Northern matmen head to prestigious Missouri Valley Collegiate

Fresh off a strong dual win last Wednesday in Dickinson, North Dakota, the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team gets right back on the mat this weekend.

Northern again heads east, only this time, the Lights will be in Marshall, Missouri, for the prestigious Missouri Valley Collegiate, one of the biggest NAIA tournaments of the regular season. The tournament is a top-notch field that will have an NAIA national tourney feel to it, and that is a great test for head coach Tyson Thiverge's team, which is now in the heart of its 2023 schedule.

Among the teams in the field this weekend is powerhouse Grand View, but overall, many of the top teams in the NAIA will be there, and the Lights will have a great chance to test themselves against the very best.

Northern, which is 6-2 in duals, is led by Martin Wilkie, ranked seventh overall, and NaKoda Siegel, ranked third at 174. Both have individual titles to their credit this season. Carl Hansen (184), Connor Harris (157), Devin Crawford (165) and Rylin Burns (174) are also ranked nationally.

And the Lights will see a lot of nationally ranked wrestlers this weekend, with Grand View, Doane, Indiana Tech, Ottawa, Lindsey Wilson and others in attendance. The trip is the first of two straight tournaments for the Lights, who travel back to Dickinson State for the Tyler Plummer Classic next weekend. The Lights will then get to wrestle at home when they host Embry-Riddle and Arizona Christian for a pair of Cascade Conference duals Feb. 3 at the Armory Gymnasium.