THIS WEEK IN BLUE HAWK MEN"S WRESTLING
HAVRE, Mont.- Dickinson State returns to dual competition Friday, Jan. 9, when the Blue Hawks travel west to face Montana State University-Northern in a nationally significant NAIA matchup. The contest marks Dickinson State's second competition of the new year and follows a demanding return from the holiday break at the Central Under Armour Invitational in Pella, Iowa. The Blue Hawks enter the dual listed at No. 25 in the NAIA rankings with 41 points and currently sit fifth in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Montana State Northern is ranked No. 24 with 43 points, setting up a tightly contested meeting between programs separated by just two points in the national poll.
Dickinson State arrives in Havre after testing itself against one of the deepest fields of the season at the Central Under Armour Invitational. The event featured a blend of nationally ranked NAIA and NCAA Division III opponents, providing a competitive tune-up as the Blue Hawks transitioned from the holiday break into the heart of the dual season.
The Blue Hawks continue to be anchored by strength in the upper weights. At 184 pounds, Jackson King carries a No. 15 national ranking and is second in the conference after a steady early season. King could be matched with MSU Northern's Cade Gubler, who enters ranked No. 20 nationally, making 184 one of the featured bouts of the dual.
At 197 pounds, Donivan Giangregorio enters ranked No. 14 nationally and third in the conference. Giangregorio has been one of Dickinson State's most consistent performers and could provide a scoring edge. Heavyweight also looms as a pivotal matchup, with No. 11 Seth Suvak potentially facing No. 16 Shane Mattson in a bout that could factor heavily into the final team score.
Montana State Northern brings depth through the middle of the lineup. Ryan Graves is ranked No. 23 at 157 pounds, while Justin Windauer enters at 165 pounds ranked No. 11 nationally. At 174 pounds, Orion Thivierge holds a No. 22 ranking and could see Dickinson State's Bradlee Shaw, who is ranked eighth in the conference and continues to develop in one of the NAIA's most competitive weight classes.
In the lower weights, Dickinson State will look to establish early pace with Wyatt Engwicht at 125 pounds and Marcus Mireles at 141. Controlling the opening matches will be important against the Northern lineup. Friday's dual offers Dickinson State an early-season measuring stick in a true road environment against a ranked opponent. With both teams clustered near the Top 25, the outcome carries implications for upcoming national polls and sets the tone for the Blue Hawks' January dual schedule.
