MANKATO, MINN — In the team’s final home dual of the 2015-16 season, #15 Minnesota State (8-3, 4-1) host #2 St. Cloud State (12-1, 4-0) in an NSIC battle. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Taylor Center.
The Mavericks look to bounce back after a tough 18-17 loss to #8 Upper Iowa last Saturday. St. Cloud State last competed on Saturday as well, where they defeated the University of Mary by a final score of 42-3.
Alphonso Vruno (Sr., 141 lbs.) goes into Saturday having won his last five matches. Vruno stands at 13-5 on the season and is ranked third in NCAA Division II Super Region 3. Matt Mincey (R-Sr., 157 lbs.) is the lone Maverick currently undefeated on the year. Mincey holds a record of 18-0 and ranks second in all of Division II.
Adam Cooling (Jr., 174 lbs.) is coming off of two big victories from a week ago. He first bested Tim Weber (Augustana) in 3-1 overtime decision on Thursday. Cooling followed that up with another big win on Saturday, this time Colbey Vance (Upper Iowa) by a 5-3 decision. Cooling is 19-3 on the year and ranks eighth nationally.
Eight-ranked Scott VanDeLoo (Sr., 184 lbs.) fell for just the second time this season last Thursday to fourth-ranked Aero Amo (Augustana) but bounced back on Saturday with a 6-4 decision over one of Upper Iowa’s top wrestlers, Dalton Westerlund. VanDeLoo holds a record of 16-2 and ranks eighth nationally as well.
St. Cloud State has only suffered one loss overall this season, which was to top-ranked Notre Dame (OH) by a 21-15 final score in the National Duals Championship back in January. Five of their wrestlers are ranked in the top-eight nationally. Tim Prescott (125 lbs.), Clint Poster (165 lbs.), and Austin Goergen (285 lbs.) are all ranked number one in their respective weight classes.
Following Saturday’s dual, the Mavericks hit the road for a match against Northern State on Thursday, February 11. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.