SJU BEGINS 2007-08 SEASON THIS SATURDAY
The Saint John's University
wrestling team, ranked No. 23 in the Brute/NWCA Division III Preseason
Team Rankings, begins its 2007-08 season this Saturday, Nov. 10 with
two separate competitions hundreds of miles apart. A number of
underclassmen will head northwest to compete in the North Dakota State
Bison Open in Fargo, N.D., while the majority of the varsity squad will
travel east to compete at the Lakeland, Wis. Duals. The Johnnies are
scheduled to compete against Wis.-Platteville, No. 7 Coe, Lakeland and
Wis.-Eau Claire in Sheboygan.
2007-08 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Johnnies return one wrestler, sophomore Mogi Baatar (125 pounds;
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.), who competed at thee
national meet last season, keeping a streak alive that has seen Saint
John's qualify wrestlers at 21 of the past 22 national meets, including
22 All-Americans and 35 Scholar All-Americans. Baataar tied the school
record for most wins by a freshman with 33 (33-10 record) last season
and went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships last spring. As a team, the
Johnnies finished last season with a 7-6 dual record and finished 23rd
out of 63 teams at the NCAA Division III Championships. In addition to
Baatar, head coach Brandon Novak will also welcome back junior and
2006-07 Scholar All-American Grant Eustice (174 lbs.; Shoreview,
Minn./Mounds View) and junior Zach Anderson (149 lbs.; Thief River
Falls , Minn.), as well as senior leaders Tim Thompson (Lake City,
Minn.) and Jason Finley (Lake City, Minn.). Eustice posted a 24-15
record and Anderson finished fourth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional
last season. Thompson finished with a 15-19 record competing at 133
lbs., while Finley posted a 14-14 record between the 197 and 285-pound
weight classes last season. SJU will need to replace four-time national
qualifier and two-time All-American Jacob Malone, who finished his
career with a 129-55 record at the 157-pound weight class. Malone
finished his career second in career falls (49), fourth in career wins
(129), eighth in career points (370) and 10th in career takedowns (211
). Freshmen Dustin Baxter (Fairbanks , Alaska/West Valley) and Tony
Willaert (North Mankato, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial) are
expected to step in and solidify spots at the upper weight classes this
season. Baxter was three-time Alaska state finalist and two-time state
champion, while Tony was a 2007 Minnesota state champion. Tony is the
younger brother of 2006 All-American Dan Willaert '06, who finished his
SJU career with an overall record of 124-47. Matt Schrupp (Watertown,
Minn.), a junior transfer from NCAA Division III power Wartburg
College, Iowa, is expected to compete for the Johnnies' vacancy in the
165-pound weight class.
PLENTY OF DUALS THIS SEASON
The Johnnies will feature a more head-to-head style of competition this
season, as the number of dual competitions will nearly double from 13
to nearly 30 this season. SJU opens its 20007-08 schedule on the road
for its first two events this season before playing host to Minnesota
State-Mankato Nov. 14. Other home events include the annual Terry Haws
Duals Dec. 15, the North Country Tournament Feb. 9 and the NCAA Great
Lakes Regional Feb. 23. The Johnnies also host St. Olaf (Jan. 18) and
Augsburg (Jan. 22) for duals this season.
HEAD COACH BRANDON NOVAK
Brandon Novak begins his fourth season as head coach of the SJU
wrestling program in 2007-08. Last year, Novak led the Johnnies to a
23rd place finish (663 teams) at the NCAA Championships. Keeping the
academic standards high in 2005-06, Novak's SJU wrestling team had the
fifth-highest team grade point average in NCAA Division III at 3.334.
Prior to becoming the head coach in 2004-05, Novak assisted 2007 NCCAA
Division IIII Wrestling Coaches' Hall of Fame inductee John Elton, who
was head wrestling coach from 1981-2004. Novak, a 2001 graduate of SJU,
won the NCAA Wrestling Championship at 197 pounds in 2001 and was a
three time All-American. Novak currently owns a 16-20 career dual
record.