Wrestling state championships: 15 wrestlers to watch at the 2025 meet

This year’s wrestling state tournament begins Thursday at Xcel Energy Center with team championships and concludes Saturday with the individual championships for boys and girls.

Trey Beissel, Hastings, Class 3A, 133 pounds: A state champion at 106 in 2023, the junior is 48-2 and seeking a return to the top of the podium. He was sixth at 127 a year ago. He has committed to joining older brother Blake at the University of Minnesota after graduation.

Davis Parrow, Farmington, Class 3A, 145 pounds: Ranked No. 1 at 145 in Class 3A, Parrow is 41-1 and seeking his second straight state title after winning at 139 in 2024. He is making his fourth straight state meet appearance.

Landon Robideau, St. Michael-Albertville, Class 3A, 160 pounds: The three-time state champion has not lost a high school match since his freshman year and is among the winningest wrestlers in state history. The Oklahoma State signee is 40-0 this season and has 274 career victories, fourth on the MSHSL’s all-time list.

John Murphy, St. Michael-Albertville, Class 3A, 189 pounds: The defending state champ at 189 blends exceptional lower-body strength with agility and drive. He’s 43-0 and ranked No. 1 at 189 pounds.

Bryce Burkett, Watertown-Mayer, Class 2A, 172 pounds: It’s been nearly two years since Burkett lost a high school match. He was 54-0 en route to the 172-pound title a year ago and, with a 41-0 record this season, has his sights set on repeating.

Evan McGuire, Mahtomedi, Class 2A, 215 pounds: The senior has shown vast improvement each season. He committed to the University of Minnesota before the season and has proven the Gophers correct, compiling a 47-0 record.

Logan Bender, Chisago Lakes, Class 2A, heavyweight. The senior, committed to Northern Illinois, is the defending Class 2A heavyweight champion. He went 37-1 in 2024 and is on pace to repeat with a 28-0 record and the top seed in Class 2A.

Trey Gunderson, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Class 1A, 139 pounds: The two-time state champion is seeking his first repeat championship. He won at 106 pounds in 2022 and 133 pounds in 2024. He’s 39-0, ranked No. 1 at 139 and is 195-2 in four varsity season, losing just one time in each of his eighth- and ninth-grade seasons.

Keegan Kuball, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Class 1A, heavyweight: The senior is shooting for his third straight heavyweight title. He’s 39-1 this season and 159-13 since his freshman season. He will wrestle for Augsburg next season.

Gigi Bragg, Anoka, Class 3A, 114 pounds: Bragg has always wrestled boys and considers it the better way to challenge herself. She is the Section 7 114-pound champion and is 30-9 this season.

Caley Graber, Northfield, 118 pounds: Graber made waves last year as the first female wrestler to win a match at the boys individual tournament, finishing as the Class 3A 107-pound consolation champion. She was torn between wrestling boys or girls this year — she did both in the regular season — but chose the girls tournament and is the top seed at 118 pounds.

Charli Raymond, Simley, 124 pounds: Still just a sophomore, Raymond will shoot for her fourth straight state title. She posted a 34-0 record this season and hasn’t lost a match since seventh grade, with 75 straight victories over the past three years.

Cassandra Gonzales, Apple Valley, 142 pounds: The junior is a two-time state champion, having won at 126 pounds as a freshman and 136 as a sophomore. With a 22-0 record this season, Gonzales has won 55 consecutive high school matches.

Sarah Pulk, Badger/Greenbush-Middle River, 155 pounds: A two-time state champion, the junior is ranked No. 1 at 155, has a 31-1 record and has not lost to a wrestler from Minnesota this season. Her only loss was a 4-3 decision against a wrestler from Bismarck, N.D., in the Rumble on the Red Tournament in January.

Ella Pagel, Northfield, 190: After winning back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023, the senior missed all of last season after surgery to repair a torn labrum. She’s back and she’s undefeated, 12-0.