Brady Berge

Berge Joins Jackrabbits Coaching Staff

Two-time NCAA qualifier Brady Berge will join the South Dakota State wrestling coaching staff as a volunteer assistant, head coach Damion Hahn announced Saturday.

“We are ecstatic to announce the addition of Brady Berge to our coaching staff,” Hahn said. “Brady brings a wealth of knowledge and experience having competed on some of the biggest stages. His wrestling mind and strong work ethic will most definitely elevate our program.”

A native of Mantorville, Minnesota, Berge competed at Penn State for four seasons, 2017-18 through 2020-21, compiling a 31-9 career record. He wrestled at 149 pounds for the Nittany Lions during the 2018-19 season, earning his first trip to the NCAA Championships and finishing with a 20-5 overall record.

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Former Kasson-Mantorville wrestling standout Brady Berge is healed, happy and driven at Penn State

Former Kasson-Mantorville star Brady Berge has had two serious scares with concussions while wrestling at Penn State. But he is healthy now and carries a new, grateful mindset.

Brady Berge couldn’t help but wonder if his sterling wrestling career might be over.

He was in a fog and with headaches, nausea and an aversion to bright lights after what happened to him in October of 2019 at the World U23 Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The 2017 Kasson-Mantorville graduate and current Penn State redshirt junior had been clipped on the head by an opponent’s knee. It was severe enough — the knee making contact in such a dangerously precise way — that it had left him unconscious.

Once Berge did come to, he was alert enough as he lay in a Budapest hospital bed to realize that he had no feeling in his legs. Continue reading at postbulletin.com →

Kerkvliet places fifth, Berge goes 0-2 at U23 World Championships

Former Simley wrestler Daniel Kerkvliet went 2-2 and placed fifth at the UWW U23 World Championships competing on October 29th-30th in Budapest, Hungary.

Kerkvliet, who wrestled freestyle at 125 kg (275.5 lbs.), defeated Lior Altshuler of Israel 10-0 in his first match. He then pinned Salim Ercan of Turkey at 2:34 in the quarterfinals.

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Fix and Berge bounce back for bronze, Brooks and Elam capture silver at Junior Worlds

TRNAVA, Slovakia – The USA Junior men’s freestyle team finished Saturday night’s session with two silver and two bronze medals in Trnava, Slovakia.

Claiming silver medals were Aaron Brooks at 79 kg and Zach Elam at 97 kg.

2017 Cadet World champion Brooks had a back-and-forth battle with Hayato Ishiguro, who was third at the Japanese Senior World Trials. The bout ended with 21 points on the board and an 11-10 win for Ishiguro.

Brooks scored first with a takedown, but Ishiguro responded quickly with a takedown and gut wrench. At the break, Brooks led on criteria, 4-4. The second period saw points flying, which included three takedowns and exposure. Continue reading at www.teamusa.org

Lewis secures Junior World semifinal bid, three-time World champion Steveson upended in quarterfinals

TRNAVA, Slovakia – In only his third freestyle tournament of his career, Mekhi Lewis advanced to the Junior World semifinals at 70 kg with two quick wins on Saturday morning in Trnava, Slovakia. His wins included a technical fall and a pin.

Against Erik Reinbok of Estonia, Lewis scored takedown after takedown to open his first international tournament with a 10-0 win.

The quarterfinals put the Virginia Tech wrestler against South Africa’s Matthew Bartlett, who is a four-time age-group African Championships silver medalist. Lewis was on the board quickly with a takedown, putting Bartlett to his back and securing the fall at the 1:04 mark.

In tonight’s semifinals, Lewis will face 2018 Junior Asian silver medalist Bat-Erdene Byambasuren of Mongolia. Continue reading at www.teamusa.org