BISMARCK, ND – The #20 University of Mary wrestling team (9-2, 3-2 Northern Sun) hosts their final home dual of the season against Minot State University (1-5, 1-4 NSIC) in the "Battle for the Barrel". The Marauders defeated the Beavers 29-12 earlier in the season.

Battle For The Barrel
A longstanding in-state rivalry between the University of Mary and the Minot State University wrestling programs gained additional significance with the introduction of the travelling Barrel Trophy. Introduced in 2018, the Marauders and the Beavers annual "Battle for the Barrel" takes place during the Northern Sun dual between the two teams. Just 100 miles apart and separated by Lake Sakakawea, Minot and Bismarck are in the Bakken oil formation, making an oil barrel travelling trophy a natural for the competing programs.

The first "Battle for the Barrel" on February 9, 2018, came down to the last match of the night. UMary's Phillip Springsteen earned a 10-8 decision over Carlos Tolendano at 165 to rally the Marauders to a 16-15 home victory. UMary retained the Barrel the next season when Ryan Stottler was victorious 6-4 in the final match of the Marauders 20-18 road win. UMary is undefeated in all four meetings for the Battle for the Barrel.

National Rankings
UMary is ranked 20^th according to the most recent NWCA Division II Regular Season Poll. The Marauders have four wrestlers that are nationally ranked.

Reece Barnhardt is ranked eighth in the 133-pound weight class. Braydon Huber is ranked tenth for the 157-pound weight class. Matthew Kaylor is ranked tenth for the 197-pound weight class. Max Bruss is ranked ninth in the 174-pound weight class. Bruss ranks 8^th for pinfalls in NCAA Division II.

Last Time Out
The Marauders lost their home dual to #10 Augustana University 27-6. UMary wrestled in several close matches as three duals went into sudden victory. The Marauders lost four duals by one point.

#10 Braydon Huber (157) would get UMary on the board as he would win a hard-fought battle over Tyler Wagener by a 4-2 sudden victory.

Laken Boese (141) earned the Marauders their second victory on the day as he defeated Brayden Curry by a 14-2 major decision.

About the Opposition
Minot State University is 1-5 on the season in duals and 1-4 in the NSIC. The Marauders have won 12 out of the last 13 duals against the Beavers.

Freshmen Jack Swirple is MSU's highest-ranked wrestler. The Freshmen is ranked 8^th for the 285-pound weight class.

#20 UMary Projected Lineup
125 – Jaden Verhagen (Fr.) Kaukauna, WI./ Kaukauna High School
133 - #8 Reece Barnhardt (Fr.) Bismarck, ND./ St. Mary's Central High School
141 – Laken Boese (Jr.) Bismarck, ND./ Bismarck High School
149 – Lincoln Turman (Jr.) Pierre, SD./ T.F. Riggs High School
or Ryan Scherber (Fr.) Buffalo MN./ Buffalo High School
157 - #10 Braydon Huber (So.) Post Falls, ID./ Post Falls High School
or Devin Steidler (Jr.) Bismarck, ND./ Bismarck High School
165 – Leo Mushinsky (So.) Peoria, IL./ Peoria Notre Dame High School / University at Buffalo
174 - #9 Max Bruss (So.) De Pere, WI./ De Pere High School 
184 – Wyatt Lidberg (Fr.) Albertville, MN./ St. Michael-Albertville High School
or Phillip Springsteen (Sr.) Graham, WA./ Bethel High School
197 - #10 Matthew Kaylor (So.) Bismarck, N.D./ Legacy High School               
285 - Gerardo Jaime (Sr.) Spring Valley, CA./ Steele Canyon High School
or Dominic Tudor (Sr.) Peoria, IL. / Notre Dame High School

Minot State University's Projected Lineup
125 - Oscar Nellis
133 - Brandon Meikel
141 - Kelby Armstrong
149 - Shadi Mitwalli
157 - Nathan Baca
165 - Cannon Potts
174 - Cayden White
184 - Keegan Berry
197 - Dustin Swisher
285 - Jordan Will or Jake Swirple

Returners
Coming off an All-American season last year, Braydon Huber was named the University of Mary wrestling team's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Athlete to Watch. Huber earned All-Conference honors after finishing eighth in the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds.

Max Bruss also qualified for the NCAA Championships at 174 pounds but fell just short of All-American status, losing two matches by just one point.

Other notable returners include Dom Tudor and Matthew Kaylor, who both placed at the NCAA Division II Super Regional V tournament.

New Faces
The Marauders bring in eight freshmen who will look to make an immediate impact in the 2021-22 season. Those nine include Reece Barnhardt, Chase Milligan, Preston Owens, Dante Roggio, Roddy Romero III, Ryan Scherber, Wyatt Schneider and Luke Tweeton.

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