Maxx Hubbard
  • undeclared
  • Class of 2018
  • Sterling, IL

Sterling Native Hubbard to Compete for UW-Whitewater Wrestling in 2016-17

2016 Nov 11

Maxx Hubbard, a native of Sterling, IL, and graduate of Newman Central Catholic, has been named to the 2016-17 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team, which opens the season this Saturday at the Luther (Iowa) Open with high hopes for a sixth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and a chance to compete for the NCAA Division III national title.

Hubbard, a Junior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in Criminology.

The Warhawks, who are 15th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Preseason Team Ranking, return a deep group of veterans and add several newcomers who look to make an immediate impact on the program.

Head coach Ned Shuck returns for his third season at the helm of the program. Shuck was named the 2015-16 WIAC Coach of the Year and has helped UW-Whitewater earn six All-America honors since his arrival.

Following this weekend's tournament, the Warhawks return to action Nov. 30 for their lone home dual meet of the 2016-17 campaign. The team hosts UW-Stevens Point on Senior Night at Kachel Gymnasium.

UW-Whitewater will face preseason No. 1 Wartburg (Iowa), No. 11 Cornell (Iowa) and No. 13 Augsburg (Minn.) on Dec. 3 at UW-La Crosse's Candlewood Suite Duals. The team closes out the calendar year with conference dual meets at UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville on Dec. 8 and Dec. 10, respectively.

Following the New Year, the Warhawks head to the NWCA's National Duals on Jan. 5-6 in Fort Wayne, Ind., then visit UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 12 for a dual meet.

One week later, UW-Whitewater visits rival UW-La Crosse, which is sixth in the preseason national rankings.

The Warhawks host the annual Rocky Rococo Border Brawls on Jan. 21 at Kachel Fieldhouse. The team heads to the Pete Willson-Wheaton Invitational on Jan. 27-28 before closing out the regular season at UW-Eau Claire's Don Parker Open on Feb. 4.

The WIAC Championships are set for Feb. 10 at UW-Platteville, and are followed by the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on Feb. 25 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. UW-Whitewater tied for third at last year's regional tournament.

The NCAA Championships are scheduled for March 10-11 at UW-La Crosse. The Warhawks tied for 23rd at last year's championship event.

See below for a weight-by-weight breakdown of the 2016-17 Warhawks.

125

Senior Zac Denny (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem), ranked second in the D3wrestle.com rankings and third by the NWCA, returns as one of UW-Whitewater's four national qualifiers and the team's lone All-American after finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships. He finished the 2015-16 season with a 20-11 record, a runner-up finish at the WIAC Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regional title.

Denny is backed at the weight class by freshmen Blake Huffmon (Oswego, Ill./Oswego), Hazen Rice(Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) and Mike Tortorice (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel).

133

Senior Joseph Brodman (Tiffin, Ohio/Calvert) returns for the Warhawks at 133 pounds and is ranked fifth in the nation in the weight class by D3wrestle.com.

Brodman, a Heidelberg (Ohio) transfer, tallied a 25-12 record and a second team All-WIAC finish at last year's conference tournament during his first season at UW-Whitewater.

141

The Warhawks boast two returners at 141 pounds, including junior Maxx Hubbard (Sterling, Ill./Newman Central Catholic) and sophomore Branden Peshek (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg).

Hubbard placed sixth at 149 pounds at the WIAC Championships and finished with a 12-7 mark last year, and is listed in the "Honorable Mention" category of the D3wrestle.com rankings. Peshek collected 11 wins, including four by fall, and finished third in the silver bracket at the 2015 Luther Open during his rookie season. Freshmen Mac Casella (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) and Jake Davis (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech College Prep) join Hubbard, Peshek and Schieldt in the weight class.

149

Sophomore Sonny Schieldt (Edgerton, Wis./Edgerton), who compiled three wins during his freshman season, is the team's lone returner at 149 pounds.

Freshmen Adam Becker (Helenville, Wis./Johnson Creek) and Wilder Wichman (Watertown, Wis./Johnson Creek) are also listed at 149 for the Warhawks.

157

Junior Austin Quartullo (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) finished 20-8 a season ago, including top-three finishes at the Wisconsin Open and the Concordia (Wis.) Open.

165

Sophomore Nate Mlodzic placed fourth in the WIAC at 165 pounds last season and finished with a 15-13 record.

Mlodzic is backed by freshmen Mike Kouvelis (Fox Lake, Ill./Grant Community) and Ryder Sigler(Fredonia, Wis./Cedarburg).

174

Sophomore Nicholas Bonomo (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) moves down a weight class after capturing the WIAC championship at 184 pounds as a freshman in 2014-15. He finished the season with a 31-5 mark, including 15 pins. Bonomo is listed in the "Contender" category by D3wrestle.com.

Sophomore Nick Stencel (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) and freshman Sam Ryner (New Windsor, Ill./Sherrard) are also listed at 174.

184

Junior Jordan Newman (Blaine, MN/St. John's Military Academy), a 2014-15 All-American with an eighth-place finish at 174 pounds, returns to the mat after moving up one weight class. As a sophomore two years ago, Newman placed second in both the NCAA Midwest Region and the WIAC and compiled a 25-8 record.

Newman is joined by freshman Nick Sundberg (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock) at the weight.

197

Freshmen Nick Graziano (Midlothian, Ill./Oak Forest), Riley Kauzlaric (Coal City, Ill./Coal City) and Austin Parks (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) will compete for the starting spot at 197 pounds.

285

Sophomores Jordan Festge (Madison, Wis./Madison East) and Jake Andersen (Geneva, Ill./Geneva)return at the heavyweight position for UW-Whitewater.

Festge recorded eight wins last season, including a memorable 9-7 decision over nationally-ranked Clay Broze to help the Warhawks to a dramatic dual victory over UW-La Crosse. Andersen last competed in 2014-15, when he placed fifth in the conference and registered 13 wins.

Sophomore Anthony Beck (Racine, Wis./Union Grove), a newcomer to the team in 2016-17, rounds out the 285-pound contingent.