eSports will run as a “club sport”, similar to Ridgewater’s Clay Target teams. The only eligibility requirement is to be enrolled as a part- or full-time student at Ridgewater. Whether students are seasoned gamers or just beginning, eSports will offer something for everyone.

Last year, Heidi Olson, Ridgewater Dean of Students, proposed the program to expand student life opportunities for students on the Hutchinson campus. The Hutchinson campus does not have a gymnasium like the Willmar campus, and thus doesn’t host sports like volleyball, basketball and wrestling.

“This is an activity that has grown in recent years,” Olson said. This school year, more than 100 Minnesota high schools and 2,000 Minnesota high school students participated in eSports clubs and teams. “We hope that allowing high school students to continue to compete at the college level will offer them a next step for making connections and taking on challenges in a fun way while training for careers at şÚÁĎÍř.”

Ridgewater Nondestructive Testing Technology instructor Sheldon Mackinnon has been hired to coach and launch the new program. “Games are great at stimulating our critical thinking by having us make split-second decisions that can win or lose you the game,” Mackinnon said. He is excited to take on the role and share his love of and enthusiasm for gaming with students. “When we fail, we rethink, we strategize and we try and try again until we win. The video games I played while growing up have shaped who I am today.”

Follow the development of the Ridgewater eSports club on the Ridgewater Warrior Athletics website at .

The post Ridgewater to Launch New eSports Activity appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

şÚÁĎÍř is excited to welcome a new head volleyball coach to the Warrior family. Alumna Baylie Kubesh will lead the women’s volleyball team in 2024.

Kubesh is a 2014 graduate of BOLD High School where she was a three-sport athlete participating in volleyball, softball and basketball.  She then played at Ridgewater for two years while pursuing her AA degree. During her time with the Warriors, she was named a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Volleyball All-American and NJCAA Division III Volleyball National Player of the Week and was a member of the National Tournament Team.  She graduated with her AA degree in 2016.  Since then, Coach Kubesh has coached for several years at both the high school and club levels, most recently serving as head volleyball coach for BOLD High School.

“Coaching the game of volleyball is not just a hobby or a side job for me, it is what I feel I was called to do,” Kubesh said.

“We are very excited to have such a well-connected, passionate and prepared individual interested in leading our volleyball program,” said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater dean of students. “Coach Kubesh demonstrates the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and for growing our women’s volleyball program.”

For more information about Ridgewater Warrior Athletics, go to .

The post Former Warrior to Lead Women’s Volleyball appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

Coach Ryan Schultz

şÚÁĎÍř is excited to welcome a new head athletics coach to the Warrior ranks. Ryan Schultz will lead the women’s basketball program starting this fall.

Coach Schultz comes to Ridgewater with eight years of coaching basketball experience, most recently as the varsity girls’ coach at Yellow Medicine East High School, where he just completed his fifth-year coaching. He also has several years of experience as an assistant coach and coaching a variety of local Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) teams.

Schultz is a 2012 graduate from Dawson Boyd High School and attended Southwest State University before starting his coaching career.

He said that he firmly believes that commitment, trust, and responsibility are the cornerstone values of a successful basketball program. He will look for recruits/players who “want to be coached; show respect to others; are willing to put academics first and maintain their grades; and who celebrate their teammates’ successes and put their teammates before themselves.”

“We are very excited to have such a well-connected, passionate and prepared individual interested in leading our women’s basketball program,” said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater dean of students. “Coach Schultz demonstrates the type of qualities that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and for growing our women’s basketball program.”

The post Ridgewater Welcomes New Women’s Basketball Coach appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

şÚÁĎÍř is excited to welcome a new head softball coach to the Warrior athletic teams. Callie Danielson will lead the women’s softball team and provide additional support to the athletics department and to student-athletes.

Coach Danielson has grown up around softball. Her dad was the head coach at Willmar High School for 25 years, instilling in her a deep passion for the game. Since graduating from Willmar High School in 2006, she has coached softball in a variety of capacities – community education and recreation, high school, traveling programs, and most recently, for the College of St. Benedict. She is also a certified Tincher Pitching Instructor and has worked as a pitching coach throughout west central Minnesota.

Danielson shared that she is “very committed to helping student-athletes reach their full potential.” She is very familiar with the local softball community.

“We are very excited to have such a well-connected, passionate and prepared individual interested in leading our softball program,” said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater dean of students. “Coach Danielson demonstrates the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student-athletes and for growing our softball program.”

For more information about Ridgewater Warrior Athletics, go to .

The post New Ridgewater Softball Coach Brings Experience and Local Connection appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

Ridgewater Wrestling Warriors Cole Holien and Wil Yasseri earned All-American honors last weekend when they each placed seventh at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III national championships in Iowa.

