NDSU Wrestling Headed to Soldier Salute, Southern Scuffle

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State wrestling team will wrap up 2024 and begin 2025 with a pair of tournaments, as the Bison are set to compete at the Third Annual Soldier Salute and the 2025 Southern Scuffle.
 
NDSU will send a small group of Bison to the Soldier Salute in Coralville, Iowa on December 29-30. The Bison will then bring a fill roster to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga on January 4-5 to ring in the new year.
 
Soldier Salute Lineup
125 | Kody Tanimoto (2-7)
141 | Michael Olson (4-4)
174 | Max Magayna (7-3)
 
Southern Scuffle Lineup
125 | Tristan Daugherty (3-5)
133 | Kyle Burwick (9-7)
149 | #29 Gavin Drexler (13-4)
157 | Max Petersen (10-4)
157 | Gabriel Schumm (11-4)
165 | Boeden Greenley (10-11)
165 | Brendan Howes (8-7)
165 | Tyler Secoy (5-6)
174 | Devin Wasley (4-6)
184 | Aidan Brenot (6-8)
197 | Tayshaun Glover (6-5)
285 | Drew Blackburn-Forst (5-11)
285 | Shilo Jones (1-5)
 
Coverage
All four sessions of the Soldier Salute will be streamed live through the Big Ten Plus streaming service. The entirety of the Southern Scuffle will also be streamed live through FloWrestling. Both events will also have live stats and brackets. Links for coverage will be available on gobison.com.
 
History at the Scuffle
-NDSU makes a return trip to the Southern Scuffle, which has become a constant on the schedule in recent years. Last year, Gaven Sax led the way for the Bison, who recorded three placing finishers. In 2023, the Bison recorded three Scuffle Champions, led by Jared Franek, who won back-to-back titles after winning in 2022. Current Bison AIdan Brenot and Max Petersen placed at the Scuffle last season.
 
In the Rankings
North Dakota State’s Gavin Drexler and Tayshaun Glover appear in the rankings this week for the Bison. Gavin Drexler is at No. 27 in the Flo Wrestling rankings and No. 29 in the IntertMat rankings. Glover makes his debut in the rankings for the first time, as the true freshman debuts at No. 33 in the FloWrestling rankings.
 
Wrapping Last Week
NDSU picked up its first win of the season with a 22-16 win over Campbell at the Knockout Christmas Classic. The Bison also nearly pulled off an upset, officially falling on a tiebreaker of total match points to No. 22 West Virginia, losing 22-21. The Bison also lost to Wisconsin 22-13. Kyle Burwick, Gavin Drexler, Max Petersen and Boeden Greenley all picked up two wins in the three dual events. Petersen (2 wins) and Gabriel Schumm (1 win) swept the 157-pound weight class on the day. Ezekiel Witt and Andrew Blackburn-Forst also had pins for the Bison.
 
Witt Claims Ranked Win In Dual Debut
In his first career dual, freshman Ezekiel Witt pinned No. 28 Anthony Molton in the 125-pound match against Campbell at the Knockout Christmas Classic. Leading 4-2 in the third period, Witt flipped Molton in a reversal, putting the Camel wrestler on his back and securing the pin.
 
He is the second Bison in as many weeks to top a ranked opponent in his dual debut with Tayshaun Glover also doing it against Iowa State. Prior to this year, Adam Cherne picked up a major decision against #19 Giuseppe Hoose of Oklahoma on November 19, 2023. It’s the third-straight season an NDSU wrestler has topped a ranked opponent in their dual debut, with Juan Mora also doing it in the season opener at Nebraska in 2022-23.
 
Up Next
The Bison will have a week off before returning to dual competition with a pair of Big 12 duals in Colorado. NDSU opens up the 2025 dual schedule on the road at Northern Colorado on Friday, January 17 at 7 p.m. CT in Greeley. The Bison will then head to Colorado Springs and take on Air Force on Sunday, January 19 at 1 p.m. CT.