Well Gopher Wrestling fans, the 2021-22 season is just about upon us!!
Yay, I'm very excited for that!!!
We have a solid class of 2021 freshmen coming in, several should be good starters, and a couple could likely be elite!! So for the next month until the season starts, we will be posting interviews with these new young Gopher studs!!
Our season starts a little less than a month from now when we go to Fargo, ND on November 13th for the Bison Open, the first of four team open tournaments we will be participating in this season.
We have been a middle level B1G wrestling program on the rise lately, and I believe we are still on the rise. This year's recruits will definitely help, and the next two years of recruits are stellar, so we should be nearing the top again during that time!!
I hope you all tune in this year so you can watch the continued rise of our Gopher Wrestling program!! And these guys all work so very hard to succeed, I think they deserve our attention and support!!
Here are the first two interviews of our new #GopherTough wrestlers from Gophersports.com:
Meet The Freshman: Drew Roberts
The Coeur d'Alene product is the first freshman to be highlighted as we introduce the new batch of Gopher grapplers
Brad Rempel
Gophersports.com
Wrestling
10-7-21
Another season of Minnesota Wrestling is just around the corner, which means it is time to introduce the new class of incoming freshman. First up is Drew Roberts, the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho product, who was a three-time high school state champion in three different states, including an Idaho state title as a senior at 152 pounds under high school coach and uncle Jeff Moffat.
Now Roberts, who is the son of veteran Division-I wrestling coach Kevin Roberts, jumps to the collegiate scene aas he looks to enter the fold in a deep middleweight roster for the Maroon & Gold.
GopherSports: Right away, what was it that led you to choose the University of Minnesota?
Roberts: I think the biggest thing was the tradition that Minnesota wrestling has, and the culture that the coaches bring to their team. They are coaches that will be there for you, even if it was outside of wrestling they would have your back. I just thought with all of that, Minnesota was the best place for me to become the best wrestler and person that I can be.
GS: Of course with Minnesota being in the Big Ten, you'll have the opportunity to wrestle in the premier conference for collegiate wrestling. Does that excite you and did that factor into your decision at all?
Roberts: Yeah, that was a big thing. Being in the Big Ten is a huge deal. It doesn't get any better in the Big Ten. For me, being able to wrestle in those environments is one of a kind. Obviously we have a great environment here and also some of those tough places on the road, so you don't get that experience anywhere else.
GS: One thing that you have referenced is the competitiveness in the room, especially around your weight class with guys like Michael Blockhus, Brayton Lee and Andrew Sparks. Do you think that benefits you to have the opportunity to compete with the top guys in the nation every day?
Roberts: For sure, that definitely adds to everything else I like about Minnesota to have those guys there. Even the coaching staff we have here with Coach Becker and Coach Schlatter right around the weight, it's been great so far.
GS: You have talked about the culture that the coaches have built here, and right now we're in a great spot with the amount of young talent we have in the room. What excites you about the potential this group has throughout your college career?
Roberts: Yeah, I'm excited to be a part of a team that's going to be top-four in the country contending for trophies. That's a very rare opportunity, and not only do we have guys now, but with my recruiting class and the ones in the future, we're shaping up to be pretty good.
GS: Talk about your wrestling style a little bit and what you bring to the room here at Minnesota?
Roberts: Yeah, I like to bring a lot of energy. High pace, high intensity, and score a lot of points. Most of the time, I think I'd rather tech someone than try to pin them, because when you put a lot of points up, that's something that people like to watch. Fans love to see guys putting points up, so I try to bring that high energy and put on a show.
GS: Your family ties in the sport of wrestling has also been a big influence in your life, with your father being a Division-I coach, as well as your uncle who coached you at Coeur d'Alene. How has your family helped you in the sport of wrestling?
Roberts: Yeah, wrestling has been big on both sides of my family, but I think the biggest thing was that it wasn't forced upon. Of course, I did it and happened to find a love for it and from there the family has been very supportive.
GS: Bouncing off of that, with your dad bouncing around collegiate wrestling, did he give you any advice or insight leading into your decision or was it more of you making your own decision and your family would follow wherever you landed?
Roberts: Yeah, he obviously has a lot of experience with coaching and recruiting, so he knows what to look for in a successful program, so I think he guided me a little bit but at the same time, he wanted for me to make my own decision and ultimately I think that the decision I made is one that he liked and supported.
GS: You had some unique circumstances in your high school career wrestling in three different states in four years. Do you think that those experiences wrestling all-around the Northwest benefited your wrestling at all?