Yaseri, a sophomore from Rogers competing at 165 pounds, finished the tournament 5-2 with opponents from Iowa, Illinois, Idaho, and New York. Holien, a freshman from Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, competed in the 141-pound weight class and tallied a 4-2 record event record. His competitors came from Kansas, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wyoming, Michigan. Freshman Austin Schlangen, a 285-pounder from Eden Valley-Watkins, competed both days of the tourney, putting up a 3-2 win-loss performance.

With fellow Warriors Brady Holien, Taedon Nichols and Rick Jones, Ridgewater finished 17th place with 39.5 points among a field of 51 teams scoring points there.

Warrior Co-Coaches Logan Peterson and Travis Deegan were pleased with their Warriors. “I am extremely proud of how our team performed at the national tournament this year,” Peterson said Monday. “They all worked hard to get to that point, and they put on a good show. Every one of them won matches and came ready to fight and give it their all. Wil and Cole had some of their best matches all year, so it was nice to see them rise to the challenge and achieve what I knew they were capable of.”

For Yaseri, the tournament was his last competitive outing. “It’s really fun competing at that level,” he said. “You know that every match is going to be a fight and no points come easy…. It was a great way to finish off my wrestling career.”

“Competing at a college level is a lot of fun and you learn a lot,” said Warrior Cole Holien. “I was happy with my performance at the tournament and can’t wait until next year!”

Coach Peterson commended the two All-Americans. “Cole is a rare athlete who is willing to work hard with no complaints and he has no fear of losing, only a desire to win,” he said. “When you put those two things together, they become a dangerous combination for any of his opponents. I was not surprised at all that he became an All-American with his mindset.

“Wil has had a unique season,” Peterson shared. “He has been battling multiple injuries throughout the year and bumped up a weight class, thus facing much stronger opponents. Wil would just put his head down and push through all the adversity. That mindset is what allowed him to get key upsets throughout the weekend that led him to receive All-American honors. Both guys were a coach’s dream, and I am extremely honored to be a part of their journey in achieving their goals.”

The post Two Ridgewater Warriors Named Wrestling All-Americans appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

Six Ridgewater Warrior wrestlers are headed to nationals this week for the March 3-4 wrestling championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They qualified at the February 19 Division III Region 13 Tournament at Northland College, Thief River Falls.

Freshman Cole Holien, from Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School, became the 141-pound regional champion and the Warrior qualifier with the best individual record this season at 26-7, including 15 pins and eight straight wins. One of his regional pins came at just 2:14 into the first period.

Five teammates who took second at regions will join Holien at nationals, including his twin brother Brady Holien (at 149 pounds), freshman Taedon Nichols (157) from Siren, WI (Siren High School), sophomore Wil Yasseri (165) of Otsego (Rogers High School), sophomore Rick Jones (197) of DeGraff (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School), and freshman Austin Schlangen (285) of Watkins (Eden Valley-Watkins High School).

“Taedon, Wil, and Rick all had true second matches (at regions) that determined whether they qualified,” first-year Warrior Co-Coach Logan Peterson explained. “Their winning all three says a lot about how hard they train and the determination they have to become All-Americans.”

“Our team has dedicated a lot of time, effort, and focus this season,” said fellow first-year Co-Coach Travis Deegan. “We are very excited to coach them at nationals this weekend.”

The last time Ridgewater qualified six athletes was in 2016 when Coach Deegan qualified as a Warrior. “Nationals is the culmination of the collegiate wrestling season,” Deegan said. “It’s an opportunity to display your skills and all the hard work you’ve put in all year.” Now he’s excited to see it from the coach’s lens and help his athletes succeed.

“It surprised me at how fast all of our wrestlers have developed since our first practice,” said Peterson. “Most of our competitions throughout the year have been at open tournaments,” he explained, “so we have been wrestling NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), Division III, and Division II opponents, and our schedule has been tough.”

Although not all Warriors had winning records this year, their dedication paid off when it mattered, and now six are heading to the National Junior College Athletic Association competition. “We have had freshmen and sophomores competing against older wrestlers all year, so a losing record is, by no means, an indication of an average season,” Deegan said. “If you can earn a winning record in college, you’re doing very well.”

Schlangen will take some confidence to his 285-pound bracket with the second-best Warrior season record of 22-10, including 12 pins. Other qualifier records include Brady Holien at 16-12 (9 pins), Nichols at 16-13 (4 pins), Jones at 14-16 (9 pins), and Yasseri at 7-9 (4 pins).

In 2022, Ridgewater sent four qualifiers to nationals, including returning Warriors Jones and Yasseri. That experience and their results at regions no doubt will make them hungry for national success. At regions, Jones pinned one of his opponents from Itasca Community College in 1 minute, 35 seconds, and Yasseri proved his ability with a 16-1 match also against an Itasca opponent to advance to nationals.

