Depth and talented youth look to push DWU to new heights in 2017-18

MITCHELL, S.D. – With two seniors on the Dakota Wesleyan University wrestling team this season, third-year head coach Nick Hutcheson will rely on depth as the Tigers look to build off a season ago.

 With young talent aplenty, senior Alex Osborne (Vermillion, S.D.) and junior Tanner Wernsman (Arapahoe, Neb.) will be looked upon to lead the team throughout the 2017-18 season.

 Osborne received his first victory last season against Division II Northern State University, while Wernsman picked up his first two victories against Labette Community College at the Hastings Open.

 "Alex is consistent with working hard and is on time to everything," Hutcheson said. "Tanner is one that works really hard in practice and is more of a vocal leader of the team. It is great to have a guy that is willing to speak up and motivate the team if their energy is down."

 Expectations are on the rise for Hutcheson. Winning is always important, and he hopes to build off their finish from a season ago.

 "Our goal is to improve on our dual record from last year," Hutcheson commented. "I would like to see us get to three, maybe four dual wins. That could be difficult in our conference with how tough our conference is, but we will get to see other teams when we go to the University of Nebraska-Kearney duals."

 The season opens for the Tigers against future Great Plains Athletic Conference foe, the University of Jamestown on Saturday in Jamestown N.D., followed by a home meet against GPAC opponent, Doane University on Nov. 10. The next day, the Tigers will host the DWU Open beginning at 9 a.m.

 "After the first tournament, we should have a good understanding about where our guys are at physically and mentally," Hutcheson said about what he hopes to learn early in the season. "It is important for us, early in the season, to figure out what our guys are doing well, and what they are not doing well so we can pinpoint those specific things and improve on them."

 The Tigers will take to the road in mid-November as they travel to Marshall, Minn., to take on Southwest Minnesota State University, followed by the Augsburg Open in Minneapolis, Minn. The Tigers will return to conference action as they take on Concordia University to finish the month of November.

 DWU will finish out their home season on Senior Day on Wednesday, Feb. 7 against the University of Jamestown, before competing at the NAIA North Regional Qualifier.

 "The guys need to continue to improve as the season goes on," Hutcheson said. "We need to be peaking at the right time in order to finish how we would like this season."