The foundation is definitely in place to make a run at the NCAA Championships, but the performance of a number of young wrestlers, veterans and a transfer will determine whether the Gophers will be a great team. Redshirt freshman Jayson Ness is expected to start at 125 pounds, while a number of wreslters are battling for time at the 133, 165 and 197 spots.
In order to reach the goal of winning the national championship, the coaching staff knows it is going to take an entire team effort from top to bottom.
“Our goal is always to get 10 guys to perform at their best in order to compete for the national title,” Robinson said. “We have to continue to improve from week to week and keep our attitude and focus on what we need to do. There will be bumps along the way, but when the time comes we have to rise to the occasion, and this is a team that can do that.”
Pitted as the top team in the nation by every preseason poll, the Gophers have nothing left to do but go out and prove they are deserving. It is a challenge they have been waiting for since the end of last season.
“It’s been a long wait for these guys to get back out on the mat and start competing,” Assistant Coach Joe Russell stated. “Coming off of last year, winning the Big Ten team title and taking second at nationals, the guys are hungry and anxious to get back out there.”
125
Redshirt freshman Jayson Ness is primed to take over the reins at 125 pounds. After a redshirt season last year, Ness’s coaches and teammates have raved about his work ethic and the progress he made over the offseason. A former two-time state champion and Asics All-American out of Bloomington Kennedy High School, Ness compiled a 19-4 overall record with seven pins while wrestling at 125 and 133 pounds in his first year of collegiate competition. He took titles at the Flash Flanagan and North Country Opens and finished second in the under-20 division at the Kaufman-Brand Open. Following a season in which the 125-pound weight class was up for grabs for most of the year, the Minnesota coaching staff expects a consistent performance from Ness this year.
“Jayson has always been a guy who has competed at the highest level nationally,” Russell said. “He had a great redshirt year and put himself in a place where he’ll be very competitive in his first season in the starting lineup. He’s stepping in as a redshirt freshman, but he’s gained a lot of experience over the years and we expect big things out of him.”
133
A preseason injury to two-time All-American Mack Reiter has made things interesting for the Gophers at 133, but two very capable true freshman are anxious to get their feet wet. Mike Thorn and Jake Mellmer will battle for the starting spot until Reiter’s expected return in early February.
The Wrestler of the Year in the state of Minnesota a year ago, Thorn won three state titles and was a four-time finalist during his prep career. A native of St. Michael, Minn., he is a former Cadet National Champion and Junior National All-American.
Mellmer followed his brother Marc’s footsteps to the University of Minnesota and comes in with some very impressive credentials as well. The Dickinson, N.D., native was a four-time North Dakota state champion and five-time state finalist.
With such big shoes to fill, Thorn and Mellmer will have to grow up quickly, but the competition between the two will benefit both of them as they prepare to compete at the Division I level.
“Both of the freshman are excited,” Robinson stated. “It’s going to be great for them because they’re going to get a lot of attention and it’s going to help them see what they need to do. We need to help them out as much as we can until Mack comes back in February.”
141
Manuel Rivera was one of most improved wrestlers on the Golden Gopher roster a year ago. He set himself apart from the other wrestlers who began the season looking to compete for the starting spot at 141 and put together a solid sophomore season. Rivera finished with a 28-15 overall record, including a 5-2 mark during the Big Ten season. Rivera went on to compete in his first NCAA Championships and gained valuable experience that will benefit him heading into this season.
“Manuel has established himself as one of the elite wrestlers in college wrestling,” Russell stated. “He had a great spring and summer of training and we expect him to step up and continue to grow. It’s his time to shine, and I think he’s ready.”
149
It is atypical under Head Coach J Robinson for a freshman not to redshirt, but when Dustin Schlatter arrived on campus last year, the Minnesota coaching staff had no choice but to put him in the lineup. He rewarded them with the best freshman season in school history. Schlatter turned it on in the second half of the year and turned heads with his performance at the 2006 National Duals when he defeated three top-five opponents. He went on to finish his freshman campaign with a 42-1 overall record and became the first Gopher freshman to win an individual national title. Though he ended the season at the top of the collegiate wrestling world, Schlatter is not satisfied and intends to dominate again this year.
