The MATCH:
Feb. 17 – #8 Minnesota State at #3 St. Cloud State, 7 p.m.
HUSKIES HEADLINERS:
- #3 St. Cloud State University (18-2, 5-1 NSIC) will complete its 2010-11 regular season on Feb. 17 with a 7 p.m. home match against #8 Minnesota State (9-4, 5-1 NSIC).
- WATCH ON THE WEB! The upcoming matches vs. SCSU and Minnesota State can be viewed on the web by going to this website: http://pennatlantic.com
- The Feb. 17 match will mark Senior Night for the Huskies. SCSU wrestlers who will be honored at the match include Westy Hanson, Chad Kubasch, Erik Rogness, Gabe Suarez and John Sundgren.
- The Huskies now own an 18-2 record this season thanks to a 21-12 victory over #11 ranked Upper Iowa on Feb. 13 in Fayette, Iowa. The 18 wins is a team record for most dual wins in a season for the Huskies. The old record of 16 wins in a season was set in 1970-71 by the Huskies under the leadership of coach John Oxton. At Upper Iowa, SCSU gained wins by Gabe Suarez (141), Jacob D. Horn (149), John Sundgren (157), Tad Merritt (165), Lucas Munkelwitz (197) and Jacob Kahnke (285).
- 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: Gabe Suarez (#8 at 141-pounds), Jacob D. Horn (#6 at 149-pounds), John Sundgren (#2 at 157-pounds), Tad Merritt (#2 at 165-pounds), Luke Munkelwitz (#6 at 197-pounds) and Jake Kahnke (#1 at 285-pounds). The poll was released on Feb. 16.
- Junior Tad Merritt continues to lead the Huskies this season with 30 victories (30-3) and 12 pins. Merritt is ranked #2 in the nation. Of note, the team record for wins in a season is 38.
- SCSU grapplers in the 20 win club this winter include Jacob D. Horn (20-8), Jacob R. Horn (23-11). Jacob Kahnke (22-1), Shamus O’Grady (23-7) and Gabe Suarez (21-7).
- The Huskies have already shattered the team’s dual match point record for a season. SCSU has 574 points in dual matches this season, which breaks the old team record of 515 points set in 2009-10. In contrast, SCSU has allowed only 159 dual match points this winter. SCSU is allowing just 7.95 points per dual match this season. The team record of 8.06 points allowed per dual match was set in 1963-64.
- 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.
- SCSU COACH STEVE COSTANZO: Steve Costanzo is in his 5th season as the Husky head wrestling coach. Overall, this marks Costanzo’s 12th season as a head college wrestling coach. He has a career record of 119-53-2 while coaching 98 National Qualifiers, 41 All-Americans, 2 National Champions and 36 NWCA All-Academic recipients. His record at St. Cloud State now stands at 57-23. An All-American wrestler at Nebraska-Omaha (1996 graduate), Costanza previously coached at Dana College from 1999 to 2006. Costanza led Dana to a national title in 2006.