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Record-breaking night

MSU’s Eull breaks school record for most career wrestling wins

Sean Arbaut/Minot State athletics Minot State's Mitchell Eull, top, pins Northern State's Justice Horn, bottom, en route to become the schools all-time career wrestling wins leader with 86.

Tuesday was already going to be a special night for Mitchell Eull no matter what.

It was the last time the Minot State senior heavyweight wrestler was going to compete on the mats he called home for the last five years.

But there was so much more on the line.

With one victory, he’d pass Steve Lipp for the most career wins in Minot State history. Eull pinned Northern State’s Justice Horn in 57 seconds in the final match of the night at the MSU Dome to earn his 86th career victory. What followed was pure elation, jumping up and down the moment after he heard the official blow his whistle, then extended the celebration to include his family and friends.

The moment went from a day he’d always remember to one of the best memories of his life.

Sean Arbaut/Minot State athletics Minot State's Mitchell Eull celebrates after realizing he has just earned the school record for the most wins in a career.

“It was super, super cool,” Eull said. “I was really pumped up going into the match and obviously I was afterwards for a while. It was also cool to secure a win for the team and to have this big match on senior night. It was just awesome.”

Minot State also earned its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory Tuesday, beating Northern State 27-13. The Beavers moved to 3-15 overall and 1-6 in the conference.

“It was a great night all around,” MSU coach Evan Forde said. “Mitchell is a great example of what you’re looking for in a student athlete. He comes to work every day, puts in the work and puts in the time. It was fun to see him get the record at home and with a fall on top of it.”

With the victory, Eull, a Buffalo, Minn., native, has a career record of 86-51. In his senior season, Eull owns a mark of 24-3. But his final go-around was supposed to be last year, but a season-ending injury cut his season short after eight matches (6-2 record). He was 22-11 his junior year, 23-13 as a sophomore and 11-22 as a freshman.

“It’s very rewarding. Without that injury, I don’t think I’d be wrestling this match today,” Eull said. “It was a blessing in disguise, because it was some adversity I had to fight through. It was tough, but I got threw it and I’m a better wrestler for it.”

Lipp, who now coaches wrestling at Bishop Ryan high school, held the record for 28 years. He only spent two seasons at Minot State after transferring from the University of North Dakota, but picked up 85 career victories at the 126-pound weight class. Lipp finished sixth in the nation as a junior and fourth his senior year.

“Absolutely happy for him,” Lipp said. “Records are meant to be broken. I’m excited for him and I hope he sets more records. It’s been a long time coming.”

He may have only held the record for as long as he did because the wrestling program was cut shortly after Lipp’s final year at MSU in 1990. The Beavers didn’t add wrestling again until 2010.

“If we hadn’t lost the program I’m sure someone would have broken it,” Lipp said.

With only one more match remaining in the regular season, Eull has his eyes set on the Super Region III wrestling meet on Feb. 23 in St. Cloud, Minn.

“The end goal is to make it to nationals and be an All-American,” Eull said. “If I have a decent showing at the Region meet, I’ll have a decent seed and then it’ll be off to Cedar Falls we go.”

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge

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