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NCAA wrestling newcomers for UNI, Iowa State and Iowa experience mixed results in opening session
UNI’s No. 28-seeded Jared Simma pulls off one of the upsets of the tournament so far
KANSAS CITY — Competing in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships for the first time can be a challenge for some and success for others.
Iowa State, Iowa and Northern Iowa learned that Thursday during the first round of the 2024 nationals held in T-Mobile Center.
Perhaps the most notable of the first-time winners was Northern Iowa’s Jared Simma, a sophomore, who was seeded No. 28 at 174 pounds. He surprised many by blanking Harvard’s No. 5-seed Philip Conigliaro, 7-0.
“I wrestled him last year and kind of let that match slip away,” Simma said, regarding a 4-3 setback a season ago at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. “I’m just grateful to be here. I got a shot when I got an at-large bid.
“I want to think this is just another wrestling match and God just gives me the strength to go out there. Over the past week, I did top workouts so I could ride him like a dog and get some tilts to break a close match wide open.”
In this victory, Simma used a four-point nearfall, a third-period reversal and a riding-time point to blank the Harvard senior.
Of the seven UNI wrestlers competing in Kansas City, Simma was one of five Panthers competing on the national stage for the first time. Of those, redshirt freshman Ryder Downey, a No. 5 seed at 157 pounds, scored a 4-1 victory over Oklahoma’s Jared Hill. Junior Jack Thomsen split two matches, winning a pigtail against Lehigh’s Jake Logan before losing by fall to Missouri’s two-time defending champ Keegan O’Toole.
Juniors Julian Farber (133) and redshirt freshman Wyatt Voelker (197) suffered defeats in their only bouts.
Overall, the Panthers went 3-4 in the first round, but Simma and head coach Doug Schwab hope Simma’s victory can show the newcomers that positive surprises can happen in the NCAAs.
“These guys have other guys who’ve done it before,” Schwab said. “Look at Parker (Keckeisen). You have to have your first time some time and it might as well be your first (national match). (Simma) made the most of his opportunity and that’s what we are trying to get guys to do.”
Keckeisen, who earned the first of three All-America honors as a redshirt freshman, opened his fourth national tournament with a 10-0 major decision as a No. 1 seed at 184 pounds.
Iowa State in 4th, Iowa 9th after opening session
Iowa State and Iowa both went 6-3 in the first round. The Cyclones were in fourth place, heading into Thursday night’s second round with 13 points, while the Hawkeyes were in ninth place with 10 1/2 points. Both teams also had their share of first-time success and disappointment
“We had some guys who came here for the first time and felt what it’s really like,” said Iowa State assistant coach Brent Metcalf, who saw four newcomers to the NCAAs go a combined 2-2. “Some of them had to win closer matches and for some of them, things did not go their way.”
Redshirt freshmen Evan Frost (133 pounds) and junior Anthony Echemendia (141) scored victories in the first round. Frost, a No. 8 seed, defeated Army’s Braden Basile while Echemendia, seeded fifth, won by a 20-4 technical fall over Purdue’s Greyson Clark. But true freshman Cody Chittum (157) and redshirt freshman M.J. Gaitan (174) suffered defeats. Chittum, seeded 14th, lost a 17-6 major decision to Appalachian State’s No. 19 Tommy Askey.
“(Competing in the NCAA for a first time) is a mix of everything,” Metcalf said. “It’s a mix of emotions, the jitters. You have your weight cut and all the stuff and when you pile all of that on top of it at the same time your opponent shows up and is ready to go.”
Of the Hawkeyes wrestling Thursday morning, three wrestled in the nationals for the first time.
Sophomore Caleb Rathjen (149) lost a heartbreaker to Oklahoma State’s Jordan Williams. Just when it appeared the Hawkeye might score a single-leg takedown, the Cowboy cradled him for a late takedown and four-point nearfall for a 12-5 victory.
Senior Zach Glazier, who waited three years for his shot, was seeded No. 7 at 197, but lost 4-1 in sudden victory to Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith.
But redshirt freshman Bradley Hill ignored his No. 25 seed and upset North Carolina State’s No. 8 seed Owen Trephan, 4-2, at heavyweight.
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