FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State wrestling makes a trip to the Twin Cities for the first time since 2011 to face Minnesota in dual action on Sunday, Dec. 10. The Bison are slated for a 2 p.m. start against the Gophers at the Maturi Pavilion, with the dual being streamed live on B1G+.
 
The Bison Lineup
125 | Carlos Negrete Jr. (So., Fresno, Calif.)
133 | Fernando Barreto (RFr., Pomona, Calif.) or Ryan Henningson (Sr., Winona, Minn.)
141 | #28/29 Gavin Drexler (RFr., Stratford, Wisc.) or Walker Bents (RFr., Glenwood, Minn.)
149 | #10/11 Kellyn March (Sr., Canton, S.D.) or Max Petersen (RFr., Byron, Minn.)
157 | Landen Johnson (RFr., Owatonna, Minn.) or Boeden Greenley (Fr., Lisbon, N.D.)
165 | Brendan Howes (RFr., Ramsey, Minn.)
174 | #21 Gaven Sax (Jr., St. Robert, Mo.)
184 | #30 Adam Cherne (Fr., Medina, Minn.) or Aidan Brenot (Fr., Clarksville, Tenn.)
197 | Spencer Mooberry (So., Osage, Iowa) or Lathan Duda (So., Broken Bow, Neb.)
285 | Devon Dawson (Jr., Brooklyn Park, Minn.)
 
Dual Coverage
The dual against the Gophers will be streamed live on B1G+ Network and will also have live results, with links for coverage available on GoBison.com.
 
Ranked Bison
Four Bison are ranked in this week's edition FloWrestling and InterMat rankings. Senior 149 pounder Kellyn March sits at No. 10 overall in InterMat and No. 11 in Flo, while redshirt freshman 141 pounder Gavin Drexler sits at No. 28 in Flo and No. 29 in InterMat. Junior 174 pounder Gaven Sax sits at No. 21 in the Flo rankings. True freshman 184 pounder Adam Cherne also makes his debut in the rankings after another impressive win, coming in at No. 30 in the Flo rankings.
 
Series History
The Bison and Minnesota will meet for the 23rd time in series history on Sunday, with the Gophers holding a 20-2 advantage in the series. Last season, the teams met for the first time since 2015, with Minnesota claiming a 24-9 victory. The teams last met in Minneapolis in November of 2011, with the No. 10 Gophers winning 29-9. Overall, the Bison are 2-4 all-time against Minnesota in Minneapolis, but the Gophers have won the last three visits from the Bison, and 18-straight duals overall. The last Bison win came on December 5, 1970, with then Division II NDSU claiming a 25-10 victory in Minneapolis.
 
Cherne Dazzles in Scheels Center Dual Debut
184-pound true freshman Adam Cherne has made a statement in his first two collegiate duals. The Medina, Minnesota native upset Oklahoma's #19 Giuseppe Hoose in dominating fashion by 18-6 major decision in his dual debut on Nov. 19. Last week, making his dual debut in front of the home crowd at the Scheels Center, Cherne gave the Bison a quick six points with a takedown and then a 67-second pin of Virginia' Hudson Stewart, improving to 5-1 on the season.
 
Howes Picks Up First Dual Win by Pin
Redshirt freshman Brendan Howes recorded his first dual victory last Saturday against Virginia, jump starting a comeback bid for the Bison by defeating Nick Hamilton. Howes, wrestling in his third career dual, secured an early takedown and put a stamp on the match by securing the pin fall at 2:06. It is Howes' third career pin and second this season, after securing one earlier in the year at the Bison Open.
 
Quick Pins
- Carlos Negrete Jr. and Spencer Mooberry claimed their first dual wins of the season against Virginia. Negrete beat Kyle Montaperto 8-2, while Mooberry came from behind to win 12-9 over Colden Dorfman.
- Redshirt freshman Landen Johnson (157) scored his first dual and Big 12 victory with a 7-3 decision against Oklahoma's Jared Hill on Nov. 19.
- Redshirt freshmen Gavin Drexler (141) and Max Petersen (149) claimed Bison Open titles in mid-November. Drexler claimed the title by defeating No. 24 Vance Vombaur of Minnesota by a 6-4 decision. Petersen scored a 10-8 decision over No. #17 Drew Roberts of Minnesota in his championship match.
 
Petersen Named Second Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
Max Petersen was named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week following the Bison Open. Petersen earned the award after an individual title at the Bison Open that included defeating Minnesota's then No. 17 Drew Roberts by a 10-8 decision in the championship match.
 
Sax Scoops First Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
Gaven Sax was named the Big 12 Co-Wrestler of the Week following the opening week of the season. Sax earned the award after he took down then-No. 20 Elise Brown Ton of Nebraska in the opening dual.
 
Bison Reach New Program High
Last year, NDSU reached No. 15 in the NWCA Coaches Poll, the highest official ranking in the program's Division I history. Prior to 2022-23, the Bison had never been ranked higher than 19. The Bison also reached as high as No. 12 in the InterMat rankings, the highest in any poll in the Division I era.
 
Young Herd
Of the 30 Bison suiting up in the NDSU singlet this season, just four are upperclassmen, including one junior college transfer. The Bison have two returning seniors led by 149-pound NCAA qualifier #11 Kellyn March, and one returning junior, two-time Big 12 Championship participant Gaven Sax at 174.
 
The Bison have seven sophomores, with just two (Carlos Negrete Jr., 125, and Spencer Mooberry, 197) having dual experience entering the year. The Bison have 10 redshirt freshmen and nine true freshmen, both classes ranking in the top 25 recruiting rankings, that look to fight for starting spots this season. 13 of the 19 were ranked in the last two top recruiting big boards.
 
Up Next
North Dakota State will remain on the road and close out the 2023 calendar year at the Fighting Camel Duals on December 19 in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Bison will take on host Campbell (12 p.m.), Purdue (2 p.m.) and Stanford (4 p.m.) in a quadrangular at Gore Arena.