Alumni Dual is a great MSU-N wrestling tradition

The Montana State University-Northern Lights have many great wrestling traditions. And the program itself is a tradition.

Sunday afternoon, one of the best traditions in Northern wrestling will kick off the new wrestling season. The annual Northern Alumni Dual will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. inside the Armory Gymnasium, and as always, it will feature some of the all-time greats in Northern wrestling history, as well as current Lights getting ready for a brand new season.

One of the things that makes the Alumni Dual so special is, the return of so many former Lights who helped the program be what it has been for the last three decades. It also gives the current MSU-N wrestlers not only a chance to get into competitive mode as the regular season approaches, but it also gives Northern head coach Tyson Thivierge’s troops a chance to learn from some of the best wrestlers to ever step foot on the mats in the Armory.

And this year’s list of Northern Alumni is exciting to say the least. Scheduled to wrestle Sunday is former NAIA national champion and four-time All-American Evan Hinebauch, as well as his brother, four-time All-American Ethan Hinebauch, whose Northern career ended just last season. The Hinebauch brothers are two of four former Havre Blue Ponies who are slated to wrestle Sunday. CMR head coach and 2006 All-American Aaron Jensen, as well as 2012 Northern graduate Beau LaSalle will also be in competition.

Also wrestling for the Alumni side will be two-time All American Chris Smith (2004, 2007), All-American Austin Ouelette (2009), two-time All-American and current Lights’ assistant coach Dustyn Azure (2001, 2005), All-American Bobby Mantle (2003), All-American Dane Jacobson (2001) and three-time All-American Cameron Neiss (2011, 2013, 2014). Colter Dimas (2009) and Nate Laslovich (2000) are scheduled to round out the Alumni Team.

As for the Lights, who will see their first action of the season, in preparation for the start of the regular season Oct. 31, 15 MSU-N matmen should be in action Sunday.

Northern comes into the new season with an exciting recruiting class, ranked as one of the best in all of nondivision I college wrestling, and many of them will see action, as will several Lights’ veterans.

Scheduled to wrestle for the Lights Sunday are, Dace Fisher, Blake Ivie, former Havre High standout Casey Schaub, Sam Lindsey, Jake French, Austin Blaede, Jim Malone, Miguel Morales, Andrew Bartel, Drake Randall, Matt Weber, Tommy Cooper, Zach Haviland, Brandon Weber and two-time NAIA All-American Garrett DeMers.

Once again, the Alumni Dual will start at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Armory Gymnasium. The Lights also have their annual Maroon/Gold Dual slated for Oct. 22. Northern opens the regular season at the Trapper Open Oct. 31.