“It’s been a great regular season,” Deegan said. “We’ve been fortunate to be able to coach some very talented and very respectable young men. Their efforts and work have paid off thus far, and we are excited to see them go out and accomplish their goals at the national tournament. We’ve focused all year on developing good wrestling habits and practicing moves that will score on the best competition. Our team is well prepared going into this weekend.”

The post Six Ridgewater Warriors Qualify for NJCAA Wrestling Nationals appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

WILLMAR, MN – şÚÁĎÍř Warrior wrestlers will have a new pair of coaches for the 2022-23 season. The college just announced the hiring of new co-head coaches Travis Deegan and Logan Peterson.

Deegan served as Ridgewater assistant coach under previous head coach Joey Brown. Deegan helped with the transition after Brown’s resignation and has been the main contact for Warrior wrestlers. His recruiting experience is expected to be an asset and provide familiarity and continuity to both new and returning wrestlers and to the program.

Deegan wrestled as a Ridgewater Warrior on the Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) championship team during the 2015-16 season. He then went on to wrestle and earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in physics from Concordia College in Moorhead. He resides in Willmar and also works for Relco as an automation engineer.   

Peterson comes to Ridgewater with wrestling experience at South Dakota State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history. He was team captain and served as a camp counselor for several years at the Jackrabbit Wrestling Camp. He then went on to earn his Master of Arts in Global Interactions-International Relations from Cleveland State University in Ohio and was a volunteer coach with their wrestling program, as well. He resides in Lake Lillian and also works at 3M in Hutchinson as a solution delivery and compounding operator.

“We are very excited to have such a qualified and knowledgeable duo interested in working together to lead our program and build on our previous wrestling success stories,” said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater dean of students. “Coach Deegan and Coach Peterson demonstrate the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and our wrestling program.”  One of their goals is to develop skills and habits in these young men that will help make them successful in their lives and make them positive influences in their communities. 

For more information about Ridgewater Wrestling, go to ridgewaterathletics.com.

The post New Ridgewater Wrestling Coaches Bring Strong Backgrounds to the Mat this Fall appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

At the Region Tournament, şÚÁĎÍř, along with St. Cloud Community and Technical College (SCTCC), Rochester Community and Technical College, and Central Lakes College, won their way to the Region 13/North Plains District Final Four Super Regional tournament taking place May 19-21.

The Super Regional Tournament will be hosted by SCTCC at the Municipal Athletic Complex at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. The winner of the tournament will qualify for the NJCAA Division III World Series in Greeneville, Tennessee. 

Tickets for the Region 13 tournament can be purchased online. Online ticket purchases are recommended and cheaper than buying at the door. The daily ticket gains access to either field for that day. 

Tickets

• Thursday, May 19:
• Friday, May 20:
• Saturday, May 21:

Game Schedule

Thursday, May 19th

• Game 1: 2pm  Rochester vs. Ridgewater
• Game 2: 5pm  Central Lakes vs. St. Cloud

Friday, May 20th

• Game 3: 11:00am Winner game 1 vs. Winner game 2
• Game 4: 2:30pm Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
• Game 5: 6:00pm Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Saturday, May 21

• Game 6: Championship 11:00am Winner game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
• Game 7: (If necessary) 2:30pm- Same teams if neither team has two losses

Below is an excerpt from an interview with Coach Tyler Hebrink on the Warriors Season as they headed into the Regional Tournament.

Can you breakdown your season a little bit first, and in your opinion what were the biggest reasons that this team qualified for the region tournament for the first time in 6 years?

• This season was one that started with a lot of unknowns. We were the only baseball team in the MCAC to not compete last year so we knew we were going to be behind the 8-ball in that regard going into the season. I think it took a little time for our guys to get acclimated to how a college baseball season works, and once we did that we really started to play well, especially down the stretch of our season. I think one of the biggest reasons that we were able to qualify for the region tournament this year is our team chemistry. I know this is a cliche for coaches to talk about when it comes to there team, but this team is so incredibly close that they were able to really lean on one another throughout the long season. A college baseball season starts in September with fall ball, but we don’t actually play games until March so it is a long season for guys, and this group really embraced the work throughout the fall season and into winter workouts. I think having that close chemistry with one another is what allowed our guys to push each other throughout the year because we set a goal at the beginning of the year to make it to the region tournament so they have worked extremely hard with one another to achieve that goal. Lastly, I think our guys willingness to be coached and there drive to get better is another reason why we are where we are right now. One player cannot win you baseball games, it takes a team effort and that effort needs to be grounded in things like hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and perseverance. This team understands that.

What are a couple of keys to your first round matchup against North Dakota School of Science this Thursday? 

