MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State men's wrestling team turned in a strong effort in its pre-conference season, racking up wins in duals along with individual tournament titles.
All of it in preparation for this moment, the start of the NSIC dual season as the Beavers wrestling in duals at Augustana on Thursday night, and at No. 21 Northern State on Friday.
Minot State heads into the weekend with a 5-3 record in duals which includes a split of four duals at the Tracy Borah Duals in Colorado last weekend, a strong tune-up in the Beavers in their return to action after the holiday break.
Leading the way last weekend and scheduled to compete this weekend, as well, were
James Davis,
Nathan Baca, Brendan Bares, and
Cayden White, who each picked up three wins in the dual tournament.
Davis, a junior-college All-American who competes at 133 pounds, is 6-1 in his first season at Minot State.
Baca, who wrestles at 157, is 7-3 this season, and Barnes, who competes at 165 and who also finished third in the Western Colorado Open on Friday, is 13-3 this season.
As for White, who competes at 184, he is 11-5 this season for the Beavers.
Other standouts for Minot State this season who will compete this weekend are
Dustin Swisher at 197, who is 11-4, and heavyweight
Jake Swirple, who is 8-1 this season, 22-1 in his collegiate career, and ranked No. 8 in his weight class by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Swirple will be one of five wrestlers ranked in the Top 12 in their weight class competing this weekend as Augustana and Northern State each boast a pair of Top 12-ranked wrestlers.
Augustana's Jaxson Rohman is ranked No. 5 at 125 pounds and will present a challenge for Minot State's
Dylan McDonald (4-4) at that weight, and Miles Fitzgerald is ranked No. 10 at 157 and will battle the Beavers' Baca.
As for Northern State, Wyatt Turnquist is ranked No. 11 at 149 pounds. He will battle Minot State's
Noah Segura (3-7). And Cole Huss is ranked No. 2 at 197 pounds and will battle the Beavers' Swisher.
After opening the NSIC season on the road, the Minot State men's wrestling is back home for the first time in two months next weekend, hosting MSU Moorhead at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, and in-state rival the University of Mary on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m.
