SIOUX FALLS, S.D.–The Augustana wrestling team opens the 2023-24 season at the Yellow Jacket Open on Saturday. The event, hosted by Rochester Community and Technical College, is set to begin at 10 a.m. The Vikings will have 23 members of their roster compete in the open.
Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.
Augustana kicks off their 62nd campaign ranked in a tie for No. 15 in the country in the NWCA Preseason Division II poll. In total, Augustana has three individually-ranked wrestlers in Jaxson Rohman, Hunter Burnett, and Cade Mueller.
Rohman, a junior from Trimont, Minn., ranks No. 1 at 125 pounds as he eyes on a National Championship after finishing last season as a national runner-up last season. The AU Preseason NSIC Wrestler to Watch, Rohman earned DII All-American honors after closing last season with an 18-6 record overall and 13-4 record in duals.
Senior Hunter Burnett enters the 2023-24 campaign ranked ninth at 141 pounds. Burnett, a returning NCAA qualifier, placed second at the NCAA Super Region V Championships last year after going 4-4 overall and 2-0 in duals.
At 184 pounds, junior Cade Mueller is ranked in the ninth spot. Mueller, a 2022-23 national qualifier, finished third at the NCAA Super Region V tournament and held an overall record of 16-7, including 11-3 in duals last season.
The 2023-24 roster of 35 consists of three seniors, nine juniors, nine sophomores, five redshirt freshmen, and nine freshmen. Of the 35, nine return after wrestling in the Super Regional last season.
At 133, Jack Huffman looks to build off a fourth place finish in last season’s regional. The senior from Omaha, Neb., went 3-2 in the tournament and 6-4 overall.
Connor Simmonds placed fifth at 149, winning a quarterfinal matchup before a sudden victory in the fifth place match. Also placing fifth and going 2-2 in the regional is 157 pounder, Miles Fitzgerald and 165 pounder Tyler Wagener.
Following the Yellow Jacket Open, the Vikings travel to Mitchell, South Dakota, for the DWU Open on Nov. 11. Augustana will begin its dual season in Brookings, South Dakota, on Nov. 17th.
Lineup:
125: Chris Olsen
133: Owen Hansen, Unattached
133: Braiden Kort, Unattached
141: Alex Mentzer, Unattached
141: Connor Whiteley, Unattached
149: Kage Lenger, Unattached
149: Davin Rose, Unattached
157: Payton Handevidt
157: Connor Simmonds
157: Logan Butzon, Unattached
157: Caleb Durr, Unattached
165: Ethan Duncombe, Unattached
174: Coy Gunderson
174: Jonah Gruenes
174: Josh Wagener
174: Gavin Gulbranson
184: Cade Mueller
184: Danny Reynolds
197: Max Ramberg, Unattached
197: Zach Peterson
197: Sam McEnelly
285: Malcolm Allen, Unattached
285: Max Balow
285: Edward Hajas
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