BURNSVILLE, Minn. -- The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced its annual preseason rankings for the sport of wrestling. MSU Moorhead redshirt sophomore Isaiah Huus was tabbed as the Dragon 'wrestler to watch'. 

MSUM was selected ninth in the initial preseason coaches' rankings, earning 15 points. St. Cloud State topped the poll with 80 points and eight first-place votes while Husky Nick Novak was named the league's 'preseason wrestler of the year'. Parkside came in behind St. Cloud State with 73 points and the remaining two first-place votes. 

The Dragons are coming off a 2-10 dual season in 2023-24, which included a 1-8 mark as a squad in NSIC duals. MSUM returns a host of key returners this season with eight starters back on the roster led by seniors Gunnar Mogen and Jacob Cole. The Dragons will also see the return of 165-pounder Jonas Anez, who missed most of the 2023-24 season due to a knee injury. Anez leads a hefty junior class alongside key contributors Parker Benz, Tate Laducer, Jacob Thomas, Thomas Carrillo and Clayson Mele. The 125-pounder Mele took a redshirt year in 2023-24 while rehabbing a wrist injury. MSUM also brought in three transfers to their junior class in Pedro Velazquez (North Dakota State), Mason Gode (North Dakota State) and Wyatt Powell (Cloud County CC).

MSUM's sophomore class also bolsters a large number of experienced grapplers, led by the aforementioned Huus as well as Cody Wienen, Wayne Mellon, Will Price and Jacob Reinardy. Beau Daily and Anthony Sykora all saw valuable time on the mat in 2023-24 and will enter their sophomore seasons in 2024-25. The Dragons added nine true freshman to the mix ahead of the season. 

"We return eight starters from last year's team and have added a recruiting class of 12 individuals who we see pushing for starting roles throughout the year. Two transfers from North Dakota State University that we are excited about are Pedro Velazquez at 141lbs and Mason Gode at 174lbs," said MSUM head wrestling coach Kris Nelson, who embarks on his 16th season at the helm in 2024-25. "We have added assistant coach Caden Steffen to our staff who is doing a fantastic job with the entire team and will be a great coach and partner for our upper weights."

Huus earns the 'wrestler to watch' distinction following a superb year as a redshirt freshman. Huus competed at 197 pounds for the Dragons at NCAA Super Region V and led the Dragons with 20 wins during the season, concluding the year with a 20-12 overall record. He led MSUM in pinfall victories with eight as well as major decisions with five while also holding a win by technical fall during the year. Huus was a weight class champion at the Dragon Open and finished eighth overall at the 44th annual Midwest Classic. The Bismarck, N.D., native was also featured in OpenMat's 197-pound top-20 during the year.

"Isaiah is a well-rounded individual that leads by example both on the mat and in the classroom," said Nelson. "He is an NWCA Scholar All-American. He won the Dragon Open last season and was a Midwest Classic Place winner."

The Dragons are scheduled to open the 2024-25 season competing at the annual Jimmie Open in Jamestown, N.D. The meet will take place on Saturday, November 2 beginning at 9 a.m.