THIS WEEKEND
The #11 University of Mary Wrestling team (9-1, 2-0 NSIC) looks to successfully defend the traveling trophy once again in the 6th annual Battle for the Barrel against Minot State University (5-5, 0-2 NSIC) this weekend. The Marauders and Beavers will take the mat Sunday at 2 pm from the MSU Dome in Minot, ND. 

LAST TIME OUT
As the Marauders prepare for one of the most exciting conference duals of the season, the team is enjoying a week back in the home wrestling room after a ten-day, six-dual, and four-weigh-in road trip that began with the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, KY. 

Following a historic 3rd place finish at Nationals, the Marauders ventured up to Minnesota to begin NSIC dual competition. The Marauders opened conference action with dominance, defeating Minnesota State 23-15 and sweeping Minnesota State University-Moorhead 41-0 on January 12 and 13. 

SO THIS HAPPENED…
To go along with many impressive performances, Chase Milligan pulled off a highlight reel maneuver that created national attention after the MSU Moorhead dual. About halfway through the second period, Milligan got caught in a high ankle grab by his opponent Clayson Mele. As Mele went to kick Milligan's standing leg out from under him, Chase calculated it perfectly, leaping up into a backflip to turn the table on Mele and soon after completed the maneuver for a two-point takedown.

SportsCenter exposed the video highlight to the national audience, honoring it with its very own segment the next morning on Saturday, January 14. 

PROJECTED LINEUP
125 | Jaden Verhagen (RS Soph., Kaukauna, Wis. / 9-4) -or- Chase Milligan (RS Fr., Spring Creek, Nev. / 5-2)
133 | #4 Reece Barnhardt (Soph., Bismarck, N.D. / 20-4)
141 | Laken Boese (Sr., Bismarck, N.D. / 12-8) 
149 | Leo Mushinsky (RS Soph., Peoria, Ill. / 11-8)
157 | Anthony Velazquez (RS Sr., Los Banos, Cal. / 7-5)
165 | Riley Noble (RS Jr., Murray, Utah/ 3-3) 
174 | #3 Max Bruss (RS Jr., De Pere, Wis. / 20-3)
184 | Wyatt Lidberg (RS Soph., Albertville, Minn. / 17-6)
197 | #12 Matthew Kaylor (RS Soph., Bismarck, N.D. / 17-7)
285 | Luke Tweeton (RS Fr., Frazee, Minn. / 16-8) -or- Levi Malcolm (RS Jr., Billings, Mont. / 3-5) 

UNDEFEATED 
UMary has never lost the Battle for the Barrel rivalry since its inception in 2018. The Marauders are 5-0 with the traveling trophy on the line and will take it on the road to Minot looking to defend it for the sixth straight win. 

DRAMATIC FASHION
The Battle for the Barrel has already seen many memorable moments in the rivalry's history. Phillip Springsteen pulled out all the stops for a 10-8 decision victory to put the Marauders ahead 16-15 in the final match of the February 9, 2018 debut dual of the traveling trophy. 

In the next Battle for the Barrel, Ryan Stottler won the final deciding match 6-4 as the Marauders won 20-18 and the first trophy dual held in Minot on January 24, 2019. 

Moving ahead to January 28, 2021, the Barrel came down to the 157 matchup when the McDowell Activity Center held its breath as Anthony Velazquez needed a timeout due to injury early on in the match. Velazquez overcame it and his opponent 9-7 to keep the Barrel in Bismarck by a team score of 24-20.

Coming back to the last trophy dual on February 10, 2022, UMary overcame a 12-6 deficit to win 18-17 with 197 pounder Matthew Kaylor dominating his opponent 9-0, along with a coach misconduct point dock to clinch the Marauders grasp on the Barrel. 

HISTORY
UMary holds a 16-5 historical head-to-head record over Minot State. The last meeting was controlled by the Marauders, winning eight of the ten matches to take the dual 25-6. UMary has won the past six duals against Minot State, dating back to February 16, 2020. The last time the Beavers bested the Marauders in a team dual was November 24, 2019, which then snapped a seven-meet winning streak by the Marauders. 

FOLLOW LIVE
Fans can follow along with the 6th annual Battle for the Barrel as it happens. Links to the live results and a live stream video can be found at goumary.com/coverage. 

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