2009 MWCA All-State Academic Team Named

“We strive to find excellent students who also happen to be excellent wrestlers,” said Dean Jennissen, MWCA All-State Academic Chairperson.  “These young men are truly the ‘best of the best’ and a great example of the caliber of student-athletes we have involved in wrestling state-wide.” The 2009 edition of the MWCA (Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association) All-State Academic Team consists of 28 student-athletes with a combined GPA of 3.71.  These wrestlers have amassed over 3,600 career wins with a combined winning percentage of 81%.

The 28 honorees will be awarded plaques at the 41st Annual MWCA Recognition Banquet on Saturday, March 7th at the River Centre Grand Ballroom in St. Paul at 7:15 a.m.

Junior or senior wrestlers are chosen based upon the following criteria:

  1. Cumulative GPA – 3.95 = 395 points
  2. State Tournament Participation – 25 points per year
  3. Overall matches wrestled – wins and losses – 1 point per match
  4. Winning percentage – 77% = 77 points
  5. State Tournament Placement – 1st (50 points), 2nd (40), 3rd (35), 4th (25), 5th (20) and 6th (10)

Interesting Facts about the 2009 MWCA All-State Academic Team…

  1. 4 Individual State Champions made the team
  2. KMS and Perham each had three team members earn this great honor!  Foley, Apple Valley and Hastings with two winners!
  3. 8 members are from Class A, 10 from Class AA and 10 from Class AAA
  4. This year’s team consists of 9 Juniors and 19Seniors
  5. 4.0 GPA’s were: Mora’s Andrew Youngblom, Prior Lake’s Chris Stevermer and Tony Nelson from Cambridge-Isanti.
  6. Andrew Gorentz, Perham; Carter Adams, Coon Rapids; Kevin Steinhaus, KMS and Tony Nelson of Cambridge-Isanti were members of the 2008 team.
  7. There were 114 total nominees.
  8. Thank you to the coaches for nominating these deserving student-athletes and for promoting the great sport of wrestling!  Goal for next year: 175 entries!

MWCA All-State Academic Team

103

  1. Kurt Timmons – 11 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (A)
  2. Max Anderson – 11 Dassel-Cokato (AA)

112

  1. Andrew Gorentz – 12 Perham (AA)
  2. Nick Rydell – 11 St. Peter (AA)

119

  1. Chad Lexvold – 11 Kenyon-Wanamingo (A)
  2. Jacob Werner – 12 Perham (AA)

125

  1. David Thorn – 12 St. Michael-Albertville (AA)
  2. Trent Herold – 12 St. Francis (AAA)

130

  1. Ethan Hildebrandt – 11 St. James (A)
  2. Tony Vaske – 11 River Valley (A)

135

  1. Justin LaValle – 12 Apple Valley (AAA)
  2. Andrew Youngblom – 11 Mora (AA)

140

  1. Luke Vaith – 12 Hastings (AAA)
  2. Brandon Seppelt – 11 Foley (AA)

145

  1. Ryan Madson – 12 Hutchinson (AA)
  2. Luke Prairie – 11 Tracy (AA)

152

  1. Carter Adams -12 Coon Rapids (AAA)
  2. Chris Stevermer – 12 Prior Lake (AAA)

160

  1. Kevin Steinhaus – 12 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (A)
  2. Brendan Eichmann – 12 Hastings (AAA)

171

  1. Mitchell Hagen – 12 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (A)
  2. Nathan Schmitz – 12 Perham (AA)

189

  1. Alex Bach – 12 Maple River (A)
  2. Craig Kelliher – 12 Apple Valley (AAA)

215

  1. Tony Nelson – 12 Cambridge-Isanti (AAA)
  2. Kris Olson – 12 Foley (AA)

Hwt

  1. Brad Wollum – 12 Canby (A)
  2. Tom Bouressa – 12 Alexandria (AAA)