Interim HC Brandon Eggum did an interesting interview in this week's "Coach's Corner".
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/111116aaa.html
Eggum said that Brandon Kingsley got injured at the Daktronics Open last weekend and may be out until the SDSU dual next weekend. He said that Tommy Thorn missed the Daktronics with a strained knee that may keep him out of the Harold Nichols Open at ISU this weekend. (It looks like the 4 wrestlers who are suspended until Jan. 1st can't wrestle in regular tournaments or dual meets, but can compete in "Non-starter" tournaments like the Harold Nichols Open this weekend at ISU). And Eggum said that Bobby Steveson was almost down to 184#s last weekend when he wrestled at 197...he will be at 184 this weekend at the Journeymen Open in NY. Finally, he said that elite true Freshman Mitch McKee did very well last weekend and after some more discussions with Mitch, they will be pulling his redshirt, so he will start at 133 this year. McKee thinks he can compete against the best, and he is very good! So, this will be interesting to watch. The coaching staff has assigned Assistant Coach Dustin Schlatter to help mentor McKee. Schlatter was a 149# National Champ as a true freshman, so his experience may be helpful to Mitch.
Eggum said that he had dinner this week with some big donors who may want to fund the improvement of our wrestling club The Minnesota Storm. If we are to get back to the very top of D1 Wrestling, we need to have a club that operates at a very elite level in Freestyle. Eggum says that along with our new wrestling facilities coming up in the near future, he is encouraged that he may be able to get some big donors to fund the freestyle program. That will really help our recruiting of elite high school wrestlers.
Eggum said that recruiting was difficult lately with all the uncertainty that the program had this past year. He is pleased that we signed several good instate recruits and that the future will be much better.
Here's an article on the three new 2017 instate signees:
Gophers Sign Three In-State Recruits
Minnesota officially adds a trio of Minnesota high schoolers to its 2017 recruiting class
Gophersports.com
Nov. 10, 2016
The Gopher Wrestling program added three new, in-state recruits on Tuesday with Brent Jones, Jakob Bergeland and Alex Crowe signing their National Letters of Intent, officially committing them to wrestle at the University of Minnesota.
“When we are recruiting, the thing we’re looking to do is find the right types of people and these three are hard-working, they’re good wrestlers and they’re great students,” said head coach Brandon Eggum. “They’re also outstanding competitors. They’re also just good kids from good families. Those things are important to us.”
Jones, a three-time Minnesota state champ out of Shakopee, is currently ranked as a top-10 national recruit at 138 pounds, and on the cusp of the national top 50 for all senior wrestlers across all weight classes. His state titles have come at three different weights: 106 as a freshman, 120 as a sophomore and 126 as a junior. He is a seven-time Fargo All-American at the cadet and junior levels, including honors in both freestyle and Greco in 2016. He is also a defending Minnesota Christmas Tournament champion, having won the championship at 126 pounds last winter.
“All-around, Jones is a very good wrestler,” said Eggum. “He’s already won three state titles, so he’s had success in high school, but he seems to be really developing as a wrestler. Great scrambler, great on the mat, phenomenal on top.”
Bergeland, the defending 132-pound Minnesota state champ wrestling for Centennial High School, made a huge impression over the summer with his run to the 138-pound title bout at the prestigious Super 32 national junior tournament. Bergeland also won the 140-pound title at the Journeyman Classic. He is currently ranked among the top 100 senior wrestlers nationally across all weight classes. He is a three-time section champion in Minnesota, and a two-time finalist in Minnesota’s Christmas Tournament. At the cadet level, Bergeland was an All-American in both freestyle and Greco in 2014-15. He has also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-State recognition from The Guillotine last year.
“Bergeland came off a great tournament out at Super 32s where he wrestled well against the nation’s best,” said Eggum. “He’s got a great work ethic and great gas tank. He’s strong defense and seems like he’s making strides to be even better.”
Another Shakopee signee, Crowe is a three-time state placewinner, most recently taking third at 132 pounds last year. He had previously placed sixth and fourth, respectively, as a freshman and a sophomore wrestling at 113 pounds. He was a Fargo All-American in Greco last summer at 138 pounds, adding to multiple cadet All-American performances at junior nationals in 2013 and 2014. He is also a Minnesota Christmas Tournament champion, claiming the 132-pound title in 2015.
“Crowe is a strong mat wrestler. We see a lot of room for growth for him as an individual,” said Eggum. “We’ve very excited about what he brings to the table.”
