I just saw a report on WDAY sports that MSUM coach Keenan Spiess resigned as head coach today. They had a brief phone interview with him and it didn't say much. I always liked Keenan and thought he was a good coach and a nice guy. Anyone know who the program may turn to now? Nate Baker? Maybe Randy Baker for a year or two, then Nate? Thoughts?

Coach Spiess was the sole reason I almost remained up at MSUM. He is great person and that program will certainly miss him. Sorry to see him go before he won a title. Does anybody have any information on this?

I didnt see anything on the Moorhead website? Are you sure its true?

Positive.

Wow thats too bad, he is a great guy.

MSUM's Keenan Spiess resigns as head wrestling coach
Minnesota State Moorhead head wrestling coach Keenan Spiess has resigned after six seasons.
By: Eric Peterson, INFORUM

Minnesota State Moorhead head wrestling coach Keenan Spiess has resigned after six seasons.

“I just didn’t want to coach the rest of my life,” Spiess said. “I wanted to do more than one thing. I didn’t want to do the same thing for the rest of my life.”

MSUM athletic director Doug Peters said he wants to fill the position as soon as possible.

“We didn’t want him to go, but I wanted him to be happy at the same time,” MSUM athletic director Doug Peters said. “When he told me, he caught me off guard.”

Peters added the Spiess resignation had nothing to do with MSUM being reprimanded and fined $1,000 by the NCAA in March.

That fine stemmed from the conduct of an MSUM wrestler during the national championships in Houston. The wrestler was at the tournament as a spectator and not with the school’s travel party.

“That’s the little bit of bad to do with coaching,” Spiess said.

Spiess said impending budget cuts at the school also didn’t factor in his decision.

The Dragons averaged more than 10 dual wins per season under Spiess.

Spiess coached a national champion (Nate Baker at 165 pounds in 2006). MSUM had 68-43 overall dual record in Spiess’ six seasons, including two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference titles.

“I worked my tail off and I enjoyed everything I got from it,” Spiess said.

Spiess said he plans to work in house restoration and building and also at a youth development center.

“I’ve been thinking about it for about a year,” Spiess said

Where are you now Schill? And why did you leave?

I shot you a PM with my reasoning for leaving as I didn't find it appropriate to post publicly. I will be attending the U of M in the Spring. I won't be on any NCAA wrestling teams, but I will be wrestling in opens all season. I am in the best shape of my life right now from training at Ambition Training Academy in Eagan!

Anybody have a guess as to who is next for MSUM? I like Nate but I wonder whether he is ready. I've heard stories about how great Randy Baker is as a coach. Wouldn't mind seeing Randy in there for a few years before handing it off to Nate.

I had a great visit with my former athlete/wrestler, and a coaching colleague at MSUM, and a even better friend. The press release summed it up to a Tee. Keenan's a man with great integrity. He will do well with his business interests, and will be successful at any venture he tackles.
A lot of great memories and great times with Keenan. He's a DRAGON for life as far as I'm concerned.
What he did when he saved that person's life from drowning in April of 2006, was an act of heriosm. Keenan's a true HERO to me, and we'll miss him at MSUM. He did a great job with what he had to work with for resources. Good Luck and Best Wishes Keenan.
Spencer Yohe
MSUM Coaching Staff 1992-2002.

Kris Nelson from NDSU

??

Nelson would be a good fit...S. Saxlund?

S.Saxlund? Really? I dont think he has ever coached before has he?

Pretty sure it's a done deal

Saxland coached at NDSU for a little while after he was done competing.

Did you hear if nelson accepted the position? I would like to see baker get a chance.

Will Baker stay on as an assistant? Or Will the new coach bring his own staff?

I would like to see Baker as the guy.

Kris Nelson was hired as the head coach at MSUM. He will do a fantastic job coaching there as he brings plenty of experience from NDSU.

Kris Nelson will do great at MSUM.

I wonder who will replace him at NDSU. It is time for NDSU to step up and bring in a high quality assistant.

I am extremely sad to see Keenan step down as MSUM Head Wrestling Coach.

He was not only a GREAT coach who put out top 20 teams every year, but he was an even better man. Anyone who ever wrestled for him will tell you that. He not only cared about how you developed on the mat, but also how you developed as a man. He was a coach who truly cared about you as a person. Everything from his character to his work ethic to his mentality will be missed in the Dragon wrestling room.