• Well, NDSCS is the only team in our region tournament that isn’t actually from the MCAC Conference so that makes it a little challenging in regards to formulating some sort of scouting report. I have been in contact with a couple teams that have played NDSCS this year to hear there thoughts, but in reality, the keys of this game will come down to controlling things that we can control. If we stay aggressive at the plate, throw quality strikes, and run bases like we have all year then we will be just fine. The ability to minimize mistakes is also crucial for our team so playing a clean defensive game will be a big key on Thursday.

What ingredients make for successful baseball in the Region XIII tournament? 

• Everything is heightened at the region tournament. Every team in this tournament has played well throughout the season to get to this point so the talent level is through the roof, with that, every little pitch and every little play becomes that much more important. I think in order to be successful you have to find ways to play loose and have the ability to slow the game down. From a baseball perspective, pitchers need to throw strikes and quality strikes at that. These games are 9 innings now, and that is a bit of a change for guys considering our conference games are only 7 innings. The other thing is, every pitcher we will face will be a #1 or #2 so timely hitting is going to be extremely important for our success. Lastly, playing fundamentally sound baseball from a defensive perspective is crucial. We work on fundamentals every single day in preparation for being able to handle the tight moments in big games. I believe we have every ingredient necessary to make a deep run this weekend.

Are there certain guys or leaders that you have leaned on throughout this season?

• We have had so many tremendous efforts from guys throughout the season, and it has seemed like in each win that we have had this season that a new guy has stepped up in a crucial moment. Guys like Tyler Flis, Tyler Traphagen, Brad Bickmann, Reece Schwirtz, and Jadrien Keavy are all guys who we have all leaned on in certain moments. Josh Robb is another guy who has two home-runs on the year, and both of them were massively important grand slams. We have been getting efforts like this from so many guys up and down our lineup all year, even the guys who haven’t played as much as others have truly embraced there role as bench leaders for our team, and they bring the energy each game that we need.  I can’t wait to see what these guys do later this week, and hopefully more people from around the state will see how special of a group this is.

What was the highlight memory or take away from the regular season? 

• This is an extremely difficult question because we have had so many great memories from the regular season. I think the biggest thing that I will take away from the regular season has to be the overall camaraderie that this group has. It has been incredible for me to coach this group because they all get along, and they all work hard in order to achieve the goals that we set forth at the beginning of the year. For me, that is what it is all about. The memories that each player on this team has made with one another will last them much longer then a result of a simple baseball game. 

The post Warrior Baseball Team Advances to Region and Super Regional Tournaments appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

Men’s Basketball Recap

The 2021-22 Ridgewater Men’s Basketball season was a tale of two seasons for Head Coach Nate Thooft, who was entering his 5th season as Head Men’s Basketball Coach for şÚÁĎÍř. 

The 2021 season saw a roster full of athletes from all over the world including from the states of Minnesota, Florida, Illinois, and Mississippi. Outside of the United States, athletes from Australia and Canada rounded out Coach Thooft’s 2021-22 roster. The Warrior men opened up there season by going 10-1 in there first 11 games which included a clean 4-0 sweep against opponents from the northern division of the MCAC. 

Following the first part of the season, the Warrior men came back after holiday break with a record of 10-2, and with the conference season in full tilt, Coach Thooft had his team well positioned for another MCAC conference tournament appearance. “We had started the season off really well. We were very bought into our systems offensively and defensively and were executing at a high level. The team was growing closer and we were having consistent effort. We had freshmen step into roles early and help lay a foundation for the season.”

However, the second part of the season was met with many different challenges including injuries that would ultimately derail the Warriors season. Ultimately, the Warriors finished one game back of the 4th seed in the MCAC, and Head Coach Nate Thooft had this to say about the 2nd part of the Warriors season. “Our team faced a fair amount of adversity this season, but I give a lot of credit to our players and assistant coaches for focusing on the things we can control and still improving throughout the season. Our leaders were really challenged to step up and find a way to be effective through uncertain circumstances and they did a fairly good job. We were 8 possessions away from being a playoff team, we just needed to value a few more possessions and practices and we are very happy with the season. DJ Brown was extremely consistent throughout the year and it really shows in his improvement in his numbers and with his decision making. We had guys who bought in for the whole season and they are really going to benefit in the future.” 

Although the 2021-22 season ended without a MCAC Conference tournament appearance, the Warrior season had plenty of memorable moments from highlight plays to incredible finishes including a DJ Brown (Pensacola, FL) half-court buzzer beater to end the season against M-State Fergus Falls. The Warriors finished the season with a record of 15-9 and 6-8 conference record. The Warriors were led throughout the season by a plethora of freshmen athletes from all over the country. Those individuals that stood out throughout the season were the following:

DJ Brown, a freshman from Pensacola, FL led the team in scoring this season by averaging 15.0 points per game. Brown also garnered post season honors from the MCAC coaches by being voted in as a part of the 2021-22 All-MCAC team. Tyson Dyer, a freshman from Adelaide, AUS started in 23 games this season while averaging 10.0 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and 2.6 assists per game. Menelik Garrick, a 6’6 freshman from Palm Bay, FL helped anchor the Warrior frontcourt throughout the season by starting in all 22 games that he played in this season while averaging 7.1 points per game to go along with 6.1 rebounds per game.

