Saint John's returns to action at the Concordia (Wis.) Duals this Saturday, Jan. 12, in Mequon, Wis. SJU is scheduled to face four opponents from the NCAA West Region: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (9:30 a.m.), Lakeland of Wisconsin (11 a.m.), the host Falcons (12:30 p.m.) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2 p.m.). – Live Stats | Live Video (Concordia Dual Only)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saturday is the first date of competition in exactly one month, since No. 3 (Division II) St. Cloud State won the first six matches in a 33-6 win at Saint John's Dec. 12. SCSU built a 19-0 lead until the Johnnies (3-4 dual record) ended the skid with a pair of matches at 165 and 174 pounds. Senior Chris Stevermer (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake), who was then ranked No. 10 at 157 pounds by D3wrestle.com, just missed a major decision with a 13-6 win at 165. Junior Nick Schuler (Roseville, Minn./Totino-Grace) improved to 6-0 on the year with a 9-3 win at 174. Freshman John Wells (Janesville, Wis./Milton) and senior Cody Goldschmidt (Waconia, Minn./BOLD) lost one-point decisions at 125 and 149 pounds, respectively.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Johnnies fell two spots to No. 29 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Division III team rankings released Jan. 7. Senior Mitch Hagen (4-3 record; Sunburg, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) was ranked fourth by D3wrestle.com (Jan. 8) and sixth by the NWCA at 184 pounds. Stevermer (6-3 record) fell out of D3wrestle.com's top 10 at 157 pounds and is listed as a “contender.” Schuler (6-0 record) was also listed as a “contender” at 165 pounds, while Wells was honorable mention at 125. None of Saturday's four opponents are nationally ranked.
A LOOK AT THE TITANS: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2-4 dual record) went 2-2 at the MSOE Duals last Saturday. Junior Nazar Kulchytskyy, last year's national champion at 157 pounds, is currently ranked second at 165. He is 15-1 with 10 pins on the year, including a pin of Lakeland's Wesley Colton in 18 seconds Jan. 5. The Titans wrestle UWEC Jan. 11 at home and will wrestle only two duals Saturday (SJU and Concordia).
A LOOK AT THE MUSKIES: Lakeland (2-1 dual record) won a pair of dual meets at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) Duals Jan. 5, defeating Wisconsin-Oshkosh (29-22) and Wheaton of Illinois (28-11). LC recorded three pins, a technical fall and a forfeit in the win over Oshkosh. Only three wrestlers on the 27-man roster are seniors (six upperclassmen total). The Muskies are scheduled to compete in two duals Saturday, beginning with the 11 a.m. tilt vs. SJU.
A LOOK AT THE FALCONS: Concordia (1-4 dual record) went 0-4 at the Florida Gulf Coast Duals Dec. 16: Heidelberg of Ohio (7-31), Alma of Michigan (12-33), SUNY-Oneonta (16-24) and Augustana of Illinois (3-43). The Falcons boast two nationally-ranked wrestlers. Sophomore Greg Sanders (22-2 record) is ranked as high as fourth at 149 pounds and classmate Sean Ambrocio (14-5 record) is listed as high as eighth at 125 by D3wrestle.com. Sanders has won each of his last 14 matches (19 of his last 20).
A LOOK AT THE BLUGOLDS: Eau Claire (1-10 record) earned its first dual win of the season with a 46-0 drubbing of Maranatha Bible Baptist in the MSOE Duals' finale Jan. 5. Junior Mat Rieckhoff (9-4 record) is ranked ninth (D3wrestle.com) and 10th (NWCA) at 184 pounds. He defeated Hagen by a 9-2 for the consolation championship Nov. 17 at the Augsburg Open. The Johnnies defeated UWEC 42-9 earlier this season to wrap up the Wisconsin-La Crosse Duals Dec. 1.