On top of that, everything Keenan did for the advancement of the wrestling community in the F/M area. He started and held numerous youth tournaments in different styles and was one of the main players in getting "The Rumble On The Red" started. There are many more things Keenan did to build up support and advance the wrestling community.

Under Keenan's watch he brought the Dragon wreslting program back to prominance, put a high emphasis on academics and raised the team GPA by over a point (and some semester the highest of any male atheltic program at MSUM), had many AA's and 1 National Champ, started the Dragon Open, worked extremely hard to build a solid foundation of Alumni to support the program. I hope the new coach can keep the same level of relationships going with the alumni that Keenan did.

MOST OF ALL I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT THROUGH KEENAN'S INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE HE HAS MADE ME A BETTER MAN, A BETTER HUSBAND AND A BETTER FATHER. THANKS COACH FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE AND OTHERS LIVES!

With all that said, Kris Nelson sure has some big shoes to fill, but I am confident he will be sucessful and am excited to see how the next chapter in Dragon wrestling unfolds.

Skip Toops
Dragon Wrestler from 2003-2007

I am not sure that Baker has a degree.. nevertheless, Kris Nelson is the new head coach.

Nelson will do a great job!! Congrats Kris!!

Keenan will be missed. He is a good man for the entire wrestling community. He's done a lot of work for the youth of our community and region.

Kris Nelson is filling big shoes, but is up to the task. He essentially was running the Bison Wrestling program and also does a lot for the youth of our community. This will be a fine transition.

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Published July 22 2009
Nelson expected to be named Dragons wrestling coach
North Dakota State assistant coach Kris Nelson is expected to be named head wrestling coach at Minnesota State Moorhead later this week.
By: Forum staff reports, INFORUM

North Dakota State assistant coach Kris Nelson is expected to be named head wrestling coach at Minnesota State Moorhead later this week.

Nelson said he has been offered the job and has accepted the position, but has yet to sign a contract.

Nelson said he didn’t want to comment further until his hiring was officially announced.

MSUM athletic director Doug Peters had no comment Tuesday when asked if Nelson had been offered the job.

Nelson was an assistant at NDSU for nine seasons. He was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American for the Bison from 1995-2000. Nelson won a national title at 133 pounds in 2000 and was named the most outstanding wrestler in Division II.

From Lisbon, N.D., Nelson was a two-time Class B high school state champion, compiling a 128-19 career record.

Nelson is slated to take over for Keenan Spiess, who recently resigned after six seasons as head coach.

\\\///\\\///

Published July 24 2009
MSUM hires Nelson as head wrestling coach
Kris Nelson has been named head wrestling coach at Minnesota State Moorhead, athletic director Doug Peters announced Thursday.
By: Eric Peterson, INFORUM

Kris Nelson has been named head wrestling coach at Minnesota State Moorhead, athletic director Doug Peters announced Thursday.

Nelson becomes the ninth wrestling coach in the program’s 50-year history. He takes over for Keenan Spiess, who recently resigned after six seasons to pursue other interests.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity in the first place, to be a head coach and to lead the program,” Nelson said. “I’m going to do my best to continue to move it in the right direction. I think they have been doing a good job. I know it’s going to take a lot of work.”

Nelson has been an assistant coach at North Dakota State the past nine seasons under coaching legend Bucky Maughan, an MSUM grad who was inducted into the Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1997.

Maughan is also in the Dragon Hall of Fame.

From Lisbon, N.D., Nelson also wrestled for Maughan at NDSU from 1995-2000, while the program was in Division II. NDSU has since moved to Division I.

“He wrestled and he coached for a national hall of fame coach and he saw a high level of success at the Division II level and he’s seen a lot of things at the Division I level,” Peters said. “Obviously, he has recruited in the region so he has a good idea of the talent that’s available and he already has a lot of connections.”

Nelson was a three-time Division II All-American for the Bison, winning a national championship at 133 pounds in 2000. That season he was named most outstanding wrestler in Division II.

“It’s kind of nice getting back to my roots,” Nelson said. “I was a Division II wrestler myself. I’m kind of looking forward to that. … I have a lot of respect for Division II. I’m just excited to make that return.”

Nelson is taking over a program that has won nine of the last 14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships.

Nelson said he has yet to address the entire MSUM team and he has yet to name his assistants.

“When this opportunity presented itself to me I just felt like it was the next step that I need to take in my career,” Nelson said. “I was unable to turn that down.”

