(ARGO ATHLETICS MEDIA RELEASE)
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The pipeline between Great Falls High School and the University of Providence men’s wrestling team continues with the signing of All-State wrestler Russell Wienholz. He will join five other former Bison on the UP roster, including a handful of dual starters and national qualifiers.
“It’s great to see that the other guys from Great Falls High continue to be successful after high school and that’s what I want to continue to do,” Wienholz said. “There are a lot of familiar faces here and I’ve just always liked what they’ve had going on at this program.
Like the other Argos from GFHS, Wienholz will enter college after reaching the status of Montana All-State. Wrestling at 138, the senior placed 4th at the 2018 MHSA State Championships with two wins in the tournament by major decision.
Wienholz finishes his career with 92 wins over four years of competition and was a state tournament qualifier in 2017. He ended up as one of seven Bison wrestlers to place at states. He was also a state tournament qualifier in 2017.
“He has 92 wins in high school, he comes from a dominant program, and he’s going to bring in a fan base with him,” UP Head Coach Caleb Schaeffer said. “He’s going to get into the lineup and he’s going to give us depth. He’s a fierce competitor and we know it’s going to bring that competitiveness into the room.”
UP’s list of current wrestlers from the Bison program includes ranked wrestlers (11) Casey Dobson and (7) Randy Keesler along with dual starter Jarren Komac. Not only are so many former Bison on the UP roster because of their skill, but Schaeffer also said its because of how they help the culture of the locker room.
“The best part is that these guys know how to relate to each other and how to push each other’s’ buttons because they’ve been around each other for so long,” Schaeffer said. “They know exactly what gets everyone motivated and that really helps with the team dynamics.”
