FARGO, N.D.–North Dakota State University head wrestling coach Roger Kish announced that two-time Minnesota state place-winner Leighton Rach (Perham, Minn. / Perham H.S.) will be joining the wrestling program in the fall of 2019.
Rach joins Corey Gamet (Jackson, Mich. / Michigan Center H.S.); Riley Habisch (Buffalo, Minn. / Buffalo H.S.) Tyler Jones (Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee H.S.); Ty Moser (Perham, Minn. / Perham H.S.); Michael Nelson (Dover, Minn. / Dover-Eota H.S.), Ryan Ripplinger (Bismarck, N.D. / Bismarck H.S.) and Michael Weber (Forsyth, Mont. / Forsyth H.S.) will be also joining the wrestling program in the fall of 2019.
LEIGHTON RACH, 5-8, College Projected 133, Perham, Minn. (Perham H.S.)
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-time Minnesota state place-winner for Perham High School and head coach Robb Moser … Five-year letterwinner … Placed fourth at 2019 Minnesota state tournament at 132 pounds… Finished sixth at 2016 Minnesota state tournament at 113 pounds … His team placed in top five on four occasions including third in 2019 … Two-time conference champion and three-time conference runner-up for the Yellow Jackets … Compiled a 149-66 record with 58 pins … Twice had 30 or more wins including a career-best 39-11 record with 12 pins in 2019 … Joins teammate Ty Moser.
PERSONAL: Son of Lance and Lorrie Rach … Has two brothers, Chandler and Braylon … Active in Rotary, PHS student council, as a youth group leader at Crosspoint Church … Plans to major in marketing.
The Guillotine Wrestler Files
Leighton Rach, Perham
2019 MN HS State Tournament 2A 12th 132 4th 39-11
2018 MN HS State Tournament 2A 11th 132 DNP 23-13
2017 MN HS State Tournament 2A 10th 120 DNP 29-13
2016 USA Wrestling Nationals GR Cadet 132 DNP
2016 MN HS State Tournament 2A 9th 113 6th 31-19
Where are they going in 2019-20? Minnesota Recruits 2019-20
North Dakota State compiled a 10-6 record overall in 2018-19 including 5-4 in Big 12 Conference duals. NDSU placed eighth at the 2019 Big 12 Conference tournament. The Bison return NCAA qualifiers 133 Cam Sykora, 165 Andrew Fogarty and 174 Lorenzo De La Riva. Fogarty is a two-time Big 12 runner-up at 165 pounds.
Check out Bison Wrestling at gobison.com and on Twitter.