Another Warrior freshman that contributed significantly for Head Coach Thooft this season was Deron Lacy from Freeport, IL. Lacy contributed to the Warrior cause by averaging 9.9 points per game this season while also playing tremendous defense averaging 1.4 steals per game. Jaylyn Clardy, a freshman from Pensacola, FL saw action in 13 games this season and shined on both the glass and in the scoring column. Clardy averaged 14.0 points per game to go along with 8.5 rebounds per game. 

In conclusion, the Warrior men had a tremendous season filled with many incredible moments, and Head Coach Nate Thooft is excited about what is ahead for the Warrior Men’s Basketball Program. “This core group has a chance to be a special group. When you overcome adversity and take some tough losses, it really teaches you lessons that are valuable when you are trying to make a championship run. We are going to have a solid core of sophomores back and we are very excited about the freshmen that will be coming in. Our coaches are working really hard to find the right fit for our systems and team. We really are about bringing in the right guys who are going to buy in and be great teammates. We are going to grow into a consistent team and challenge our guys to continue to lead. We are very excited for next season, the improvements, and the growth of our players and staff. We could start tomorrow!” 

Women’s Basketball Recap

The 2021-22 Ridgewater Warriors Women’s Basketball season saw plenty of new fresh faces and a familiar face back at the helm of the program. Carrie Ogdahl returned this season to the bench after being away from coaching the previous five years. 

After a slow to the season, The Warrior Women got there first wins of the season by defeating two familiar opponents from the MCAC North Division in Mesabi Range and Itasca CC. The Warriors ended up closing out there non-conference portion of the season with a record of 2-4. “The season began slow, as we expected with the late start in forming a team.  We knew we could compete with the Northern Division schools and it was a good lead into the conference season.” 

Going into the second part of the season and beginning of the conference season, the Warrior Women had to continually battle against some of the toughest opponents at the NJCAA D-3 level. One of the main highlights from the first part of the conference season saw the Ridgewater Warrior Women go on the road and defeat the M-State Fergus Falls Women by the score of 81-75 which was highlighted by Ashley Prahl’s (Willmar, MN) career and season-high of 36 points. The rest of the conference season did not go the way Coach Ogdahl and her staff wanted but they were encouraged by the effort that there team put together night in and night out. “I was impressed every game with the way these players showed up, improve daily and gave it there all.  Their individual goals became the team goals and it was fun to see them work for that and achieve them.” Ultimately the Warrior Women finished with a record of 3-17 overall and a 1-13 MCAC Conference record. 

Throughout the season, Warrior Basketball fans were able to get a good look at some extremely talented athletes that Coach Ogdahl had on her team. Ashley Prahl, a freshman from Willmar, MN averaged 16.8 points per game this season to go along with 7.8 rebounds. Prahl also received postseason honors by being voted into the 2021-22 All-MCAC Team. Another player that frequently lit up the box score for the Warriors was Abby Berskow, another freshman from Willmar, MN. Berskow averaged 10.8 points per game, to go along with 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Josie Knutson, a freshman from Brooten, MN was the only player for the Warriors this season to record a Triple-Double in a game. Knutson averaged 10.7 points per game and despite her small stature, was able to record 6.9 rebounds per game. Lastly, Harley Kunstleben from Paynesville, MN hit 48 total 3-point shots to lead her team this season. Kunstleben, a freshman, finished the season by averaging 9.4 points per game and 5.6 rebounds. “This season was one of the more rewarding years I have had in 21 years of coaching.  With 5-7 players consistently showing up for practices and games, these athletes showed true grit all year.  They learned to support their teammates in ways I have never experienced, and I am beyond proud to have coached every single one of these girls this season.  They will definitely be a team I will always fondly remember!’

Although the 2021-22 season did not end the way that Coach Ogdahl and her staff wanted, they are optimistic and excited about what the future has in store for the şÚÁĎÍř Women’s Basketball Program. “My assistant and I, Brooke Meyer, are busy recruiting for next year and beyond. The numbers are looking up and getting the Ridgewater Warrior name back out to the area high schools has been a huge goal!  We will continue to strive at recruiting top area athletes and creating a winning program again here at Ridgewater!” 

To learn more about Warrior athletics, visit . 

The post Warrior Basketball Season Recaps appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – Four Ridgewater Warriors have wrestled their way to the National Junior College Athletic Association competition set for March 4-5 in Iowa.

