When Jake Deitchler decided last week he was not going to attend the University of Minnesota, Gophers wrestling coach J Robinson still was unconvinced. Maybe Deitchler will change his mind when he comes home, Robinson said.

Well, Deitchler is home from China and he has not had a change of heart.

After competing for the U.S. in the Greco-Roman competition and losing twice to medal winners, he returned Tuesday.

But even  on Wednesday, a day later, his sleep schedule was still off. Deitchler, a three-time state champion at Anoka High School, was in bed at 8:30 p.m. at his home in Ramsey.

Deitchler signed a national letter of intent to wrestle at the U last November but changed his mind about a month ago and told the Gophers last week. He will train year-round instead at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, trying to get ready for the next Olympics and the next World championships.

Racheal Deitchler, Jake’s mother, said Jake still intends to train in Colorado.  I talked to her because I did not want to wake Jake up.

But don’t cry too much for the Gophers. With Deitchler, the U’s recruiting class was ranked by Intermat and W.I.N.

Without him, Robinson still signed eight other recruits from across the country, from New Jersey to Alaska and states in between like Colorado, Kansas and Oregon. Two are from Minnesota, six from six other states.

Most, if not all, were in the Twin Cities on Wedneday for  Welcome Week at the U of M. Two were hanging outside the U wrestling office, including Mario Mason of Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J.

Blair Academy is known as a wrestling factory. Mason this summer won the freestyle title at his weight at the junior nationals in Fargo, N.D.

“A year ago, he beat [Deitchler] at 152 pounds” at nationals, Gophers assistant coach Joe Russell said. “He will wrestle at 149 for us.”

Deitchler competed at 149.5 pounds in the Olympics so, ultimately, Mason could help make up for Deitchler’s exit in the middle weights.

Its uncertain if Mason will wrestle on the varsity this season or red-shirt. The last freshman who contributed a lot his first year was Dustin Schlatter, a senior now who three years ago won a national title.

“We’ll wait and see on [Mason],” said Russell, who said the Gophers staff always wants to give new wrestlers a chance to impress.

That has to be good for their morale.

The wrestling team starts conditioning and strength training on Sept. 8. Official practices begin late September. The team’s first competition is the Bison Open in Fargo, N.D., on Nov. 15.

W.I.N. rated Deitchler the No. 1 wrestler at his weight, 152, after his senior season. But another recruit also was No. 1, Ryland Geiger of Scapposse, Ore., at 189.

Mason was rated second at 145, and Matt Mincey of Apple Valley was fourth at 135.

My favorite name in the incoming class is Atticus Disney, a heavyweight from Topeka, Kan.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm and is filed under Gophers wrestling. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.