Contact | Subscribe | Advertise | Links | Youth | H.S. | College | Club | News/General
Contact
| Subscribe
| Advertise
| Links
| Youth
| H.S.
| College
| Club
| News/General
December 1, 2004
North Dakota State University‚s wrestling team this week travels to Nevada to compete in the highly competitive Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Matches begin at 11 a.m. CT both days at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Stiff Competition
This is the 22nd annual Las Vegas Invitational and the field is expected to be as tough as ever. All levels of collegiate wrestling will be represented. The University of Minnesota, the NCAA Division I runner-up last winter, won the Las Vegas Invite a year ago. The top five included D-I strongholds Illinois, Ohio State, Arizona State and West Virginia, and those schools are all among the 45-team field again in 2003.
Bison Target Fourth Top 20 Finish
North Dakota State has finished in the top 20 the past three seasons at the Las Vegas Invitational, and the Bison have been the top Division II team in the final standings each of those three years. NDSU was 18th last season, but needed a scoring correction to jump ahead of conference rival Augustana College. The Bison had 36 points last year and tied with Oregon State for 18th place overall.
Live Results Available Online
Fans can track all of the Las Vegas Invitational results as they become final through a newly founded online partnership. The Wrestling Mall has signed an agreement to serve as the official Web site of the Las Vegas Invitational this year. The Wrestling Mall offers in-depth wrestling reports on teams and individuals from around the nation and has become one of the leading wrestling resources on the Internet.
Kraemer Knows The Vegas Trail
The Las Vegas Invitational may be spread out over two days, but that doesn‚t mean the double-elimination tournament is a cakewalk. Bison senior BRIAN KRAEMER is the only returning placewinner from last year‚s team. He finished eighth at 197 pounds, and he had to wrestle six matches on the final day to get there. Kraemer was 1-1 in Friday‚s session before reeling off four wins early Saturday. He dropped his final two decisions to finish the tournament with a respectable 5-3 record including four wins by fall.
Seniors Pursuing Career Wins List
Three senior Bison wrestlers this season will be closing in on NDSU‚s top 10 list for career victories. BRIAN KRAEMER (74-41), PAUL CARLSON (73-32) and MIKE FIEDLER (71-30) are the wrestlers in reach of the top 10 in career wins at North Dakota State. Tenth place is 97 wins, belonging to Matt Strawser (1999-2003).
Bison Favored For NCAA & NCC Titles
North Dakota State University is the preseason favorite to win the NCAA and North Central Conference wrestling championships according to preseason polls issued by the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association and NCC coaches. National rankings are based on returning team points from last year‚s national tournament.
NDSU will be pursuing its fifth national wrestling title and 17th conference title, and it will be the last such chance for the Herd. North Dakota State is reclassifying to Division I and will depart Division II and the North Central Conference after this year.
Change In Postseason For NCC Teams
Membership changes in the North Central Conference have sparked changes in the championship criteria for both the NCC and NCAA. The conference tournament, which was for many years a national qualifying tournament, has been eliminated in favor of an NCAA regional. Here are some of the details on how the new system will work...