“He’s not settling for being a one-time national champion,” Assistant Coach Marty Morgan said. “He’s been a team leader for us this fall, working hard twice a day and continually trying to improve. There are always people out there laying in the weeds looking to beat you, and he knows that so he’s trying to stay ahead of those guys.”
Seniors Danny Williams and Juan Martinez join Schlatter at 149 pounds and will look to finish their careers by contributing to a Big Ten and national title. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Williams is a two-year letterwinner who has competed in 13 dual meets and accumulated 21 wins over the course of his career. He finished second to Schlatter at the Bison Open last season and competed in one dual meet at 157 pounds. Martinez has compiled a 19-11 overall record over the last three seasons. A native of South St. Paul, he has finished with a record of .500 or better every year during his collegiate career.
157
Often overshadowed by his brother’s success last year, C.P. Schlatter also had a breakout season in 2005-06. After spending much of his freshman season competing at 149 pounds, Schlatter thrived when given the opportunity to wrestle at his ideal weight last year. He dominated the dual meet season, outscoring his opponents 62-6, and finished with an impressive 36-7 overall record, including a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten. Schlatter went on to capture his first conference title and competed in his second NCAA Championships. He hopes to use that experience to reach the next level and compete for an individual national title this year.
“We expect C.P. to come back and defend his Big Ten title and then go on to nationals and do great things,” Russell commented. “He’s been really solid for us his first couple of years despite having to overcome a major injury. He’s done a great job and we expect him to step up even more this year in his junior season.”
Sophomore Tyler Safratowich moves up a couple of weight classes this year and will battle for time at 157 and 165 pounds for the Gophers. A native of Park Rapids, Minn., Safratowich finished the 2005-06 season with a 16-9 overall record and competed in three dual meets, filling in for Manuel Rivera and Dustin Schlatter.
165
The Gophers have four veterans and one true freshman competing to fill the void left by All-American Matt Nagel at 165 pounds. Juniors Mitch Kuhlman, Jeremy Larson and Matt Everson, redshirt freshman Nate Matousek and true freshman Scott Glasser are all looking to make their case during the preseason.
Kuhlman is the most battle-tested of the bunch, coming off a season which he spent competing at 197 pounds against wrestlers who often outweighed him by more than 20 pounds. The Medford, Minn., native held his own at 197 despite being outmatched, finishing the year with a 14-15 overall record, including a 3-4 mark during the conference season. He competed in his first Big Ten Championships and looks to make a bigger impact this year now that he is competing at his ideal weight.
Larson is an experienced wrestler who showed great improvement last season. A native of Preston, Minn., he finished the year with a 13-5 overall record with five pins. As a redshirt freshman, Larson competed in eight dual meets in place of Gabe Dretsch at 174 and Roger Kish at 184 pounds.
Everson moves up to 165 this season after compiling an 11-6 record at 157 pounds a year ago. A wrestler who has developed in each of his first two years with the program, Everson has a 23-15 overall record during his career.
True freshman Scott Glasser arrives on the University of Minnesota campus with some very impressive credentials to his credit. The only five-time Class A state champion North Dakota history, Glasser was part of a Bismarck High School team that has captured seven consecutive state dual team titles. He was a Wrestling USA All-American and placed second at the 2006 Junior Freestyle Nationals.
“We have three veterans who are looking to replace Matt Nagel, along with a true freshman,” Morgan said. “We have to wrestle the best guy on the mat, and eventually through competition we’ll figure out who the best guy is. Whoever steps forward at that weight will need to make an immediate impact.”
174
Junior Gabriel Dretsch has made significant strides over the last two seasons and has solidified the starting spot at 174 pounds. He competed in his second NCAA Championships last season after a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Big Ten Tournament. After falling to top-seed and eventual NCAA Champion Jake Herbert in the first round of the conference meet, Dretsch rallied to win three consecutive matches to earn his second NCAA Tournament appearance. He finished the season with a 28-16 overall record and looks to build on that performance this year.
“Gabe has been a starter for us for two years now,” Russell said. “That experience has been valuable for him. He’s an upperclassmen now, so we expect him to be one of the anchors of our team. Gabe is a little bit of an unorthodox wrestler, but he uses that to his advantage and is exciting to watch because he leaves everything out on the mat.”
