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St. Cloud State Wrestling Preview for 2009-10

By Tom Nelson, SCSU Athletic Media Relations

November 6, 2009

Coach Steve Costanzo has helped St. Cloud State University wrestling regain a place among the nation’s elite NCAA Division II programs since his arrival on campus in 2006.

Costanzo has helped lift the Huskies to consecutive winning seasons in 2007-08 and 2008-09, and last year SCSU broke the top 10 barrier at the NCAA Division II championships with an eighth place team finish - the Huskies’ best finish at the national level since 1986.

In those first three seasons, Costanzo and the Huskies relied on a large contigent of talented but young wrestlers. As the Huskies approach the dawn of the 2009-10 season, Costanzo looks to benefit from the experience gained by his troops over those first three seasons.

“One of our key strengths this season will be our veteran leadership,” Costanzo said. “In my first three seasons at SCSU, we didn’t have a lot of veteran leadership and our younger athletes didn’t have anyone to look up to. Now that this team is starting to get a bit older, we have those junior and seniors who serve as leaders and role models in the wrestling room, in the class and in competition.

“Veteran leadership can take you a long way during the course of a season.”

On paper, the Huskies should be a strong contender for continued success in 2009-10. SCSU will return six national qualifiers and three All-Americans from its 2008-09 squad, which posted an 8-5 dual match record, and placed second at the NCAA Division II Super Regional Three in 2009.

125-POUNDS

At 125-pounds, the Huskies will look to fill that position with a trio of true freshman student-athletes which includes Zach Stewart (Green Bay, Wis.Ashwaubenon H.S.), Trent Herold (East Bethel, Minn./St. Francis H.S.) and Mark Maestrey (Toms River, N.J./South H.S.).

“All three of these wrestlers are very capable of competiting for us this season,” Costanzo said. “They all have very impressive credentials and I have been very impressed with their work ethic and ability to compete.”

133-POUNDS

At 133-pounds, the Huskies will need to find a replacement for departed two-time NCAA qualifier Josh Williams. Names to watch in 2009-10 include redshirt sophomore Adam Helgeson from nearby Sauk Centre H.S. and true freshman Shane McQuade (Appleton, Wis./West H.S.). Helgeson was 6-4 in 2008-09, which included a first place finish at the 2008 Dragon Open.

141-POUNDS

At 141-pounds, two-time NCAA qualifier and team captain Gabe Suarez (Las Vegas, Nev./Cimarron Memorial H.S.) will be back for his junior season at SCSU. Suarez went 27-11 in 2008-09, and also gained first place honors at the NCAA regional. Redshirt freshman Chad Schultz will add solid depth at this position.

“Gabe (Suarez) is a relentless wrestler. He always on the attack and very exciting to watch,” Costanzo said. “We feel very good about his presence at 141-pounds, and he has developed into one of this team’s leaders.”

Senior Jacob Roberts (Jordan, Minn./Scott West H.S.) will be back for the Huskies after qualifying for nationals at 149-pounds in 2009. Roberts went 28-11 last winter, which marked his first full season of competition at SCSU after transferring from Augsburg.

149-POUNDS

The Huskies will be very deep at 149-pounds, as Costanzo sees competition at this position from redshirt freshman Alex Kontz (Canby, Minn.), redshirt sophomore Joe Andersen (Bemidji, Minn.), redshirt junior Chad Kubash (New Germany, Minn./Watertown-Mayer H.S.) and true freshmen Mac Rivard (Cedar, Minn./St. Francis H.S.) and Jacob Horn (St. Michael/St. Michael-Albertville H.S.).

“Jake (Roberts) will certainly be a front runner at 149-pounds, but we do have a lot of talented wrestlers at this spot, who will certainly compete for mat time,” Costanzo said.

157-POUNDS

At 157-pounds, junior John Sundgren (Blaine, Minn.) will return from an outstanding 34-8 season that included 14 pins. He is a two-time NCAA qualifier, who earned All-America status in 2008. Sundgren has also been tabbed a a team captain for 2009-10. His excellence on the mat is mirrored in the classroom, as he has gained NWCA and NSIC academic accolades throughout his tenure on campus.

“John (Sundgren) is a leader for us on and off the mat,” Costanzo said. “He is a very consistent performer and we expect more success from him this winter.”

Other names who will compete at 157-pounds for the Huskies this winter include redshirt freshmen Josh Joriman (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial H.S.) and Mike Cullen (Coon Rapids, Minn.) along with redshirt senior Adam Minette (New Prague, Minn.).

