OPENING BOUT:
After being idle for over a month, the Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team (3-2, 0-0 NSIC) will open up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference duals as it travels to Minnesota State (2-0, 2-0 NSIC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs will then travel to Kearney, Neb., on Saturday for the Midwest Duals where they will face Colorado State-Pueblo, Central Missouri, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa.
 
SCOUTING MINNESOTA STATE:
Minnesota State is 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the NSIC entering the Thursday dual as the Mavericks defeated Minot State, 39-7 to open up the new year and to earn it's first win in conference action. MSU took down MSU Moorhead, 27-12 the following day to start 2-0 in 2015. Da'Wayne Robertson (125) holds a 24-7 record on the season with seven wins coming from falls. Alphonso Vruno (141) is 18-7 with a 12-5 record by decisions. Sawyer Hoffamn (157) is 11-6 with a 7-2 in falls while, heavyweight, Malcolm Allen (285) is 25-8 this season with a 12-5 in decisions and 5-3 in falls.
 
SERIES HISTORY — MINNESOTA STATE:
Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State will meet for the 34th time on Thursday night with MSU holding a 24-9 advantage in a series that started back in 1980. SMSU won last season's dual, 31-9 that snapped a 23 dual losing streak.
 
MIDWEST DUALS
Dual Schedule
Tournament Schedule 

SCOUTING COLORADO STATE-PUEBLO:
Colorado State University-Pueblo is 3-2 entering the Midwest Duals and will play Adams State before on Thursday. Tim Urenda (133) will enter the duals with a 13-3 record with seven falls recorded this season. Niko Bogojevic (285) has an 11-3 record with four wins coming from major decisions. Dillion Karajanis (149) is 12-4 with an 11-1 record in decisions. Colorado State University-Pueblo competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
 
SERIES HISTORY — CSU-PUEBLO:
SMSU and CSU-Pueblo will meet for the fourth time on Saturday with SMSU holding a 3-0 advantage in a series that started back in 2006. The Mustangs have defeated the ThunderWolves by a total of eight points in the series.
 
SCOUTING CENTRAL MISSOURI:
Central Missouri is 2-6 entering the duals and is coming off a three-dual losing streak. Malacai Collins (125) has a record of 13-8 so far this season with 12 major decisions. Frank Cagnina (149) is 11-1 so far this season and leads the Mules with 18 team points with five wins coming from major decisions. Josh Thomson is 17-7 this season and has five wins from decisions. Central Missouri competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
 
 SERIES HISTORY — CENTRAL MISSOURI:
Southwest Minnesota State and Central Missouri will meet for the 10th time on Saturday with Central Missouri holding a 9-0 record in a series that started back in 1998. The Mustangs and Yules will meet up for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Colorado School of Mines is 1-1 entering the duals with its only win against Northwest Kansas Tech. Skyler Lykins leads CSM with a 9-1 record with six falls. Paul Wilson is close behind with a 7-2 record with four falls. Colorado School of Mines competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
 
SERIES HISTORY — COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Southwest Minnesota State and Colorado School of Mines will meet for the 1st time on Saturday in the duals.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA:
Colorado Mesa is 4-0 overall entering the duals. CMU competes in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
 
NATIONAL AND REGION RANKINGS:
Southwest Minnesota State wrestlers Jacob Begin and Cole Wilson are individually ranked in the region rankings that were announced today.
 
Wilson is also ranked in the regular season NCAA Division II National Wrestling Coaches Association poll released today.
 
Jacob Begin, a senior from Anoka, Minn., is ranked fifth in this week's Super Region 3 ranking at 165 pounds and is 14-1 this season.
 
Cole Wilson, a senior from Fairbault, Minn., is ranked fifth nationally at 285 pounds and is third in the region rankings. He is 17-2 this season with eight falls recorded.
  
As a team, SMSU is ranked 10th 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.