Roberts: Honestly, I think there were some good sides and some down sides. I think the challenges I faced with switching schools so many times helped me to learn how to deal with adversity, so when I face different challenges in the future, that will be easier to overcome. There was definitely some adjusting to do, but that experience will help me in the future both in and out of wrestling.
GS: Finally, when you look forward to your college career, what is it that you're looking to accomplish both individually and as a team?
Roberts: The main thing is to become the best person that I can be, and help the team be the best that we can be, and then of course ultimately I want to become an All-American and an NCAA Champion and help bring a team title to Minnesota.
Meet The Freshman: Gabe Nagel
Freshman introductions continue as we highlight our first Minnesota native from the recent class
Brad Rempel
Gophersports.com
Wrestling
10/14/2021
Our Meet the Freshman series rolls on as we introduce another member of the 2021 incoming class. Next up is state champion, three-time state finalist, and Little Falls, Minn., native Gabe Nagel.
GopherSports: First question, just talk about why you chose the University of Minnesota?
Nagel: Yeah, I mean some of my earliest memories of watching the Gophers was in 2012 with guys like Dylan Ness, Scott Schiller, the Dardanes brothers, you know, so growing up the Gophers have always been at the top for me. I had always considered Minnesota as the best out there, so when it came time to pick a school, it would've been pretty tough for any other school to convince me to go somewhere else. I've always felt that the Gophers are the best.
GS: With that childhood dream in mind about representing Minnesota, what does it mean to you now that you're room in the Gopher practice room and now you represent the Maroon & Gold.
Nagel: Yeah, it's crazy. I know coming from a small town, it's a rare opportunity for kids to wrestle in college and have the opportunity to go Division-I, so it's cool to show people that I could make it. It was tough at times, but I was willing to drive the extra hour to find partners, and I was willing to push through those glass ceilings. Four years ago, this might have seemed impossible, but now that I'm here it's unreal so see how it all worked out.
GS: Now that you're in the room and have access to those practice partners that you alluded to, who are some of the guys in the room that you've been working with that have helped you get better?
Nagel: Yeah, I've been working with Bailee O'Reilly and Isaiah Salazar, Bennett Tabor is another one I've been working with. It's awesome to have those guys around because if you make a mistake, they'll let you know it. They'll take you down, turn you, and whatever else so you have to elevate yourself just to compete with the guys in our room. It's been awesome to be able to improve with those guys in the short time I've been here.
GS: What has your interaction been like with teammates and coaches been like since you've been on campus?
Nagel: All around the team has been great. All of us freshmen pretty much live together in the same apartment building, so I feel like I get along with them pretty well. All around I think even the veteran guys have been more than welcoming and have helped that transition into college.
GS: Just talk about the team as a whole and the outlook that you have on our program moving into the future?
Nagel: Yeah, I mean if you look at our recruits and the guys we already have in the room, our future is extremely bright. It's exciting because if you watch us wrestle, you can see that everybody is wrestling hard and is hungry for a national championship. You think about guys like Brayton and Pat, they're already leaders and they will continue to lead for the next couple years. So, not only will we have good recruits now and down the road, but we have the established leaders that will continue to push us.
GS: You talked a little bit about having this opportunity to be able to wrestle Division-I, and of course Minnesota is in the Big Ten. Just talk about how much that excites you to be able to wrestle on collegiate wrestling's biggest stage.
Nagel: Yeah I mean there were some opportunities to go outside the Big Ten and even some successful Division-II schools that had reached out, but at the end of the day I knew that the Big Ten was the best, so when it came down to it and the opportunity to wrestle here came about, it was pretty much a no-brainer.
GS: For those that maybe haven't had a chance to watch you compete yet, just describe your wrestling style and what we could expect from you in a Gopher singlet.
Nagel: Yeah, I think that my wrestling style isn't anything too crazy. I think one of my best components of my wrestling is my top wrestling. There could be matches where I'd be losing but I would turn a guy or pin him. That strength always helped me in high school but now that I'm here I'm looking to compete in the room and get better on my feet, because that's where a majority of matches are decided in college wrestling.
GS: Finally, what's your outlook on your college career? What are some goals and expectations that you might have for yourself as you approach your time in Minnesota?
Nagel: Yeah coming into college I've always felt that maybe I wasn't the highest-ranked guy, but I knew that I'll be able to work hard and I've always stood by that. Every day I'm trying to work harder than everyone in the room. So although I might not be the top-ranked guy, I believe that before my time is done here, I'll be competing for a national championship. That's something that the coaches have talked about turning unknown guys into NCAA Champs and I believe I can be that next guy.
