Bison excited with newcomers

By Jeff Kolpack

November 14, 2002 at 11:00 PM

The North Dakota State wrestlers had a team meeting the other day in its practice room. The subject: team goals.

They rarely change from year to year: Qualify 10 guys for nationals, get eight All-Americans, win national duals and finish in the top 15 in the Division I Las Vegas tournament.

"We're pretty pumped about our younger crowd," junior Paul Carlson said. "Since I've been here, the younger guys have pulled us through. The older guys do what is expected of them, hopefully."

Carlson is one of six Bison with national tournament experience. He was the runnerup last year at 157 pounds.

Senior Matt Strawser (125), junior Lucas Christianson (133 of 141), junior Mike Fiedler (165) and junior Brian Kraemer (197) are returning All-Americans. Thad Pike qualified two years ago.

NDSU has work to do to replace last year's seniors. National champions Todd Fuller at 174 and Nick Severson at heavyweight are gone. Jake Thielbar and Chris Rufo were consistent winners at 133 and 184, respectively.

They were a major part of a recent NCAA Division II championship run. NDSU won team titles in 2000 and 2001. If it weren't for a near-perfect performance by Central Oklahoma last year, the Bison would have made it three straight.

"A lot of these guys want that national championship ring," Carlson said.

There are several options at each weight. As customary, NDSU will spend the first half of the season finding the right combination.

"I've got to get these guys in the right frame of mind right off the bat," said Bison head coach Bucky Maughan. "Wrestling is a fight, not a chess game."

The fight begins Saturday when NDSU hosts its annual Bison Open. Competition begins at 10 a.m. Championship matches usually begin late in the afternoon.

Maughan took a few younger wrestlers to an open tournament at South Dakota State last weekend. Freshman Mathias Bitz won the 141-pound class and sophomore Collin Kelly was impressive in winning at 157.

If NDSU is going to make another run at a national title, it will need elevated performances like that.

"We've got talent all over the room," Carlson said. "It's a matter of who shows it."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546

By Jeff Kolpack

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he's covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU's Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: "Horns Up," "North Dakota Tough" and "Covid Kids." He is the radio host of "The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack" April through August.

Bison excited with newcomers

The North Dakota State wrestlers had a team meeting the other day in its practice room. The subject: team goals. They rarely change from year to year: Qualify 10 guys for nationals, get eight All-Americans, win national duals and finish in the to...