Golden Gophers Ranked Number One in the Country by W.I.N. Magazine
Fresh off its National Duals Championship, the unbeaten Golden Gopher wrestling team (12-0-0) is ranked number one in the latest W.I.N. national rankings. It is the first time since the 2002-03 preseason poll that Minnesota has been ranked number one. In addition, nine Golden Gophers are ranked individually including top-ranked heavyweight Cole Konrad and second-ranked Dustin Schlatter at 149 pounds.
The Golden Gophers moved up ahead of three-time defending NCAA Champion Oklahoma State after Sunday’s thrilling 21-14 victory in the finals at the National Duals. Minnesota ended the Cowboys’ 30-match winning streak.
Konrad solidified his hold on the top spot at heavyweight with a dramatic pin of two-time NCAA Champion Steve Mocco. The win ended Mocco’s 85-match winning streak and was his first loss since being defeated as a freshman in the finals at the NCAA Championships. Konrad is currently 24-0 and has won 53 of his last 54 matches. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the National Duals.
A true freshman from Massillon, Ohio, Schlatter improved to 26-1 on the year with four impressive victories. At the National Duals, he defeated second-ranked Jon Masa of Hofstra, fifth-ranked Mark DiSalvo of Central Michigan and defending NCAA Champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State. Schlatter is scheduled to face top-ranked Ty Eustice of Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Williams Arena.
Other Golden Gophers ranked include: No. 4 Mack Reiter at 133 pounds, No. 20 Manuel Rivera at 141, No. 7 C.P. Schlatter at 157, No. 9 Matt Nagel at 165, No. 8 Gabriel Dretsch at 174 and No. 10 Roger Kish at 184,
A sophomore from El Monte, Calif., Rivera entered this week’s rankings after posting his second victory of the season against sixth-ranked Daniel Frishkorn of Oklahoma State.
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