Wilkie set to become a Golden Gopher

The Havre High wrestling team is no stranger to turning out college wrestlers, but for the second time in three years the Blue Ponies will be sending a wrestler to an elite conference within the collegiate ranks.

And that's because Saturday, Havre senior Martin Wilkie, a three-time Class A state champion, verbally committed to wrestle at the University of Minnesota, following the completion of his high school career. Wilkie will be the second Havre wrestler competing in the Big Ten, as Parker Filius is currently wrestling at Purdue University, which just happened to be among the finalists for Wilkie, along with North Dakota State University.

Wilkie made his decision after being offered on his official visit to the school over the weekend. He will be able to officially sign with the Golden Gophers November 13.

"The biggest thing for me, is that as soon as I got there and met some of the guys, it just felt like home," Wilkie said. "Also in the climate sense, because it feels like Montana weather, I found I could get used that pretty easy and just the guys. There is a bunch of good dudes."

Wilkie, who will be seeking to become just the third four-time state champion in Havre High wrestling history this season, alongside Filius and Jase Stokes, will join a tradition-rich program in Minnesota that has won three national championships, 12 Big Ten championships and has turned out close to 100 NCAA All-Americans.

"They have a really great program," Wilkie said. "And they have been turning out a lot of All-Americans."

Wilkie also said he chose the Gophers, in part, because he wanted a chance to wrestle against the best and the Big Ten Conference, which the Gophers belong to, offered him that opportunity.

"I am super excited," Wilkie said of wrestling in the Big Ten. "That's where the toughest dudes are at, so I guess I wanted to be part of that."

Wilkie also said he was relieved to get the decision about his future out of the way before the high school season starts, so he can focus on wrestling and trying to win yet another state championship.

"It's a big relief," Wilkie said. "You have to think about travel and scheduling the visits and now that all that is done, I can just have fun and focus on the season and getting better."

Wilkie said the Gophers wanted him to wrestle at 141 pounds and that he would most likely spend his first season redshirting.

"They want me to wrestle at 141," Wilkie said. "I am going to redshirt, then try to come back and compete for a spot the next year."