Preview Video:
-Head Coach Brandon Novak (3:37)
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Sixth-year head coach Brandon Novak has plenty to look forward to with the 2009-10 Saint John's University wrestling team. With four national qualifiers returning, including one national champion, coupled with an abundance of talent in the wrestling room, the Johnnies are aiming to improve on their 15th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships last March.
Junior Matt Baarson (157; Brooklyn Park, Minn./Champlin Park), senior Mogi Baatar (133 pounds; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.), junior Minga Batsukh (141 pounds; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.) and junior Dustin Baxter (184 pounds; Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley) all return to the Johnnies as national qualifiers.
Batsukh defeated Wartburg’s (Iowa) Zach McKray 5-2 at 141 pounds to become the fourth wrestling national champion in the school’s history at the 2009 NCAA Division III championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Batsukh became the first national champion since Novak won the 197-pound title in 2001.
Baxter finished seventh at 184 pounds to also earn All-America honors (top eight). Baatar ran into some tough luck when he broke his hand in a 6-1 loss to Wartburg’s Matt Kelly following his first-round bye at 133 pounds, and then dropped his second match, 8-3.
Both Baatar and Batsukh claimed regional championships to advance to the 2009 NCAA Division III Championships. It was the third consecutive regional title for Baatar, and second overall regional title for Batsukh.
Baxter finished the regional championships 5-1, putting him in second place and qualifying for nationals for the second consecutive year. Baarson finished in third and later earned a wild card entry to nationals.
SJU has qualified two or more wrestlers to the NCAA Championships 19 of the last 20 seasons, and has sent at least one individual to the national tournament 23 of the past 24 meets. Over that time, the Johnnies have produced 25 All-Americans and 36 Scholar All-Americans.
As a team, the Johnnies finished last season with a 10-5 dual record.
Here’s a preseason look at the Johnnies, by weight:
LOWER WEIGHTS (125, 133, 141, 149)
Sophomore Chad Henle (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer) will again be penciled in as the starter at 125 pounds this winter. Henle tallied a 21-11 record last season as a freshman. Freshman Trenton Seck (Loretto, Minn./Delano) will provide depth.
Baatar returns at 133 pounds following his third consecutive trip to the Division III championships and a record of 23-9 last season. Senior Sam Morse (Minneapolis, Minn./St. Paul Highland Park), junior Emmanuel Livingstone (Minneapolis, Minn./North), sophomore Scott Padrnos (Brainerd, Minn.) and freshman Alex Boosalis (Dellwood, Minn./Mahtomedi) will also vie for time at 133 pounds.
Batsukh, the reigning national champion, is set to return at 141 pounds after compiling a record of 19-4 last season. Sophomore Derik Gertken (Paynesville, Minn./Rocori) and freshmen Charlie Kirscht (Garfield, Minn./Alexandria) and Jay Woiwor (Becker, Minn.) will provide depth.
Junior Drew Larson (Willmar, Minn.) enters the 2009-10 season as the starter at 149 pounds after posting a 28-16 record the past two seasons. Freshmen Matt Conahan (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista), Kyle Glynn (Shakopee, Minn.) and Cody Goldschmidt (Waconia Minn./BOLD) will all compete for time. Goldschmidt claimed third place at the Class 1A Minnesota State High School Tournament at 135 pounds as a senior last year and ended his high school career with a 157-49 record.
MIDDLE WEIGHTS (157, 165, 174)
Junior John Vaith (Hastings, Minn.) and senior Grant Lydon (White Bear Lake, Minn.) will compete for time at 157 pounds this season. Vaith tallied a 12-6 record at 149 pounds last season, while Lydon finished 3-3.
Freshman Chris Stevermer (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) will be joining them at 157. Stevermer finished third at the Class 3A Minnesota State High School Tournament at 152 pounds as a senior, fifth his junior year and sixth as a sophomore. He ended his high-school career with a 173-41 record.
Baarson finished with a 27-11 record and won the annual North Country Tournament last winter. Baarson is expected to jump to 165 pounds in 2009-10.
Junior Dustin Raygor (St. Croix Falls, Wis.) and sophomore Matt Pfarr (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) will battle for the starting spot at 174 pounds this winter. Raygor finished last season with a 4-9 record, while Pfarr posted a 13-5 record as a freshman in 2008-09. Freshman Nick Schuler (Roseville, Minn./Totino-Grace) will also compete for time at 174.
UPPER WEIGHTS (184, 197, 285)
Baxter finished the season with a 26-8 record. Freshman Mitch Hagen (Sunburg, Minn./Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) is expected to backup Baxter at 184 pounds. Hagen won the Class 1A Minnesota State High School Tournament championship at 171 pounds as a senior at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School last winter.
Juniors James Carlson (Royalton, Minn.) and Tony Willaert (North Mankato, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) will battle at 197 pounds. Carlson finished the season 10-10, while Willaert claimed fourth place at regionals and finished his sophomore season with a 24-12 record.
Sophomore Cody Socher (Delano, Minn.) will be competing for time in the heavyweight division. Socher posted an 18-8 record in his freshman season. Senior Jake Evenson (Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley) will also be vying for mat time at 285.
SJU opens its 2009-10 schedule on the road for its first six events this season, beginning Nov. 21 at the Augsburg Open in Minneapolis. The Johnnies' first home event is a dual against St. Olaf on Dec. 8. Other home events include duals against Ridgewater Community College (Dec. 10) and Augsburg (Jan. 14). The annual North Country Tournament is Jan. 30 in Collegeville, three weeks before the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional on Feb. 20 in Minneapolis. The 2009 NCAA Division III National Championships will be held March 5-6 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.