NSIC

St. Cloud State’s Bianchini, Costanzo, and Eischens earn NSIC Awards

The St. Cloud State University wrestling team made a clean sweep of the 2019-20 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference awards as the Huskies claimed the league’s top three honors. SCSU senior Kolton Eischens (Pierz, Minn./Healy H.S.) was named the 2019-20 NSIC Co-Wrestler of the Year, freshman Joey Bianchini (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Immaculate Conception H.S.) was named the NSIC Rookie of the Year and SCSU’s Steve Costanzo was named the NSIC Coach of the Year.

A senior for Pierz, Minn. and a graduate of Healy H.S., Eischens posted an 18-1 record with eight falls for the Huskies in 2019-20 at 174-pounds. He ended the season ranked #2 in the nation at 174-pounds and captured first place honors at the 2020 NCAA DII Super Region V championships in the 174-pound bracket. A two-time All-American for the Huskies (4th in 2019 and 6th in 2018), Eischens was one of nine SCSU wrestlers that qualified for the 2020 NCAA DII championships that were canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

A three-time All-NSIC award recipient, CoSIDA Academic All-American, and an Academic All-NSIC award winner during his career, Eischens finished his career at SCSU with a 75-12 record. Eischens is the sixth SCSU athlete to earn the NSIC Wrestler of the Year award. He shared the honor in 2019-20 along with Nick Baumler of Upper Iowa.

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Augustana’s Ben Kelvington earns NSIC Elite 18 Award for Wrestling

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana’s Ben Kelvington was named the 2019-20 NSIC Elite 18 Award winner for wrestling. Kelvington becomes the fifth student-athlete from Augustana to earn the award since its inception in 2016-17.

Kelvington is a redshirt junior majoring in biochemistry and hold a 3.99 grade point average. The Jordan, Minnesota native is a second team All-NSIC wrestler at 174 pounds. He went 5-2 in NSIC dual action this season and owns a 12-4 overall record with five major decision victories. At the NCAA Super Region V Championship he will be wrestling in the third place bout this evening.

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Burnett Named NSIC Wrestler of the Week

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Augustana Redshirt freshman Hunter Burnett has been named the NSIC’s Wrestler of the Week the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

Burnett helped lead the Vikings to victory last Friday at No. 17 Minnesota State. In the dual, Burnett defeated returning national qualifier, and No. 9 ranked, Louie Sanders in the 141-pound bout. In his match with Sanders, Burnett dominated with two takedowns, a reversal and an extra point for riding time. Augustana would go on to win the dual by a score of 24-13.

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Neises Earns NSIC Wrestler of the Week Honors

The Senior went 2-0 in Augustana’s dual wins last week

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Senior Bailey Neises has been named the NSIC’s Wrestler of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

The Howard, South Dakota, native led the Vikings with a 2-0 record at 165 pounds in their two dual wins against Northwestern College and No. 10 ranked Upper Iowa.

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St. Cloud State’s Garrett Vos named NSIC Wrestler of the Week

St. Cloud State University sophomore Garrett Vos (Bonifacius, Minn./Waconia H.S.) has been selected as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week for Nov. 4-10.

In action at 133-pounds, Vos opened his 2019-20 season with a 2-0 record at the 2019 Journeymen Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y. on Nov. 9. Vos carded an 11-6 win over No. 1 ranked Tyler Warner of Pitt-Johnstown to highlight his day. He also posted a 5:43 fall against Hayden Brown of Johnson & Wales, and received a forfeit win over American International in the first dual of the day for SCSU.

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Vikings Selected To Finish Fourth In The 2019 Preseason Coaches’ Poll

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — The Augustana wrestling team has been picked to finish fourth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll by tallying 41 points. The NSIC also selected junior Ben Kelvington as Augustana’s Preseason Player to Watch.

“I am excited to see the progress our young guys have made since last year and also the leadership the upperclassmen have shown,” head coach Jason Reitmeier said. “With 15 guys that were redshirted or out last season due to injury, the competition and intensity has been extremely high. Our athletes and staff are excited about this team and this season.”

In addition to three newcomers, the Vikings return 26 wrestlers from last year’s roster that finished fifth in the NSIC, fifth at the Super Region V Championships, and 13th at nationals. While the roster only features three seniors, 12 of the 26 returners redshirted last season and are eligible to compete this season.

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SMSU ranked ninth in NSIC Preseason Poll

BURNSVILLE, MINN. – The Southwest Minnesota State wrestling team is picked to finish ninth in the annual Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ poll released on Thursday.

St. Cloud State, the eight-time defending NSIC Champion, was chosen once again, as the favorite to win the conference with eight first-place votes and 64 points total. Upper Iowa comes in second at 53 points, Minnesota State at third with 52 points, and one first-place vote, Augustana follows in fourth place with 41 points overall, UMary comes in at fifth with 37 points, Northern State at sixth with 29 points, MSU Moorhead at seventh with 23, Minot State at eighth with 13 and SMSU comes in at ninth with 12.

Jesse Nelson begins his 13th season as head coach of the Mustangs and has 32 athletes on the roster that includes six seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, eight redshirt freshmen and 10 true freshmen. The Mustangs return four wrestlers who competed at the NCAA Super Regional last February.

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