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North Dakota State wraps up first Division I season with home contest against South Dakota State on Friday
Seniors Magee, Christianson and Kelly Finish Bison Careers
February 22, 2005
THIS WEEK: North Dakota State (9-4-0) is scheduled to close out its 2004-05 wrestling season by hosting South Dakota State (10-7-0) on Friday, Feb. 25 at the Bison Sports Arena. The opening bout is slated for 7:30 p.m. NDSU returns home after finishing 2-1 last weekend with wins over Utah Valley State and Wyoming. The Bison fell to Northern Colorado last Friday. SDSU scored a 27-19 victory over American University on Feb. 20 in their last action.
TICKETS: North Dakota State is featuring a "Jack Pack" this weekend. For $15, fans can purchase one ticket good for Friday night's wrestling dual and Saturday's basketball double-header with South Dakota State. For more information, contact the NDSU ticket office at 1-888-231-NDSU (6378).
BISON SEEK 25TH DOUBLE-DIGIT WIN SEASON: A win against South Dakota State would give North Dakota State its 25th season with at least 10 wins. The Bison have won at least 10 duals in each of the last four seasons, including an unblemished 14-0 record last year. NDSU's school record for most meet wins in a season is 16, which dates back to the 1991-92 campaign when the Bison finished 16-0.
THE SERIES: This will be the 48th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota State, with the Bison holding a 31-16-0 advantage in the series. NDSU has won eight consecutive duals against SDSU, including a 31-3 win last year in Brookings, S.D. The Jackrabbits have not won in the series since the 1996-97 season, defeating the Bison 24-10 in Fargo.
BISON SENIORS: NDSU seniors Nick Magee, Lucas Christianson and Collin Kelly will each be wrestling in their final match as members of the Bison on Friday. The trio were selected co-captains in NDSU's first season of Division I wrestling. They have combined for 180 career wins on the mat for the Bison. Christianson is a two-time NCAA Division II All-American. Magee accomplished the feat last year placing fourth at the NCAA's at 133 pounds.
KRAEMER REACHES 30 WINS: Junior heavyweight Tim Kraemer captured his 30th win of the season (30-7) in overtime against Wyoming's Dusty Hoffschneider on Feb. 19. Kraemer's 11-9 victory over Hoffschneider, an NCAA qualifier and West Regional Champion at heavyweight last season, lifted the Bison to a 22-21 come-from-behind win against the Cowboys in Laramie. Kraemer is 11-1 in duals this season.
BISON WRESTLERS ECLIPSE 20-WIN SEASONS: NDSU's Adam Dahlstrom, Dustin Benz and Matt Hermann all eclipsed the 20-win plateau over the weekend. Dahlstrom (21-11) recorded win #20 on Friday with an 8-3 decision over Utah Valley State's Wayne Watts. Benz (20-10) reached 20 wins after receiving a forfeit against Wyoming. Hermann (20-8) recorded a 7-5 win over Northern Colorado's Cole Allison on Friday for back-to-back 20-win seasons after finishing 25-13 last year as the Division II NCAA runner-up at 184 pounds. Senior Collin Kelly (19-13) is looking for his second 20-win season for the Herd. He went 21-18 during the 2002-03 season. Andy Pickar (23-8) and Tim Kraemer (30-7) secured their first 20-win seasons for the Bison earlier this season.
FRESHMAN DELIVERS: Redshirt freshman Andy Pickar currently leads the team in dual points scored with 42. The Brainerd, Minn. is 10-3 in duals this season and ranks second on the team in wins with 23 and is tied with heavyweight Tim Kraemer for the team lead in pins this season with seven.
CAREER CHARTS: Bison sophomore Matt Hermann's 15-6 major decision over Northern Colorado's Cole Allison on Jan. 22 was his 50th career win as a Bison. NDSU senior Nick Magee captured his 50th career win after pinning Appalachian State's Terrell Williams at 133 pounds at the NC State Duals. Magee (14-6) improved his career record to 57-27 as a Bison after an undefeated weekend. Junior Zach Stevens (15-11) has gone over 50 career wins and has amassed 58 career wins. Senior Collin Kelly (19-13) notched his 50th career win in the Bison's home opener against Princeton and is now 54-38 all-time. Senior Lucas Christianson eclipsed the 60-career win mark with a 13-4 decision over Tyler Safratowich of Minnesota at this year's Bison Open. Christianson is chasing the 70-win plateau with a 69-52 career record at North Dakota State.
