UNI Wrestling Returns to 2018 Midlands

UNI wrestling at the 56^th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
Sears Centre Arena | Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Dec. 29 | 9:30 a.m. CT session 1 – 10 mats / 7 p.m. CT session 2 – 10 mats
Dec. 30 | noon CT session 1 – 4 mats (semis, consolations, seventh-place matches) / 7 p.m. CT session 2 – 3 mats (first-, third- and fifth-place matches)

FloWrestling ($) | BTN Plus ($) | PDF Notes | Midlands Record Book | Trackwrestling for live scoring

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – After a two-year hiatus from the prestigious Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, UNI wrestling is sending its complete lineup to compete in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

In addition to the usual starting 10, at least four true freshmen will get a crack at some of the top names in the country this weekend.

UNI is expected to face wrestlers from several top-25 teams including: Air Force, Arizona State, Army, Bloomsburg, Brown, Bucknell, Buffalo, Cal Poly, Campbell, Central Michigan, Chicago, Cumberlands (Ky.), Elmhurst, Franklin & Marshall, Fresno State, Harvard, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Johnson & Wales, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mount Union, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Northwestern, Old Dominion, Oregon State, Penn, Princeton, South Dakota State, Wheaton and Wisconsin.

Josh Alber is the only Panther on the current roster who has earned a medal at the event. His second-place finish at 133 pounds in 2015 led the team to a 13^th-place finish.

The Panthers are looking to improve on their fifth-place finishes from 2013 and 1974.

UNI's lineup will mirror the lineup UNI threw out at the last dual, and a few Panthers will get a chance to compete unattached:
125 | Jay Schwarm, Kyle Biscoglia (unattached)
133 | Jack Skudlarczyk, Drew Bennett (unattached)
141 | Josh Alber, Michael Blockhus (unattached)
149 | Max Thomsen
157 | Patrick Schoenfelder, Cayd Lara (unattached)
165 | Bryce Steiert
174 | Taylor Lujan
184 | Drew Foster
197 | Tyrell Gordon
285 | Izaak Shedenhelm

UNI AT MIDLANDS

The Panthers' highest finish at the Midlands was fifth in 1974 and 2013. Here's a look at top-10 finishes prior to the Schwab era and how the Panthers have placed since Schwab took over at the 2010 Midlands:

1974 – 47 points / fifth
1992 – 53 points / seventh
2003 – 75 points / seventh
2004 – 76.5 points / sixth
2005 – 79 points / seventh
2006 – 67 points / seventh
2008 – 49 points / 12th
2010 – 45 points / 15th
2011 – 41.5 points / T16th
2012 – 49.5 points / 13th
2013 – 70.5 points / fifth
2014 – DNC
2015 – 45 points / 13th
2016 – DNC
2017 – DNC

RANKED WRESTLERS AT MIDLANDS

Some teams are not bringing full rosters. These are the wrestlers from the teams who have indicated they will have competitors entered. Rankings are from Intermat on Dec. 25 (2017 Midlands finish):
125
1 – Spencer Lee, Iowa (6^th unattached)
2 – Sebastsian Rivera, Northwestern (3^rd)
3 – Ronnie Bresser, Oregon State (2^nd)
6 – Sean Russell, Minnesota (5^th)
7 – Sean Fausz, North Carolina State
8 – Ryan Millhof, Arizona State
11 – Drew Mattin, Michigan
14 – Travis Piotrowski, Illinois
15 – Patrick Glory, Princeton
18 – Devin Schroder, Purdue (8^th)
19 – Connor Brown, Wisconsin

133
1 – Seth Gross, SDSU (1^st – Most Outstanding Wrestler)
2 – Stevan Micic, Michigan
3 – Nick Suriano, Rutgers
4 – Tariq Wilson, North Carolina State
7 – Luke Pletcher, Ohio State
8 – Ethan Lizak, Minnesota
11 – Austin DeSanto, Iowa
13 – Chas Tucker, Cornell
17 – Dylan Duncan, Illinois (5^th)
18 – Ben Thornton, Purdue

