MSHSL Return to Participation Task Force continues its work

Group will make recommendation to Board of Directors on Aug. 4

BROOKLYN CENTER, MN — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement today of Executive Order 20-82 provides Minnesota schools direction for how they will return to learning for the 2020-2021 school year.

With that direction, the Minnesota State High School League’s Return to Participation Task Force will continue its work in developing programming options for the 2020-2021 school year to present to the League’s Board of Directors for final consideration and approval.

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St. Cloud State mourns the passing of Coach Steve Grimit

St. Cloud State University mourns the loss of Coach Steve Grimit (1962-2020), who passed away on Wednesday, July 22.

“On behalf of St. Cloud State University and Huskies Athletics, we offer our sincere condolences to the Grimit family.,” St. Cloud State Director of Athletic Heather Weems said. “Steve’s personality on the field was bigger than life and he made a significant impact on hundreds of student-athletes. He loved coaching and helping young men develop as people and players. He will be remembered by many for his passion and big voice on the sidelines.”

Grimit served as the Huskies’ defensive line football coach for 27 years and was also SCSU’s head wrestling coach for 12 seasons. He coached numerous All-Conference and All-America players, helped the SCSU football win two conference championships, earn four NCAA playoff bids and positively impact the lives of SCSU student-athletes during his tenure with the Huskies.

“I have lost a great friend and am having a difficult time thinking about what things will be like for me and all those who came in contact with Steve,” said Scott Underwood, who worked at SCSU with Grimit since 2001 and went on to serve as the Huskies’ head football coach from 2008 to 2019.

Continue readingSt. Cloud State mourns the passing of Coach Steve Grimit

USA Wrestlings Senior Nationals, featuring nations top Olympic-caliber wrestlers, set for Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11

USA Wrestling has announced that it will host its Senior Nationals, featuring the nation’s top international-style wrestlers, at the new Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11. The event will highlight competition in the three Olympic disciplines: men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman.

The Iowa City/Coralville region is considered one of the world’s hotbeds for wrestling, and has hosted numerous major USA Wrestling competitions in the past. Think Iowa City, the convention and visitors bureau for the Iowa City/Coralville region, is serving as the local organizing committee.

“USA Wrestling is very excited to again partner with Think Iowa City on another one of our country’s significant wrestling competitions. With their long history of staging some of our sport’s best wrestling events, we are confident that the Senior Nationals will be another one of those awesome experiences for our sport. Obviously, we will work closely with the local organizing committee, the local public health officials and others to insure athlete safety is paramount. We are hopeful that this will be a milestone for our sport as we battle back from this worldwide pandemic,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director.

Continue readingUSA Wrestlings Senior Nationals, featuring nations top Olympic-caliber wrestlers, set for Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11

Fogarty finds success on college mat

There have been a lot of Scott West wrestlers that have found success on the college mat.

For Jordan’s Andrew Fogarty, he’s in the running to have one the best college wrestling careers of any Scott West wrestler after he wrapped up his college career this past spring.

The other Scott West wrestlers in that conversation are Pat McNamara and Micheal Kroells, who both finished their careers as three-time All-Americans.

Fogarty finished his four-year wrestling career at North Dakota State University with a career record of 96-35 (28 career pinfalls), a four-time NCAA Championships qualifier, three-time Big 12 runner-up, and with a 2020 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-America Team Honorable Mention honor.

“My time at NDSU I would say was both very fast and very slow at the same time,” Fogarty said. “I say this because the wrestling season can be very long and grueling especially with it being about a six-month-long season. The workouts were tough but you had a whole team that was doing everything with you which made it easier — misery loves company.” Continue reading at swnewsmedia.com

Severson among Inductees Selected to 49th Class of Bison Athletic Hall of Fame

FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State University has announced its 49th annual induction class for the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame. Eight individuals are slated for induction on Friday, Oct. 2. Tickets to the ceremony will go on sale in September.

Two-time national champion heavyweight wrestler Nick Severson is one of the inductees.

Other honorees are three-time All-America softball pitcher Lindsey (Graham) Gustafson, football All-America offensive tackle Chuck Klabo, seven-time All-America middle distance runner Dr. Andrew Moen, seven-time All-America track and field multi-events athlete Andi (Noel) Olsonawski, 19-time All-America sprinter Jill (Theeler) Schlekeway, women’s soccer all-time leading scorer Nicole (VandenBos) Hurt, and retired men’s track and field/cross country head coach Don Larson.

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Seven Home Matches Highlight 2020-21 Augustana Schedule

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A seven-match home wrestling schedule and 14 regular season dates are part of the 2020-21 Augustana wrestling schedule announced Thursday.

The Vikings, coming off a second-place finish in the 2019-20 NSIC standings, open their season with a pair of open tournaments with the Jimmie Open (Nov. 7) and DWU Open (Nov. 14).

The home debut of the 2020-21 squad has Augustana hosting North Dakota State on Nov. 20 inside the Elmen Center, a facility that saw the Vikings go 6-1 in last season. Augustana makes it back-to-back matches with Division I foes, and members of the Big XII, as the Navy and Gold travel just up I29 to South Dakota State on Nov. 11.

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