SCSU Sweeps NSIC Post Season Awards

Has Six First Team All-Conference Selection and One Second Team Selection

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Fresh off their second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship, the St. Cloud State wrestling program was honored and recognized by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) by sweeping the yearly wrestling awards on Friday, March 18.

Clint Poster (Pierz, Minn. / Pierz HS), a redshirt senior at 165 lbs., was named the NSIC Wrestler of the Year. The four-time NCAA All-American placed fourth in 2013 and ranked third in each of the last three seasons. Poster also was a three-time NCAA Super Regional #3 Champion and a four-time All-NSIC First Team member. Additionally, Poster is a four-time NWCA All-Academic First Team selection and ended his SCSU career as the winningest wrestler in the history of the program with 146 victories.

Brett Velasquez (Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS), a redshirt freshman at 125 lbs., earned NSIC Rookie of the Year honors. He was the 2016 NCAA Champion at 125 pounds and an NCAA Super Regional #3 Champion this season. Velasquez recorded a 25-2 record in 2015-16 including a mark of 9-0 in dual meets. He also earned academic honors and was named NWCA All-Academic First Team. Velasquez is the 12th different SCSU wrestler (Dick Anderson [1958], Monte Sinner [1961], Jim Hazewinkel [1963, 1964, 1965, 1967], Grant Nelson [1963], Gary Smith [1963, 1964], Mike Rybak [1967], Gene Hanemann [1995], John Sundgren [2011], Derek Skala [2012], Shamus O’Grady [2013] and Tim Prescott[2015]) to ever earn an individual National Championship and it is the 16th time that SCSU has had an individual win a national championship in wrestling.

Steve Costanzo, who just finished his 10th year leading the program and 17th year as a collegiate head coach, won his second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship. He also picked up a team title in the NSIC for the fifth consecutive season. SCSU has won 44 consecutive NSIC dual matches dating back to the 2011 season. At the National Championship all seven of the Huskies earned All-American status and three finished in the top three in the nation. This marks the fifth time in his career that Costanzo has earned Coach of the Year honors in the NSIC.

The Huskies had six that earned First Team All-NSIC honors this season in redshirt junior Austin Goergen (285 lbs.), senior Jay Hildreth (149 lbs.), redshirt junior Clayton Jennissen (174 lbs.), redshirt senior Matt Nelson (141 lbs.), Poster (165 lbs.) and Velasquez (125 lbs.). The team also had a Second Team All-NSIC selection in Uthman Rabiu (184 lbs.)

[eztable th=”0″]2015-16 All-NSIC First Team [attr colspan=”6″]
Aero Amo,184,So.,Augustana,Rapid City, S.D.
Matt Mincy,157,R-Sr.,Minnesota State,Apple Valley, Minn.
Blake Bosch,133,Jr.,MSU Moorhead,Wishek, N.D.
Joe Gomez,197,Jr.,Northern State,Graham, Wash.
Austin Goergen,285,R-Jr.,St. Cloud State,Caledonia, Minn.
Jay Hildreth,149,Sr.,St. Cloud State,Council Bluffs, Iowa
Clayton Jennissen,174,R-Jr.,St. Cloud State,Cambridge, Minn.
Matt Nelson,141,R-Sr.,St. Cloud State,Big Lake, Minn.
Clint Poster,165,R-Sr.,St. Cloud State,Pierz, Minn.
Brett Velasquez,125,R-Fr.,St. Cloud State,Bennington, Neb.
2015-16 All-NSIC Second Team [attr colspan=”6″]
Adam Cooling,174,Jr.,Minnesota State,Madelia, Minn.
Malcolm Allen,285,R-Sr.,Minnesota State,New Rochelle, N.Y.
Cole Wilson,285,Sr.,SMSU,Faribault, Minn.
Uthman Rabiu,184,R-Jr.,St. Cloud State,St. Paul, Minn.
Zak Benitz,165,R-Jr.,Upper Iowa,Mosinee, Wis.
Ryan Parmely,197,Fr.,Upper Iowa,Delhi, Iowa
Matt Paulus,133,R-Sr.,Upper Iowa,New Hampton, Iowa
Damian Penichet,149,R-Fr.,Upper Iowa,Miami, Fla.
Jordan Rinken,157,R-Sr.,Upper Iowa,Waverly, Iowa
Jordan Roths,141,R-Jr.,Upper Iowa,New Hampton, Iowa
Maleek Williams,125,R-Fr.,Upper Iowa,Miami, Fla.[/eztable]

NSIC All-Conference Criteria
The highest place-winner at the NCAA Regional Tournament from each weight class is named all-conference first team. The next highest NSIC finisher is named all-conference second team. Also, any NCAA Division II National Champion earns NSIC All-Conference First Team honors and any wrestler that earns NCAA All-American honors is recognized as second team all-conference.

2015-16 NSIC All-Americans
Minnesota State
157 – Matt Mincey (28-3) placed 3rd
174 – Adam Cooling (32-5) placed 3rd
285 – Malcolm Allen (22-13) placed 2nd

MSU Moorhead
133 – Blake Bosch (31-7) placed 4th

Northern State
197 – Joe Gomez (30-4) placed 2nd

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Southwest Minnesota State
285 – Cole Wilson (32-8) placed 8th

St. Cloud State
125 – Brett Velasquez (25-2) placed 1st
141 – Matt Nelson (21-10) placed 5th
149 – Jay Hildreth (33-6) placed 4th
165 – Clint Poster (40-2) placed 3rd
174 – Clayton Jennissen (30-9) placed 7th
184 – Uthman Rabiu (22-11) placed 8th
285 – Austin Goergen (36-2) placed 3rd

Upper Iowa
157 – Jordan Rinken (23-7) placed 5th
197 – Ryan Parmely (15-12) placed 7th

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