University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Big Ten Championships
Players Mentioned
Gophers Close Out Day 1 of 2020 Big Ten Championships
3/7/2020 9:39:00 PM | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J - The University of Minnesota program finished day one of the 2020 Big Ten Championships in 8th place with 56 team points, but have plenty of opportunities tomorrow to shoot up the rankings.Â
With five wrestlers still in contention in the main bracket ad three still competing for automatic qualifications for the NCAA Championships,Â
Leading the way for the Maroon and Gold has been heavyweight Gable Steveson who earned a pin and a decision to reach tomorrow afternoon's finals. With his two victories, Steveson now sits at 49 in his two-year career.Â
Steveson first pinned Rutgers' Alex Esposito in 89 seconds before defeating Iowa's Tony Cassioppi for the second time in three weeks. Steveson now has six takedowns on Cassioppi, the third-ranked wrestler in the nation, while Cassioppi has none.
Steveson was joined in the semifinals by Mitch McKee, Brayton Lee, and Devin Skatzka.
McKee went on a roll as the six-seed in his final opportunity at the conference tournament. McKee knocked off the home state's own Jojo Aragona by 4-0 decision before earning revenge on Iowa's Max Murin after a sudden victory loss last month.
Tied 1-1, McKee covered Murin for the takedown at the buzzer and the call stood after a Hawkeye challenge.
McKee's run ended with his third loss this season to Ohio State's Luke Pletcher.Â
In his first Big Ten Championships Lee put up a fight at 149-pounds. Lee earned the technical fall over Maryland's Ryan Garlitz in the first round before receiving an injury default when Rutgers' Gerard Angelo couldn't continue.
Lee's run came to an end against Iowa's Pat Lugo by 4-1 decision in a tight bout that mirrored their earlier meeting this season.
Skatzka's sprint to the semifinals began with a 17-2 technical fall over Northwestern's Eric Yang. The 2019 All-American then took home his fourth career victory in eight meetings against Nebraska's Mikey Labriola. Skatzka has the last two victories in the series.Â
Skatzka then fell to top-ranked Michael Kemerer in the semifinals.Â
The Gophers sent seven total wrestlers into the quarterfinals.
The Big Ten Championships finish up on Sunday March 8. The morning session will feature consolation semifinals and extra allocation matches while the afternoon session will house all placement matches, including the Big Ten Finals.Â
The Gophers will then close out the season right across the river at US Bank Stadium with the NCAA Championships lasting from March 19-21. The event is expected to demolish previous NCAA wrestling attendance records and will house an improved student-athlete experience featuring more practice and personal space.Â
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Full Results (Numbers listed are seeds)
125-pound No.3 Patrick Mckee
Round of 16: No.14 Brandon Meredith (PSU) dec. (3-2) No.3 Patrick McKee
Cons. of 8 #1: No.11 Malik Heinselman (OSU) fall (2:07) No.3 Patrick McKee
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133-pound No.11 Boo Dryden
Round of 16: No.6 Ridge Lovett (NEB) fall (4:51) No.11 Boo Dryden
Cons. of 8 #1: No.11 Boo Dryden dec. (1-0) over No.14 Jordan Decatur (OSU)
Cons. of 8 #2: No.4 Travis Piotrowski (ILL) dec. (7-1) over No.11 Boo Dryden
141-pound No.6 Mitchell McKee
Round of 16: No.6 Mitchell McKee dec. (4-0) over No.11 Jojo Aragona (RUT)
Quarterfinals: No.6 Mitchell McKee dec. (3-1) over No.3 Max Murin (IOWA)Â
Semifinals: No.2 Luke Pletcher (OSU) major dec. (11-3) No.6 Mitchell McKeeÂ
149-pound No.3 Brayton Lee
Round of 16: No.3 Brayton Lee tech. fall (21-6) No.14 Ryan Garlitz (UMD)
Quarterfinals: No.3 Brayton Lee by inj. default (3:21) over No.11 Gerard Angelo (RUT)
Semifinals:Â No.2 Pat Lugo (IOWA) dec. (4-1) No.3 Brayton Lee
157-pound No.5 Ryan Thomas
Round of 16: No.5 Ryan Thomas dec. (12-6) No.12 Garrett Model
Quarterfinals: No.4 Will Lewan (MICH) dec (3-1) No.5 Ryan ThomasÂ
Cons. of 8 #2: No.6 Jake Tucker (MSU) major dec. (8-0) No.5 Ryan Thomas
165-pound No.8 Bailee O'Reilly
Round of 16: No.9 Drew Hughes (MSU) fall (4:43) No.8 Bailee O'Reilly
Cons. of 8 #2: No.7 Danny Braunagel dec. (4-3) No.8 Bailee O'ReillyÂ
174-pound No.4 Devin Skatzka
Round of 16: No.4 Devin Skatzka tech. fall (17-2) over No.13 Eric Yang (NU)
Quarterfinals: No.4 Devin Skatzka dec. (6-2) over No.5 Mikey Labriola (NEB)
Semifinals: No.1 Michael Kemerer (IOWA) maj dec. (21-9)Â No.4 Devin Skatzka
184-pound No.8 Owen Webster
Round of 16: No.8 Owen Webster dec. (9-3) over No.9 Johnny Sebastian (WIS)
Quarterfinals: No.1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) major dec. (15-4) over No.8 Owen Webster
Cons. of 8 #2: No.10 Jelani Embree dec. (7-1) over No.8 Owen Webster
Challenge Bracket Round One: Owen Webster major dec. (9-0) over Kyle Jasneski (UMD)
197-pound No.10 Hunter Ritter
Round of 16: No.10 Hunter Ritter inj. default (0:01) No.7 Jordan Pagano
Quarterfinals: No.2 Eric Schultz fall (2:52) No.10 Hunter Ritter
Cons. of 8 #2: No.10 Hunter Ritter major dec. (11-2) over No.9 Jaron Smith (UMD)
Cons. of 4: No.3 Jacob Warner (Iowa) dec. (6-1) over No.10 Hunter Ritter
HeavyweightÂ
No.2 Gable Steveson
Quarterfinals: No.2 Gable Steveson fall (1:29) No.10 Alex Espositio
Semifinals: No.2 Gable Steveson dec. (9-4) over No.3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa)