University of Northern Iowa’s Colin Realbuto notches key win in 26-10 win over Iowa State

CEDAR FALLS – Colin Realbuto was all smiles.

University of Northern Iowa’s 149-pounder was darn near giddy when he arrived at the post-meet news conference.

After all, he was honored during Senior Day festivities, knocked off a highly-ranked foe and watched the Panthers accomplish something they hadn’t since he joined the program in 2020. Those pale in comparison to holding his 4-and-a-half-month-old daughter, Georgia, before and after the dual.

“It makes it every bit better,” Realbuto told media while cradling Georgia. “There was a point in the third period, coming back to the center, I was getting set on bottom and I looked up. I see Allyson (Schwab) and for some reason that triggered I started thinking about Meredith and Georgia. I think that got my mind right to push and try and get that win.”

Realbuto produced a furious comeback to defeat No. 6 Paniro Johnson in sudden victory and No. 4 UNI beat rival No. 14 Iowa State, 26-10, Sunday in a Big 12 Conference dual at the McLeod Center. The Panthers beat the Cyclones for the first time since 2019 in front of a record crowd of 7,348 – the largest crowd at the McLeod Center for any sport.

A fitting way to cap the seniors’ final home competition.

“Wrestling is beside the name of the record in this building,” UNI Coach Doug Schwab said. “To me, that’s exactly how it should be. When I was thinking about this a couple weeks ago, that’s exactly what I wanted.

“That’s the way these guys need to be sent out, should have been sent out because they’ve earned it.”

Realbuto was flanked by his wife, Meredith and his parents, while carrying his daughter in the pre-dual ceremony. He smiled throughout his interview, kissing Georgia’s forehead before he got up from the dais.

Fatherhood has provided perspective and balance. Schwab and teammate Parker Keckeisen have seen Realbuto change a diaper in the tunnel before a match.

“You have the right mindset,” Realbuto said. “I’m blessed with her and my wife. They’ve been a great rock for me. Whenever I think about them, it gets me going again. How can you not get happy, looking at her little face?”

Despite some senior-day jitters and an early deficit to Johnson, Realbuto continued to press and get back in the match. He shrunk Johnson’s lead to 3-2 after two.

Johnson escaped and then took advantage of an aggressive Realbuto with another takedown. Then, things turned late. Realbuto forced three stall calls for points in the third period. The final one as they went out of bounds with three seconds remaining tied the score, 7-7.

Realbuto admitted he didn’t know the number of stalling calls and that the last one was worth two. He received another boost with the tie score.

“I was thinking about getting to the takedown,” said Realbuto, who scored the decisive win in sudden victory-1. “We were on the edge and I fired off a shot, hoping I could get to his legs. I wasn’t even thinking about stalls. It’s kind of awesome. Things just work out like that.”

The crowd erupted after the win that put UNI up, 6-4, after three.

“The energy. I think the roof blew off,” Schwab said. “Paniro has wrestled well. He hasn’t lost at 149. He’s really hard to get to.

“You have to stay the course the whole match. Sometimes it takes until the last couple seconds or takes overtime.”

UNI (13-1, 7-1) won seven of 10 matches, including a technical fall from NCAA champion and four-time All-American Parker Keckeisen. The two-time national finalist tallied eight takedowns for a 24-8 win over Caleb Helgeseon at 184.

“This guy got a standing ovation,” Schwab said about Keckeisen. “That’s earned. People just don’t that for anybody. It is freaking earned and people respect how he trains and lives. I’m so happy he got that moment.

“I think that’s a really cool thing that everyone recognizes, even on the other side.”

Keckeisen has been the cornerstone of the program since his first official season, learning from the 2020 seniors during his redshirt year. The experience, the crowd and the appreciation made an impression.

“It means the world,” said Keckeisen, who won his 50 th straight match dating back to the 2023 NCAA finals against Penn State’s Aaron Brooks. “I was talking to Doug and he’s like you came on the Panther train a boy and now you’re leaving as a man.

“It was special, especially this last year,”

UNI’s fifth-ranked senior 141-pounder Cael Happel. He was also recognized before the dual. The four-time state champion from Lisbon and two-time NCAA qualifier got the Panthers on the board, scoring a third-period takedown to drop No. 9 Jacob Frost.

Jack Thomsen (165), Jared Simma at 174 and 197-pounder Wyatt Voelker added decisions. Voelker’s 7-2 decision clinched the dual win. Kyle Gollhofer capped the meet with a pin at 125.

Sunday supplants a win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., as Realbuto’s favorite Panther wrestling memory.

“The way guys showed up,” Realbuto said. “It really looked like everyone was wrestling their best. It was just awesome.

“It’s not that this moment was so sweet. You know what built up to it. You know what led into it. The consistent practices, workouts and the dedication that you know these guys have put in. To see that come to fruition is pretty awesome.”

Iowa State’s highlights were limited to a major decision from No. 5 Evan Frost to start the meet at 133, No. 10 Cody Chittum four third-period points to top No. 4 Ryder Downey and heavyweight Daniel Herrera’s 3-1 decision over No. 15 Lance Runyon.

The Cyclones fell to 11-5 overall and 5-2 in the Big 12.

“It was obvious that their personnel was much better than our personnel today,” Iowa State Coach Kevin Dresser said. “There were a few bright spots there but overall, we just didn’t have the horses to go with their horses.

“That’s a pretty mature team and they’ve been around for a while. It was their day. It wasn’t our day.”

AT CEDAR FALLS

UNI 26, Iowa State 10

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

133 pounds – Evan Frost (ISU) major dec. Julian Farber, 8-0 (2,0); 141 – Cael Happel (UNI) dec. Jacob Frost, 10-7 (3,1); 149 – Colin Realbuto (UNI) dec. Paniro Johnson, 10-7 (1,2); 157 – Cody Chittum (ISU) dec. Ryder Downey, 4-2 (1,0); 165 – Jack Thomsen (UNI) dec. Aiden Riggins, 7-3 (2,0); 174 – Jared Simma (UNI) dec. M.J. Gaitan, 7-4 (1,1); 184 – Parker Keckeisen (UNI) tech. fall Caleb Helgeson, 24-8 (8,0); 197 – Wyatt Voelker (UNI) dec. Evan Bockman, 7-2 (2,0); Hwt. – Daniel Herrera (ISU) dec. Lance Runyon, 3-1 (1,0); 125 – Kyle Gollhofer (UNI) pinned Osmany Diversent, 6:01 (2,1).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns: UNI 19, Iowa State 9. Reversals: UNI 0, Iowa State 0. Escapes – UNI 14, Iowa State 21. Nearfall points – UNI 0, Iowa State 0. Penalty points (awarded) – UNI 5, Iowa State 2. Riding-time points – UNI 0, Iowa State 1. Total match points – UNI 76, Iowa State 51. Attendance – 7,348.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com