Tristian Lang (Hutchinson), Richard Jones (DeGraff), Sawyer Varpness (Brownton), and Wilhem Yasseri (Rogers) earned their spots on Sunday, February 20 when the Warriors hosted the NJCAA Region 13 national qualifying tournament in Willmar. Five teams competed.

“I’m pumped,” said Warrior Coach Joey Brown. “Ridgewater represented the field well by putting two wrestlers into the finals and three more into the true second-place matches.” (True matches occur, for example, when maybe a third-place finisher and a second-place finisher have not wrestled each other in the tournament; they may wrestle to establish who is the true second-place winner in the tournament.)

Wrestling at 133 pounds, Lang, who previously wrestled for the Hutchinson Tigers, entered the tournament as the #1 seed after earning a 12-5 record during the season. On Sunday, he advanced to the finals but lost a close 6-3 decision. He finished in second place, qualifying for nationals.

At 141 pounds with an 8-7 season record, Glencoe-Silver Lake graduate Varpness wrestled his way to a third-place finish and national spot.

In the middleweights, hitting the mat at 157 pounds with a season record of 11-6, Yasseri pinned his way to the finals but ran into the #4 nationally-ranked wrestler from Rochester. Yasseri gave his opponent a run for his money but fell by a score of 10-7. The former Rogers Royal now Ridgewater Warrior still finished in second place and is heading to Iowa.

In the upper weights at 197 pounds from Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School, Jones finished in third place and will advance with a 10-10 season record so far. Maple Grove native Johan Rodvik (285 pounds) also finished third but just missed advancing.

“We’re in a good spot,” Coach Brown said. “Our wrestlers really put it together at the right time.” He’s looking forward to helping them take it to the next level.

Brown said it has been a challenging season with injuries, COVID and weather-related cancellations, but he’s excited for his team of 13. He anticipates that 11 of them will return next year.

“Two years ago, we only had one wrestler on the team, the pandemic canceled our season last year, and this year we qualified four for the national tournament,” Brown explained. Three of the four qualifiers were state qualifiers at the high school level in the past but didn’t place. “As a team, we have a lot to prove and are excited for the opportunity to show what we can do on the mat. Our Warriors just need to stick to what got them here and they will find success.”

Brown is thankful that most of his team competed at the high school level last year so few experienced a gap year. “We could not be happier with the result and the direction our program is headed. All of our qualifiers are Minnesota young men who are not only representing Ridgewater, but are also representing the greater west-central Minnesota wrestling community as a whole!”

To follow the Warriors in wrestling and other sports, go to .

The post Four Warrior Wrestlers Heading to Nationals appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

HUTCHINSON and WILLLMAR, MN – In its third year offering clay target trap shooting as a sport, Ridgewater College’s men’s and women’s mixed team placed second in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) Clay Target Championship held October 19 in Alexandria.  

More than 250 participants competed from 13 MCAC programs in the five-state region.  

As a team, the Warriors have improved each year. In 2019, Warriors placed fourth at MCAC Championships. Last year they took third, and now in 2021, they claimed second place with 480 points, just seven points behind Bismarck State College and just ahead of Alexandria and Vermillion colleges. 

For the regular season, the Warrior team finished in fourth place in the conference, according to Warrior Coach Mike Bjork. â€śTo then see such great success at the Championships, along with fantastic weather, it was a great experience and end to the season for our shooters.” Twenty-five of the 30 Warriors competed on Tuesday, with two-thirds of them new to the Warrior team.  The team had 10 perfect rounds of 25 out of 25 shots, including two perfect sessions of 50 out of 50 by Wyatt Borst (Lester Prairie) and Turner Laxen (Carver). 

The best result among Warriors was Alexis Kubista of Lester Prairie shooting her way to a second place at the Championships in the Varsity Women’s Division. In MCAC overall Championship results, she tied for 18^th, scoring a 98. She also received second-place honors and hardware for her commendable five-week regular season performance.  

Norique Stuewe (Glencoe) took fifth in the Women’s Division in the regular season, and tied for 12^th overall in the Championship on Tuesday. Sarah Lawrence (Henderson) placed 10^th in the regular season. 

“It just means everything to me,” Kubista said on Wednesday after the experience sank in. She practices all seasons of the year, at least three days a week and is in her fifth year of shooting. The first four were for Lester Prairie High School, where she earned championship honors for both fall and spring as a senior. â€śIt shows me that the hard work I’ve put into this is paying off!” What was also awesome was having perfect weather and having her support team there, including her mom, grandma and great-grandma (unfortunately, her dad had to work). 

In the men’s Varsity Division at the MCAC Championship, Borst tied for eighth in a tough field where the winner shot a perfect 100, followed by three 99 shooters. He shot a 97.  

Top 10 finishers in other divisions at the MCAC Championship included Madison Conlin (Willmar) and Amber Mrozinski (Hugo) in Women’s JV; and Luke Mattson (Glencoe), Logan Groff (Lester Prairie), and Sam King (Willmar) in Men’s JV. 

