BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Augustana wrestling was selected to finish third in the 2024-25 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll, conference officials announced Thursday morning, while reigning NCAA region and national runner-up Jaxson Rohman was selected as the Wrestler to Watch for the Vikings.
 
St. Cloud State was selected as the preseason favorite in the NSIC, earning 80 points and eight of 10 first-place votes. UW-Parkside finished second with the remaining two first-place votes and 73 points. Augustana was third with 66 points while UMary (57 points) and Northern State (45 points) rounded out the top five.
 
Head coach Jason Reitmeier enters his 22^nd season leading the Vikings, who return four NCAA qualifiers—Cael Larson (149), Cade Mueller (184), Max Ramberg (197) and Rohman (125)—and six regional starters from a team that placed third at the Super Region V tournament.
 
"I love the experience that we bring back mixed in with some excited youth," said Reitmeier. "We got a taste of success at National Duals and Nationals and the team came together looking to continue to improve and get better at wrestling. I really like how much this team just loves wrestling and competing. It's fun to watch how excited they are in the room just to scrap and grow in their sport. We have a ways to go but I really like how far this team has come in just the last year. This team will be fun to watch and compete against."
 
Rohman, a senior from Trimont, Minn., looks toward a National Championship after finishing the last two seasons as runner-up at 125 pounds. The AU Preseason Wrestler to Watch, Rohman earned DII All-American honors after ending last season with a 22-5 record overall and 13-3 record in duals.
 
"Jaxson is everything you look for in a student-athlete," said Reitmeier. "He is a nursing major with a 3.66GPA, three-time Academic All-American, two-time NSIC All-Academic, two-time CSC Academic All-District. Jaxson is also a three-time national qualifier, two-time National Runner-Up, two-time region runner-up and two-time All-NSIC. Jaxson has a quiet confidence about him, who loves competition. It doesn't matter if he is wrestling or putting a puzzle together, he is competing to be the best at it. He leads by example in all areas of his life which makes people want to follow him and be around him."
 
In addition to kicking off the season with three Open Tournaments, the Vikings will open dual season in Brookings, South Dakota, on Friday, Nov. 15. Augustana will start NSIC action on the road at Parkside on Saturday, Dec. 7 and will start home action against SMSU on Friday, Jan. 3 inside the Elmen Center.
 
2024-25 NSIC Wrestling Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St Cloud State – 80 (8)
2. Parkside – 73 (2)
3. Augustana – 66
4. University of Mary – 57
5. Northern State – 45
6. Minnesota State – 43
7. Minot State – 33
8. Southwest Minnesota State – 23
T-9. MSU Moorhead – 15
T-9. Sioux Falls – 15