University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 30
Iowa City, IA
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Iowa
Players Mentioned
157 lbs
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
149 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
149 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Wrestling Travels to No. 4 Iowa Friday Night
1/29/2026 1:21:00 PM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 7/13 Minnesota (8-4, 2-2 B1G) begins a three-match stint away from home this weekend with a trip south to face No. 4/6 Iowa (9-3, 2-1 B1G). It'll be the 43rd straight season where the Gophers and Hawkeyes square off, every year since 1984. Match time Friday night is set for 7 p.m. with streaming on Big Ten Plus and live results on StatBroadcast.com.
Friday will mark the second true road competition after a 27-9 win at then-No. 11 Illinois on Jan. 10. Minnesota has won four straight road duals after beating the Illini and winning three straight to close out last season. In fact, since a 2024 loss at Iowa, the Gophers have won nine of their last 10 true road matchups.
IN THE RANKINGS
Friday will mark the second true road competition after a 27-9 win at then-No. 11 Illinois on Jan. 10. Minnesota has won four straight road duals after beating the Illini and winning three straight to close out last season. In fact, since a 2024 loss at Iowa, the Gophers have won nine of their last 10 true road matchups.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
| WEIGHT | NO. 7/13 MINNESOTA | NO. 4/6 IOWA |
|---|---|---|
| 125 | #10 Jore Volk (16-3 Overall, 9-3 Dual, 3-1 B1G) | #6 Dean Peterson (7-2, 7-2 Dual, 0-1 B1G) or Joey Cruz (11-6, 1-2, 1-0) |
| 133 | Brandon Morvari (1-8, 0-5, 0-3) or Chris Cannon (3-7, 2-5, 0-1) |
#9 Drake Ayala (5-5, 5-5, 1-2) |
| 141 | #9 Vance VomBaur (14-4, 7-4, 3-1) | #11 Nasir Bailey (10-6, 7-4, 1-1) |
| 149 | #24 Drew Roberts (6-5, 4-3, 2-2) or Charles Vanier (13-5, 0-0, 0-0) |
#16 Ryder Block (7-3, 7-3, 1-2) |
| 157 | #21 Charlie Millard (14-5, 7-5, 2-2) | #12 Jordan Williams (8-4, 3-4, 1-2) |
| 165 | #10 Andrew Sparks (14-3, 8-2, 2-1) or Blaine Brenner (8-3, 0-2, 0-1) |
#3 Michael Caliendo (10-2, 10-2, 2-1) |
| 174 | #24 Ethan Riddle (12-6, 6-5, 2-2) or Clayton Whiting (13-7, 0-1, 0-0) |
#3 Patrick Kennedy (10-1, 10-1, 2-0) |
| 184 | #4 Max McEnelly (13-1, 11-1, 4-0) | Gabe Arnold (11-2, 2-1, 1-1) |
| 197 | #30 Gavin Nelson (8-8, 3-7, 2-2) | Brody Sampson (7-8, 0-2, 0-2) or Harvey Ludington (8-1, 0-1, 0-1) |
| 285 | #10 Koy Hopke (16-6, 5-5, 1-3) | #8 Ben Kueter (3-3, 3-3, 1-2) |
IN THE RANKINGS
As noted above, the Golden Gophers enter the weekend ranked seventh in InterMat's dual team rankings and tied for 13th in its tournament rankings. The team also remained ninth in the NWCA Coaches Poll for the third week in a row.
Nine Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls with six appearing in all four: InterMat, Flo, Win and OpenMat. All-American Max McEnelly is the No. 4-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds in all four polls, while Vance VomBaur (141) appears in the top-11 of each publication, including being ranked fifth by Win Magazine.
Senior Jore Volk (125) and redshirt freshman Koy Hopke (285) are both ranked 12th or better in each of the polls. Volk's highest mark comes from Flo, where he's eighth, while Hopke's best ranking is from Win where he's ninth. Sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks (165) is ranked top-14 in all four polls, highlighted by a No. 10 ranking from InterMat. Redshirt freshman Charlie Millard (157) is 21st or higher in all four polls, topping out at No. 15 from Win.
Redshirt senior Drew Roberts (149) and redshirt sophomores Ethan Riddle (174) and Gavin Nelson (197) are all ranked by both InterMat and Flo, but don't appear in rankings from WIN or OpenMat. Riddle is ranked 24th by InterMat and 22nd by Flo, while Roberts is 24rd and 26th by the same publications, respectively. Nelson is ranked 25th by Flo and 30th by InterMat.
A complete list of rankings can be found on Page 10 of the notes.
Nine Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls with six appearing in all four: InterMat, Flo, Win and OpenMat. All-American Max McEnelly is the No. 4-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds in all four polls, while Vance VomBaur (141) appears in the top-11 of each publication, including being ranked fifth by Win Magazine.
