Gopher Wrestling Notebook
Konrad Going For Numbers 60 and 61
Senior heavyweight Cole Konrad is currently riding the second-longest winning streak in the nation at 59 matches. He trails only Missori's Ben Askren, who has won his last 72 contests. Konrad broke Tim Hartung's school record of 58 consecutive wins with his win against Penn State last Sunday and will be going for numbers 60 and 61 this weekend.
Schlatter Not Far Behind
Sophomore Dustin Schlatter is right on the heels of Konrad, currently with 52 consecutive wins of his own, good enough for the third longest streak in the country. Overall, Schlatter has won 64 of 65 matches for a .985 win percentage in his collegiate career, which currently ranks as the highest career winning percentage in school history.
Seeking Revenge
Minnesota will have revenge on its mind on Friday night against the Wolverines. Michigan spoiled the Gophers chances for a perfect dual meet season last year, handing them their only loss of the season on Feb. 17, 2006.
Marquee Match-Ups
Friday night's dual against Michigan will feature a pair of matches between two wrestlers ranked among the top five in the nation. Top-ranked Dustin Schlatter will meet No. 3 Josh Churella at 149 pounds, while second-ranked Roger Kish will face No. 4 Tyrel Todd at 184.
One-Two Punch
Five Golden Gopher wrestlers are currently ranked either first or second in at least one of the national polls. Defending national champions Dustin Schlatter (149) and Cole Konrad (Hwt) both hold the top spot across the board, while Roger Kish is the consensus No. 2 at 184 pounds. C.P. Schlatter, who returned from a knee injury in grand fashion at the National Duals, is ranked second by both Amateur Wrestling News and W.I.N. Magazine, while Manuel Rivera is No. 2 in the latest NWCA coaches' poll.
Four other Minnesota wrestlers are also ranked in at least one poll. Redshirt freshman Jayson Ness is currently ranked No. 4 in the coaches' poll, while Gabriel Dretsch checks in at No. 12. Jeremy Larson re-entered the rankings this week at No. 20. Mack Reiter, who is expected to return from an injury in February, has maintained the No. 6 spot in the W.I.N. Magazine poll.
Taking the Nation by Storm
While a number of Minnesota wrestlers entered the season expecting to compete for individual national titles, two Golden Gophers have exceeded many people's expectations. Redshirt frehsman Jayson Ness and junior Manuel Rivera have taken the nation by storm with their performances so far this year and have been climbing the polls since the season began.
Ness, who entered the season ranked No. 19 in the NWCA coaches' poll and was unranked by a number of other services, has catapulted himself into the top five in the nation with an impressive 25-3 overall record on the season. He boasts a 7-3 mark against ranked opponents, including a remarkable pin of No. 2 Mark McKnight of Penn State in his last match.
Rivera, who has been Minnesota's most improved wrestler over the last two years, has attracted the attention of fans across the nation with 27 consecutive victories since the start of the season.
Key Stat
The Golden Gophers have been scoring bonus points at an impressive clip this season, understanding just how important every point can mean in helping the team to victory. Minnesota wrestlers have scored bonus points in 45 percent (128-284) of their victories this season, including 44 percent (40-90) of their dual meet wins. In contrast, the Gophers have given up bonus points in only 28 percent of losses.
Overall, Minnesota wrestlers have contributed 61 pins on the season while only getting pinned 10 times. Perhaps even more impressive, the Gophers have scored 23 tech falls on the season and have not allowed a single one.
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