University of Iowa advances 5 to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

University of Iowa managed to place five wrestlers into the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

The Hawkeyes also have two in consolation matches.

Second-ranked Iowa went 12-6 overall and finished the first day of the national tournament in a three-way tie for fourth with 18 points after the second session at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Drake Ayala (133), Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174), Stephen Buchanan at 197 and heavyweight Ben Kueter each went 2-0.

“We have five in the quarters and that’s what we’re excited about,” Brands said. “We’ve got work to do on the backside as well. We have to do a better job.”

Ayala, Caliendo and Buchanan recorded two dominant wins in as many matches.

Ayala, the 125-pound NCAA runner-up last year, opened with a 21-5 technical fall over Missouri’s Kade Moore. The second-seeded Hawkeye followed with a 13-4 major decision over University of Northern Iowa’s Julian Farber.

Caliendo also reached the quarterfinals at the expense of a Panthers foe. He secured back-to-back majors, beating Iowa State’s Aiden Riggins, 11-3, in the first round. Caliendo dropped UNI’s Jack Thomsen, 15-3, in the second round.

Buchanan, the No. 2 seed at 197, started the day with a 22-9 major over Michigan State’s Remy Cotton. Buchanan handled Wyoming’s Joseph Novak, 16-1, in his second match. Buchanan is a three-time All-American, placing third each of the last two seasons.

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Kueter made his NCAA tournament debut with a 6-0 victory over Iowa State’s Daniel Herrera. He added an 8-2 decision over Ohio State’s Nick Feldman to make the quarterfinals. Kueter claimed his third win over Feldman this season. It also was Kueter’s sixth straight postseason victory.

“Two takedowns in the first period and then build on that,’ Brands said about the second-round performance. “Keep it going. You get bonus points there.”

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Kennedy was the worst-seeded Hawkeye to advance. He entered the tournament as the No. 11 seed and is one win away from his first All-American finish. Kennedy beat Penn’s Nick Incontrera, 4-2, in his first match. He added a 3-0 decision over Binghampton’s Brevin Cassella in Round 2.

Kyle Parco (149) and Gabe Arnold (184) are alive in the consolation bracket. Iowa finished Day 1 with 18 points, tying Minnesota and Ohio State for fourth.

“We’ve got two days of wrestling to go,” Brands said. “We’ve got a round tomorrow morning. That’s what is in front of us. That’s where the perspective is. That’s always going to be my dull, boring message.

“We’re excited about what’s in front of us. We’ve got some work to do. We know that.”

UNI’s Cael Happel (141) and 184-pounder Parker Keckeisen moved into the quarterfinals, helping the Panthers end the opening day in seventh place with 17 ½ points.

Happel kicked off his tournament with a pin over Illinois’ Danny Pucino and followed with a 5-4 decision over Bucknell’s Dylan Chappell to make his first quarterfinal in three tournament appearances.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Happel said. “It’s an accumulation of a ton of years and it’s all kind of pouring out right now. That’s what you want to do. You want to peak at the right time. I feel that I am.”

Happel led most of the match after his first-period takedown. Chappell kept it close and scored a go-ahead takedown with 29 seconds left but Happel responded with the decisive escape just nine seconds later.

“That match kind of frustrated me a little,” Happel said. “I was in a lot and couldn’t finish. He had really good defense.

“You survive and advance. “That’s what this tournament is about.”

Keckeisen, a returning NCAA champion and four-time All-American, posted a technical fall and major decision. He closed with a 14-3 victory over North Carolina State’s Dylan Fishback, extending his win streak to 57 straight matches dating back to the 2023 national finals.

UNI qualified 10 and each won at least one match. Everyone scored points and moved on to Day 2. Trever Anderson (125), Farber, Colin Realbuto (149), Ryder Downey (157), Thomsen, Jared Simma (174), Wyatt Voelker at 187 and heavyweight Lance Runyon are alive in consolation competition.

The Panthers have hardware aspirations.

“We have a bigger purpose here,” Happel said. “We’re in a team trophy race, right now. We want to win a team trophy so you have to do it for more than yourself, too.”

Jacob Frost was Iowa State’s lone quarterfinalist. He was impressive in his first two bouts. Frost trounced Stanford’s Jason Miranda, 16-1. The ninth-seeded Cyclone defeated Northern Colorado’s 2023 NCAA champion and No. 8 seed Andrew Alirez, 6-1, in the second round.

Iowa State’s Evan Frost (133), Paniro Johnson (149), Cody Chittum (157), Aiden Riggins at 165 and 174-pounder M.J. Gaitan are alive in the consolations.

Stanford All-American 165-pounder and former Iowa City West three-time state champion Hunter Garvin reached the quarterfinals. No. 7 Garvin beat Minnesota’s No. 10 Andrew Sparks, 14-4, in the second round.

Former Lisbon prep Cobe Siebrecht went 1-1 at 157 for South Dakota State. He rebounded from a pin in the first round with a 7-5 victory over Missouri’s James Conway in the consolation round.

Siebrecht’s teammate Cade DeVos was a two-time state champion at Southeast Polk. DeVos, seeded No. 13, dropped Ohio’s No. 4 Garrett Thompson, 9-3, to move into the quarterfinals.

Penn State was perfect through the first day, posting a 20-0 record and advancing all 10 to the quarterfinals. Not only did the Nittany Lions win they stockpiled 19 1/2 bonus points. To put it in perspective, Penn State’s bonus-point total alone would be enough to be in fourth place. The Nittany Lions finished with seven technical falls, three pins and three major decisions.

Penn State amassed 39 ½ points, leading second-place Nebraska by 11 ½ after Day 1. Oklahoma State was third with 27 points.

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