2024 Offseason

[PaBizon]

Sax to Oklahoma

Not surprising at all. He’s the only one that shook kish’s hand after the match last year. I will make a prediction now that he doesn’t finish as high next year as he did this year.

[Alpine4d]

Not surprising at all. He’s the only one that shook kish’s hand after the match last year. I will make a prediction now that he doesn’t finish as high next year as he did this year.

I tend to agree with this. I have not seen many of the kids that have transferred do better than previous year with exception of Caliendo. However I’m not sure these kids even care anymore. It’s all about the money for them. NIL has killed any competitive smaller schools. It isn’t just wrestling. It’s football as well.

[Big Bird]

Tanner Gerber, Trae Thilmony, and starter Landon Johnson all entered the portal before it closed. If you count Negrete, that is 6 starters....

17 guys are gone (could be more, but I've lost count) since the regular season ended...

That. is. not. normal. Even in this portal age, that many guys leaving is not remotely normal.

Thank god coach Blanc has been been proactive in the portal and added....a backup Hwt from Northern Colorado and a junior college 197.

Their 2025 class is non-existent too.

[Big Bird]

NDSU added Devin Wasley a 174 from Minnesota. Has gone 10-13 against D1 competition through his first two years.

He beat both Adam Cherne and Mason Gode last year, while beating Brendan Howes and Mannix Morgan the year before. Lost to Sax and Habisch in the 2023 season.

Unlikely to be an NCAA qualifier, but he's serviceable and this team needs to take anything they can get.

[PaBizon]

Nothing is normal anymore. Good grief. It’s changed. Grow up and deal with it. If you want Obe fired just say it.

[PaBizon]

Wrestle stat rankings for those that went the portal route. Ranking is for their individual weight class.

Valeazquez #351
Licht #267
Gerber #243
Klohs #214
Thilmony #197
Mills #186
Gode #162
Bentz #139
Duda #92
Johnson #96 (if he’s in as he doesn’t show up there on Wrestlestat)
Barretto #62
Negrete #61
Mooberry #38
Dawson #33
Sax #13

Most were (all but Dawson I believe) recruits that Kish signed off on. They didn’t lose anything but practice bodies other than Sax and Sax isn’t a shoo in starter at Oklahoma having lost to Pickilo more than he’s beat him. I’m glad he opened up a connection with a Minnesota transfer and hopefully there will be more. I still think getting Burwick to come home would be big. This IS the new norm in college sports for mid major programs. It wouldn’t surprise me if many of these kids were asked to leave.

[NDSU_grad]

Wrestle stat rankings for those that went the portal route. Ranking is for their individual weight class.

Valeazquez #351
Licht #267
Gerber #243
Klohs #214
Thilmony #197
Mills #186
Gode #162
Bentz #139
Duda #92
Johnson #96 (if he’s in as he doesn’t show up there on Wrestlestat)
Barretto #62
Negrete #61
Mooberry #38
Dawson #33
Sax #13

Most were (all but Dawson I believe) recruits that Kish signed off on. They didn’t lose anything but practice bodies other than Sax and Sax isn’t a shoo in starter at Oklahoma having lost to Pickilo more than he’s beat him. I’m glad he opened up a connection with a Minnesota transfer and hopefully there will be more. I still think getting Burwick to come home would be big. This IS the new norm in college sports for mid major programs. It wouldn’t surprise me if many of these kids were asked to leave.

If we get Burwick we’ll be better at 8 weights compared to last year, even with all these defections. I’m with you; we need a total rebuild after what Kish did and if Obe wants to do it through high school recruits and not the portal, then I’m going to give him time before I want him run out of town.
The wrestling community’s small; literally everybody I talked to said we upgraded when Obe replaced Kish. And the Hidlay’s are some of the most respected young names in the sport.

[PaBizon]

Tanner Gerber, Trae Thilmony, and starter Landon Johnson all entered the portal before it closed. If you count Negrete, that is 6 starters....

17 guys are gone (could be more, but I've lost count) since the regular season ended...

That. is. not. normal. Even in this portal age, that many guys leaving is not remotely normal.

Thank god coach Blanc has been been proactive in the portal and added....a backup Hwt from Northern Colorado and a junior college 197.

Their 2025 class is non-existent too.

Other than Sax who cares.