Senior Jore Volk (125) and redshirt freshman Koy Hopke (285) are both ranked 12th or better in each of the polls. Volk's highest mark comes from Flo, where he's eighth, while Hopke's best ranking is from Win where he's ninth. Sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks (165) is ranked top-14 in all four polls, highlighted by a No. 10 ranking from InterMat. Redshirt freshman Charlie Millard (157) is 21st or higher in all four polls, topping out at No. 15 from Win.
Redshirt senior Drew Roberts (149) and redshirt sophomores Ethan Riddle (174) and Gavin Nelson (197) are all ranked by both InterMat and Flo, but don't appear in rankings from WIN or OpenMat. Riddle is ranked 24th by InterMat and 22nd by Flo, while Roberts is 24rd and 26th by the same publications, respectively. Nelson is ranked 25th by Flo and 30th by InterMat.
A complete list of rankings can be found on Page 10 of the notes.
NATIONAL STAT LEADERS
Through last weekend's competition, the seven major decision victories for Vance VomBaur (141) were tied for the most in the country. Meanwhile, Clayton Whiting (174) and Koy Hopke (285) both had six major decision wins to tie for the seventh most in the country.
Max McEnelly (184) is tied for fifth in the nation with eight tech fall wins this season, while heavyweight Bennett Tabor is tied for 12th in the country with six wins by fall this year.
Max McEnelly (184) is tied for fifth in the nation with eight tech fall wins this season, while heavyweight Bennett Tabor is tied for 12th in the country with six wins by fall this year.
FACING IOWA
Friday night marks the 112th all-time meeting between Minnesota and Iowa. The 111 all-time dual matches are the most in Minnesota history. Iowa holds the all-time series lead over Minnesota with a record of 80-29-2 in a series that dates back to the 1920-21 season.
Friday will mark the 51st time the teams have competed in Iowa City, which is the most matches at one school in team history. Minnesota trails at Iowa, 36-14-0, and Iowa has won five straight.
Iowa enters Friday with an 9-3 record on the season and a 2-1 mark in conference play. The Gophers and Hawkeyes have had five common opponents this season. Both teams defeated Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, while both lost to Ohio State (two losses for Minnesota). The Gophers also lost to Nebraska, while the Hawkeyes defeated the Huskers.
Iowa has two Minnesotans on its roster in fifth-year senior Patrick Kennedy (174) and redshirt freshman Joseph Kennedy (157). Both are from Kasson-Mantorville and attended Kasson-Mantorville High School, about 80 miles south of campus. Minnesota has no Iowans on its player roster.
Gophers assistant coach Michael Kemerer was the first five-time All-American in the history of Iowa wrestling and was an NCAA finalist in 2021. He posted a 100-12 career record and was a three-time finalist at the Big Ten Championships, taking home the title in 2021.
RANKED MATCHUPS
Friday will mark the 51st time the teams have competed in Iowa City, which is the most matches at one school in team history. Minnesota trails at Iowa, 36-14-0, and Iowa has won five straight.
Iowa enters Friday with an 9-3 record on the season and a 2-1 mark in conference play. The Gophers and Hawkeyes have had five common opponents this season. Both teams defeated Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri, while both lost to Ohio State (two losses for Minnesota). The Gophers also lost to Nebraska, while the Hawkeyes defeated the Huskers.
Iowa has two Minnesotans on its roster in fifth-year senior Patrick Kennedy (174) and redshirt freshman Joseph Kennedy (157). Both are from Kasson-Mantorville and attended Kasson-Mantorville High School, about 80 miles south of campus. Minnesota has no Iowans on its player roster.
Gophers assistant coach Michael Kemerer was the first five-time All-American in the history of Iowa wrestling and was an NCAA finalist in 2021. He posted a 100-12 career record and was a three-time finalist at the Big Ten Championships, taking home the title in 2021.
RANKED MATCHUPS
Based on the probable starters and the latest rankings from InterMat, there is projected to be seven ranked matchups Friday night.
125: No. 10 Jore Volk and No. 6 Dean Peterson have not met in their respective careers. They have one common opponent this year with both taking losses to Ohio State's Nic Bouzakis. Volk's setback was by decision in overtime, while Peterson was pinned. Volk is 7-1 against ranked opponents this year, good for second on Minnesota in both ranked wins and winning percentage against ranked opponents (.875).
141: No. 9 Vance VomBaur is set to face No. 11 Nasir Bailey for the first time in his career. They have two common opponents this year in Missouri's Zeke Seltzer and Ohio State's Jesse Mendez. Both beat Seltzer by decision, while VomBaur has lost twice to Mendez and Bailey lost his matchup by tech fall.
