SMSU looks to take down No. 19 Augustana in NSIC opener on Friday

The Southwest Minnesota State wrestling team looks to take down No. 19 Augustana Vikings in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener set for Friday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at the PE Gym in Marshall. The Mustangs will look to avenge its 20-15 loss to Augustana in Sioux Falls last season. SMSU hasn’t defeated Augustana since the 1998-99 season as the Vikings are currently riding a 12 dual match winning streak over the Mustangs.

VIKINGS AT A GLANCE
Augustana: The Vikings enter the NSIC opener as the 19th ranked team according to the latest edition of the NCAA poll. Augustana is 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC with a 27-16 dual victory over U-Mary on Jan. 6. The Vikings have three wrestlers that are individually ranked nationally – No. 5 Nate Herda (149), No. 5 Jayd Docken (197) and No. 7 Jeremiah Peterson (133). Augustana is coming off a 1-2 record at the NWCA/ Cliff Keen National Duals in Springfield, Ill. last Saturday. The Vikings fell to No. 7 Notre Dame College (Ohio) 34-3 and Fort Hays State 22-10. The Mustangs fell to the Vikings 20-15 last season in Sioux Falls and will look to avenge the loss this Friday at the PE Gym.

LIVE VIDEO | DUAL NOTES

CLIMBING THE LADDER
As a junior at 133 pounds, Justin Reinsma, has already accumulated 64 wins and is climbing on SMSU’s all-time wins list. Reinsma is ranked 20th and has the remainder of his junior season and all of his senior season to climb up the list.

>>For live results of No. 13 Augustana vs. SMSU “follow” SMSU athletics on Twitter (@smsumustangs)