COACH JASON LILES AND THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State head coach Jason Liles (115-70-1) guides the Jackrabbits in his 12th season at the helm. The wrestling program made the move to Division I this season after finishing 5th in the North Central Conference and 23rd overall at the Division II nationals a year ago. Five starters from last season's team return led by juniors Cody Nehl (15-12 at 197 pounds) and Chad Herrboldt (13-12 at 149 pounds). Freshman Dusty Kavitz has emerged as a strong presence, compiling a 14-9 record at 141 pounds. SDSU has faced four opponents that have squared off against the Bison this season. The Jackrabbits defeated Princeton 18-15 in their second dual of the season and have lost to Northern Colorado (31-12), Wyoming (31-15) and Northern Iowa (34-3).
HAVEN'T WE MET?: NDSU and SDSU have crossed paths already this season at the Daktronics Open on Nov. 6. There is a possibility of three potential Bison/Jackrabbit rematches. NDSU's Lucas Christianson won by major decision over Dustin Kavitz 141 pounds at the Daktronics Open. The Bison's Dustin Benz defeated Cody Nehl 8-1 at 197 pounds. While NDSU's Adam Dahlstrom lost to Nate Althoff 3-2 in their 174 pound matchup.
THRILLER IN WYOMING: Trailing 21-19 heading into the final match of the night, North Dakota State's hope of a come-from-behind win over Wyoming rested on the shoulders of heavyweight Tim Kraemer. The junior came through with an 11-9 overtime decision against the Cowboys' Dusty Hoffschneider to give NDSU a 22-21 win before 356 fans in Laramie, Wyo., on Saturday, Feb. 19. Kraemer wasted little time in attacking in overtime, scoring a takedown just 15-seconds in to give him his 30th win of the season and give the Bison their 9th dual win on the year. Trailing 18-7 in the dual, the Bison got a huge pin from Adam Dahlstrom at 174 pounds to cut the lead to 18-13. After NDSU's Dustin Benz received a forfeit at 197 pounds to trim the lead 21-19, the stage was set at heavyweight. The Bison got back-to-back wins from seniors Nick Magee at 133, who won by major decision 12-0, and Lucas Christianson at 141 to provide their early scoring.
BEARS BOUNCE BISON IN REMATCH: Northern Colorado won six of ten matches and avenged a 31-3 loss to North Dakota State back on January 22, by defeating the Bison 19-15 in Greeley, Colo., on Feb. 18. A crowd of 485 was on hand at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion to witness UNC's first win against NDSU since the 1979-80 season. Northern Colorado head coach Jack Maughan scored his first ever victory over his father, NDSU head-man Bucky Maughan. The younger Maughan is now 1-17-1 all-time against his mentor. NDSU's got a pin from Andy Pickar at 165 and decisions by Nick Magee (133), Matt Hermann (184) and Tim Kraemer (heavyweight) to account for their scoring.
BISON DEFEAT UTAH VALLEY STATE 25-10: North Dakota State rebounded from a 31-12 setback to #13 Northern Iowa by winning seven of ten bouts against Utah Valley State en route to a 25-10 win on Feb. 18. The Bison capitalized on Nick Magee's forfeit at 133 pounds and Andy Pickar's major decision at 165 pounds to secure the win in Greeley, Colo. NDSU's Lucas Christianson (141), Zach Stevens (149), Adam Dahlstrom (174), Matt Hermann (184) and Tim Kraemer (heavyweight) were all victorious for the Herd.
MAKING THE TRANSITION: NDSU and SDSU are in their first year of a two-year waiting period for the NCAA tournament. Wrestling at both universities received notification of acceptance from the NCAA for multidivisional classification that will provide NCAA Division I postseason opportunities in 2006-07. Originally, both were not eligible for the NCAA national tournament until the 2008-09 season.
HEAD COACH BUCKY MAUGHAN: North Dakota State is coached by a National Wrestling Hall of Famer. Bucky Maughan is in his 41st year at the helm of the Bison. Maughan is only the second full-time wrestling coach in the school's history. He has a 417-116-11 record to date in dual meets and has guided the Herd to 17 North Central Conference titles, four NCAA Division II championships, and 26 top-five national finishes. The Bison won nine straight NCC titles from 1982 to 1990 under his direction. He is a member of five halls of fame after his 2003 induction to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
BISON ASSISTANTS: Beginning his fourth year at NDSU, assistant coach Bret Maughan brings a wealth of experience to the Bison program. The two-time All-American on the mat at NDSU had head coaching stints at Moorhead (Minn.) High School and Bismarck State College before returning to his alma mater. Former three-time All-American and national champion Kris Nelson begins his fifth season as an assistant. Fellow NDSU All-Americans Thad Pike, Joe Bryce and Paul Carlson will serve as student assistants this season.