University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, December 10
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
North Dakota State
Players Mentioned
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
149 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
149 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Wrestling Returns Home to Battle the Bison
12/9/2023 10:00:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS -- After stepping back into open tournaments for last weekend's Cougar Clash, No. 12 Minnesota (4-0, 0-0 B1G)Â returns to dual action as it hosts North Dakota State (0-3, 0-1 Big 12)Â Sunday at Maturi Pavilion. The match is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. and will be available to stream on B1G+ with live results on TrackWrestling.com.
Minnesota is 4-0 on the dual season for the second straight season. Prior to that, it had not happened since the 2014-15 campaign when they opened the year with 10 straight dual wins. The Golden Gophers are looking to move to 5-0 for the second time in as many years.
Minnesota is 4-0 on the dual season for the second straight season. Prior to that, it had not happened since the 2014-15 campaign when they opened the year with 10 straight dual wins. The Golden Gophers are looking to move to 5-0 for the second time in as many years.
Since the beginning of last season, Minnesota has won seven of its last eight home duals at Maturi Pavilion.
Minnesota leads the all-time series with North Dakota State, 20-2, including 18 straight wins dating to 1976.Â
Last season in Fargo, the Gophers' top work was on full display in the contest as they earned a riding time point in all but one of their victories in 24-9 win. Minnesota also outscored the Bison 13-3 on takedowns to help the "U" claim seven of the ten bouts on the night. Among current Gopher wrestlers, Patrick McKee scored an 8-0 major decision at 125 pounds, Michael Blockhus prevailed 2-1 at 149, Isaiah Salazar secured an 18-1 tech fall victory at 184 pounds, and Garrett Joles won 6-2 at heavyweight.
Sunday's dual is expected to feature one ranked dual, with No. 21 Drew Roberts taking on No. 10 Kellyn March at 141 pounds.
FAN PROMOTIONS
T-Shirt Giveaway:Â The first 200 fans in attendance will receive a free Gopher Wrestling t-shirt.
Pre-match Youth Clinic: For $12, your child will receive a ticket to the dual and a chance to participate in a pre-match youth clinic taught by the Gophers. All participants will receive a Gopher Wrestling water bottle.
MEETING AGAIN
Minnesota opened the season at the Bison Open in Fargo on Nov. 11, resulting in many Gophers having already faced members of the NDSU roster.Â
Among the probable starters for both teams: Michael Blockhus defeated Boeden Greenley by a 14-1 major decision to win the 157-pound title, Blaine Brenner scored a 7-1 decision over Brendan Howes to take the crown at 165, and Max McEnelly recorded tech fall victories at 184 pounds over both Adam Cherne and Aidan Brenot by identical scores of 19-4.
Meanwhile, Vance VomBaur dropped a 6-4 decision to Gavin Drexler in the 141-pound championship, and Drew Roberts was topped by Max Peterson, 10-8, for the 149-pound title. In addition, Hunter Lyden lost to Howes in the 165-pound semifinals and Brandon Morvari fell to Carlos Negrete Jr., 2-0 at 125 pounds.
SCOUTING NDSU
Among the probable starters for both teams: Michael Blockhus defeated Boeden Greenley by a 14-1 major decision to win the 157-pound title, Blaine Brenner scored a 7-1 decision over Brendan Howes to take the crown at 165, and Max McEnelly recorded tech fall victories at 184 pounds over both Adam Cherne and Aidan Brenot by identical scores of 19-4.
Meanwhile, Vance VomBaur dropped a 6-4 decision to Gavin Drexler in the 141-pound championship, and Drew Roberts was topped by Max Peterson, 10-8, for the 149-pound title. In addition, Hunter Lyden lost to Howes in the 165-pound semifinals and Brandon Morvari fell to Carlos Negrete Jr., 2-0 at 125 pounds.
SCOUTING NDSU
The Bison enter Sunday's dual with an 0-3 record. Two of the three losses came to ranked opponents, including a 31-12 loss in the season opener to No. 9 Nebraska on Nov. 4, and a 29-7 setback at No. 20 Oklahoma on Nov. 19.
NDSU took home two titles as it played host to the Bison Open on Nov. 11. Gavin Drexler won at 141 pounds with a 6-4 decision over Minnesota's Vance VomBaur, while Max Petersen topped the Gophers' Drew Roberts at 149 pounds, 10-8.
North Dakota State features 11 Minnesotans on its roster: Walker Bents (Glenwood, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa HS), Adam Cherne (Medina, Wayzata HS), Devon Dawson (Brooklyn Park), Mason Gode (Browerville, Browerville HS), Ryan Henningson (Winona, Winona HS), Brendan Howes (Ramsey, Anoka HS), Landen Johnson (Owatonna, Owatonna HS), Macray Klohs (Buffalo, Buffalo HS), Max Petersen (Byron, Byron HS), Zach Silvis (Cottage Grove, Park HS) and Pedro Velazques (Victoria, Chanhassen HS).
IN THE POLLS
NDSU took home two titles as it played host to the Bison Open on Nov. 11. Gavin Drexler won at 141 pounds with a 6-4 decision over Minnesota's Vance VomBaur, while Max Petersen topped the Gophers' Drew Roberts at 149 pounds, 10-8.
