Chris and Tim are back with another NCAA Nationals Special Edition — starting with a quick recap of the Minnesota high school grads, Gophers, and NDSU wrestlers they’re following in Cleveland.

Then things get special.
Tim’s daughter, Steph Rice, joins the show to share a perspective we don’t hear often enough. A three‑sport high school athlete who would have wrestled in a heartbeat if girls wrestling had existed back then, Steph talks about what the sport meant to her, what she missed out on, and what it’s like watching today’s generation finally get the opportunities she never had.

It’s heartfelt, honest, and the perfect addition to our NCAA coverage.

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We kick off our NCAA Nationals coverage with a special episode packed with road trip memories, wrestling stories, and the athletes we’ll be following in Cleveland. After 16 years of traveling together, we’ve got tales to tell! We are spotlighting three groups of wrestlers:

• Minnesota high school grads chasing national glory
• North Dakota State standouts ready to make noise
• University of Minnesota Gophers with championship dreams

From the basement to the big stage, this is Matside Minnesota Extra — Special Edition.

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Yeah…
Season one in the books, Minnesota style.
Grab your headgear, we takin’ it matside.

Twenty-two episodes, yeah we put in the grind,
Talking Minnesota wrestling every single time.
From the first big show when the season got goin’,
Coach Horn and Moen had the welcome mat rollin’.

Pillager in the house, yeah the wrestling world grew,
Building up the community, that’s what wrestlers do.
Cardinal editions digging deep in the past,
Staples wrestling history all the way back to ‘59 fast.

Derek on the mic asking questions so clean,
Studio he built looking sharp on the scene.
Chris telling stories from the ref’s point of view,
Years on the whistle so you know it’s all true.

Sometimes we stumble with the “alright… well…”
Tryin’ to drop the ums but you know the show’s swell.
Talking coaches all around the state line,
Koetter, Card, Pickar, Wagner — wrestling lifeline.

Bemidji girls coach Bahr brought the energy through,
Then Adam Hagen — yeah we taped that one twice too.
Technical glitches but we powered right through,
That’s podcast wrestling grit — what we do.

Big moment though, history written that night,
Three Staples-Motley girls heading down to state lights.
Girls wrestling rising and we’re learning the game,
Minnesota’s growing — remember the name.

Live from Anchor North, yeah the crowd came to hear,
“Winner winner chicken dinner!” fundraiser cheer.
Cardinal fans backing wrestlers all season long,
That community support keeps the program strong.

Got a superfan listenin’, never missin’ a take,
Willy Tappe tuned in to every move we make.
Even brought a clock so the hosts stay on track,
Still run long sometimes — but we appreciate that.

So thanks for listening all across the state line,
From youth mats to the bright state tournament shine.
Season one done but the story’s not outside—

Stay strong…
…and stay Matside.

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