New Southwest Minnesota State head wrestling coach Jesse Nelson is learning what kind of program he has taken over every day.
Nelson, who was hired to replace John Sterner in late August, came to
SMSU after a successful five-year run at Ridgewater College in Willmar.
“It’s been a good transition so far,” Nelson said. “It’s been tougher
because we don’t have a lot of kids on the roster. Plus, my assistant
coach doesn’t start until around Christmas. Doing it by yourself can be
tough, but the rest of the athletic staff has been very supportive.
They’ve been a good sounding board for me.”
The Mustangs open their inaugural season under Nelson on Saturday with
a trip to the Dakota Wesleyan Open in Mitchell, S.D. The meet begins at
9 a.m.
Nelson said he’s expecting to take 15 wrestlers to the meet. SMSU
opened practice on Oct. 14. Nelson said he’s hoping the Mustangs take
Saturday’s Open as a chance to get their feet wet.
“Some guys won’t wrestle this weekend just because they’re not ready to
go yet,” Nelson said. “But the main thing for us is that it gives us a
chance for some guys to get in some matches. We’re looking at this as a
chance to get better.”
The Mustangs’ first three dates on their schedule are at Opens. After
DWU, SMSU is at the Augsburg Open on Nov. 17 and at the MSU-Moorhead
Open on Dec. 1. The Mustangs’ first dual is against Augsburg at 7 p.m.
on Dec. 4 in Marshall.
“The Opens give the guys a chance to get in shape,” Nelson said. “I
think it’s a good way to open up the season. Wrestling other
competition outside of the wrestling room is always beneficial. It
shows you what the guys really have.”
SMSU still doesn’t have a heavyweight wrestler going into Saturday.
Nelson said he may pick one up when the spring semester starts in
January.
“I’m trying to bring in a guy at heavyweight,” he admitted. “Giving up
six points at each dual is something you don’t want to do. That can be
a major downfall. Hopefully, we can have somebody in place by semester
time and roll with it.”
Nelson has been pleased with what he has seen in practice from several
wrestlers. They include 125-pound senior Kurt Smith, 184-pound junior
Tyler Johnson, 149-pound sophomore Luke Giese, 133-pound senior Ryan
Reed, 165-pound sophomore C.D. Johnson and 174-pound senior Greg Frank.
“Ryan Reed is back down at 133 this year and I think that will be
better for him,” Nelson said. “Last year there was a situation where he
was wrestling at 141 and it was better for the team. We’re expecting a
lot out of him. We’re also expecting a lot of big things out of Tyler
Johnson. He’s one of our leaders and he’s just a really strong guy.”
Giese, a native of Slayton, took last season off. But according to Nelson, he really hasn’t missed a beat.
“He’s been a great leader and we’re expecting great things from him,”
Nelson said of Giese. “I think he’ll really be a mainstay for us.”
As far as newcomers, Minneota native and 141-pound freshman Tanner Skillings has been a pleasant surprise for Nelson.
“Tanner might take his lumps, but he’s going to be good for us,” Nelson
said. “A lot of guys are going to have an opportunity to break into the
lineup for us early on.”
The Mustangs have also adjusted to Nelson’s coaching style. Even the
seniors have shown a willingness to adapt to their new coach.
“There’s always a different environment with a new coach,” Nelson said.
“But the guys have been adjusting and have been really good about it.
We’re still feeling each other out and figuring out what is best for
each wrestler. The highest point for me is how our seniors are handling
the change. They’ve really stepped up and accepted the challenge of
having a new coach. That’s really exciting. The whole team is giving me
everything they can.”