RCTC WRESTLING
Head coach:Randy Rager (7th year).
Assistant coaches:Tom Messerli, Nick Severson.
Last season:The Yellowjackets finished seventh in the Division III NJCAA National Tournament. They were 5-7 in dual meets during the season and second in the MCAC dual-meet state tournament and third in the MCAC Team Tournament.
Season outlook: RCTC returns four wrestlers from last year's team that placed in the national tournament. Coach Randy Rager also has a strong group of incoming freshmen who should help the Yellowjackets again excel at the state and national level. Rager has 14 freshmen on the squad but is still looking for an newcomer to fill out one weight class.
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Team strengths: "This year, we have several local wrestlers from the Section One area," Rager said. "Wrestling in Southeastern Minnesota has always been good and this should help produce a strong team. The team has been working hard and I think that we have already trimmed the fat from the roster."
Team weakness: "At the moment our biggest weakness is in the middle at 165," Rager said. "I recruited a guy and he didn’t work out, so now we have a spot that needs to get filled. Our dual season doesn’t start until after Christmas, and I know of some guys on campus that could fill the spot.
Coach’s quote: "I haven’t had a group at RCTC that I have been able to push as hard as this group," Rager said. "They want to work hard both in the classroom and in the practice room. I’m excited to see where we will be at the end of the season."
ROSTER
Sophomores: Jered Kemp (125, Palmer, Ark.); Hector Millan (141, Owatonna); Shelby Deno (184, Kasson); Jordan Arndt (197, Zumbrota).
Freshmen:Dillon Solberg (125, Wahpeton, N.D.); Nate Larson (133, Sioux Falls, S.D.); Seth Johnson (133, Blooming Prairie); Dakota Hanson (141, Kasson); Zach Curry (141,Chatfield); Holton Lubinski (149, Elk River); Tyler Jackson (149, Mazeppa); Zach Schreiber (157, Kasson); Juan Gomez (174, Chatfield); Ivan Guernsey (197, Fridley); Logan Barrett (197, Owatonna); Jacob Leintz (hwt., Clear Lake, Wis.); Blake Arndt (hwt., Hayfield); Jacob Minske (hwt., Rochester).
SCHEDULE
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Nov. 19— at Augsburg Open, 9 a.m.
Dec. 10— at St. Cloud State Open, 9 a.m.
Jan. 7— at Ridgewater Open, 9 a.m.
Jan. 11— at Itasca, 6 p.m.
Jan. 17— at Augsburg JV, 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 21— Minnesota/Iowa Quad, 11 a.m.
Jan. 24— at Ridgewater, 7 p.m.
Jan. 31— Minnesota West, 7 p.m.
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Feb. 11— at North Central District Regional (Mason City, Iowa), 10 a.m.
Feb. 22-25— NJCAA National Tournament (Rochester), TBA
