North Dakota State will host the NCAA Div 1 Western Regional on 8 March. Champions and two "at large" bids of this regional qualify for the NCAA Div 1 Championships on 20 Mar in St. Louis.

Teams competing and Kansans include:

United States Air Force Acadamy

Senior Jake Kriegbauhm @ 141 lbs from Albeline,Kansas. Jake was named both Western Wrestling Conference and Air Force Male athlete of the week in Feb 08. Jake is a two-time national qualifier.

North Dakota State University

No Kansans


University of Northern Colorado

Junior Blayze Bahe at 133lbs from Goodland, Kansas. Blayze is in his third year of varsity wrestling for the Bears.

Junior Daniel Pratter at 149lbs from Pratt, Kansas is a transfer from Colby Community College and last years NJCAA champion.

Freshman Brett Bahe at 133lbs from Goodland, Kansas, is a three time Kansas State Champ.

Assistant Coach Austin Devou (Columbus, KS) and All-American with the Mizzou Tigers is in his second year of coaching with the Bears.

University of Northern Iowa

Junior Josh Baldridge at 133lbs from Haysville, Kansas is a transfer from Labette Community College in Parsons, Kan. He was a two-time NCJAA All American.

South Dakota State University

Sophmore Sean Flynn squares off with Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs @ 149 pounds. Sean is in his second year of varsity wrestling for the Jacks out of Lansing, Kansas.


Utah Valley State Wolverines

No Kansas Wrestlers

University of Wyoming

No Kansas Wrestlers


Good Luck to All.

Mike Flynn

Just back from Fargo...think it was the coldest wrestling tournament I have attented.

Jake Kriegbauhm took 1st at 141lbs and was the outstanding wrestler of the tournment. Very solid.

Air Force as a whole looked much better this year than last.

Josh Baldrige is also a champ at 133lbs from Northern Iowa. Last time I saw Josh wrestle was at the Kansas Freestyle/Greco state against Tristen DeShazer. Josh looked very good. As a team, Northern Iowa is a couple steps ahead of the other teams in the western wrestling conference.

At 149 Northern Colorado's Daneil Prater look good as did Blaze Bahe at 133. The Bears also look better this year.

My boy Sean (South Dakota State) got a taste of his first regional. Sean looked better his second match than his first but has some improving to do. Think the experience made him hungry for a good spring/summer training cycle.

The west regional got 10 "wild cards" this year vice the two I reported above.

Best of luck to Jake and Josh at St. Louis.


Mike Flynn