Eagles prepare for first wrestling dual
Despite not having the Cardinal & Black Classic, Chadron State’s men’s wrestling team opens its season with a full schedule against Northeastern Junior College on Monday in Chadron.
“I’d say in general, just being together as a team is what I’m looking forward to the most,” Brett Hunter, head men’s wrestling coach, said. “Our practices aren’t split up anymore. We’re able to do some team activities that we weren’t able to last year. So, I think ultimately it’s just being together, being a team again.”
The Eagles are currently schedule to wrestle against 17 teams before the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Open and NCAA Super Region VI Championships both in February.
As their first dual approaches, Hunter said the focus has been on the team, working on things like technique and focusing on what wrestlers can do to become better by “slowing things down and fine-tuning things.”
The 2020-21 wrestling season limited the Eagles to seven matches which started against the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 16. The shortened season did see some accomplishments though.
CSC men’s wrestling program finished 25th during the National Wrestling Coach Association’s NCAA Division II team rankings on Jan. 22.
Rowdy Pfeil, sophomore of Moorcroft, Wyoming, individually ranked No. 4 in the 174-pound weight class, adding 12 team points to the team ranking poll.
Last season, Pfeil competed in 11 matches as a true freshman and finished fourth at the NCAA DII Super Regional VI Championships.
Eli Hinojosa, redshirt junior of Imperial, finished last season with an 8-3 record. He placed third, the highest for the Eagles at the 2021 NCAA Super Region VI Championships in the 197-weight class.
Another wrestler that competed the whole season was Preston Renner, redshirt junior of Westminster, Colorado, who finished the season with an 5-6 record and advanced to the consolation semifinals during the NCAA DII Super Regional VI Championships.
“Last year some duals were canceled, and we didn’t have any tournaments before regionals so it’s nice that we have the opportunity to wrestle a lot more,” Renner said. “My focus is to make sure I am feeling confident for our first match. We have a long season so as long as I feel good and confident then the rest should come along with it.”
Joe Ritzen, redshirt senior of Chadron; Joe Taylor, redshirt junior of Glenrock, Wyoming; Mason Wyatt, redshirt junior of Broomfield Colorado; competed through the COVID-19 season and are a portion of the Eagles returning to the mat.
Chadron State men’s wrestling team recruited 13 new wrestlers, three transfers and 10 freshmen.
Hunter said that the new recruits have arguable been the best group of wrestlers, and they’re good kids on and off the mat.
“I’m not saying it’s going to translate to them just winning all these matches, but in terms of just doing the right things on and off the mat, buying into our program, what we are trying to do, this is the best I’ve felt in terms of our program in general and a lot of it is because of our freshman.”
Renner said that Coach Hunter, Mason Brainard, coaching assistant, and Caleb Radley, coaching assistant, have also been “putting in tons of hours to help the wrestlers with extra practices and everything else that comes with it.”
The Eagles open their men’s wrestling season against Northeastern Junior College on Monday and Hunter said he would like everyone to come and support the team.