MOORHEAD, Minn. – Head Coach Kris Nelson and the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon wrestling program announce the signing of seven student-athletes to the 2011-12 roster.
The additions include Matthew Doom (Paynesville, Minn./Paynesville), Deven Loepp (Oakes, N.D./Oakes), Lucas Moderow (Fargo, N.D./Fargo South), Jesse Munos(St. Paul, Minn./South Saint Paul), Zach Odden-Lemar (Casselton, N.D./Central Cass), Raymond Orwig (Ellendale, N.D./Ellendale) and Mario Tuccitto (St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul).
Doom is projected to wrestle at 174 pounds. He was a Minnesota State High School class A runner-up at 171 pounds as a senior after qualifying for the State Tournament in his junior season. Doom had a 36-4 record in 2010-11 and 22-3 tally at 160 pounds in his junior season.
“Matt is a very hard nosed wrestler who is very aggressive in the top position,” Nelson said. “We will look at him as the future of Dragon wrestling.”
Loepp, a 2011 gradutea of OHS, was a two-time North Dakota State High School Champion at 125 pounds. In his senior season he put up a 38-1 record. He is projected to wrestle at 125 or 133 pounds for Coach Nelson.
“Deven will battle for the starting spot at 133 pounds in his true freshman year,” Nelson said. “He is a very aggressive wrestler that is always on the offense and that is what we are looking for in our wrestlers.”
Moderow was a three-time North Dakota State High School Championships participant, placing fourth as a senior and sixth both years prior. In 2011 he wrestled at 171 pounds, in 2010 was at 160 pounds and took sixth place at State at 145 pounds as a sophomore. Coach Nelson projects he will wrestle at 174 pounds.
“Lucas comes to us from a great program at Fargo South,” Nelson said. “The skills he learned in high school will help him have an easy transition into our system this coming year.”
Munos wrestled for South St. Paul at the Minnesota State High School Championships in both his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he was the runner up at the class AA level at 152 pounds. He took fifth in 2010, at 145 pounds. His projected weight class will be 157 pounds.
“Jesse is a very hard worker that has great balance and athleticism,” Nelson said. “He wrestled in a very strong weight class at the State Championships, which we feel will make him ready to compete and make an impact at the college level.”
Odden-Lemar, projected to wrestle the heavyweight slot, is the current North Dakota High School class B Champion at the heavyweight class after putting up a 38-1 record in his senior season. He was the runner up at 215 pounds in both 2010 and 2009. Odden-Lemar was also the National Runner-Up at the Asics Folk-style Nationals in 2011. He had finished fourth at the National competition the year prior.
“Zach is very athletic for the heavyweight weight class,” Nelson said. “He moves well for a big guy and is always on the offense looking to get another takedown.”
Orwig represented EHS at the North Dakota State High School Championships in the past two seasons, where he wrestled at 160 pounds in 2010 and 171 pounds in 2011. He placed third in 2011 and seventh during his junior year. He is projected two wrestle at 174 or 184 pounds.
“Raymond has been working hard in the offseason by competing in freestyle and greco tournaments,” Nelson said. “He is physically very strong and we can see him developing into an 184 pound wrestler later in his career.”
Tuccitto will go between the 125 and 133 pound weight classes at MSUM. he was a Minnesota State High School Championships participant in 2011 at 125 pounds.
“Mario will add depth in our lower weight classes in his first year at MSUM,” Nelson said. “He has a great work ethic that should pay off for him in his career here.”