The South Dakota State University wrestling team kicks off the Big 12 Conference portion of its dual season Friday, traveling to Utah Valley.
Action is slated for an 11 a.m. Mountain Time (noon Central) start at the UCCU Center on the UVU campus in Orem, Utah.
The Jackrabbits enter the matchup in search of their first dual win of the season after dropping a 25-16 decision to Binghamton last week in the 2019-20 dual opener.
Utah Valley, meanwhile, is 1-1 in duals so far this season. The Wolverines split a pair of duals at the Journeymen Northeast Duals in Troy, New York, on Nov. 9, defeating Sacred Heart, 40-3, before falling to Purdue, 30-12.
In addition, a number of Jackrabbit newcomers are scheduled to compete in the Younes Hospitality Open Saturday in Kearney, Nebraska. More than 600 wrestlers are expected to compete on 16 mats at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds, making it the largest collegiate wrestling tournament in the country.
Video coverage of both of the Jackrabbits’ events this weekend will be available through FloWrestling.org (subscription required). Additional coverage of the Younes Hospitality Open can be found at TrackWrestling.com.
THE SERIES: Friday’s dual will mark the 15th time SDSU and Utah Valley have met on the wrestling mat. The two squads have met every season since the 2005-06 campaign, when both squads became charter members of the Western Wrestling Conference. The Wolverines hold an 8-6 series advantage, although SDSU has won the past five matchups, including a 26-16 victory on Jan. 31, 2019, at Frost Arena. Highlighting the Jackrabbit victory was a pin by Colten Carlson in the 157-pound matchup, along with technical falls by Henry Pohlmeyer (149) and Zach Carlson (184).
Before the Jackrabbits’ current series winning streak, Utah Valley had won seven duals in a row.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 26, UTAH VALLEY 16 (Jan. 31, 2019, at Brookings, South Dakota)
141: Aric Williams (SDSU) major dec. Dylan Gregerson (UVU), 14-5
149: Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU) tech. fall Cameron Haddock (UVU), 18-0 [4:15]
157: Colten Carlson (SDSU) def. Landon Knutzen (UVU), by fall 5:30
165: Logan Peterson (SDSU) dec. Koy Wilkinson (UVU), 9-5
174: #12 Kimball Bastian (UVU) major dec. Samuel Grove (SDSU), 12-3
184: Zach Carlson (SDSU) tech. fall Kyle Snelling (UVU), 17-1 [5:31]
197: Ashton Seely (UVU) def. Martin Mueller (SDSU), by fall 5:26
285: #16 Tate Orndorff (UVU) dec. Blake Wolters (SDSU), 9-2
125: Josh Jensen (UVU) dec. Gregory Coapstick (SDSU), 3-2
133: Rylee Molitor (SDSU) dec. Isaiah Delgado (UVU), 8-5
BIG 12 SUCCESS: Now in its fifth season as an affiliate member of the Big 12 Conference for wrestling, South Dakota State has proven it can contend in one of the top wrestling leagues in the country.
Since joining the league at the start of the 2015-16 season, the Jackrabbits have combined to post a 24-9 record in duals against Big 12 foes. SDSU posted an 8-0 mark in Big 12 duals during the 2017-18 season.
The Jackrabbits also turned in back-to-back third-place efforts at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship in both 2017 and 2018, after a fourth-place finish at their inaugural league meet in 2016.
RABBITS RANKED: Following their performances last week, four South Dakota State wrestlers now appear in the NCAA Division I rankings compiled by a variety of media outlets.
Continuing in the rankings are Henry Pohlmeyer at 149 pounds and 197-pounder Tanner Sloan. A two-time NCAA qualifier and a senior from Johnston, Iowa, Pohlmeyer’s highest ranking is 16th by FloWrestling. Pohlmeyer also is currently ranked 25th by TrackWrestling.
Sloan, a redshirt freshman from Alburnett, Iowa, is ranked in the top 10 by three media outlets. He is ranked fourth by FloWrestling, fifth by Intermat and ninth by TrackWrestling.
New to the rankings this week are 141-pounder Clay Carlson, 32nd by TrackWrestling, and Zach Carlson, 19th in the Intermat rankings.
THE ROSTER: The 2019-20 SDSU wrestling roster features 36 student-athletes from 12 different states. Of the 36 wrestlers, 10 are from Minnesota, followed by nine who are native South Dakotans. Iowa is represented by seven wrestlers, while two wrestlers hail from New York. Eight states – Arizona, California, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin – each have one wrestler.
By class, five are seniors, four are juniors, eight are sophomores, seven are redshirt freshmen and 12 are incoming freshmen.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits will be away from competition over the Thanksgiving holiday, but will return to action by sending a contingent of wrestlers to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 6-7.
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