University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI wrestling: Cael Happel earns first Big 12 weekly honor
11/22/2022 11:15:00 AM | Wrestling
Sophomore clinched 141-pound title at Daktronics Open last weekend, knocking off top-five opponent in championship
IRVING, TEX. --- UNI wrestler Cael Happel has been named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning. The selection is the first weekly conference honor of Happel's career.
Happel earns conference recognition after clinching the 141-pound title at the Daktronics Open in Brookings, S.D. over the weekend, which saw him pick up his first four victories of the season. The sophomore clinched the title in an 8-6 decision over South Dakota State's Clay Carlson, who entered the Daktronics Open ranked fifth in the InterMat national rankings. Happel also earned a pair of falls in the first two rounds, including a 56 second pin of Iowa State's Jacob Frost in the quarterfinal round.
An alternate at 141 pounds at last year's NCAA Championships, Happel's victory in South Dakota was his second open win of his career after claiming the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open a year ago. Happel now holds a 21-10 overall record in his UNI career after last Saturday's win.
Happel, a sophomore from Lisbon, Iowa and Lisbon Community High School is the son of Dean and Dawn Happel. The accounting major also has one brother, Carter.
Happel and the Panthers return to action on Nov. 26 at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open in Ames. Competition begins at 9 a.m. CT with live results available on TrackWrestling.
Happel earns conference recognition after clinching the 141-pound title at the Daktronics Open in Brookings, S.D. over the weekend, which saw him pick up his first four victories of the season. The sophomore clinched the title in an 8-6 decision over South Dakota State's Clay Carlson, who entered the Daktronics Open ranked fifth in the InterMat national rankings. Happel also earned a pair of falls in the first two rounds, including a 56 second pin of Iowa State's Jacob Frost in the quarterfinal round.
An alternate at 141 pounds at last year's NCAA Championships, Happel's victory in South Dakota was his second open win of his career after claiming the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open a year ago. Happel now holds a 21-10 overall record in his UNI career after last Saturday's win.
Happel, a sophomore from Lisbon, Iowa and Lisbon Community High School is the son of Dean and Dawn Happel. The accounting major also has one brother, Carter.
Happel and the Panthers return to action on Nov. 26 at the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open in Ames. Competition begins at 9 a.m. CT with live results available on TrackWrestling.
Players Mentioned
Wrestler
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