184
After a runner-up finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships, Roger Kish is hungry for more and enters this season with the singular goal of capturing an individual national title. Kish emerged as one of the top wrestlers on the team last season with a breakout performance in which he won 19 of his final 21 matches. He won his first Big Ten title and then put together a remarkable run at the NCAA meet, winning his first four matches to earn his first All-America distinction. He finished the year with a 37-5 overall record, including a 17-4 mark in dual meets. Kish dedicated himself over the offseason to perfecting his positions and enters the 2006-07 season as one of the most focused wrestlers on the roster.
“After January last year, Roger broke through and I think realized how good he can be,” Morgan stated. “This year he has a different mindset. He’s not looking just to win this year – he wants to dominate.”
197
The Minnesota coaching staff believes increased competition at 197 pounds will lead to stronger results. With five wrestlers in the mix during the preseason, the starting spot is there for the taking.
“We have a lot of tradition at 197, so the expectations are high for whoever steps in there,” Robinson stated. “It’s not just finding a guy to stick in the lineup – it’s a guy we expect to do well at nationals. We have some talented guys at that weight class and we expect one of them to step up and be there in the end.”
Junior Justin Bronson returns with the most experience after he split time with Mitch Kuhlman in the starting lineup last year. After competing at heavyweight during his freshman season, last year was an adjustment period for Bronson, but he has made significant strides during the offseason and has his sights set on a full-time starting position.
Junior college transfer Yura Malamura joins the Golden Gopher program and hopes to have an immediate impact. The 2005 National Junior College champion, Malamura has three years of eligibility remaining after taking a redshirt season last year.
True freshman Brent Eidenschink has been impressive during preseason workouts and will also factor into the equation. A product of Detroit Lakes High School, Eidenschink holds the school’s career and season records for wins and pins. He was a three-time all-state selection and four-time Cadet All-American.
Redshirt freshman Chris McPhail and junior Jason Waidzulis will also push for consideration. McPhail compiled a 9-8 overall record last year during his first season of collegiate competition. Waidzulis has continued to work hard and shown improvement during his first two seasons with the program. He has made one dual meet start in his career.
“The competition should be good for our team because somebody is going to have to step up and control that weight class,” Robinson said.
HWT
Defending national champion Cole Konrad is the class of the NCAA in the heavyweight division. A three-time All-American, Konrad finished the 2005-06 season with a perfect 41-0 record and needs just 18 straight wins to open the year to break Tim Hartung’s school record of 58 consecutive victories. With a 120-13 career record, he is on pace to challenge Ed Giese’s 20-year old school record of 159 career victories. Entering his senior year, Konrad intends to cap off his brilliant career with his third straight Big Ten title and second NCAA crown.
“Cole has handled the whole situation really well,” Morgan commented. “He’s confident in where he’s at this year but hasn’t settled for complacency. He has trained as hard, if not harder, than he ever has before with the idea that he wants to distance himself from the rest of the competition.”
SCHEDULE
In addition to the always grueling Big Ten slate, Minnesota will challenge itself against a number of perennial contenders during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Defending NCAA Champion Oklahoma State will visit the Sports Pavilion on Wed., Dec. 6, and the Gophers will turn right around to face Iowa State in Ames, Iowa on Dec. 8. The Gophers will also entertain Arizona State on Jan. 2.
Minnesota will seek to defend its National Duals on Jan. 13-14 in Cedar Falls, Iowa before opening the Big Ten season with three straight home matches against Penn State (Jan. 21), Michigan (Jan. 26) and Purdue (Jan. 28). Minnesota will finish the season with five of its final six dual meets. The Gophers travel to Indiana (Feb. 2), Illinois (Feb. 4), Nebraska (Feb. 11), Wisconsin (Feb. 16) and Iowa (Feb. 18). The final home meet of the season will be on Feb. 9 against Michigan State.
Minnesota will look to defend its conference title at the 2007 Big Ten Championships, which will be held on the campus of Michigan State University, Mar. 3-4. Two weeks later, the Gophers will return to Michigan and attempt to capture a national title at the 2007 NCAA Championships at the Palace of Auburn Hills near Detroit.
“We always prepare a very rigorous schedule because the national tournament is so rigorous,” Morgan stated. “Plus, when you plan a schedule like that, it also helps to market our sport. Bringing in the biggest names and going other places and wrestling against the biggest names helps our guys deal with pressure. We’re not the type of program that says March is all that matters. Our guys believe every match matters, so we set out to perform at our highest level at all times.”