149: No. 24 Drew Roberts could meet No. 16 Ryder Block for the first time. They have two common opponents this year in Wisconsin Joseph Zargo and Ohio State's Ethan Stiles. Both Roberts and Block went 0-2 against Zargo and Stiles, losing both by decision.
157: No. 21 Charlie Millard is set to take on No. 12 Jordan Wiliams for the first time in his career. They have faced four common opponents this year in Nebraska's Antrell Taylor, Wisconsin's Luke Mechler, Illinois' Kannon Webster and Missouri's Seth Mendoza. Both Millard and Williams lost to Taylor and defeated Mechler and Mendoza. The lone difference was an injury default victory for Millard over Webster, while Williams lost by major decision.
165: No. 10 Andrew Sparks could face No. 3 Michael Caliendo, against whom he has an extensive history. They have faced each other five times, including twice last year and three times before that when Caliendo was at North Dakota State. Caliendo has won all five matchups with Sparks, four of which have come by decision. They have three common opponents this year with both defeating Wisconsin's Cody Goebel by bonus points. Sparks has beaten Ohio State's Paddy Gallagher twice by decision, while Caliendo beat him in overtime. Sparks was also defeated by Nebraska's LJ Araujo, while Caliendo prevailed by major decision.
174: No. 24 Ethan Riddle could face No. 3 Patrick Kennedy for the very first time. They also have four common opponents this season in Nebraska's Christopher Minto, Ohio State's Carson Kharchla, Illinois Colin Kelly and Wisconsin's Lucas Condon. Kennedy is 4-0 against those opponents, while Riddle has gone 2-3 with wins over Condon and Kelly, one loss to Minto and a pair of setbacks versus Kharchla.
285: No. 10 Koy Hopke and No. 8 Ben Kueter are set to meet for the first time. They have two common opponents this year in Nebraska's AJ Ferrari and Wisconsin's Braxton Amos. Hopke lost both of his matchups with Ferrari and Amos, though the two losses were by a combined score of 4-1. Kueter, meanwhile, lost to Ferrari by decision and beat Amos in overtime.
LAST TIME VS. IOWA125: No. 10 Jore Volk and No. 6 Dean Peterson have not met in their respective careers. They have one common opponent this year with both taking losses to Ohio State's Nic Bouzakis. Volk's setback was by decision in overtime, while Peterson was pinned. Volk is 7-1 against ranked opponents this year, good for second on Minnesota in both ranked wins and winning percentage against ranked opponents (.875).
141: No. 9 Vance VomBaur is set to face No. 11 Nasir Bailey for the first time in his career. They have two common opponents this year in Missouri's Zeke Seltzer and Ohio State's Jesse Mendez. Both beat Seltzer by decision, while VomBaur has lost twice to Mendez and Bailey lost his matchup by tech fall.
149: No. 24 Drew Roberts could meet No. 16 Ryder Block for the first time. They have two common opponents this year in Wisconsin Joseph Zargo and Ohio State's Ethan Stiles. Both Roberts and Block went 0-2 against Zargo and Stiles, losing both by decision.
157: No. 21 Charlie Millard is set to take on No. 12 Jordan Wiliams for the first time in his career. They have faced four common opponents this year in Nebraska's Antrell Taylor, Wisconsin's Luke Mechler, Illinois' Kannon Webster and Missouri's Seth Mendoza. Both Millard and Williams lost to Taylor and defeated Mechler and Mendoza. The lone difference was an injury default victory for Millard over Webster, while Williams lost by major decision.
165: No. 10 Andrew Sparks could face No. 3 Michael Caliendo, against whom he has an extensive history. They have faced each other five times, including twice last year and three times before that when Caliendo was at North Dakota State. Caliendo has won all five matchups with Sparks, four of which have come by decision. They have three common opponents this year with both defeating Wisconsin's Cody Goebel by bonus points. Sparks has beaten Ohio State's Paddy Gallagher twice by decision, while Caliendo beat him in overtime. Sparks was also defeated by Nebraska's LJ Araujo, while Caliendo prevailed by major decision.
174: No. 24 Ethan Riddle could face No. 3 Patrick Kennedy for the very first time. They also have four common opponents this season in Nebraska's Christopher Minto, Ohio State's Carson Kharchla, Illinois Colin Kelly and Wisconsin's Lucas Condon. Kennedy is 4-0 against those opponents, while Riddle has gone 2-3 with wins over Condon and Kelly, one loss to Minto and a pair of setbacks versus Kharchla.
