I look at Northwestern's lineup differently than I do any other school's. As an enthusiastic wrestling fan posing as a journalist I find it my responsibility to report on who I think it is on a team's roster that will make a big impact this season. Who will wrestle well throughout duals and tournaments. Who will make a showing at the Great Plains Athletic Conference & who will have a shot at the NAIA national tournament. Yet I realize as I look at the NWC wrestling roster, that had I made the decision to wrestle in college, I would have been one of the wrestlers that nobody ever talked about. I would have been one of the wrestlers who never found his name in a writeup. I'd have been a career third stringer, with a career empty of press and that fact is not lost on me. I was never an official member of the Red Raider wrestling team, but I did get to know a large portion of the squad. A great group of guys, many of them who did not turn out to be standout collegiate stars, but who were and continue to be standout human beings who benefited because of wrestling and who wrestling benefited because of them. I imagine today's Red Raider roster is made up of the same types of kids those 04'-05', 05'-06' & 06'-07' teams that I knew. I hope someday as JT#1 continues to grow I have the time & resources to do more features on these types of wrestlers. I know they have stories to tell, cause Hell, I was one of them.
Nevertheless here are the Red Raiders who I think will have the best seasons on the team.
California native Manny Jaramillo enters his final season as a Red Raider having placed 5th at the GPAC last year. He looks to improve on a 16-11 season & earn a trip to the NAIA tournament.
Heading over to the other side of the country, Erik Rodriguez of Florida put together a respectable rookie season going 12-11 taking a 5th place finish at the GPAC tournament. He should improve upon both his record and his conference showing this season.
Local favorite only 20 minutes southwest of where he wrestled in high school, sophomore Jakob Francksen Small is well on his way to having a better collegiate career than he did a high school one. He made the Iowa High School state championships twice & he's already been to the NAIA nationals once. He took 3rd at GPAC last season, going 20-11.
Another local favorite, also 20 minutes away, only this time in the complete opposite northeast direction, I would call Luke Jenness the Red Raider's best shot at an All American this season. The junior won a GPAC title last year with a very impressive 29-6 record.
Nevertheless here are the Red Raiders who I think will have the best seasons on the team.
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| 133 lbs Manny Jaramillo |
California native Manny Jaramillo enters his final season as a Red Raider having placed 5th at the GPAC last year. He looks to improve on a 16-11 season & earn a trip to the NAIA tournament.
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| 149 lbs Erik Rodriguez |
Heading over to the other side of the country, Erik Rodriguez of Florida put together a respectable rookie season going 12-11 taking a 5th place finish at the GPAC tournament. He should improve upon both his record and his conference showing this season.
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| 174 lbs Jakob Francksen Small |
Local favorite only 20 minutes southwest of where he wrestled in high school, sophomore Jakob Francksen Small is well on his way to having a better collegiate career than he did a high school one. He made the Iowa High School state championships twice & he's already been to the NAIA nationals once. He took 3rd at GPAC last season, going 20-11.
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| 184 lbs Luke Jenness |
Another local favorite, also 20 minutes away, only this time in the complete opposite northeast direction, I would call Luke Jenness the Red Raider's best shot at an All American this season. The junior won a GPAC title last year with a very impressive 29-6 record.
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