Yay, I'm very excited for that!!!
We have a solid class of 2021 freshmen coming in, several should be good starters, and a couple could likely be elite!! So for the next month until the season starts, we will be posting interviews with these new young Gopher studs!!
Our season starts a little less than a month from now when we go to Fargo, ND on November 13th for the Bison Open, the first of four team open tournaments we will be participating in this season.
We have been a middle level B1G wrestling program on the rise lately, and I believe we are still on the rise. This year's recruits will definitely help, and the next two years of recruits are stellar, so we should be nearing the top again during that time!!
I hope you all tune in this year so you can watch the continued rise of our Gopher Wrestling program!! And these guys all work so very hard to succeed, I think they deserve our attention and support!!
Here are the first two interviews of our new #GopherTough wrestlers from Gophersports.com:
Meet The Freshman: Drew Roberts
The Coeur d'Alene product is the first freshman to be highlighted as we introduce the new batch of Gopher grapplers
Brad Rempel
Gophersports.com
Wrestling
10-7-21
Another season of Minnesota Wrestling is just around the corner, which means it is time to introduce the new class of incoming freshman. First up is Drew Roberts, the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho product, who was a three-time high school state champion in three different states, including an Idaho state title as a senior at 152 pounds under high school coach and uncle Jeff Moffat.
Now Roberts, who is the son of veteran Division-I wrestling coach Kevin Roberts, jumps to the collegiate scene aas he looks to enter the fold in a deep middleweight roster for the Maroon & Gold.
GopherSports: Right away, what was it that led you to choose the University of Minnesota?
Roberts: I think the biggest thing was the tradition that Minnesota wrestling has, and the culture that the coaches bring to their team. They are coaches that will be there for you, even if it was outside of wrestling they would have your back. I just thought with all of that, Minnesota was the best place for me to become the best wrestler and person that I can be.
GS: Of course with Minnesota being in the Big Ten, you'll have the opportunity to wrestle in the premier conference for collegiate wrestling. Does that excite you and did that factor into your decision at all?
Roberts: Yeah, that was a big thing. Being in the Big Ten is a huge deal. It doesn't get any better in the Big Ten. For me, being able to wrestle in those environments is one of a kind. Obviously we have a great environment here and also some of those tough places on the road, so you don't get that experience anywhere else.
GS: One thing that you have referenced is the competitiveness in the room, especially around your weight class with guys like Michael Blockhus, Brayton Lee and Andrew Sparks. Do you think that benefits you to have the opportunity to compete with the top guys in the nation every day?
Roberts: For sure, that definitely adds to everything else I like about Minnesota to have those guys there. Even the coaching staff we have here with Coach Becker and Coach Schlatter right around the weight, it's been great so far.
GS: You have talked about the culture that the coaches have built here, and right now we're in a great spot with the amount of young talent we have in the room. What excites you about the potential this group has throughout your college career?
Roberts: Yeah, I'm excited to be a part of a team that's going to be top-four in the country contending for trophies. That's a very rare opportunity, and not only do we have guys now, but with my recruiting class and the ones in the future, we're shaping up to be pretty good.
GS: Talk about your wrestling style a little bit and what you bring to the room here at Minnesota?
Roberts: Yeah, I like to bring a lot of energy. High pace, high intensity, and score a lot of points. Most of the time, I think I'd rather tech someone than try to pin them, because when you put a lot of points up, that's something that people like to watch. Fans love to see guys putting points up, so I try to bring that high energy and put on a show.
GS: Your family ties in the sport of wrestling has also been a big influence in your life, with your father being a Division-I coach, as well as your uncle who coached you at Coeur d'Alene. How has your family helped you in the sport of wrestling?
Roberts: Yeah, wrestling has been big on both sides of my family, but I think the biggest thing was that it wasn't forced upon. Of course, I did it and happened to find a love for it and from there the family has been very supportive.
GS: Bouncing off of that, with your dad bouncing around collegiate wrestling, did he give you any advice or insight leading into your decision or was it more of you making your own decision and your family would follow wherever you landed?
Roberts: Yeah, he obviously has a lot of experience with coaching and recruiting, so he knows what to look for in a successful program, so I think he guided me a little bit but at the same time, he wanted for me to make my own decision and ultimately I think that the decision I made is one that he liked and supported.
GS: You had some unique circumstances in your high school career wrestling in three different states in four years. Do you think that those experiences wrestling all-around the Northwest benefited your wrestling at all?
