Saint John's wrestling returns to the mat with a trip south to compete at Central's Under Armour Invitational at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, in Pella, Iowa. – Live Results

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Eleven Saint John's wrestlers competed nearly a month ago (Dec. 7) in the White Division of Division II MSU-Moorhead's Dragon Open. Four Johnnies – all sophomores – reached the podium with two wins or more each. 

Gabe Shatskikh (Faribault, Minn.) won his first two matches via pin at 184 pounds – the first of his collegiate career – and earned second place following a third-period fall to Division II Southwest Minnesota State's Jonah Anderson in the championship bout.

Kris Castro (Simi Valley, Calif./Chaminade) led the Johnnies with four wins (4-2 record) to take fourth at 157 pounds. He won his first match with a 12-5 decision but fell to SMSU's Tate Condezo in the quarterfinal. Castro bounced back with three-straight wins – a pin in 2:12 and two major decisions – before falling to Division II St. Cloud State's Jeroen Smith in the third-place match.

Xavier Jones (Annandale, Minn.) also claimed fourth with a 2-2 record at 125 pounds, while Aidan Wayne (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) placed fifth with a 3-2 record at heavyweight. Wayne recorded two more pins, including in the fifth-place match over the Dragons' Burak Bowers, and now leads the team with a 9-3 record and five falls.

WHO WILL BE THERE: The Johnnies and host Dutch are scheduled to be joined by Augsburg, NAIA Benedictine (Kan.), NAIA Briar Cliff (Iowa), Cornell (Iowa), NAIA Dickinson State (N.D.), NAIA Grand View (Iowa), Division II MSU-Mankato, Nebraska Wesleyan, NAIA Northwestern (Iowa), Simpson (Iowa), Division II Upper Iowa, Wartburg (Iowa) and NAIA William Penn.

LAST YEAR'S TOURNEY: SJU recorded five top-two finishes, including three titles, in the silver brackets of last year's Under Armour Invitational.

Junior Zachariah Hunter (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) led the Johnnies with three pins, including two against SJU teammates, to win the 12-man 197-pound bracket.

Senior Cage Linton (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) matched Hunter's 3-0 record to win the 184-pound title and sophomore Connor Krueger (Superior, Wis.) posted a 2-0 mark to win the 141-pound bracket. Wayne went 3-1 with a pair of pins to place second at 197 pounds.