What does the squad look like for next season?

Off the top of my head:
125: Cory Ullmer (So)
133: Evan Forde (Jr)
141: ??
149: Derek Bomstad (Jr)
157: Tyler Kivel (FR from SW)
165: Tallen Wald (Jr)
174: Jarret Hall (Sr)
184: ??
197: Taylor Yliniemi (FR from DGF)
Hwt: Tim Johnson (Sr)

That's my best guess... I wonder if Nelson will have a chance to bring anyone new in or if any guys will transfer over from NDSU to fill holes or upgrade weights??

Will big Jake Bruns make an appearance at Heavyweight?

As a True Freshman last year, I think he redshirted. He will do some Division II damage when he gets on a roll.

Bruns could do some damage at d2 but I think he will have to wait a year. Johnson is very tough.

I think woelfel from Burnsville(redshirt last year) will be 184 or 197 varsity. Also what about Kolbow from forrest Lake as a freshman? Where do you see him?

Well skip, new coach, new line up, How many champs moorhead gonna have haha. But on a serious note what are your thoughts on the up coming year

Well, I no longer know the coaching staff and all but a couple of my old teamates have graduated, so I dont know yet how much "inside" info I would even have on the Dragons anymore, but nontheless I will still be there biggest backer on this board! HAHA

I think their best shots for AA:
174: Jarret Hall
Hwt: Tim Johnson

Guys that will be solid and depending on improvement could make some noise:
125: Corry Ulmer
133: Evan Forte
149: Derek Bomstad
165: Tallen Wald

Incoming Freshman that could make an impact:
157: Tyler Kivel
197: Taylor Ylimeini

That's about all I got, there are some big holes to fill and we will see if the new coach can fill some of those before the season starts. I also don't know if anymore than Tyler and Taylor have committed for next season.

Skip

So is Baker gone or will he still be assisting? Last I heard Chris wanted him but had not heard from him.

Skip how many times can you spell Evan FORDE wrong. Sorry just a pet peeve.

I am not sure, I haven't asked anyone...I guess I just assumed he would bring in his own assistance...


goingtotheexcel -- I'll prolly spell it wrong a bunch more, I know how it's spelled, but I must just subconsiously spell it with a "t" for some reason. my bad...

rumors, rumors, rumors
NDSU 149 guy coming over to MSUM
Possibly another NDSU tired of bucky lack of results
Add two solid DI and MSUM is a new team.

Forde will be a force at a weight he can compete
Nationals is expected this year and he could get ranked mid Jan. if upset someone

I bet Wald goes 157. (Baker will continue to work him hard)
If Elg-Mankato goes down lower, Wald looks solid to compete well at nationals.
Wald could be ranked if he can upset a 4 or 5 rank early.
I think he beat a 7 rank in Missiouri last year.

Hall is solid, and nationals is almost assured
Hall should be ranked most of the year and possible rank day 1.

Kivel should sit out.
He will be solid 2012, but not ready for prime time.
This aint high school
Reality will hit him first full week of practice.
Wald, Bomstad and Hall kick his ass.
He does not get a take down in the first 14 days.
Like so many upstarts, can he deal with defeat and fight through.

Johnson will be more comfortable and could make alot of noise.
Little doubt he competes solid at nationals
I expect he is ranked by national duals

Ulmer, Ulmer, Ulmer
Enough said, he has what it takes 8 of 10 nights
If Coaches can get him focused, he could be key to dual successes.

Schneeberger?

I doubt it will be guys that were too important at NDSU. Probably backups or guys who weren't even on the team last year.

According to the Forum; Tyler Steinwand and Brady Schneeberger were transferring to Minnesota State Moorhead.

Potential Line-ups:
125: Ulmer
133: Forde/Steinwand
141: Schneeberger
149: Bomstad
157: Wald
165: Kivel??
174: Hall
184: ??
197: Ylimeini
Hwt: Johnson

Or

125: Ulmer
133: Forde
141: Steinwand
149: Schneeberger
157: Bomstad
165: Wald
174: Hall
184: ??
197: Ylimeini
Hwt: Johnson

I really like those two transfers!! Makes the line-up much more solid! The lower half looks to be real tough! and with Hall and Johnson in the top half it looks like Moorhead could be a pretty good dual team this year and has a great chance to finish in the top 12 at nationals.

Skip Toops