2021 NCAA qualifier Owen Pentz (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)North Dakota State Bison
Led by five returning NCAA qualifiers, one of which is a Big 12 Champion, North Dakota State will look to move up the Big 12 ladder this season and grab a few All-American spots at the NCAA tournament.
TOP RETURNERS
157: Jared Franek-NCAA Qualifier
165: Luke Weber-NCAA Qualifier and Big 12 Champion
197: Owen Pentz-NCAA Qualifier
285: Brandon Metz-NCAA Qualifier
133: Dylan Droegemueller- 2020 NCAA qualifier
KEY DEPARTURE
McGwire Midkiff went 36-34 over three years in the Bison lineup at 125 lbs. He was the team's entrant in the Big 12 Championships during all three of those seasons. Last year, Midkiff went 1-7 against a very deep conference weight class.
TOP NEWCOMERS
Carlos Negrete JR(125), Michael Caliendo(165), DJ Parker(184), Spencer Mooberry(197), Juan Mora(285), Dom Vacura(285), Cole Gripka(285). These are some of the headliners of a recruiting class that was ranked 15th in the nation in 2021 by InterMat. The bulk of the group should be able to redshirt this season.
WRESTLER TO WATCH
Luke Weber: Weber had a tough draw at the NCAA tournament last season and hit the eventual champion Shane Griffith and later the third-place finisher Keegan O'Toole. That draw kept him off the podium, but if he can get a top-eight seed and the bracket breaks right for him, he could reasonably break off an All-American finish this season. Weber was one of the stories of the Big 12 Championships, as he handed Travis Wittlake his first loss of the 2021 campaign.
POTENTIAL LINEUP
125-Ryan Henningson/Carlos Negrete
133-Kellyn March
141-Dylan Droegemueller
149- Jaden Van Maanen/Gaven Sax
157-Jared Franek
165-Luke Weber
174-Austin Brenner/Riley Habisch
184-Michael Nelson
197-Owen Pentz
285-Brandon Metz
Three weights are still up for grabs. At 125, Henningson and Negrete will battle it out to replace McGwire Midkiff. Gaven Sax will throw his hat in the ring against Jaden Van Maanen for the 149 lb spot. At 174, Austin Brenner and Riley Habisch will contend for a starting role. The two squared off at the Last Chance Challenge in 2021 and Brenner won a tight 3-2 decision.
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