UNI wrestling: One Panther in contention for NCAA All-America honors

UNI wrestling at 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Little Caesars Arena (20,491) | Detroit, Michigan
March 17-19

Session 1 attendance: 17,207
Session 2 attendance: 17,433
Session 3 attendance: 17,497

March 18 (CT):

7-10 p.m. - semifinals - 6 mats (ESPN)

March 19 (CT):

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. medal round - 4 mats (ESPNU)
6-9 p.m. championship (ESPN)

DETROIT, Mich. - UNI wrestling's Parker Keckeisen remains in contention for a bronze at the NCAA Division I Wrestling at 184 pounds, and the team is holding on to a top-20 spot.

"We've got one guy left, and that guy's our leader," said head coach Doug Schwab. "We will be here, and we will rally behind him, and he will continue to lead the way like he has for our team all year."

Keckeisen, UNI's returning All-American, was bumped into the consolations with a 6-5 loss to All-American No. 5 seed Bernie Truax of Cal Poly. Truax was fourth at 174 pounds last year. Keckeisen was third at 184 pounds in 2021.

Up next, Keckeisen will face No. 10 seed Taylor Venz of Nebraska. Venz was fourth at 184 pounds in the 2018 NCAA Championships. He is the final Panther competing at the championships. One win tonight will secure him a place on the podium.

Brody Teske avenged two losses to Penn State's Drew Hildebrant at 125 pounds. Hildebrandt sent Teske into the consolations last year in a 6-4 decision that was decided in sudden victory. Teske was eliminated in the next match with a 7-0 loss to Patrick McKee of Minnesota, who ended Teske's championship run last year as well.

Colin Realbuto, seeded No. 20 at 149 pounds, knocked off No. 14 seed Josh Finesilver of Duke in an 8-4 decision before No. 6 seed Jonathan Millner of Appalachian State eliminated Realbuto with a 4-0 decision.

Austin Yant, who earned a No. 15 seed at 165 pounds, also opened with his third win of the season over No. 16 Luke Weber of North Dakota State, but wasn't able to get the win over Philip Conigliaro of Harvard.

At 174 pounds, Lance Runyon also opened the day with a win, beating No. 17 seed Nick Incontrera of Penn, 8-2. He slipped from the grasp of No. 8 seed Mickey O'Malley of Drexel once, but O'Malley got the fall in 3 minutes, 33 seconds.

Kyle Biscoglia was the first Panther to be eliminated with a 3-1 loss to the 133-pound Pac-12 runner-up Chance Rich of CSU Bakersfield.

Action resumes at 7 p.m. CT tonight.

RESULTS (seed) #NCAA rank
125 | (15) #14 Brody Teske - DNP

W - (18) Noah Surtin (Missouri) 5-3
L - (2) Vito Arujau (Cornell) 9-3
W - (16) Drew Hildebrandt (Penn State) 8-4
L - Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 7-0

133 | (14) #16 Kyle Biscoglia - DNP

W - (19) Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga Tennessee) 2:35 F
L - (3) Michael McGee (Arizona State) 10-4
L - (20) Chance Rich (CSUB) 3-1

149 | (20) #22 Colin Realbuto - DNP

L - (13) Beau Bartlett (Penn State) 5-4
W - (29) John Arceri (Buffalo) 2:16 F
W - (14) Josh Finesilver (Duke) 8-4
L - (6) Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) 4-0

165 | (15) #12 Austin Yant - DNP

L - (18) Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) 6-3
W - (31) Caleb Fish (Michigan State) 6-2
W - Luke Weber (North Dakota State) 3-2
L - (8) Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) 7-2

174 | (18) #22 Lance Runyon - DNP

W - (15) Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma) 4:14 F
L - (2) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) 8-5
W - (17) Nick Incontrera (Penn) 8-2
L - (8) Mickey O'Malley (Drexel) 3:33 F

184 | (4) #4 Parker Keckeisen

W - (29) Chris Weiler (Wisconsin) 13-4 MD
W - (13) Kyle Cochran (Maryland) 9-3
L - (5) Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) 6-5
Next - (10) Taylor Venz (Nebraska)

TEAM SCORES
1. Penn State 73
2. Michigan 62.5
3. Arizona State 53
4. Iowa 37.5
5. NC State 37
6. Cornell 34.5
7. Virginia Tech 31
8. Ohio State 29.5
9. Missouri 28
10. Nebraska 27.5
19. UNI 17

PANTHER NOTES

Schwab took over the UNI wrestling program in the 2011 season. The highest finish for the Panthers under his helm was in 2019 with a 13th-place finish and six qualifiers.

The Panthers are on a four-tournament streak of having at least one All-American. It's the 14th-longest streak in the nation.

The Panthers qualified eight wrestlers, the most since UNI sent nine in 2008. UNI head coach Doug Schwab has taken seven qualifiers from 2020, 2017 and 2014.

Schwab at NCAAs:

2011: T41st - 4 qualifiers / 1 All-American
2012: 34th - 5 qualifiers / 0 All-Americans
2013: T15th - 4 qualifiers / 2 All-Americans
2014: 15th - 7 qualifiers / 3 All-American
2015: 34th - 4 qualifiers / 0 All-Americans
2016: 25th - 5 qualifiers / 1 All-American
2017: 18th - 7 qualifiers / 2 All-Americans
2018: T24th - 6 qualifiers / 1 All-American
2019: T13 - 6 qualifiers / 1 All-American
2020: N/A - 7 qualifiers / 5 All-Americans *
2021: 19th - 6 qualifiers / 1 All-American

* no tournament / seeded wrestlers earned All-America titles

Team scores under Schwab:

2021: 24.5 - 19th
2019: 40.5 points - 14th
2018: 20 points – T24th
2017: 25.5 points – 18th
2016: 17.5 points – T25th
2015: 9 points – 34th
2014: 40 points – 15th
2013: 34 points – T15th
2012: 12 points – 34th
2011: 5.5 points – 46th

FROM FIRST DAY

157 | (33) Derek Holschlag - DNP

W - (32) Jordan Slivka (Ohio) 10-4
L - (1) David Carr (Iowa State) 21-6 TF (7:00)
L - (16) Brady Berge (Penn State) 15-7 MD

285 | (33) #33 Tyrell Gordon - DNP

W - (32) Matt Cover (Princeton) 4-2
L - (1) Gable Steveson (Minnesota) 25-10 TF (6:09)
L - (17) Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) 8-0 MD

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