5 Takeaways from Day 3 of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships: UNI’s Parker Keckeisen ends with runner-up finish

The college wrestling season ended Saturday. University of Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen cemented his legacy with one more finals appearance. UNI Coach Doug Schwab named Coach of the Year. Cael Happel caps his career with a victory. Upper tier of heavyweights empties out for Ben Kueter. Here are five storylines from the fifth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

KECKEISEN EARNS RUNNER-UP FINISH

Parker Keckeisen cemented his legacy with his third straight appearance in the 184-pound NCAA finals Saturday night. Keckeisen became the program’s first five-time D-I All-American, finishing third his first two seasons, second in 2023 and winning the 184 national title last season.

“He works harder at his craft than anybody that I’ve been around,” Happel said of Keckeisen. “He loves it. He loves wrestling. It just comes natural for him. The love of the sport and wanting to get better at it every day that’s an accumulation of a lot of years. It’s not just this season or last season. He’s been doing that for a long time. That’s what it is. It’s consistent over time and that’s what you get out there.”

Keckeisen was thrust into one of the most anticipated finals, facing Penn State’s top-seeded and four-time NCAA titlist Carter Starocci. The pair felt each other out in the scoreless first.

Starocci escaped with ease for a 1-0 lead in the second period. Keckeisen matched Starocci’s explosiveness with an escape in the third.

Starocci was able to score a decisive takedown with 45 seconds left. UNI challenged the call to no avail.

Keckeisen was able to add another escape and a penalty point for stalling but Starocci held on for a 4-3 decision. Starocci made history with his fifth D-I crown.

Keckeisen’s impact on the program was in place well before his last championship bout. He ended his last season with a 28-1 record, recording a 59-match win streak that was snapped Saturday. Keckeisen also finished with a 133-6 record. Four of his losses were in the NCAA tournament.

Keckeisen has been the face of the program and his devotion helped lift it to new heights.

He’s given so much to this program,” Happel said. “He could have left two years ago and got those big paydays. He stayed in Cedar Falls. He knew where his roots were and wanted to build this freaking program.

“He’s going to be the best guy to ever do it, the best one put on a (UNI) singlet. I’m beyond proud of him and grateful I get to be on a team with him for five years. He’s an awesome dude.”

UNI’S SCHWAB NAMED NWCA COACH OF THE YEAR

Doug Schwab has called this team the best in his 15-year tenure as UNI head coach. The Panthers did about all they could to prove that to be true, vying for its best team finish at the D-I tournament and qualifying all 10 wrestlers for the D-I Championships for the second time and first since 1986.

UNI’s banner season yielded Schwab National Wrestling Coaches Association NCAA D-I Coach of the Year honor. He received the award at a banquet Saturday between sessions.

“I’m grateful for this recognition, especially when it’s from your peers,” Schwab said during his speech. “There are so many great coaches out there. So many guys who are impacting lives. I don’t take that lightly.”

The Panthers were the runners-up at Big 12 Championships, forcing a tie with Oklahoma State with one match left. They were fourth nationally in dual rankings, posting a 14-1 record. UNI also won the NWCA D-I National Duals tournament in January.

Schwab said he had two gripes. No Mountain Dew at the banquet (Someone got him a bottle after his speech) and that the honor was for the entire staff. He praised his staff for their countless hours devoted to the team.

“They bought in to the vision we have,” Schwab said. “They sacrifice so much. To me, a piece of this is theirs, too, because you can’t do it alone.”

Schwab also credited his family for their support. Family and loyalty are tenets of the program. They are reasons everyone returned from last season, leading to them sitting in eighth before the finals with a chance to improve their best finishes of 10 th in 1982, 1983 and 1992.

“Words on the wall mean nothing,” Schwab said. “It’s in actions. I think you see how our guys compete and how much they care about one another. I think it rings true and you can see that.”

HAPPEL CAPS HIS CAREER WITH A VICTORY

Cael Happel said he was bruised and battered after his fifth-place match against Navy’s Josh Koderhandt at 141. The aches and pains are more tolerable after his 7-3 decision to cap his first All-American finish and close his college career with a victory.

The former Lisbon four-time state champion answered his own gut check to rebound from consecutive losses in the semifinals and consolation semifinals.

“It left a sour taste on my tongue,” Happel told reporters. “I had to come to terms before that one (fifth-place match) how do you want to leave this singlet. How do you want to leave this team?

“I didn’t want to go out there and wrestle like I did the last two. I want to have some pride in this team and what it means to be a Panther … he would have had to kill me out there to get fifth. I was ready to die for it.”

Happel has made steady progress throughout his career, going from NCAA alternate to three-time qualifier. He also went from not placing at the Big 12 tournament to being a two-time conference finalist and 2025 champion.

“It’s believing in yourself and wrestling for something bigger than just you,” Happel said. “That helps a lot. It’s not all about you. It’s about being selfless, giving it up for the greater good of the sport and being able to be free out there.”

Happel, 23, plans to graduate in May and get married in August. He isn’t sure what his wrestling future holds. Happel did reflect on his time in Cedar Falls that led him to this point.

“Just so much influence on my life during those five years,” Happel said. “Being around a guy like Doug, you can’t not get influenced. He’s the best leader I’ve ever been around. One the best people I’ve ever been around. It’s special to me. I take a lot of pride, wearing that purple singlet out there.”

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HEAVYWEIGHT CLEARS OUT FOR KUETER

Iowa’s Ben Kueter claimed All-American honors in his NCAA Championships debut. The redshirt freshman placed eighth at heavyweight, closing with a 21-9 record. Kueter produced a nice postseason, starting with a third-place finish at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.

“College wrestling is a grind and I freaking love it,” Kueter posted on his X.com account. “All American … Back to football.”

As the age-level World freestyle champion transitions to spring football for the Hawkeyes, he continues to have a high upside in wrestling. All of his nine losses were to seniors or graduate students. Fifth-seeded Kueter was the highest seeded underclassman and is one of only two placewinners returning next year, joining North Carolina State’s fourth-place Isaac Trumble.

OTHER ALL-AMERICANS

Iowa State had just one All-American this season. Jacob Frost placed seventh at 141.

Former Iowa City West three-time state champion and Stanford 165-pounder Hunter Garvin placed sixth for his second straight All-American finish.

South Dakota State 174-pounder and former Southeast Polk two-time state champion Cade DeVos placed sixth for his second All-American honor.

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