Wrestling411

There is much promise for this year’s Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling team. After winning a team title in 2007, the Golden Gophers slipped to 10th place in 2008 and 14th place in 2009. But this year’s team has a different look.

Leading the charge is Dustin Schlatter, an NCAA champion as a freshman and this year’s freestyle world team member at 163 pounds. Following a redshirt season, Schlatter will move up to 165 pounds after three seasons at 149.

Oregon native Joe Russell spoke with Wrestling 411 about the potential of this year’s team, Brock Lesnar’s continued impact on Minnesota wrestling, the disappointment Oregon dropping two Division I programs, and overcoming adversity.

When you first hear about Minnesota’s Gordon Bierschenk, it is hard to believe that someone’s wrestling career could play out this way. How could a wrestler – one who never placed at the state tournament – walk on at the University of Minnesota as a 165 pound freshman in 2003, be a starter for the Golden Gophers at 197 pounds as a junior in 2009?

There are a few factors at play here. Because of Bierschenk’s “less than lackluster” high school wrestling career, he wasn’t recruited by any major colleges. But he did visit Minnesota’s campus with his mom and liked what he saw.