Augsburg to start women's wrestling program

Augsburg is starting a varsity women's wrestling program and the team which will compete during the 2019-20 school year with Max Mejia as its first coach, the school announced Wednesday.

Augsburg will become the first Minnesota college with the sport. According to the MIAC school, 46 U.S. colleges have varsity women's programs and 13 others, besides Augsburg, are planning to add the sport within the next two years.

Mejia spent three years coaching the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club in Tempe, Ariz., and also coached the Chandler (Ariz.) High School girls' wrestling team.

"Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country," Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow said in a news release, "and it is especially fitting that Augsburg — with its nationally recognized men's wrestling program — will join this movement."

Providence junior forward Brandon Duhaime signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Wild that starts next season.

Duhaime, a Wild fourth-round draft pick in 2016, will report to Iowa of the American Hockey League on an amateur tryout agreement for the AHL playoffs.

This past season, Duhaime tallied 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points for the Friars — all career-highs.

SARAH McLELLAN

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• Alex Illikainen, a 6-9 forward from Grand Rapids who quit the Wisconsin men's basketball team one game into his senior season, will play at Minnesota Duluth this fall as a graduate transfer.