SIOUX FALLS, S.D.–The Augustana wrestling team will kick off the 2023-24 team season on Friday night at the Dakota Showcase in Brookings, S.D., hosted by South Dakota State. The quad is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., and will feature Northern State, Dakota Wesleyan, SDSU, and the Vikings.
Live results can be found at GoAugie.com/Live and on the GoAugie app, presented by CellOnly, found in the app store and on Google play.
The Wolves
Northern State opened their dual schedule on Thursday, Nov. 9, defeating No. 25-ranked Fort Hays State 35-6. They currently rank 11th in the country, and were selected to finish fifth in the NSIC Preseason Poll. The Wolves have four ranked in the top 12 of their respective weight classes, led by top-ranked 149 pounder and NCAA All-American Wyatt Turnquist.
Devin Bahr is the seventh-ranked 157 pounder after becoming an NCAA qualifier last season. At 184 pounds is 2021-22 NCAA qualifier and 12th-ranked Teyton Cacek, and Cole Huss is ranked seventh at 197 pounds and is a two-time All-American.
The Tigers
Dakota Wesleyan hosted the DWU Open last weekend, earning a win and a pair of third place finishes. Kaleb Bigelow secured the individual title in the 165-weight class. Lane Miller grabbed third place in 174 and Zach Zitek was third in the 141. The Tigers were selected to finish fourth in the GPAC.
The Jackrabbits
South Dakota State has one tournament under its belt in the 2023-24 season. The Jackrabbits participated in the Bison Open last weekend, with Tanner Jordan winning at 125 pounds and Bowen McConville placing second at 285. Nine total wrestlers earned top-four placings at the tournament.
The Jackrabbits are ranked at No. 12 in the first NWCA poll of the season. Seven wrestlers were ranked individually by Intermat.
Jordan ranks 26th at 125 pounds, Clay Carlson is ranked 6th at 141 pounds, and Cael Swanson finds himself No. 13 at 157 pounds. At 165 is Tanner Cook, who slots in at No. 20. Cade DeVos is eighth at 174, and Bennett Berge is 15th at 184 pounds. The highest ranked Jackrabbit is Tanner Sloan, who is third at 197 pounds.
The Vikings
Augustana has participated in two tournaments this season. Last weekend, Five Vikings placed on the day, including a pair of first-place finishes.
Connor Simmonds went 5-0 on the day to help him take home the crown at 157 pounds. After a pair of NAIA wins, Simmonds took victories over wrestlers from Northern State and Minot State before a pin in 41 seconds against Lane Ewing of UMary in the 1st place match.
At 174 pounds, Coy Gunderson went 5-0 on his way to a statement run. In his five wins, he recorded three pins and a tech fall on his way to a first-place finish.
Augustana is 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.
The Vikings begin their NSIC Schedule on Dec. 7, traveling to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on Northern State.
Augustana Vikings Probable Starters
- 125 – Jaxson Rohman, Jr., Trimont, Minn. OR Christian Olsen, So., Crystal Lake, Ill.
- 133 – Jack Huffman, Sr., Omaha, Neb. OR Thurman Christensen, So., Waukee, Iowa
- 141 – Kade Sammons, So., Windom, Minn.
- 149 – Cael Larson, So., Piedmont, Neb. OR Kage Lenger, Jr., Liberty, Mo. OR Kyle Boeke, So., Princeton, Minn.
- 157 – Connor Simmonds, So., Truman, Minn. OR Payton Handevidt, R-Fr., Jackson, Minn.
- 165 – Payton Anderson, Jr., Sherburn, Minn. OR Tyler Wagener, Sr., Waconia, Minn.
- 174 – Jonah Gruenes, RFr., Minneota, Minn. OR Coy Gunderson, RFr., Murdock, Minn. OR Gavin Gulbranson, So., Sioux Falls, S.D.
- 184 – Danny Reynolds, Jr., Andover, Minn.
- 197 – Zach Peterson, Jr., Perham, Minn. OR Max Ramberg, So., Baldwin, Wis.
- 285 – Edward Hajas, Jr., Delano, Minn. OR Max Balow, RFr., Lake City, Minn.
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