MOORHEAD, Minn. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons wrestling team remains No. 20 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll for the NCAA Division-II wrestling standings. Tallen Wald joins Brady Schneeberger and Corey Ulmer in the individual national rankings for the Dragons.
No. 3 Corey Ulmer (19-4) moves up three spots in the latest polls, in large part to his 8-0 win over then-No. 2 Andy Forstner of Minnesota State Mankato on Jan. 20. Ulmer is currently on a 7-match winning streak since his one-point loss to No. 1 ranked Russell Weakley of North Carolina-Pembroke. Heading into the dual versus Northern State, Ulmer is 7-2 against the NSIC.
Brady Schneeberger remains No. 3 despite being inactive since the dual at the University of Mary (N.D.). Schneeberger has posted a 9-8 record this season, 3-2 in conference action, including a 2-2 record against U-Mary’s Todd Beaman with one loss being a medical default.
Schneeberger became the NSIC’s top 141-pounder when he upset Augustana’s Jay Sherer at last year’s NCAA Division-II Super III Regionals in Aberdeen, S.D. Schneeberger beat Sherer a second straight time at Augustana by a final of 5-2 and is a game day decision against Northern State (S.D.).
Also joining the national rankings is redshirt senior Tallen Wald at 157 pounds. Dating back to the national duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Wald has posted a 7-4 record and holds a 15-10 record overall. In the NSIC, Wald is 5-2 with his only losses coming to the top two wrestlers in conference, No. 2 John Sundgren of St. Cloud State and No. 3 Marcus Edgington of Augustana.
THE WOLVES
The Northern State Wolves are unranked but do bring in two ranked wrestlers, including No. 4 Cale Cornemann at 184 pounds and No. 2 ranked heavyweight Matt Meuleners.
The Wolves are currently on a six dual losing streak after getting shutout at the hands of No. 3 St. Cloud State. Prior to that the Wolves fell by only two points to NAIA No. 12 Dickinson State (N.D.).
The closest match in the dual against St. Cloud State was a battle of the top two heavyweights in the nation at the D-II level. No. 2 Matt Meuleners battled Jake Kahnke, the nation’s top heavyweight, in the final matchup. Kahnke came away with a narrow 5-4 win, leading to the Huskies shutout.
The Wolves’ last win came on Jan. 12 against Northwestern University (Iowa) 47-3. The Wolves are 0-4 against NSIC opponents so far this season. The Wolves were picked to finish seventh in the NSIC in the preseason coaches’ poll.
THE SERIES
The Dragons lead the all-time series with the Wolves 18-9. In their last meeting, the Wolves snuck out a win over the Dragons 19-16. The Dragons fired ahead of the Wolves, winning four of the first five matches, but the Dragons stumbled from there as the Wolves came back to take the win. Corey Ulmer, Evan Forde, Tyler Steinwand and Tallen Wald all earned victories in the dual.
In last year’s dual, Jon Swart and Matt Meuleners both met at 197 pounds and meet up again at heavyweight. Schneeberger and Crow may meet up once again along with Tyler Steinwand potentially dueling once more with Beau Voegeli. The Dragons starters went 2-2 against Wolves’ wrestlers at the Bison Open on Nov. 13.
JOHN STERNER ENDOWMENT
John Sterner coached the Dragons from 1988 until 2003. During his 15 years as Dragons wrestling head coach, the Dragons went 137-92-1 overall. This past April, Coach Sterner was inducted into the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Admission is seven dollars, all of which goes into the fund benefiting Dragons’ wrestling scholarships.
The dual is set to begin at 7 p.m. inside Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse. The Dragons wrestling team will host their Overtime Period at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Moorhead following the conclusion of the dual.