Roberts: Honestly, I think there were some good sides and some down sides. I think the challenges I faced with switching schools so many times helped me to learn how to deal with adversity, so when I face different challenges in the future, that will be easier to overcome. There was definitely some adjusting to do, but that experience will help me in the future both in and out of wrestling.
GS: Finally, when you look forward to your college career, what is it that you're looking to accomplish both individually and as a team?
Roberts: The main thing is to become the best person that I can be, and help the team be the best that we can be, and then of course ultimately I want to become an All-American and an NCAA Champion and help bring a team title to Minnesota.
Meet The Freshman: Gabe Nagel
Freshman introductions continue as we highlight our first Minnesota native from the recent class
Brad Rempel
Gophersports.com
Wrestling
10/14/2021
Our Meet the Freshman series rolls on as we introduce another member of the 2021 incoming class. Next up is state champion, three-time state finalist, and Little Falls, Minn., native Gabe Nagel.
GopherSports: First question, just talk about why you chose the University of Minnesota?
Nagel: Yeah, I mean some of my earliest memories of watching the Gophers was in 2012 with guys like Dylan Ness, Scott Schiller, the Dardanes brothers, you know, so growing up the Gophers have always been at the top for me. I had always considered Minnesota as the best out there, so when it came time to pick a school, it would've been pretty tough for any other school to convince me to go somewhere else. I've always felt that the Gophers are the best.
GS: With that childhood dream in mind about representing Minnesota, what does it mean to you now that you're room in the Gopher practice room and now you represent the Maroon & Gold.
Nagel: Yeah, it's crazy. I know coming from a small town, it's a rare opportunity for kids to wrestle in college and have the opportunity to go Division-I, so it's cool to show people that I could make it. It was tough at times, but I was willing to drive the extra hour to find partners, and I was willing to push through those glass ceilings. Four years ago, this might have seemed impossible, but now that I'm here it's unreal so see how it all worked out.
GS: Now that you're in the room and have access to those practice partners that you alluded to, who are some of the guys in the room that you've been working with that have helped you get better?
Nagel: Yeah, I've been working with Bailee O'Reilly and Isaiah Salazar, Bennett Tabor is another one I've been working with. It's awesome to have those guys around because if you make a mistake, they'll let you know it. They'll take you down, turn you, and whatever else so you have to elevate yourself just to compete with the guys in our room. It's been awesome to be able to improve with those guys in the short time I've been here.
GS: What has your interaction been like with teammates and coaches been like since you've been on campus?
Nagel: All around the team has been great. All of us freshmen pretty much live together in the same apartment building, so I feel like I get along with them pretty well. All around I think even the veteran guys have been more than welcoming and have helped that transition into college.
GS: Just talk about the team as a whole and the outlook that you have on our program moving into the future?
Nagel: Yeah, I mean if you look at our recruits and the guys we already have in the room, our future is extremely bright. It's exciting because if you watch us wrestle, you can see that everybody is wrestling hard and is hungry for a national championship. You think about guys like Brayton and Pat, they're already leaders and they will continue to lead for the next couple years. So, not only will we have good recruits now and down the road, but we have the established leaders that will continue to push us.
GS: You talked a little bit about having this opportunity to be able to wrestle Division-I, and of course Minnesota is in the Big Ten. Just talk about how much that excites you to be able to wrestle on collegiate wrestling's biggest stage.
Nagel: Yeah I mean there were some opportunities to go outside the Big Ten and even some successful Division-II schools that had reached out, but at the end of the day I knew that the Big Ten was the best, so when it came down to it and the opportunity to wrestle here came about, it was pretty much a no-brainer.
GS: For those that maybe haven't had a chance to watch you compete yet, just describe your wrestling style and what we could expect from you in a Gopher singlet.
Nagel: Yeah, I think that my wrestling style isn't anything too crazy. I think one of my best components of my wrestling is my top wrestling. There could be matches where I'd be losing but I would turn a guy or pin him. That strength always helped me in high school but now that I'm here I'm looking to compete in the room and get better on my feet, because that's where a majority of matches are decided in college wrestling.
GS: Finally, what's your outlook on your college career? What are some goals and expectations that you might have for yourself as you approach your time in Minnesota?
Nagel: Yeah coming into college I've always felt that maybe I wasn't the highest-ranked guy, but I knew that I'll be able to work hard and I've always stood by that. Every day I'm trying to work harder than everyone in the room. So although I might not be the top-ranked guy, I believe that before my time is done here, I'll be competing for a national championship. That's something that the coaches have talked about turning unknown guys into NCAA Champs and I believe I can be that next guy.
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