BURNSVILLE, Minn.--The Augustana wrestling team was selected to finish second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. The NSIC announced the poll Tuesday morning, and Jack Huffman was named the Viking's Wrestler to Watch for the 2022-23 season. Augustana received one first place vote and 73 points in the poll.

Head coach Jason Reitmeier is entering his 20th season at the helm for Augustana with a 32-man squad and an all-time record of 202-95. The Vikings are returning six national qualifiers from last season in Jaxson Rohman (125), Jack Huffman (133), Tyler Wagener (157), Miles Fitzgerald (165), Cade Mueller (174) and Steven Hajas (285). Huffman garnered NCAA All-American honors after an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Tournament. 

In addition to the six national qualifiers, Augustana returns a trio of All-NSIC honorees. Mueller earned All-NSIC First Team honors in 2021-22, holding a dual record of 8-2 last season. Huffman and Fitzgerald garnered All-NSIC Second Team accolades in the 2021-22 season. In all, the Vikings posted the second-most All-NSIC honorees last season with five and return three. 

In 2021-22, the Vikings finished second in the NSIC, holding an overall record of 8-4 and a conference record of 8-1 during the regular season. Augustana placed second with 129.5 points at the NCAA Super Region V tournament, with six region runners-up and two regional champions. Under Reitmeier's guidance, eight Vikings qualified for the NCAA DII National Championships.

After opening the season with a pair of Open Tournaments, Augustana gets its dual season underway in Brookings, South Dakota, on Nov. 18. Augustana travels to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a December 1 dual with the University of Minnesota. The home debut of AU is slated for Dec. 9 as the Vikings host MSU Moorhead inside the Elmen Center. 

Jack Huffman was named the Preseason Wrestler to Watch by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Huffman earned NCAA All-American honors at 133 pounds after finishing eighth at the NCAA DII National Tournament during the 2021-22 season. Huffman held a record of 4-0 at the NCAA Super Region V tournament en route to a Super Region V title. Overall, Huffman went 20-4 on the season and was undefeated in NSIC action with a 6-0 record.

"Jack is a three-time top-4 placer at the Super Region V, winning the Regional in 2022," Reitmeier said. "Jack is very passionate about wrestling. He loves to be on the mat and loves the spotlight. He wrestles his best when the pressure is highest."

2022-23 NSIC Wrestling Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. St. Cloud State (9)          81

2. Augustana (1)            73

3. Northern State                56

4. UMary                         53

5. Parkside                     50

6. Upper Iowa                       49

7. Minnesota State              36

8. SW Minnesota State       24

9. Minot State                     19

10. MSU Moorhead         9

--GoAugie.com--