In addition to the Borst and Laxen 50-straight shot successes, 25-straight round contributions came from Nathan DeVries (Gaylord), Kaylee Johnson (Kerkhoven), Kubista (twice), Derek Leuze (Willmar), and Jacob Stallings (Murdock).  

Regular season 25-Straight Club members who succeeded at the feat twice included Borst, Connor Hertzog (Winsted), Kubista, and Stuewe. Also earning 25-Straight Club honors this season were DeVries, Devin Schauer (Hamburg), Carson Tauber (Glenwood), and Leuze. 

Hutchinson league coaches are Bjork and Bruce Pawelk, while Dean Anfinson and Troy Haverly work with the Willmar squad. For conference and championship competitions, the two Ridgewater squads combine for a unified Warrior team. 

“Last year, the Championship rounds were done virtually (due to the pandemic) and spread over two days,” Bjork explained. â€śThe second day was horrible. It was cold, raining, and the winds were blowing so hard the kids were having a hard time standing up! This year was completely different. We could not have asked for better weather…. It was a beautiful day to shoot and our athletes took full advantage of the awesome weather.”  

It was also much better to compete in person this year. â€śHaving the championship in-person was such a blessing – on the same day, at the same place, under the same conditions, levels playing field,” Bjork said. â€śThe athletes’ energy was higher, as was the coaches’.  It gave us a chance to bring both Ridgewater squads together as a team and we came prepared. All of us coaches are proud of our Warriors this season.” 

2021 MCAC Championship Ridgewater Individual Athlete Results

INDIVIDUAL (VARISTY AND JV determined by average during regular season)

                                (Places are Overall – Co-Ed) (T = Tied for)

VARISTY, HOMETOWN                     PLACE                                   SCORE

Alexis Kubista, Lester Prairie             T-5                                          98/100

Wyatt Borst, Lester Prairie                 T-10                                        97/100

Norique Stuewe, Glencoe                    T-12                                        96/100

Jacob Ross, Lester Prairie                  T-21                                        95/100

Connor Hertzog, Winsted                  T-33                                        94/100

Nathan DeVries, Gaylord                   T-33                                        94/100

Derek Leuze, Willmar                         T-49                                        93/100

Turner Laxen, Carver                         T-60                                        92/100

Devin Schauer, Hamburg                  T-70                                        91/100

Jacob Stallings, Murdock                   T-79                                        90/100

Michael Dietz, Glencoe                       T-79                                        90/100

Kaylee Johnson, Kerkhoven              T-79                                        90/100

Dylan Dahlke, Brownton                    T-93                                        88/100

Joseph Mikosch, Willmar                   T-106                                      86/100

Sarah Lawrence, Henderson              T-114                                      85/100

Nick Kayser, Marshall                         T-124                                      82/100

Amanda Anderson, Montevideo       T-133                                      80/100

Cole Nelson, Chanhassen                    138                                         78/100

Marcus Feltmann, Lester Prairie      142                                         68/100

JR VARSITY, HOMETOWN             PLACE                                SCORE

Luke Mattson, Glencoe                      T-5                                          90/100

Logan Groff, Lester Prairie                T-7                                         89/100

Samuel King, Willmar                         T-10                                       88/100

Madison Conlin, Willmar                   T-20                                       82/100

Tanner Friesen, Howard Lake           T-25                                       81/100

Amber Mrozinski, Hugo                     T-33                                       77/100

The post Clay Target Warriors take second at MCAC Championships appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

WILLMAR, MN – After taking last year off due to COVID-19, şÚÁĎÍř Warrior volleyball players will have a new coach for the 2021 season. Ridgewater welcomes new head coach Amanda Bohlsen.

Bohlsen grew up around volleyball and has played since she was a child. Her self-described “lifelong obsession with the sport” was sparked early in life while watching her mom play in leagues.  After many years of competitive and league play herself, Bohlsen has spent the past 10 years coaching in area Junior Olympic (JO) Volleyball programs in Willmar, New London, and Mankato. She has created lasting contacts with many coaches, players, and families and is extremely passionate about the sport and the life lessons that come with it.

“Being a coach gives me the opportunity to be a lasting role model for the players I’m lucky enough to have on my court,” Bohlsen said. “As a coach, I have a unique position in the lives of all the players I encounter, as well as with the community, to shape it for the future.” She said she is very excited to get practices underway in a few weeks and to lead the volleyball program.

“We are very excited to have such a well-connected and knowledgeable individual interested in leading our volleyball program,” said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater dean of students. “Coach Bohlsen demonstrates the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and our volleyball program.”

For more information about Ridgewater and Warrior Athletics, go to and .

