THIS WEEK IN BLUE HAWK MEN'S WRESTLING
DSU men's wrestling is set for one of the most demanding events of the season this weekend as the Blue Hawks compete at the Missouri Valley College Invitational, being held in Marshall, Mo. at the Burns Athletic Complex. Competition runs Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23 and 24, with wrestling beginning at 9:00 a.m. (MST) on Friday and 8:00 a.m. (MST) on Saturday.
The two-day invitational features one of the deepest fields assembled in NAIA men's wrestling this season, with 57 teams entered, representing 57 of the 68 total NAIA programs nationwide. The event effectively mirrors the national tournament environment, bringing together the vast majority of the association's programs in one venue and creating a postseason-level test across every weight class.
The field is composed entirely of NAIA institutions, underscoring the invitational's significance as a true national benchmark. Dickinson State enters the weekend receiving votes in the national poll and currently sits fifth in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Blue Hawks have built consistency through the first half of the season and will now face a volume and caliber of competition unmatched to this point on the schedule.
Several Blue Hawks bring conference and national recognition into the invitational. Wyatt Engwicht is ranked sixth in the conference at 125 pounds, while Charlie Irwin sits eighth at 133. Marcus Mireles holds the fifth spot in the HAAC at 141, and Bradlee Shaw checks in seventh at 174. The upper weights continue to serve as a strength for Dickinson State, led by Jackson King, who is ranked 15th nationally and second in the conference at 184. Donivan Giangregorio enters ranked 15th nationally and third in the conference at 197, while heavyweight Seth Suvak carries a 13th national ranking and sits third in the HAAC standings.
The Missouri Valley College Invitational includes a wide range of nationally ranked teams and individuals, with multiple top-10 programs, a significant portion of the top 25, and a deep group of receiving-votes schools represented. Nearly every weight class is expected to feature ranked matchups from the opening rounds forward, placing a premium on depth, conditioning, and consistency throughout the two-day event.
As the season moves toward its second half, the invitational stands as a defining checkpoint for the Blue Hawks. Competing against the majority of the NAIA field, Dickinson State will have the opportunity to measure itself against the national standard and sharpen its approach ahead of the Tyler Plummer Classic and the Heart of America Conference Championship.
