After 10 days off, the South Dakota State Jackrabbit wrestling team will return to action this week for two Big 12 duals.  

On Thursday, Jan. 31 the Jackrabbits (1-6, 0-3) will host the Utah Valley Wolverines (9-8, 0-2) at 7 p.m. in Frost Arena.  

Despite not winning a Big 12 dual yet this season, the Wolverines are ranked inside the top-30. The Wolverines just fell out of the top 25 of the USA TODAY/NWCA Coaches Poll rankings after being ranked No. 23 two weeks ago.

Despite falling out of the rankings, the Wolverines remained an honorable mention this week.

Utah Valley currently has four top-25 ranked wrestlers in the first installment of the NCAA Division-I Wrestling Coaches Panel Rankings, at 141-lbs division,165, 174, and 285. South Dakota State enters the dual with one top-25 wrestler at the 149-lbs division.

“It is always exciting to bring a top ranked team back into frost that we can wrestle in front of our home crowd,” head coach Damion Hahn said. “This year our schedule has been nothing less than absolutely competitive and it helps prepare are guys for the NCAA tournament.”

 133  

At the 133-lbs division, someone’s losing streak will see its end.

It’ll be a battle of freshman as Utah Valley’s freshman Isaiah Delgado is expect to take on South Dakota State’s redshirt freshman Rylee Molitor.

Delgado is currently 5-10 on the season and is amidst a six-match losing streak.

Molitor is also looking to break his four-match losing streak and earning his first win at the 133-lbs division. Molitor came down a weight class and has been getting the call over Spencer Huber at 133 recently after Seth Gross had season ending back surgery.

184

The marquee matchup of the night will come at the 184-lbs division.

No. 26 Will Sumner (15-7) is slated to face off with No. 33 Zach Carlson (15-6)

Sumner will be fresh off a first period pin over Jackson Moomau (WVU). Carlson will be coming off of a 4-3 decision over Jackson Hemauer (Fresno State).

“I think the dual will be very competitive with our opportunity to pick up some wins and hopefully come out on top in a dual meet,” Hahn said.  

Iowa State

On Friday, Feb. 1, the Jackrabbits will head down to take on the No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones (7-2, 4-1)

Iowa State currently has eight of their ten wrestlers ranked in the top-25 of first installment of the NCAA Division-I Wrestling Coaches Panel Rankings.

“The schedule this year has not backed down, literally we wrestle Utah Valley on Thursday we get on a bus and we head on down to Ames, get in there late spend the night, get these guys to sleep in a little bit get up and get the guys ready for Iowa State” Hahn said.

149  

It’ll be the night’s marquee matchup at the 149-lbs division.

This match is a top-25 match that has a sophomore No. 25 Jarrett Degen for Iowa State going against #18 Henry Pohlmeyer.

This will be the first ever meeting between Degen and Pohlmeyer in college. Jarrett is currently 19-4 on the season and is coming off an injury default win against Oklahoma Pohlmeyer. Degen which is 16-8 on the season will be looking to end his two-match losing streak.    

184

At 184-lbs division, the potential matchup will be Iowa State’s No. 16 Samuel Colbray taking on No. 33 Zach Carlson.

It’ll be the first time that Colbray and Carlson will match up.

Carlson will be looking to capitalize this weekend with matches against two higher ranked wrestlers than Colbray. While Colbray will be looking to get back into the win column after losing his last match to Jacobe Smith (Oklahoma State).

“Again just another strong competitive ranked team there will be a lot of key match ups because just like Utah Valley these matches will help in seeding the Big 12 tournament,” Hahn said. “So, it is another good quality opponent that gets our guys ready for the end of the year.”