The Wake

The Gopher Wrestling team has been upsetting opponents throughout the season and during the process they have become ranked No. 1 in the nation. But before the Gophers could take down opponents on the mats, they had to win in the gym.

The success of the Gopher wrestling team is due in part to excellent training. Thus, it seemed fitting to talk to one of the strength and conditioning coaches for the Gophers team. Also, with spring break approaching, I figured I might be able to gain a few workout pointers.

When I asked Kevin Roberts, assistant coach and the strength and conditioning coordinator, about in-season workouts, he said, “It’s hard to make strength and power gains during the season … We try to maintain the gains made during spring, summer and fall.”

Roberts described off-season workouts as six to seven hours per week of strength and conditioning. This is time spent solely on staying in excellent shape aside from practicing wrestling techniques. Looking at some of the wrestlers and their results, it’s obvious that the hard work they put in throughout the off-season pays off during the season.

The Team

In terms of age, the Gopher wrestling squad is very young this year. The Gophers have only one senior, who happens to be the 2005 All-American, Matt Nagel. Minnesota also has some extremely talented athletes who will be returning next year, such as Cole Konrad, Mack Reiter and the Schlatter brothers. After great seasons this year, these athletes will help carry the Gophers next year as well.

“People thought we were a year away from a great team,” Roberts said. While the Gophers have surprised opponents and critics, the team still has goals of performing well at the Big Ten championships in March. Roberts added, “I think we’ll be a better team next year.”

With this in mind, expect another great season from the Gophers next year. As for the rest of this season, the Gophers will be on the road to take on Oklahoma State on Feb. 12. Oklahoma State finished first in the NCAA Tournament last year and has given the Gophers trouble in the past. The Cowboys have dominated the all-time series with 16 wins and eight losses against Minnesota. The Cowboys will be looking to take down Minnesota after the Gophers upset them Jan. 15 at the National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

After taking on Oklahoma State, the Gophers will travel to compete against Michigan and Michigan State. This final road trip will test the Gophers as they prepare for the Big Ten Championships held in Bloomington, Indiana and the NCAA championships in Oklahoma City, March 16.