285: No. 10 Koy Hopke and No. 8 Ben Kueter are set to meet for the first time. They have two common opponents this year in Nebraska's AJ Ferrari and Wisconsin's Braxton Amos. Hopke lost both of his matchups with Ferrari and Amos, though the two losses were by a combined score of 4-1. Kueter, meanwhile, lost to Ferrari by decision and beat Amos in overtime.
Sixth-ranked Minnesota saw a six-match win streak come to an end last season in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,307 in a 23-11 loss to No. 3 Iowa.
The Hawkeyes won the first two matches of the night as No. 13 Cooper Flynn fell to No. 26 Joey Cruz in sudden victory, 7-4, at 125 pounds and No. 19 Tyler Wells then fell to No. 3 Drake Ayala, 9-5, at 133 pounds.
Minnesota got its first win of the night at 141 pounds. In the lone unranked match of the night, No. 8 Vance VomBaur earned a 14-10 decision over Cullan Schriever. As the first period wound down, VomBaur scrambled away from a Schriever attack and scored a takedown just before the buzzer. The lead grew to 7-1 through two periods as VomBaur prevailed.
Iowa earned decisions at 149 and 157 pounds to extend the lead to 12-3. No. 3 Kyle Parco shut out No. 29 Drew Roberts, 5-0, at 149, while third-ranked Jacori Teemer used a takedown in the closing seconds to beat Tommy Askey, 4-1.
Coming out of intermission, Michael Caliendo had Iowa's lone bonus-point win of the night in a 21-5 (6:09) tech fall over 11th-ranked Andrew Sparks. Patrick Kennedy, ranked 11th at 174 pounds, followed with an 8-4 decision over No. 22 Clayton Whiting.
The second top-10 matchup of the night came at 184 pounds with No. 4 Max McEnelly battling No. 8 Gabe Arnold. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler logged an escape to send the match to sudden victory. In the extra frame, McEnelly scored on a re-attack, grabbing Arnold's left leg and rolling him over before securing the takedown.
The final top-10 match came at 197 pounds with eighth-ranked Isaiah Salazar falling to No. 1 Stephen Buchanan, 5-1. The match was tied 1-1 late in the third, though Buchanan had the riding time point locked, before he clinched the win with a short-time takedown.
Fittingly, the dual closed out at heavyweight with top-ranked Gable Steveson competing in his final match at Maturi Pavilion. Steveson did what he had done all season in a dominant 19-3, first-period tech fall over No. 11 Ben Kueter. Steveson posted four takedowns in the period, gaining nearfall points on his second and third takedowns.
The Hawkeyes won the first two matches of the night as No. 13 Cooper Flynn fell to No. 26 Joey Cruz in sudden victory, 7-4, at 125 pounds and No. 19 Tyler Wells then fell to No. 3 Drake Ayala, 9-5, at 133 pounds.
Minnesota got its first win of the night at 141 pounds. In the lone unranked match of the night, No. 8 Vance VomBaur earned a 14-10 decision over Cullan Schriever. As the first period wound down, VomBaur scrambled away from a Schriever attack and scored a takedown just before the buzzer. The lead grew to 7-1 through two periods as VomBaur prevailed.
Iowa earned decisions at 149 and 157 pounds to extend the lead to 12-3. No. 3 Kyle Parco shut out No. 29 Drew Roberts, 5-0, at 149, while third-ranked Jacori Teemer used a takedown in the closing seconds to beat Tommy Askey, 4-1.
Coming out of intermission, Michael Caliendo had Iowa's lone bonus-point win of the night in a 21-5 (6:09) tech fall over 11th-ranked Andrew Sparks. Patrick Kennedy, ranked 11th at 174 pounds, followed with an 8-4 decision over No. 22 Clayton Whiting.
The second top-10 matchup of the night came at 184 pounds with No. 4 Max McEnelly battling No. 8 Gabe Arnold. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler logged an escape to send the match to sudden victory. In the extra frame, McEnelly scored on a re-attack, grabbing Arnold's left leg and rolling him over before securing the takedown.
The final top-10 match came at 197 pounds with eighth-ranked Isaiah Salazar falling to No. 1 Stephen Buchanan, 5-1. The match was tied 1-1 late in the third, though Buchanan had the riding time point locked, before he clinched the win with a short-time takedown.
Fittingly, the dual closed out at heavyweight with top-ranked Gable Steveson competing in his final match at Maturi Pavilion. Steveson did what he had done all season in a dominant 19-3, first-period tech fall over No. 11 Ben Kueter. Steveson posted four takedowns in the period, gaining nearfall points on his second and third takedowns.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Beat Badgers
Thursday, January 29
Coach's Corner with Brandon Eggum
Thursday, January 29
Highlights: Gophers 26, Wisconsin 10
Sunday, January 25
Coach's Corner with Brandon Eggum
Thursday, January 22