The Matches:
Jan. 27 – #3 SCSU at #2 Augustana, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 – Minnesota State, Moorhead at #3 SCSU, 2 p.m. – ALUMNI DAY
HUSKY HEADLINES:
- #3 St. Cloud State University (14-1) will match up against #2 ranked Augustana on Jan. 27, in Sioux Falls, S.D. This match between these two Division II titans will take place at 7 p.m. The Huskies will be looking to avenge an 18-15 loss to Augustana at the NWCA Duals on Jan. 9 in Cedar Falls, Iowa…SCSU will complete the weekend with its first home dual match of the season on Jan. 30 against Minnesota State Moorhead. The match in Halenbeck Hall will begin at 2 p.m. and it has been designated as SCSU Wrestling Alumni Day. All former SCSU wrestlers are invited to come back for this event, which will include a post-match social in downtown St. Cloud. Call Coach Costanzo at 320-308-2996 for more details.
- WATCH ON THE WEB! The upcoming match at #2 Augustana will be available for free viewing on the web at this location:http://www.GoAugie.com/
webcast - In one of SCSU’s biggest wins during the Steve Costanzo era, the Huskies posted a thrilling 19-18 win at #1 Nebraska Omaha on Jan. 21. Eric Ellington at 133-pounds scored a final match pin at 3:42 to secure the needed points to upset the Mavs. Jacob Kahnke (285-pounds) and Tad Merritt (165-pounds) scored wins for the Huskies in the dual, while 125-pounder Zach Stewart added six big points thanks to a UNO forfeit. The loss dropped UNO to 5-1 on the year in duals, and snapped UNO’s 13-match win streak. It also marked UNO’s first dual loss since Jan. 22, 2010, when Augsburg defeated UNO, 18-12, and first dual loss at home since a 22-15 loss to Division I Northern Iowa on Feb. 21, 2008. This was the first victory for the Huskies over UNO since a 23-16 win over the Mavs on Jan. 16, 1999.
- SCSU completed its road trip on Jan. 22 with a 32-8 victory at Southwest Minnesota State.
- The Huskies were ranked #3 in the latest DII Coaches’ Poll behind Nebraska Omaha. Here is a rundown of SCSU’s nationally ranked wrestlers in 2010-11: Jacob D. Horn (#4 at 149-pounds), John Sundgren (#5 at 157-pounds), Tad Merritt (#2 at 165-pounds), Shamus O’Grady (#7 at 174-pounds), and Jake Kahnke (#1 at 285-pounds). The poll was released on Jan. 19.
- Junior Tad Merritt continues to lead the Huskies this season with 25 victories (25-3) and 11 pins. Merritt is ranked #2 in the nation.
- At 285-pounds, #1 ranked Jake Kahnke scored a 5-3 win over #8 ranked Taylor Escamilla at the UNO dual on Jan. 21. Kahnke is 17-1 this season for SCSU.
- SCSU placed 3rd at the 2011 NWCA Division II National Duals on Jan. 8-9. The third place finish is the best in team history for the Huskies at the DII National Duals.
- The St. Cloud State University wrestling team (14-7, 5-2 NSIC/3rd) captured 7th place at the 2010 NCAA Division II wrestling championships on March 12-13, in Omaha, Neb. This marks the Huskies best NCAA finish since capturing 7th place in 1983. This also marked the best finish for the Huskies at the NCAA tournament since Steve Costanzo took over as head coach in 2006-07. This marked the 8th time since 1975 that SCSU has charted a top-10 place at the NCAA championships. The 7th place finish is the best ever for the Huskies at the NCAA DII level. SCSU placed eighth at the nationals in 2009, 1986 and 1976. SCSU also placed third at nationals during the 1963 and 1965 seasons as an NAIA affiliate.
- The Huskies qualified 8 wrestlers for the NCAA championships in 2010. SCSU wrestlers earning All-America status at the meet were Jacob Kahnke (4th place at 285), Tad Merritt (5th place at 165), Shamus O’Grady (6th place at 174) and Gabe Suarez (8th place at 141). This marked the first All-America finish for Kahnke, O’Grady and Suarez, while Merritt is now a two-time All-America award winner for the Huskies. The four All-Americans ties a team record for the Huskies, as SCSU also brought home four NCAA All-America honors in 1983 and 1975.
- The Huskies will have two major targets on the wrestling room wall this season. First up is the 2011 NCAA Regional championships on Feb. 27 in Sioux Falls, S.D. This tournament serves as a qualifier for the other big date – March 11-12, which is the 2011 NCAA DII championships.