Former Montana State-Northern
standout Tyson Thivierge has been named the new wrestling coach at his alma mater. The former four-time
All American and National Champion will take over for Dan Troupe, whose contract was not renewed after three seasons at the
helm.
Thivierge, who spent the past
two seasons coaching the Carson City Bulldogs in Carson, Nevada, is no stranger when it comes to success in Havre. The 2002
National Champion competed on a pair of NAIA National Championship teams while wrestling for the Lights under the
tutelage of David Ray and Olympian Terry Brands. Thivierge's success as competitor was not limited to the NAIA level. In 2002,
he finished second in the Midlands, in front of a host of Division I All Americans, including Iowa State's Jessman Smith and
Minnesota's Damion Hahn.
Upon graduating with a degree
in Physical Education, Thivierge followed Brands to Tennessee-Chattanooga, putting that program on the radar at the Division
I level.
The Former Clarkston Bantam will
take over a MSUN program that, although has showed consistent improvement in recent years, has not competed at the
level it had grown accutom to under David Ray when the Lights captured four National titles and a runner-up finish in a span
of seven seasons.
Thivierge was one of three finalists
for the position, which included former Light wrestler Mitch Overlie and Montana high school coaching legend Guy Melby.
Kalispell's
Thompson Steps Down
It is often said that
those meteors that burn the brightest often burn out the fastest, such may very well be the case of Kalispell wrestling
coach Jeff Thompson, whose programs have streaked a brilliant glow over the Montana wrestling landscape. Thompson,
who has guided for the Braves for the past eight seasons, has announced his retirement from the nationally-ranked
program.
Little can be said about
Thompson's Braves that has not already been stated. The Braves have captured three consecutive state titles, have earned national
rankings in each of the past two seasons, and have, in the simplest and shortest of terms, set the standard for Montana wrestling
in terms of putting points on the board with a program that is as complete and well-rounded as the state has likely ever witnessed.
The former multiple Montana state champ, cited
family as his primary reason for exiting a program that will return fourteen state placers. The search for Thompson's
replacement will begin immediately.
