Villnow off to strong start for Minnesota State
By John Kemmeter
of The Gazette
STEVENS POINT — Former Amherst High School standout Max Villnow is off to a fast start for the NCAA Division II Minnesota State Mankato wrestling team this season.
The sophomore has earned a spot in the lineup for the second year in a row at 285 pounds for eighth-ranked Minnesota State, and entered the Christmas break with the second-most wins on the team.
In high school, Villnow was a three-time State Qualifier for Amherst, where he finished as the WIAA Division 3 State Runner-up at 285 as a senior in 2018, following a 4-2 loss in Sudden Victory Overtime-1 in the State Finals to end his season with a 44-2 record.
Last season, Villnow broke into the lineup for Minnesota State as a freshman at 285, and went 15-12 overall and advanced to the NCAA Division II Super Regionals.
As a sophomore this season, Villnow is off to a 14-7 start, as he ranks second on the Mavericks in wins, and is tied for second on the team with six pins.
In its first dual meet of the season, Minnesota State won 20-18 over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Dec. 19, and is set to return to action when it hosts Western Colorado on Jan. 4.