COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John’s University wrestling team fell to No. 6 in the latest Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III team rankings released Jan. 11.
NWCA Team Rankings | NWCA Individual Rankings
Other teams ranked from the NCAA Great Lakes Region include Augsburg (No. 3), Concordia-Moorhead (No. 7), Elmhurst (No. 24) and North Central (No. 27).
Five of the Johnnies’ starting 10 were ranked individually: senior Matt Baarson (15-2 record; Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park) moved up two spots to No. 3 at 165 pounds; senior Minga Batsukh (11-1 record; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict’s Prep, N.J.) slipped one spot to No. 4 at 149; junior Matt Pfarr (12-4 record; Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) rejoined the rankings at No. 4 at 174; junior Dustin Baxter (12-4 record; Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley) moved up one spot to No. 7 at 184; and senior Tony Willaert (9-6 overall record, 8-4 record at 197; North Mankato, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) stayed at No. 10 at 197.
The Johnnies return to action this Friday, Jan. 14, against No. 2 (Division II) St. Cloud State. The dual is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Sexton Arena in Collegeville and will be broadcast live on WBHR-660 AM The Bear.