North Dakota champions Tyler Johnson (Bismarck) and Kriss McCleary (Napoleon), Minnesota champion Drew Ross (Fergus Falls), and Montana champions Trent Sprenkle (Billings) and Tyler Wells (Kalispell) join North Dakota champion Justin Solberg of Wahpeton, who committed during November's early signing period.
Johnson won three state titles at 140 as a freshman and 152 as a junior and senior. He was 50-0 his senior year and finished his Bismarck High career 175-15 with 87 pins. He finished second at the High School Nationals at 152.
McCleary won four consecutive titles at 215 pounds and closed out his career on a 105-match winning streak. He was 40-0 his senior year and won 200 career matches, 111 by fall. McCleary placed fifth at the High School Nationals. His father, Barry, wrestled with the Bison in the 1970s.
Ross won a Minnesota state title at 189 pounds this year after a runner-up finish in 2007. He went 39-0 with 23 pins his senior year, and he was 40-4 with 34 pins his junior year. He won 102 career matches.
Sprenkle was a three-time state champ in Montana, including a 42-0 record with 34 pins en route to a Class 2A title at 119 pounds his senior year. He set school career records for wins (132-22), pins (86), takedowns (344), near falls (146) and team points (740). He graduated in 2006 and will have completed a two-year LDS mission before coming to NDSU.
Wells won the Montana state title at 152 pounds this year after a runner-up finish in 2007 and a fifth-place showing in 2006. He was 41-3 as a senior and finished his career at Flathead High third on the all-time wins list with a 127-27 record. Wells won two USA Wrestling freestyle and Greco-Roman state championships.
In addition, four-time Minnesota state qualifier Mark Erickson of Roseau has been accepted for admission and will join the wrestling team. Erickson made a state runner-up finish at 125 pounds as a junior in 2007. He was a two-time team MVP for Roseau, had a career record of 157-45, and set a school record with 43 wins his senior year. He won a USA Wrestling state freestyle championship in 2006 and was runner-up in the freestyle and Greco-Roman in 2007.
North Dakota State was 11-9 overall and 4-2 in the Western Wrestling Conference this year. The Bison placed fifth in the NCAA West Regional and qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA Division I national championships.
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