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/111116aaa.html
Eggum said that Brandon Kingsley got injured at the Daktronics Open last weekend and may be out until the SDSU dual next weekend. He said that Tommy Thorn missed the Daktronics with a strained knee that may keep him out of the Harold Nichols Open at ISU this weekend. (It looks like the 4 wrestlers who are suspended until Jan. 1st can't wrestle in regular tournaments or dual meets, but can compete in "Non-starter" tournaments like the Harold Nichols Open this weekend at ISU). And Eggum said that Bobby Steveson was almost down to 184#s last weekend when he wrestled at 197...he will be at 184 this weekend at the Journeymen Open in NY. Finally, he said that elite true Freshman Mitch McKee did very well last weekend and after some more discussions with Mitch, they will be pulling his redshirt, so he will start at 133 this year. McKee thinks he can compete against the best, and he is very good! So, this will be interesting to watch. The coaching staff has assigned Assistant Coach Dustin Schlatter to help mentor McKee. Schlatter was a 149# National Champ as a true freshman, so his experience may be helpful to Mitch.
Eggum said that he had dinner this week with some big donors who may want to fund the improvement of our wrestling club The Minnesota Storm. If we are to get back to the very top of D1 Wrestling, we need to have a club that operates at a very elite level in Freestyle. Eggum says that along with our new wrestling facilities coming up in the near future, he is encouraged that he may be able to get some big donors to fund the freestyle program. That will really help our recruiting of elite high school wrestlers.
Eggum said that recruiting was difficult lately with all the uncertainty that the program had this past year. He is pleased that we signed several good instate recruits and that the future will be much better.
Here's an article on the three new 2017 instate signees:
Gophers Sign Three In-State Recruits
Minnesota officially adds a trio of Minnesota high schoolers to its 2017 recruiting class
Gophersports.com
Nov. 10, 2016
The Gopher Wrestling program added three new, in-state recruits on Tuesday with Brent Jones, Jakob Bergeland and Alex Crowe signing their National Letters of Intent, officially committing them to wrestle at the University of Minnesota.
“When we are recruiting, the thing we’re looking to do is find the right types of people and these three are hard-working, they’re good wrestlers and they’re great students,” said head coach Brandon Eggum. “They’re also outstanding competitors. They’re also just good kids from good families. Those things are important to us.”
Jones, a three-time Minnesota state champ out of Shakopee, is currently ranked as a top-10 national recruit at 138 pounds, and on the cusp of the national top 50 for all senior wrestlers across all weight classes. His state titles have come at three different weights: 106 as a freshman, 120 as a sophomore and 126 as a junior. He is a seven-time Fargo All-American at the cadet and junior levels, including honors in both freestyle and Greco in 2016. He is also a defending Minnesota Christmas Tournament champion, having won the championship at 126 pounds last winter.
“All-around, Jones is a very good wrestler,” said Eggum. “He’s already won three state titles, so he’s had success in high school, but he seems to be really developing as a wrestler. Great scrambler, great on the mat, phenomenal on top.”
Bergeland, the defending 132-pound Minnesota state champ wrestling for Centennial High School, made a huge impression over the summer with his run to the 138-pound title bout at the prestigious Super 32 national junior tournament. Bergeland also won the 140-pound title at the Journeyman Classic. He is currently ranked among the top 100 senior wrestlers nationally across all weight classes. He is a three-time section champion in Minnesota, and a two-time finalist in Minnesota’s Christmas Tournament. At the cadet level, Bergeland was an All-American in both freestyle and Greco in 2014-15. He has also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-State recognition from The Guillotine last year.
“Bergeland came off a great tournament out at Super 32s where he wrestled well against the nation’s best,” said Eggum. “He’s got a great work ethic and great gas tank. He’s strong defense and seems like he’s making strides to be even better.”
Another Shakopee signee, Crowe is a three-time state placewinner, most recently taking third at 132 pounds last year. He had previously placed sixth and fourth, respectively, as a freshman and a sophomore wrestling at 113 pounds. He was a Fargo All-American in Greco last summer at 138 pounds, adding to multiple cadet All-American performances at junior nationals in 2013 and 2014. He is also a Minnesota Christmas Tournament champion, claiming the 132-pound title in 2015.
“Crowe is a strong mat wrestler. We see a lot of room for growth for him as an individual,” said Eggum. “We’ve very excited about what he brings to the table.”
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