165-POUNDS

The Huskies will be in good hands at 165-pounds with the return of redshirt sophomore and team captain Tad Merritt (Canby, Minn.). In 2008-09, Merritt tied a school record with 38 wins and also set a team record with 17 pins. He went on a place third in the nation at the NCAA championships. Kurt Salmen (Dassel, Minn./Dassel-Cokato H.S.) will add depth at 165-pounds for SCSU this winter.

“Tad (Merritt) will be in the heat of it for a possible national championship,” Costanzo said. “He is just one of those hard-nosed guys...all business and very consistent on a day-to-day basis. A team leader.”

“Tad is exceptional in all three areas of wrestling...he doesn’t have just one strength, and that is what makes him unique.”

174-POUNDS/184-POUNDS

In 2008-09, Derek Skala (Owatonna H.S.) earned All-America honors at 174-pounds with a seventh place finish. Skala posted a 27-9 record last winter, which included seven pins. A team captain and redshirt junior in 2009-10, Skala will be a force for the Huskies at 174-pounds or 184-pounds this winter.

“Derek (Skala) will be a front runner for us at either 174-pounds or 184-pounds,” Costanzo said. “With the departure of two-time All-American Brad Padgett at 184-pounds, we feel that 184-pounds might be a better weight class for Derek to wrestle at in 2009-10. This would allow him to spend more time training and less time worrying about his weight. He is such a strong, physical wrestler, we think he should be able to meet the challenge of moving up to 184-pounds.”

Redshirt freshman Shamus O’Grady (Coon Rapids, Minn.) should be a strong candidate for time at 174-pounds if Skala makes the move to 184-pounds. Last winter, O’Grady earned the team’s Redshirt Wrestler of the Year award.

“We feel pretty good with Shamus (O’Grady) back in room this winter,” Costanzo said. “We feel that he should be ready to take a starting role this winter.”

To add depth at 184-pounds, the Huskies have added true freshman Mic Berg (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley H.S.) and sophomore Kyle Schumm (Buffalo, Minn./St. Michael/Albertville H.S.), who is a transfer from St. John’s.

197-POUNDS

At 197-pounds, redshirt sophomore Luke Munkelwitz returns from a 29-13 campaign in 2008-09. An NCAA qualifier last winter, Munkelwitz will be challenged in 2009-10 by senior Ted Saatzer (Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka H.S.)., redshirt junior Erik Rogness (Buffalo, Minn.), redshirt fresman Josh Conrath (Waseca, Minn.) and redshirt freshman Josh Antonneau (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead H.S.).

HEAVYWEIGHT

In recent years, SCSU has struggled to fill its heavyweight position, but the Huskies hope to have a couple of answers to the problem in 2009-10. Redshirt freshman Jacob Kahnke (Shakopee, Minn.) will join the Huskies this winter after transferring from Division I Old Dominion. He is a two-time state champion from Prior Lake H.S. Freshman Chris Brassell from the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South H.S.) is another person to watch this winter.

“Although we will be inexperienced at heavyweight, we should be in very good hands with Jacob (Kahnke) and Chris (Brassell),” Costanzo said.

TOUGH SCHEDULE FOR THE HUSKIES

Coach Costanzo has designed a very competitive schedule to test his squad, and prepare them for the 2010 NCAA Division II championships. The Huskies will open with a trip to the Northwestern Duals on Nov. 14, which will feature matches against Division I rivals Northwestern and Eastern Michigan.

SCSU will then make trips to the Cobbert Open and the UW-LaCrosse Duals, before hosting the annual Husky Open in Halenbeck Hall on Dec. 12.

A highlight of the holiday break will be a trip to the elite Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill. on Dec. 29-30. The Huskies also received an invitation to the prestigious NWCA National Duals, which will be held in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Jan. 9-10.

SCSU will then embark on the dual meet portion of its season with a full slate of matches against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rivals along with non-conference showdowns against UW-Eau Claire, defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha and cross-county rival St. John’s.

All will be in preparation for the NCAA Division II Super Three Regional at Aberdeen, S.D. on Feb. 28, and the NCAA championships on Mar. 12-13 in Omaha, Neb.

“We have upgraded our schedule for the 2009-10 season,” Costanzo said. “We did this with hopes of better preparing us for the regional and nationals at the end of the season.

“We know this will be a very tough schedule for us, but we think this will be the best way to prepare us for a shot at being a national champion,” Costanzo said. “This team is a bit older this year, and we are confident they can handle the challenge. We just need to step up and take it to the next level.”