141
1 – Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell
2 – Joey McKenna, Ohio State
5 – Mitchell McKee, Minnesota
6 – Mike Carr, Illinois
7 – Kanen Storr, Michigan
9 – Josh Alber, UNI
10 – Bryan Lantry, Buffalo (2^nd at 133 pounds)
13 – Sa'Derian Perry, Old Dominion
14 – Tristan Moran, Wisconsin
15 – Jamal Morris, North Carolina State
16 – Cole Weaver, Indiana (2^nd)
20 – Max Murin, Iowa (5^th – unattached)

149
1 – Matthew Kolodzik, Princeton (6^th)
2 – Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers
3 – Micah Jordan, Ohio State
5 – Austin O'Connor, North Carolina (7^th)
6 – Mitch Finesilver, Duke
8 – Pat Lugo, Iowa (4^th)
9 – Max Thomsen, UNI
11 – Josh Maruca, Arizona State
14 – Josh Heil, Campbeill
15 – Anthony Artalona, Penn
16 – Alfred Bannister, Maryland
18 – Henry Pohlmeyer, SDSU
19 – Cole Martin, Wisconsin
20 – Tommy Thorn, Minnesota

157
2 – Ryan Deakin, Northwestern (3^rd at 149 pounds)
3 – Larry Early, Old Dominion (8^th)
6 – Alec Pantaleo, Michigan
7 – Ke-Shawn Hayes, Ohio State
8 – Kaleb Young, Iowa
9 – Griffin Parriott, Purdue
11 – Steve Bleise, Minnesota (8^th at 149 pounds – unattached)
13 – Eric Barone, Illinois
15 – Christian Pagdilao, Arizona State
16 – Lucas Weiland, Army West Point
17 – John Van Brill, Rutgers (3^rd)

165
2 – Evan Wick, Wisconsin
4 – Alex Marinelli, Iowa (1^st)
5 – Josh Shields, Arizona State (2^nd at 157 pounds)
7 – Logan Massa, Michigan
12 – Bryce Steiert, UNI
14 – Kennedy Monday, North Carolina
15 – Joey Gunter, Illinois
17 – Andrew Fogarty, NDSU
19 – Jonathan Viruet, Brown

174
2 – Zahid Valencia, Arizona State (1^st)
3 – Myles Amine, Michigan
8 – Taylor Lujan, UNI
10 – Johnny Sebastian, Northwestern
11 – Ryan Christensen, Wisconsin
12 – Ben Harvey, West Point
13 – Dylan Lydy, Purdue (3^rd)
15 – Devin Skatzka, Minnesota (8^th – Indiana)
16 – Ethan Smith, Ohio State
20 – Seldon Wright, Old Dominion

184
1 – Myles Martin, Ohio State
2 – Emery Parker, Illinois (1^st)
7 – Drew Foster, UNI
11 – Chip Ness, North Carolina
12 – Nick Gravina, Rutgers (6^th)
14 – Cash Wilcke, Iowa (1^st)
18 – Jelani Embree, Michigan
19 – Noah Stewart, Army
20 – Nordell Norfleet, Arizona State

197
2 – Kollin Moore, Ohio State
3 – Patrick Brucki, Princeton
4 – Jacob Warner, Iowa (6^th – unattached)
6 – Rocco Caywood, Army
9 – Christian Brunner, Purdue (3^rd)
19 – Corey Griego, Oregon State
20 – Anthony McLaughlin, Air Force

285
1 – Sam Stoll, Iowa (1^st)
2 – Gable Steveson, Minnesota
4 – Youssif Hemida, Maryland (3^rd)
8 – Trent Hillger, Wisconsin
11 – Jake Gunning, Buffalo
15 – Cory Daniel, North Carolina
18 – Chase Singletary, Ohio State
19 – Matt Stencl, Central Michigan (4^th – had fastest fall)

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