Saint John's wrestling begins the 2026-27 season by hosting Division II MSU-Moorhead (5 p.m.) and Saskatchewan (7 p.m.) on Friday, Nov. 6, at Sexton Arena.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's posted a 4-6 dual record and finished 10th of 16 teams at the NCAA Regional in 2025-26. Junior Connor Krueger (Superior, Wis.) became the first Johnnie since 2020 to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships when he made the field at 133 pounds.

SENIOR STANDOUTS: Krueger went 0-2 at the NCAA Division III Championships to end the 2025-26 season with a 21-5 record. He registered an impressive 22-11 record as a freshman in 2023-24 but suffered an injury in the Johnnies' 2024-25 season opener and missed two months. He ended the campaign one win shy of reaching the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place finish at 133 pounds at the regional and finished with a 9-6 record.

Classmate Aidan Wayne (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) finished eighth at 197 pounds at the NCAA Regional and posted a team-best 31-7 record.

PRESEASON RANKINGS: Krueger was ranked No. 13 nationally at 133 pounds in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) preseason rankings released Oct. 30. He was also listed at No. 3 in the Region 7 rankings.

NEW MAN AT THE TOP: Alex Van Krevelen was named the Johnnies' head wrestling coach April 14 after serving as head wrestling coach at Shakopee High School the past five seasons (2021-26). He led the Sabers to Minnesota Class AAA runner-up finishes in 2026 and 2025, as well as third-place finishes in 2024 and 2022. Six of the 11 state qualifiers placed in the top six in February, including three state champions and two runners-up. 

Shakopee compiled a 133-20 dual record and qualified 45 wrestlers for the state tournament, 25 of whom placed in the top six during Van Krevelen's five-year tenure: four champions, six runners-up, four third-place, four fourth-place, four fifth-place and three sixth-place. A four-time Section 6AAA Head Coach of the Year, Van Krevelen directed Shakopee to four section championships and won the South Suburban Conference four times.

Van Krevelen coached for seven years (2014-21) as an assistant coach at Prior Lake High School. Prior to that, he coached three years (2011-14) at St. Michael-Albertville High School).