The good thing about the Christmas break for a college wrestling team is that it can open the second half of the season with a new outlook, a more vivid vision of what must be added to the recipe for success.

Minnesota’s 6-2 record and a #11 team tournament rank certainly rates on the well above average scale. However, the Gophers probably lost out on a chance to close out the first half in the top 10 after an 18-14 loss to #20 South Dakota State, in which five of the Gophers’ six losses were upsets as far as individual rankings were concerned, and most were by one or two points.

Coach Brandon Eggum’s crew had to enter bounce-back mode and took care of #14 Little Rock (23-9) and North Dakota State (26-9) after the home loss to the Jackrabbits. 

“It’s always important to match the energy, and we didn’t close out some of those matches at the end that we needed to,” Eggum said. “You can go back and find a million different ways that you can win, but that's part of it; it's give-and-take on both ends like that.”

Eggum said team discussions centered on not being ready and making sure that you wrestle the way you need to, scoring points, as opposed to simply expecting things to happen. 

“They did a nice job,” he said. “I’m proud of the way they bounced back.”

After eight matches and two tournaments, the Gophers had four off days for recovery and practice sessions shifted toward individual work, focusing on areas where problems arose.

“We're trying to let the guys feel like they get a little bit of a simmer-down before the next part of the season,” Eggum said. “And we talked about with the break, there's always a worry that your weight might get a little bit high, so we try to just stay on top of that and being away from competition.”

Eggum calls it two separate seasons and they expect to be “ready and healthy and excited” for the second half and most important part of the season.

Looking Ahead At The Lineup

Based on November and December, Eggum believes freshman Charlie Millard, the team’s #20-ranked 157-pounder who is 12-3, will have a great second half of the season.

“He's lost some matches, but it’s just his mentality and I have a lot of belief in his ability,” Eggum said. “So I've been excited with him. I know it’s never easy to get wins in Division I wrestling, but I feel like he's showed signs of just competing very well. So I’m really pleased with him.”

Eggum also cited possible lineup shifts in terms of guys possibly moving around and the goal of putting the 10 best Gophers on the mat.

He also noted that #9-ranked heavyweight Koy Hopke (11-3) is performing well. 

“He was injured as a true freshman so he spent most of that entire season, until late in the spring, on the shelf,” Eggum said. “For the most part, these are some of the first high-level folkstyle matches he’s really wrestled. 

“I have been pleased with his mindset; he's a hard worker, and I think he's picked up some really good wins this season. I think he has to tighten some things up but he’s another guy I've been pleased with.”

Leaders Emerging

Three wrestlers who have stood out in Eggum’s eye are his three All-Americans — #9 Vance VomBaur (11-3 at 141), #3 Max McEnelly (9-1 at 184) and #6 Jore Volk (13-2 at 125). 

“I just love (Vance’s) energy in the room. He's the first to realize when he can do things a little bit better or manage his training or rest or different things. He's just a great leader in that sense that he expects a lot of himself,” Eggum said. 

And when things don't go perfectly, as they seldom ever do, it's awesome to see how he is not going to put his head down, he's completely behind his teammates.

“Max took a loss, but he is a great leader from the sense of his belief in himself,” Eggum continued. “I think it's great for our young guys to be around a guy like that to see that it's OK to have his beliefs that you're the best in the world and to go out and compete that way.”

McEnelly, a U20 World champ, also has to face foes whose goal is to shut down his offense and not have a lot of their own. 

“Those are different challenges, and that's how he's going to grow, to be in those different situations. He's a great young leader for us,” Eggum said.

Volk, the Wyoming transfer, has fit right in with the team relationship-wise, Eggum said.

“He's not like a rah-rah guy, but he's just a hard worker. He, like Max, is always spending time after practice,” he said. 

“I think if you want to be the best, you can't wait for a coach to always tell you what to do. And I think anytime that you do a little extra, it strengthens your heart and mind. And I think there's a stronger sense that you deserve to have success when you invest that kind of time.”

Great Expectations

Next up is the Soldier Salute (Jan. 3-4) at which 15 Gophers will participate, mostly non-starters, and then a rugged January dual-meet schedule awaits.

In order, the Gophers go against #10 Illinois, #7 Nebraska, #1 Ohio State, Wisconsin and #2 Iowa.

“It will be a lot of really good, tough matches we'll be ready for. And there will be some really good opportunities there, and hopefully we can take advantage of those opportunities,” Eggum said.

Eggum is aware there will be ups and downs given those challenges. 

“But the goal, I think, in the second season, is that the guys are positive and continue to work hard and don't allow themselves to get down if they have a bad week to kind of get out of that rut and get back on track,” he said. 

“Those guys usually do well at the end of the season. We're going to get tested as well as anybody with that type of schedule. And I think that prepares you for the Big Tens and the NCAAs, as long as you look at each opportunity with a positive mindset and see the things that you can gain from them. A lot of times, there's a lot you can learn from the tough days, too,” Eggum said.