For Immediate Release
Monday, November 14, 2022
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC Wrestler of the Week
Caden Steffen (184 lbs, Jr., Zumbrota, Minn. / Zumbrota-Mazeppa HS) – SMSU
- Went 5-0 on Saturday to win the 184 pound division at the Dakota Wesleyan Open
- Opened the day defeating a two-time NAIA All-American from Morningside, 5-3, in the first round
- Defeated Kolby Kost from Augustana, 3-2, in the second round
- In the quarterfinals, earned a win by fall, before defeating a pair of Nebraska-Kearney athletes by 2-0 in the semifinals and 3-2 in the finals
- A two-time NCAA All-American, Steffen is ranked No. 2 in the preseason NWCA rankings
Other Top Performances
Braydon Huber (UMary) claimed four straight wins to capture the 165 pound title at the DWU Open. In a series of close wins, including a 4-1 decision in the opener over St. Cloud State's Bryce Dagel and a 6-2 decision over Augustana's Tyler Wagner, Huber wrapped up the title with a 4-1 decision over Kaleb O'Reilly of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Drake Hayward (MSU) went 4-1 and finished second in the Elite Bracket at the Luther Open. He won by fall over Blake Jagodzinske (Augsburg) at 2:32 then by major decision over Daniel Meeker (Loras) 16-3. In the quarterfinals he won by decision over Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) 7-5 and then in the semifinal he won by decision over Joe Kelly (Iowa) 6-2. Hayward lost by decision in the first Place match to Tyler Shilson (Augsburg).
Tyson Lien (NSU) took second at the DWU open, going 3-1 overall. He tallied a 10-1 major decision over Dylan Zoucha of Wayne State and defeated Anthony Castro of MSU Moorhead in a 7-5 decision. He notched a semifinal victory over Jacob Tvinnereim of Augustana in a 3-2 decision. He ultimately fell in a closely contested championship match to Bryce Dagel of St. Cloud State as he scored 15.0 team points for the Wolves.
Nick Novak (SCSU) was 5-0 with a pin and a major decision to earn the Dakota Wesleyan Open title at 149, outscoring his final four foes 21-1 with three shutouts.
Chase Luensman (UIU) was one of two Peacocks to claim a title at the Luther Open on Saturday. Luensman wrestled at 165 pounds and posted a 4-0 record with all four victories coming with bonus points. The Monticello, Iowa product secured a win by fall, two major decisions and an 8-4 win in the finals over Matt Rogge of Augsburg. Luensman joined Tate Murty (4-0 at 141) as Elite bracket champions for the Peacocks.
Shane Gantz (UWP) remained undefeated on the young season, controlling the entire match to earn a 19-8 major decision, his second major decision of the season. The Rangers took home the Sake Bottle trophy in dominant fashion on Thursday night, as the Rangers defeated UW-Whitewater 24-9 in De Simone Arena.
NSIC Wrestling Pages
NSIC Wrestlers of the Week
11/7/22: Caleb Meekins – St. Cloud State
11/14/22: Caden Steffen – SMSU
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 25 team national championships and crowned 96 individual national champions. For additional information, visit
NorthernSun.org.
About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit
NCAA.org.
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