Mooney’s inking may lift morale

The Forum, Fargo, North Dakota

JEFF KOLPACK The Forum
Sports - 11/21/2003

The prevailing opinion among North Dakota State wrestlers is the Bison better do well now because Armageddon is right around the corner. A move to Division I next season is certain death.

No tournament. No talent. There are whispers of this year’s underclassmen heading to the transfer exits. That’s why the signing of Gabriel Mooney from Greenbush, Minn., last week was so important for the program.

“If they would have stayed Division II, everything would have fallen through and I wouldn’t have considered them,” Mooney said.

We won’t go so far as saying Mooney is the savior for the first year of the Division I transition but it might make a few of the current wrestlers think twice about bolting. There may be talent in the practice room after all.

Mooney is one of the country’s top lightweight prospects. He’s ranked fifth at 119 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News. He hasn’t lost a match in three years.

“When a guy like Mooney comes here, it’s like ‘why wouldn’t I’ for others,” said NDSU head coach Bucky Maughan.

Other Minnesota senior prep standouts are coming: teammates Andrew Quittschreiber and Adam Aho from Frazee, Mike Quamme from Northfield and Jacob Bryce from Minnewaska. Quittschreiber and Bryce are defending state champs. Aho was 178-35. Quamme was 39-1 and a state runnerup last year.

What once was thought as impossible -- a good 2004 recruiting class -- is no longer.

Why? The in-the-know crowd in wrestling is confident the NCAA will change its reclassification rules for Olympic sports. Instead of four years, a school will be eligible for postseason once it meets compliance issues like scheduling and academics.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association, USA Wrestling, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee have all endorsed it. It appears only the NCAA Championships Committee stands in the way.

If it doesn’t work out, Mooney -- and the other four recruits -- have a certified letter from Maughan and athletic director Gene Taylor saying they will be allowed to transfer.

“It’s every kid’s dream to be a Division I champion and we don’t want to do anything to prevent that opportunity,” Maughan said.

The NCAA is on the verge of dropping the men’s basketball probation from 13 to five years. If common sense prevails in wrestling, NDSU would be compliant in two years. The school is practically there now.

That means guys like Mooney would redshirt one year and be national tournament eligible by his freshman or sophomore year.

“That’s a very big deal,” Mooney said, “but I figure I’ll give it one year. If they’re on probation for more than one year, I’ll probably transfer out. Right now they’re a top 20 in Division I and they’re still Division II. That says a lot. Once D-I gets rolling, I’m hoping we’re a top 10 team by the time I graduate.”

Readers can reach Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546 or jkolpack@forumcomm.com