Pioneers ready for 2020-21 season under new leadership

Platteville, Wis.- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's wrestling program will open the 2020-21 season with the annual Platteville Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 6. It will be Head Coach Trevor Kittleson's first meet as the Pioneers' head coach. Kittleson was named head coach of the Pioneers in May of 2021 after spending five years as associate head coach at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

"I am very grateful to be here, I love it here," Kittleson said. "The transition from assistant to head coach has been good so far. There are things as a head coach I need to deal with that I did not have to as an assistant. I oversee everything now and need to be on the ball to make sure everyone else is doing what they need to do. Just the overall leadership of a program is different, a difference I have been loving."

When the Pioneers hit the mat at the UW-Platteville Invitational, there will be familiar faces and new faces. Juniors Nathan Wynsma and Isaac Wiegel return for the Pioneers and Kittleson is looking for big years from them.

"I am really excited to see Wynsma and Wiegel back on the mat. I believe they will be national qualifier contending guys," he said. "I am excited to see Alex Strueder. He was making waves last year and beating good opponents; he continues to do a great job. Nick Dado as well. Dado has beaten a lot of good people and I am excited to see him bust out this year.

Junior Peter Driscoll returns to the mat after missing a year with an injury. "Driscoll just returned from an injury and is full go. I am excited to see him go," Kittleson said.

"There was a large class that Coach Olsen and Coach DeRoehn had signed already, and I am excited about those guys," Kittleson said.

Kittleson added a few more freshmen to the class, bringing in Fennimore High School product Brody Lee, Baraboo High School product Brandon Jesse and Wauconda (Illinois) High School product Jack Sullivan.

"Jack, Brandon and Brody are a few we got late and are really excited about," Kittleson said. "I am excited about all the freshmen that were already signed. They have been working hard and doing a great job. I can't wait for them to get out on the mat so they can showcase what they got."

Kittleson also added six transfers that will provide depth and competition in the wrestling room. They include Brandon Tessau 174/184, Zach Thompson 133, Zach Licht 141, Brock Parker 149, and brothers Ryan and Tyler Hannah. Tyler is a two-time Junior Pan American gold Medalist and will wrestle at 197, while Ryan will wrestle at 157.

With experience in the American Rivers Conference (ARC), Kittleson is no stranger to tough competition. "The ARC is one of the top wrestling conferences in Division III," he said. "The WIAC is right there with them. I am use to heavy competition in the conference and I am excited to be in a conference that has that competition. It prepares us for the end of the year. You want to see the best guys, because that is who we are trying to beat. If we do not see them, we do not know what we need to do. The WIAC will test us and prepare us for the end of the year."

With the goal of the season to qualify as many as possible for the National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kittleson knows the value of the early invitationals.

"Just go out and give it your best, that is what I told the team," Kittleson said. "Show us where we are right now. It is not about anything else right now, except to figure out where we are and what we need to work on right now. Of course, we want to win our matches, but there will be mistakes made. The early season invites are important for growth, but what happens in March is way more important."

2021-22 Schedule 

To follow the Pioneers all season, visit www.Letsgopioneers.com for links for live stats, postgame recaps and links for the contests that are live streamed. Follow the official social media accounts of Pioneer Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.