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Photo by: Brad Rempel
McEnelly and Nelson Win Titles at U.S. Trials, Nationals
6/2/2025 11:14:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota crowned a pair of champions this weekend with redshirt freshman Max McEnelly winning his weight class in the U20 World Team Trials and fellow redshirt freshman Gavin Nelson doing the same in the U23 Nationals in Geneva, Ohio.
McEnelly, who finished third at the NCAA Championships this past year for his first career All-America honors, advanced directly to the best-of-three championship series as a result of winning last month's U.S. Open title at 86 kg. Saturday, McEnelly faced Aeoden Sinclair of Tiger Style Wrestling Club once again, the same opponent he beat in the U.S. Open with a last-second takedown.
Sinclair won the first match by a 10-2 decision, but McEnelly bounced back with a 6-5 victory in the second match to force a winner-take-all bout. Like at the U.S. Open, this one also came down to the wire as McEnelly used a takedown with 26 seconds to prevail 3-2 and claim his spot on the U.S. National team that will represent the United States at the U20 World Championships in Bulgaria, August 18-24.
On the U23 side, Nelson ran through the 92kg bracket before also winning a two-of-three championship series.
After opening with a pin, Nelson outscored his next three opponents 27-1 to reach the semis, where an 8-7 decision sent him to the championship series. Facing Luke Geog of Ohio RTC, Nelson lost the first match 7-4 but responded with a dominant 14-3 tech fall. In the final match, Nelson scored the first four points en route to a 4-2 victory. He's now set to compete at the U23 World Championships, Oct. 20-26, in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Minnesota also got strong showings from redshirt junior Drew Roberts, redshirt freshman Ethan Riddle and true freshman Koy Hopke.
Roberts was the U23 runner-up at 70kg, falling 2-0 in the champ series to Josh Edmond of Tiger Style Wrestling Club. Roberts got there by winning his first six matches by a combined score of 58-18, including a pair of tech falls.
Also in the U23 competition, Riddle was runner-up for the 79kg challenge bracket. After a first-round bye, Riddle started with a 4-0 record and 48-15 scoring edge before a loss to eventual champion Beau Mantanona from Cliff Keen Wrestling Club.
Like Riddle, Hopke also reached the finals of the challenge bracket, doing so at 125kg in U20. He reached the finals thanks to a pair of decisions in the quarterfinals and semis before falling to eventual runner-up Dreshaun Ross of Sebolt Wrestling Academy.
Other Gophers competing on the weekend were fifth-year senior Tommy Askey (5-2, U23 74kg), redshirt juniors Bennett Tabor (4-2, U23 125kg) and Jager Eisch (3-2, U23 65kg), true freshman Wyatt Duchateau (3-2, U23 65kg), redshirt freshman Rhett Koenig (2-2, U23 65kg) and true freshmen Silas Dailey (2-2, U23 86kg) and Charlie Millard (1-2, U20 74kg).
McEnelly, who finished third at the NCAA Championships this past year for his first career All-America honors, advanced directly to the best-of-three championship series as a result of winning last month's U.S. Open title at 86 kg. Saturday, McEnelly faced Aeoden Sinclair of Tiger Style Wrestling Club once again, the same opponent he beat in the U.S. Open with a last-second takedown.
Sinclair won the first match by a 10-2 decision, but McEnelly bounced back with a 6-5 victory in the second match to force a winner-take-all bout. Like at the U.S. Open, this one also came down to the wire as McEnelly used a takedown with 26 seconds to prevail 3-2 and claim his spot on the U.S. National team that will represent the United States at the U20 World Championships in Bulgaria, August 18-24.
On the U23 side, Nelson ran through the 92kg bracket before also winning a two-of-three championship series.
After opening with a pin, Nelson outscored his next three opponents 27-1 to reach the semis, where an 8-7 decision sent him to the championship series. Facing Luke Geog of Ohio RTC, Nelson lost the first match 7-4 but responded with a dominant 14-3 tech fall. In the final match, Nelson scored the first four points en route to a 4-2 victory. He's now set to compete at the U23 World Championships, Oct. 20-26, in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Minnesota also got strong showings from redshirt junior Drew Roberts, redshirt freshman Ethan Riddle and true freshman Koy Hopke.
Roberts was the U23 runner-up at 70kg, falling 2-0 in the champ series to Josh Edmond of Tiger Style Wrestling Club. Roberts got there by winning his first six matches by a combined score of 58-18, including a pair of tech falls.
Also in the U23 competition, Riddle was runner-up for the 79kg challenge bracket. After a first-round bye, Riddle started with a 4-0 record and 48-15 scoring edge before a loss to eventual champion Beau Mantanona from Cliff Keen Wrestling Club.
Like Riddle, Hopke also reached the finals of the challenge bracket, doing so at 125kg in U20. He reached the finals thanks to a pair of decisions in the quarterfinals and semis before falling to eventual runner-up Dreshaun Ross of Sebolt Wrestling Academy.
Other Gophers competing on the weekend were fifth-year senior Tommy Askey (5-2, U23 74kg), redshirt juniors Bennett Tabor (4-2, U23 125kg) and Jager Eisch (3-2, U23 65kg), true freshman Wyatt Duchateau (3-2, U23 65kg), redshirt freshman Rhett Koenig (2-2, U23 65kg) and true freshmen Silas Dailey (2-2, U23 86kg) and Charlie Millard (1-2, U20 74kg).
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