The post New Ridgewater Volleyball Coach to Bring Experience and Excitement to the Court appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

Two first-year Warrior shooters earned individual honors. Shelbea Schuette of Winsted finished fourth in the conference women’s division, while Cole Nelson of Chanhassen took home third as a state championship novice.

Approximately 200 participants – 160 men and 40 women – competed from 12 MCAC programs.

Last August, with Minnesota Department of Health and CDC guidelines in mind, Minnesota State college presidents within MCAC approved clay target as a low-risk, competitive sport during the pandemic. Factors considered in this decision included its outdoor nature, ability for participants to effectively social distance, lack of collective team travel, and use of individual equipment.

“One of the best things I saw was athletes who didn’t let their frustration get the better of them,” explained Ridgewater Coach Michael Bjork, who worked with the Hutchinson squad of 13 students. “They continued to try and improve and figure out what they were doing wrong.”

Bjork and Bruce Pawelk were coaches for the Hutchinson squad while Dean Anfinson and Troy Haverly again coached the Willmar squad. Warriors participate in virtual trap shooting competitions by shooting at their local ranges, with the Willmar campus team shooting at the Willmar Trap Range and the Hutchinson team shooting at the Cedar Mills Gun Club just west of Hutchinson. They then submit their scores electronically.

The two Ridgewater squads combine for a unified Warrior team when it comes to the conference and championship competitions, which were also virtual like the regular season for the first time due to COVID-19.

Bjork said he was proud of the individual and team performances during the season, and particularly, during the championships, considering last week’s weather was “horribly windy.” Not only were the athletes swaying in the wind, but the clay targets, when launched, would swoop in unexpected directions, Anfinson explained.

One of the sought-after highlights for team members each year is to succeed at hitting 25 or 50 consecutive clay targets. Ben Bruhn (Willmar) and Devon Olson (Montevideo) both joined the 25-Straight Club during the championships, while other Warriors Andy Ellerman (Duluth), Oskar Anderson (Detroit Lakes), and Collin Leuze (Willmar) did so during the regular season.

The COVID pandemic impacted participation in the clay target teams this year. “So many kids were 100% online,” Anfinson explained. They didn’t want to drive 60-90 minutes to compete weekly. “It definitely impacted our numbers.”

For all other Ridgewater sports this year, the pandemic has resulted in canceled seasons to keep students safe. Volleyball was canceled for fall, and just recently, Ridgewater announced that all winter and spring sports have been canceled.

Looking ahead to next year, the clay target coaches said they hope to have good numbers for returning athletes and to see their new athlete numbers keep growing as has occurred at the high school level.
Athletic Coordinator Todd Thorstad is also optimistic about next year. “We’re proud of the accomplishments of our clay target teams,” he said. “While COVID-19 may have halted our other sports seasons, we plan to come back even stronger after the pandemic ends.”

The post Ridgewater Warrior trap shooters end season with conference third place, state fifth and individual honors appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

The post Ridgewater Announces Decision to Suspend Winter and Spring Sports appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – şÚÁĎÍř Warrior wrestlers will have a new head coach for the 2020-21 season. Meet Joey Brown from Washington state.
Brown comes to şÚÁĎÍř highly recommended after serving the previous five seasons as the head wrestling coach at Snohomish High School in Snohomish, WA, where following this last season, he was named District 1 Coach of the Year.

Brown grew up in Washington and Oregon where he wrestled, played football, baseball, and threw for the track team through high school. After high school he attended Southern Oregon University and Mayville State University, ND, where he played football and walked on to the wrestling team.

During his time at Snohomish, he and his staff turned around a program that was forfeiting multiple weight positions during dual matches into a championship caliber team. When he took over the program, Brown had 26 wrestlers and he grew it to over 60 this past season. He has produced 17 state placers, two state finalists, and one state champion during that five-year period.

In addition to his wrestlers’ individual successes, Brown’s team won the league title for the first time in more than a decade and also maintained a combined team grade point average of 3.2 or higher. During the past five seasons, the team had 32 wrestlers earn distinguished academic awards from the Washington State Coaches’ Association.

The Snohomish High School activity director described Coach Brown as a person who truly loves wrestling and as a quality individual. He said it will be very tough for the school to replace him.

“We are very excited to have such a qualified and knowledgeable individual interested in leading our program,” said Heidi Olson, şÚÁĎÍř dean of students. “Coach Brown demonstrates the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and our wrestling program.”

“My family and I are very grateful for this opportunity to use wrestling as a tool to have a positive impact on our athletes, our school, and our community,” Brown said. “I’m excited to bring a new energy and direction to Ridgewater Wrestling.”
Brown and his wife, Britta, have two children with another on the way in September. They are relocating to Spicer later this month.

The post New Ridgewater Wrestling Coach Brings Strong Athletic Background to the Team appeared first on şÚÁĎÍř.