MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State finished their final home dual of the season with a 26-10 win on senior night against MSU Moorhead.
 
Before the dual, the Mavericks honored 149-lb. senior Isaiah Mlsna, a four-year starter for the Mavericks, who has gained multiple academic and athletic accolades over the past four years, including a first place finish at the Under Armour Open, the 2025 Myles Brand Award for academic excellence, two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete, two-time Northern Sun All-Academic Team, two-time Northern Sun All-Academic Team of Excellence, and a 3.82 cumulative GPA majoring in business administration.
 
Starting the dual at 125-lb. was freshman Jacob Fitzpatrick and the Dragons' Clayson Mele. Fitzpatrick was on the board first with a takedown, followed with an escape by Mele. Both wrestlers each grabbed another takedown before the end of the first, with Fitzpatrick leading 6-5 going into the second. Mele escaped in the second to tie the score, which gave Fitzpatrick the opportunity to snag another takedown late in the period. Fitzpatrick chose the down position to begin the third, finding the escape at 5:27, and would go on to tally three more takedowns to win the match by a 20-12 major decision.
 
Freshman Chase Beckett and Ryan Henningson were next at 133-lb. After much back and forth between the wrestlers, Henningson came out on top with an 18-10 major decision win.
 
At 141-lb., freshman Colton Hush faced junior Pedro Velazquez. MSUM found two takedowns in the first and third periods to win by a 6-0 decision, putting the team scores at 7-4 Dragons.
 
Maverick senior Isaiah Mlsna wrestled Cody Wienen at 149-lb. Wienen was first on the board with a takedown in the first, followed by Mlsna tying it with a takedown of his own to start the second period. The match was tied 4-4 at the end of the second after an escape by Wienen and a technical violation point was awarded to Mlsna. Wienen chose the down position to start the third and found an early escape to lead 5-4. With a second left, Mlsna locked in the takedown to win by a 7-6 decision, tying the team score at 7-7.
 
Facing off at 157-lb. were junior Caleb Meunier and Nate Berchtold, with each wrestler scoring a takedown in the first period. Meunier took control of the second period with another takedown and two 4-pt nearfall calls to jump ahead 16-3 going into the third. To start the third, Meunier chose the top position and was able to catch Berchtold 40 seconds in and get the pin, boosting the Mavericks to a 13-7 team lead.
 
Junior No. 15 Kole Marko and the Dragons' Jacob Reinardy took the mat at 165-lb. Marko dominated the first period with three takedowns and an escape after a reversal to lead 10-4 going into the second. Reinardy deferred to the third, giving Marko the chance to choose the down position and grab an escape early in the second. Halfway through the second, Reinardy was able to find a takedown, only to let Marko up later in the period, with Marko still leading 12-7 to end the second period. After an escape by Reinardy in the third, Marko seized the win by a 12-8 decision.
 
At 174-lb., R-Jr. No. 6 Drake Hayward faced junior Mason Gode. After a no scoring first period, Gode chose down to start the second and found a reversal at 3:15. Hayward answered with an escape to bring the score to 2-1 MSUM going into the third. Hayward got an escape early in the third to tie it 2-2, however Gode would find a takedown late in the third to win by a 6-2 decision after a point for riding time.
 
R-Fr. Evan Farley wrestled at 184-lb. against Wyatt Powell, with Farley getting on the board first with a takedown 27 seconds into the first period. After Farley started in the down position for the second period, he found a reversal and two back points to lead 7-0. Powell got a reversal soon after and chose to start the third period in neutral. Farley found a quick takedown to start the third, and with a second left found another takedown. Combined with riding time, Farley picked up the 14-3 major decision win, putting the team score at 20-10 MSU.
 
In the 197-lb. match, sophomore Grant Cook and Isaiah Huus battled it out. After a no-score first period, Cook had an escape early in the second to get on the board. Huus received a point for a technical violation and an escape in the third to lead 2-1. Cook came back to get the takedown with 40 seconds left in the match and won by a 4-2 decision.
 
For the last match of senior night, sophomore Tanner Gaffey wrestled Liam Babitt at 285-lb. Neither wrestler scored in the first, with the first action being a stalling warning against Babitt, followed by a reversal by Gaffey to lead 2-0 going into the third. Babitt chose down to start the third and found an escape, however, couldn't get the takedown to lead. Gaffey won by a 2-1 decision, finalizing the team score at 26-10 Mavericks.
 
With the win, the Mavericks improve to an 8-4 record, 5-3 NSIC, and finish out the conference dual season this Friday, Feb. 14^th in Aberdeen, S.D. at 7 p.m. against Northern State.
 
Minnesota State 26, MSU Moorhead 10
125: Jacob Fitzpatrick (MSU) wins via 20-12 major decision vs. Clayson Mele (MSUM) | 4-0 MSU
133: Ryan Henningson (MSUM) wins via 18-10 major decision vs. Chase Beckett (MSU) | Tied 4-4
141: Pedro Velazquez (MSUM) wins via 6-1 decision vs. Colton Hush (MSU) | 7-4 MSUM
149: Isaiah Mlsna (MSU) wins via a 7-6 decision vs. Cody Wienen (MSUM) | Tied 7-7
157: Caleb Meunier (MSU) wins via fall at 5:40 vs. Nate Berchtold (MSUM) | 13-7 MSU
165: Kole Marko (MSU) wins via 12-8 decision vs. Jacob Reinardy (MSUM) | 16-7 MSU
174: Mason Gode (MSUM) wins via 6-2 decision vs. Drake Hayward (MSU) | 16-10 MSU
184: Evan Farley (MSU) wins via 14-3 major decision vs. Wyatt Powell (MSUM) | 20-10 MSU
197: Grant Cook (MSU) wins via 4-2 decision vs. Isaiah Huus (MSUM) | 23-10 MSU
285: Tanner Gaffey (MSU) wins via 2-1 decision vs. Liam Babitt (MSUM) | 26-10 MSU