OPENING BOUT:
After earning a 2-1 record at the Candlewood Suites Duals last Saturday in La Crosse, Wis., the Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team (3-1) will play host to Division III Augsburg College in the PE Gym starting at 7 p.m on Thursday night.
 
SCOUTING AUGSBURG:
Augsburg is 2-1 entering the Thursday dual as the No. 7-ranked Auggies went 2-1 in its three dual meets at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Candlewood Dual last Saturday. Tommy Teigen (184) is 6-1 on the season with five of his six wins earned from pins. Defending 125-pound national champion Mike Fuenffinger, ranked No. 1 nationally, won all three bouts last weekend to improve to 6-1 on the year. Will Keeter recorded his 100^th career win with a 2-1 performance last weekend. The No. 5-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds is 5-2 on the season and 101-48 in his career.
 
SERIES HISTORY:
Southwest Minnesota State and Augsburg will meet for the 27^th time on Thursday night with Augsburg holding a 23-3 advantage in a series that started back in 1972. SMSU has lost the last 21 duals with the last meeting coming back in 2008.
 
NATIONAL AND REGION RANKINGS:
Southwest Minnesota State wrestlers Jacob Begin and Cole Wilson are individually ranked in the first regular season NCAA Division II National Wrestling Coaches Association poll released on Wednesday.
 
Both Jacob Begin and Wilson, along with teammate Kyle Begin, are also ranked high in the region rankings that were announced today as well.
 
Jacob Begin, a senior from Anoka, Minn., is ranked third nationally at 174 pounds and is 9-1 this season. He is ranked No. 2 in this week's Super Region 3 rankings.
 
Cole Wilson, a senior from Fairbault, Minn., is ranked No. 4 nationally at 285 pounds and is third in the region rankings. He enters this weekend's matches with an 11-2 record.
 
Kyle Begin, a junior from Anoka, Minn., is 3-1 this season and is ranked fifth in the region rankings.
 
As a team, SMSU is ranked seventh in the 15-team Super Region 3 rankings.
 
HEAD COACH:
Jesse Nelson is in his eighth season as head wrestling coach at Southwest Minnesota State. During his tenure, Nelson has led the program to an overall record of 53-46-1. Last season he led the mustangs to a 6-2 record in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference—most wins since joining the conference in 2000 and highest finish since winning the title that same season. Nelson was named the fourth coach in the history's program on Aug. 22, 2007.
 
LAST WEEK:
The Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team went 2-1 in the Candlewood Suites Duals Saturday in Mitchell Hall Fieldhouse.  The Mustangs improved to 3-1 this season.

SMSU suffered its only loss of the dual in a 30-15 defeat to No. 9 UW-La Crosse. The Mustangs bounced back and earned, a 40-8 win over UW-Eau Claire and a 27-15 victory over University of Dubque (Iowa).

Jacob Begin, Brody Goens and Cole Wilson all went a perfect 3-0 in their bouts in the dual.