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Minnesota Opens Big Ten Season Against Wisconsin
1/7/2020 3:26:00 PM | Wrestling
The Maroon and Gold are ready to welcome the Wisconsin Badgers to Maturi Pavilion on January 10 to kick-off the 2020 conference schedule.
After eight nonconference duals the time has come for the Gophers to face their traditional conference opponents beginning with their bitter border rival: The Badgers.
Last season Minnesota defeated the Badgers 24-10 and have not lost to the team from Madison in over ten seasons.
The dual features several ranked matchups and is headlined by the heavyweight bout between No.2 Gable Steveson and No.5 Trent Hillger.
Plus, 2000 NCAA Champion and current international superstar Brock Lesnar will return to Maturi Pavilion as an honorary coach. For more information click HERE.
The dual can be found live on Big Ten Network as commentators Tim Johnson, Jim Gibbons, and Shane Sparks provide the coverage.
Scouting the Badgers
The No.9 Wisconsin Badgers are 7-1 this season and 0-1 within the Big Ten conference after falling to Iowa in the beginning of December. Led by head coach Chris Bono, the Badgers finished 4th at the Midlands Championships with one champion, Seth Gross.
Wisconsin has five ranked wrestlers as led by the top-ranked Gross.
Gophers Lineup (FloWrestling Rankings)
125: No.13 Patrick McKee (13-5)
133: Brent Jones (6-8) OR Jake Gliva (6-6)
141: No.2 Mitch McKee (19-1)
149: No.4 Brayton Lee (17-2)
157: Carson Brolsma (10-8) OR Ryan Thomas (7-4)
165: Bailee O'Reilly (16-5)
174: No.7 Devin Skatzka (20-4)
184: No.17 Owen Webster (15-5)
197: Garrett Joles (8-9) OR Hunter Ritter (16-4)
HWT: No.2 Gable Steveson (5-0)
Wisconsin Lineup
125: Eric Barnett (15-3)
133: No. 1 Seth Gross (15-1) OR Kyle Burwick (11-4)
141: No. 9 Tristan Moran (13-2)
149: No. 12 Cole Martin (9-4)
157: Drew Scharenbrock (16-6) OR Garrett Model (6-10)
165: No. 6 Evan Wick (15-2)
174: Tyler Dow (7-7) or Jared Krattiger (6-8)
184: No. 13 Johnny Sebastian (7-2)
197: Taylor Watkins (5-10) OR Peter Christensen (8-7)
285: No. 5 Trent Hillger (14-2)
Big Brock is Back
International superstar Brock Lesnar has been named as an honorary Gophers coach for the team's Big Ten opener against Wisconsin on Friday January 10,2020 as the program celebrates the 20th anniversary of his NCAA Championship.
The 2000 NCAA National Champion will be honored during the dual as he celebrates the anniversary of his 3-2 victory over Iowa's Wes Hand in sudden victory. Plus, all kids in eighth-grade and below will get the opportunity to take a group photo with the legend.
Big Ten Debuts
With such a young roster the Gophers have several grapplers set to make their conference debuts at Maturi Pavilion on Friday. The list of Maroon and Gold wrestlers set to reach the milestone include 125-pound Patrick McKee, 133-pound Jake Gliva, 149-pound Brayton Lee, and 165-pound Bailee O'Reilly.
All four of the underclassmen made their dual debuts earlier in the season and are now set for an uptick in competition. The group has a combined record of 52-18 and 21 bonus point victories. .
McKee Finishing Career Strong
Halfway through his senior season Mitch McKee is on pace for a career-year for the Gophers that has him surging in the record books.
This season McKee is already 19-1 with eight pins and needs only five victories plus three pins to set career-highs in both categories. He's already tied his career-high with 13 bonus point victories which he set in the 2017-18 season while competing at 133-pounds.
The Minnesota native continues to climb the All-Time pins list and now sits at 12th in Maroon and Gold history alongside Jared Lawrence (1998-2003). Lawrence was one of McKee's club coaches at nearby PINacle Wrestling School.
The 2019 All-American can center the Top-Ten with four more pins to tie himself with Dylan Ness (2010-2015) and Mike Thorn (2006-2010) with 37.
Also, McKee is now at 54th in history with a career record of 86-37. The St. Michael-Albertville product can enter the Top-50 with eight more wins to tie Mike McArthur (1974-77).
Bailee Making an Impact
In his first season as a Gophers starter Bailee O'Reilly is off to a great start. As we enter the conference season O'Reilly is 16-5 with four of his losses coming to ranked opponents.
The Goodhue native is also 7-1 in duals after going undefeated at the South Beach Duals to close out 2019. O'Reilly has shown off his offense with six bonus point victories consisting of five major decisions and a pin.
Ritter's Return
Hunter Ritter is set to go in Maturi Pavilion in his first season in Maroon and Gold.
The Maryland native will bump up to 197-pounds the rest of the season after placing sixth at the 57th Midlands Championships at the end of 2019.
Ritter is now set to make his Maroon and Gold home debut against his former team. Ritter was a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Badgers in 2017 and 2018 at 184-pounds.
Next Up
Big Ten action continues with a road trip to face Michigan State and Michigan the following weekend before returning home for the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 26.
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