Top-Ranked Prospect Signs with Minnesota Wrestling
The Minnesota wrestling program has added another gem to it 2008-09 recruiting class.
Cambridge-Isanti High School product Tony Nelson, the nation's top-ranked prospect at 215 pounds, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Golden Gophers Friday, head coach J Robinson announced.
The 2009 Minnesota Class AAA state champion, Nelson posted a 47-0 record as a senior, including a staggering 35 wins by fall. He also captured the 2009 National Wrestling Championship in the 215-pound class, going 6-0 during the tournament with three pins. In the national championship match, Nelson pinned his opponent in 30 seconds.
"We are really happy that Tony has decided to stay in state and attend the University of Minnesota," head coach Robinson said. "He is everything you are looking for - a state champion, a national champion and the valedictorian of his high school class. How could you ask for anything more?"
Nelson was a state tournament place-winner as a junior and a sophomore, finishing as the runner-up in 2008 after recording a third-place finish in 2007. He also won more than 40 bouts in each of the final three seasons of his prep career, going 44-3 as a junior and 41-6 as a sophomore.
In all, Nelson concluded his high school career with an impressive 141-18 record as a prep, including 80 victories by fall, and was named an academic All-American for his success in the classroom.
In addition to his prowess on the mat, Nelson also starred on the gridiron as a standout defensive end and linebacker. The 2008 Mississippi Eight Conference Linebacker of the Year, Nelson collected 112 tackles, including 20 for losses, as a senior and earned all-metro and all-conference accolades and received honorable mention all-state recognition from The Associated Press. He finished his three-year football career with 259 tackles.
The addition of Nelson, to go along with Thursday's re-signing of Olympian Jake Deitchler, could push Robinson's 2008-09 recruiting class to the top of the national recruiting rankings.
Heading into the week, the class already included Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.), Alec Ortiz (Newberg Ore.), Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa), Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.), Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.), David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) and Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) as well as Jake Filkins (Prescott, Wis.) and Austin Waliullah (Rockton, Ill.), who inked Acceptance of Admission forms with the Gophers.
The class was ranked No. 6 in the nation according to W.I.N magazine prior the addition of Nelson, Deitchler, Filkins and Waliullah.
Deitchler Recommits to Minnesota Gopher Wrestling Program
Olympic wrestler Jake Deitchler is a Gopher again.
Head coach J Robinson announced Thursday that the Anoka, Minn., product and three-time state champion has signed a grant-in-aid agreement and plans to enroll at the University of Minnesota for the fall semester.
The 2007 NHSCA Junior National Champion at 145 pounds, Deitchler represented the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in the 66 kg./145.5 lb. Greco-Roman division, becoming the first high school wrestler to make the U.S. Olympic team since Mike Farina in 1976.
Following the Olympics, Deitchler decided to train and wrestle full time at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs rather than enroll at the University right away. The opportunity to compete with USA Wrestling gave Deitchler the chance to take on the best wrestlers on the planet in meets in countries all over the world, including Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Cuba and China.
Still, a desire to take to the mat at the NCAA Championships and complete his education at the University of Minnesota continued to call him home.
"I made the U.S. Olympic team at a very young age and that gave me a lot of insight and experience," Deitchler said. "But at the same time I really missed Minnesota wrestling. I want to wrestle in the NCAA tournament and I'm excited to be part of this team. To win an NCAA championship as a team and as an individual are the goals.
"I still have a passion for Greco-Roman wrestling and I will continue to try to make the U.S. World and Olympic teams during the spring and summer. But when I'm there, I'm there to be at the University of Minnesota and help the Gophers win."
Robinson said that he was happy that Deitchler had reevaluated his decision to compete at the collegiate level while pursuing his education.
"The entire Olympic experience was a whirlwind for Jake," Robinson said. "Achieving what Jake did at a very young age can overwhelming at times. The college wrestling experience is like no other in the world and we're thrilled that Jake has decided to rejoin the Minnesota program."
Deitchler, the 2007 Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year for 2007, Minnesota's Mr. Wrestling for both 2007 and 2008, and one of the highest-ranked recruits in the class of 2008 regardless of weight class, originally signed a national letter of intent with the Gophers in November of 2007.
The five-time state placewinner compiled a 201-38 record as a prep and was a dominating 125-1 over his last three seasons.
Minnesota Wrestling Adds Two Student-athletes to Program
University of Minnesota head coach J Robinson announced Tuesday that Jake Filkins (Prescott, Wis.) and Austin Waliullah (Rockton, Ill.) have signed Acceptance of Admission forms and will join the Golden Gophers' wrestling program for the 2009-10 season.
The pair joins an incoming class that has already been ranked No. 6 in the nation according to W.I.N magazine and includes Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.), Alec Ortiz (Newberg Ore.), Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa), Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.), Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.), David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) and Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.).
"Jake and Austin are great additions to what we believe is a very strong class," Robinson said. "These young men will add to the level of competition that already exists in the program and help propel us toward our ultimate goal, which is to consistently compete for national championships."
Filkins, who will compete in the 197-pound class, is from Prescott, Wis., and attends Prescott High School. A Cadet All-American and FILA Cadet All-American, Filkins was a two-time placer in the Wisconsin state high school tournament and this past season brought a 34-0 record into the state meet.
Waliullah is currently a senior at Hononegah High School in Rockton, Ill. A three time conference and regional champion, Waliullah compiled a 116-20 record as a prep and is expected to compete in the 125-pound weight class next fall.
Ness Places Third to Lead Minnesota Gophers at NCAA Wrestling
Note: Final team scores will not be determined until following tonight's individual finals. Minnesota is currently in 14th place entering tonight's competition.
Jayson Ness won twice on Saturday to place third at the NCAA wrestling championships and lead a trio of Minnesota All-Americans in St. Louis.
Zach Sanders also placed sixth at 125 pounds and Tyler Safratowich was eighth at 157 pounds on the final day for the Gophers.
Ness has finished in the top five at nationals in each of his three seasons at Minnesota, placing runner-up last year and fifth as a freshman at 125 pounds. He moved up to 133 pounds this season and finished the year 38-8 overall while seeded sixth at nationals.
Ness opened the day by avenging a loss to third-seeded Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois from the Big Ten championships. Ness beat Kennedy by the same score in which he lost two weeks ago with an 8-2 decision. He followed with a 7-3 win over Boise State's Andrew Hochstrasser in the third-place match.
Sanders lost both of his matches on Saturday, dropping his opener to Anthony Robles of Arizona State 19-10. Robles, seeded 12th and well-known for his wrestling success with just one leg, built an 11-1 lead through the first period with three near falls in the opening three minutes.
Sanders lost in the fifth place match to third-seeded Angel Escobedo of Indiana 8-0. It was the second straight day he lost to the defending national champion after Escobedo posted an 8-1 victory in the quarterfinals on Friday. Sanders finished the season with a 39-10 record.
Safratowich lost in his only match on Saturday in overtime with a 4-2 setback against Chase Pemi of Cal Poly. Pemi recorded a takedown in the extra time to earn the sudden victory and drop Safratowich's season record to 32-15.