The Saint John's University wrestling team, ranked No. 11 nationally, hosts No. 1-ranked Augsburg this Thursday, Jan. 14. The dual is scheduled to begin with junior varsity at 6 p.m., followed by varsity at 7:30 p.m. in Sexton Arena. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages 10-17). Children ages nine and under, as well as CSB/SJU students with proper ID, may gain free admittance. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Results
Preview Video:
-Head Coach Brandon Novak (2:36)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's finished eighth out of 16 teams at the elite NWCA/Cliff Keen Division III National Duals on Sunday, Jan. 10, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. SJU went 2-1 on Saturday, falling to then-No. 12 Delaware Valley (22-15) in the opening round, before defeating Dubuque (Iowa), 19-18, and North Central (Ill.), 15-15 (won by tie-breaker criteria, most near-fall points). SJU lost to No. 9 Concordia-Moorhead (22-13) and then-No. 16 Cornell of Iowa (25-20) on Sunday. The Johnnies surrendered six points each dual the final day of competition due to a forfeit at 125 pounds. Junior Matt Baarson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) finished the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record at 165 pounds, while senior Mogi Baatar (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.) posted a 4-1 mark.
A LOOK AT THE AUGGIES: Behind a pin by Zach Molitor (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) at 174 pounds, Augsburg captured its fifth National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen Division III National Duals title with an 18-15 championship-match triumph over Wartburg (Iowa) on Sunday. Augsburg, now 7-0 in dual meets, claimed its second straight National Duals title and fifth in the nine-year history of the Division III event.
THE LATEST RANKINGS: Thursday's dual is capable of featuring 11 nationally-ranked wrestlers, three of which hail from SJU: Baatar, No. 2 at 133 pounds (14-3 record); junior Minga Batsukh (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.), No. 2 at 141 pounds (3-1 record); and sophomore Matt Pfarr (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson), No. 9 at 174 pounds (10-4 record). Eight individuals were ranked in the latest Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) rankings released Jan. 11: Paul Bjorkstrand, No. 6 at 133 pounds (18-5 record); Jafari Vanier, No 5 at 141 pounds (2-1 record); Tony Valek, No. 2 at 149 pounds; Jason Adams, No. 5 at 157 pounds (23-2 record); Orlando Ponce, No. 6 at 165 pounds (18-7 record); Zach Molitor, No. 3 at 174 pounds (15-2 record); Jared Massey, No. 1 at 197 pounds (13-0 record); and Andrew Witzel, No. 7 at 285 pounds (14-5 record).
THE LAST MEETING: Saint John's University snapped a 22-match losing streak to Augsburg with an 18-13 win on Nov. 26 in Minneapolis. The win, which was the first for the Johnnies over the Auggies since the 1985-86 season, also broke two other Augsburg winning streaks - a streak of 70 straight victories over Minnesota Division II or III opponents since 1996, and a streak of 92 straight victories over Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes stretching to the 1986-87 season. The Johnnies built an 18-6 lead after eight bouts and withstood Augsburg wins in the final two matches to secure the dual victory. The Johnnies claimed three wins on riding-time bonus points -- a 4-3 win by sophomore Chad Henle (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer) over Augsburg's Josh Roberts at 125; a 3-2 win by Baarson over Augsburg's No. 3-ranked Jason Adams at 157; and a 4-3 win by senior Matt Schrupp over Augsburg's Brandon Klukow at 165. Augsburg's Lucas Murray used a takedown and three-point near-fall midway through the third period to claim an 11-8 win over Batsukh at 141. Junior Dustin Baxter (Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley) used a takedown with 14 seconds left to score a 12-10 win in his first match of the season over Augsburg's Garrett Long at 184. Junior John Vaith (Hastings, Minn.) used a reversal and a three-point near-fall in the third period to rally for an 8-6 win over Augsburg's Tony Valek at 149, while senior Grant Eustice scored a 6-3 win over Augsburg's Brandon Bahr at 174.