North Dakota State features 11 Minnesotans on its roster: Walker Bents (Glenwood, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa HS), Adam Cherne (Medina, Wayzata HS), Devon Dawson (Brooklyn Park), Mason Gode (Browerville, Browerville HS), Ryan Henningson (Winona, Winona HS), Brendan Howes (Ramsey, Anoka HS), Landen Johnson (Owatonna, Owatonna HS), Macray Klohs (Buffalo, Buffalo HS), Max Petersen (Byron, Byron HS), Zach Silvis (Cottage Grove, Park HS) and Pedro Velazques (Victoria, Chanhassen HS).
IN THE POLLS
The Golden Gophers stayed put in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll at No. 12. Minnesota is also tied for 26th in the WIN Tournament Power Index and tied for 27th in the InterMat TPI.
Eight Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls, while 11 Gophers appear in at least one.
Patrick McKee (125 pounds), Michael Blockhus (157), Andrew Sparks (174), and Isaiah Salazar (184) lead the way by appearing in all four: Intermat, WIN, Flo and OpenMat. Salazar appears in the Top-10 in all four polls, ranking seventh by OpenMat, eighth by Flo and 10th by Intermat and WIN.Â
Full rankings for Minnesota can be found on Page 6 of the notes.
CHAMPS CROWNED AT COUGAR CLASH, JIM KOCH OPEN
Eight Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls, while 11 Gophers appear in at least one.
Patrick McKee (125 pounds), Michael Blockhus (157), Andrew Sparks (174), and Isaiah Salazar (184) lead the way by appearing in all four: Intermat, WIN, Flo and OpenMat. Salazar appears in the Top-10 in all four polls, ranking seventh by OpenMat, eighth by Flo and 10th by Intermat and WIN.Â
Full rankings for Minnesota can be found on Page 6 of the notes.
CHAMPS CROWNED AT COUGAR CLASH, JIM KOCH OPEN
Minnesota captured a pair of individual titles and sent five to their respective championships at the Cougar Clash Saturday in Edwardsville, Ill.
Andrew Sparks returned from a short absence to earn his title at 174 pounds, while Max McEnelly continued his dominant run through open tournaments in his young career to win at 184 pounds.
After a first-round bye, Sparks, who had not competed since the season-opening Bison Open, defeated Austin Keal of Little Rock by an 18-1 tech fall, then followed with a second bonus-point victory by topping Dillon Sheehy of Army, 11-0. Sparks was crowned champion by medical forfeit over teammate Sam Skillings, who reached the finals by his own tech fall and major decision.
McEnelly has been nothing short of dominant so far this season, sporting a perfect 11-0 record with eight wins by tech fall. He opened Saturday with his first of two tech falls on the day, and then picked up his first major decision of the season in the quarterfinals. He was limited to a decision for just the second time this season with a 7-4 win over Missouri's Sean Harman in the semifinals, and punctuated his day with a 23-6 tech fall over Colton Hawks of Missouri.
In addition to Skillings, Minnesota also got runner-up finishes from Jager Eisch at 133 pounds and Garrett Joles at 197. Eisch recorded a pair of wins over ranked foes as he started his day with a 15-0 tech fall shutout of No. 32 Zeke Selter of Missouri and beat No. 18 Braden Basile of Army in the semifinals, 4-2.
Five different Gophers earned third-place finishes, including Tyler Wells (133 pounds), Drew Roberts (149), Isaiah Salazar (184), Gabe Nagel (197) and Bennett Tabor (285).
Minnesota wrestling also brought home a pair of titles Saturday at the Jim Koch Wisconsin Open in Kenosha, Wis., as Theo Cha won the 149-pound title, while Devin Wasley captured first place at 174 pounds.
Andrew Sparks returned from a short absence to earn his title at 174 pounds, while Max McEnelly continued his dominant run through open tournaments in his young career to win at 184 pounds.
After a first-round bye, Sparks, who had not competed since the season-opening Bison Open, defeated Austin Keal of Little Rock by an 18-1 tech fall, then followed with a second bonus-point victory by topping Dillon Sheehy of Army, 11-0. Sparks was crowned champion by medical forfeit over teammate Sam Skillings, who reached the finals by his own tech fall and major decision.
McEnelly has been nothing short of dominant so far this season, sporting a perfect 11-0 record with eight wins by tech fall. He opened Saturday with his first of two tech falls on the day, and then picked up his first major decision of the season in the quarterfinals. He was limited to a decision for just the second time this season with a 7-4 win over Missouri's Sean Harman in the semifinals, and punctuated his day with a 23-6 tech fall over Colton Hawks of Missouri.
In addition to Skillings, Minnesota also got runner-up finishes from Jager Eisch at 133 pounds and Garrett Joles at 197. Eisch recorded a pair of wins over ranked foes as he started his day with a 15-0 tech fall shutout of No. 32 Zeke Selter of Missouri and beat No. 18 Braden Basile of Army in the semifinals, 4-2.
Five different Gophers earned third-place finishes, including Tyler Wells (133 pounds), Drew Roberts (149), Isaiah Salazar (184), Gabe Nagel (197) and Bennett Tabor (285).
Minnesota wrestling also brought home a pair of titles Saturday at the Jim Koch Wisconsin Open in Kenosha, Wis., as Theo Cha won the 149-pound title, while Devin Wasley captured first place at 174 pounds.
Highlights: Gophers 14, SDSU 18
Tuesday, November 25
Coach's Corner with Brandon Eggum
Sunday, November 23
Highlights: Gophers 25, Virginia Tech 10
Sunday, November 16
Highlights: Gophers 15, Missouri 14
Sunday, November 16