UNI wrestling earns four top-15 seeds at 2022 NCAAs

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - UNI wrestling earned four top-15 seeds at the 2022 NCAA Championships set for March 17-19 in Detroit.

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. In addition, Cael Happel has earned a spot as the alternate. Happel will travel with the team and be eligible to step into the 141-pound bracket if another qualifier forfeits.

THE MATCHUPS (seed) #NCAA rank / RPI

125: (15) # 14/10 Brody Teske vs. (18) Noah Surtin (Missouri)

Teske is a two-time Big 12 finalist and returning to his second NCAA championships. He pinned Surtin in a Dec. 4 dual. Surtin was seventh at the Big 12 Championships.

133: (14) #16/9 Kyle Biscoglia vs. (19) Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga Tennessee)

Biscoglia makes his first NCAA appearance after earning Big 12 runner-up honors. Pamer was the runner-up in the Southern Conference Championships and is also making his first trip to the NCAAs.

149: (20) #22/19 Colin Realbuto vs. (13) Beau Bartlett (Penn State)

Realbuto avenged a loss to Iowa State's Jarrett Degen to secure bronze at the Big 12 Championships. He competed for Italy at the 2021 Senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway. Bartlett, a sophomore, grabbed a final takedown in the Big Ten Championships to grab the final automatic qualifying spot at No. 7.

157: (33) NR/31 Derek Holschlag vs. (32) Jordan Slivka (Ohio)

Holschlag will be the first Panther to compete at the NCAA tournament with a pigtail match against Slivka, who earned an at-large bid. Slivka went 22-5 on the season. It will be the first NCAA tournament for both competitors. Holschlag was sixth at the Big 12 Championships and has a win over No. 12 Wyatt Sheets of Oklahoma State.

165: (15) #12/7 Austin Yant vs. (18) Anthony Valencia (Arizona State)

It will be the first meeting between the two wrestlers. Valencia was seventh at last year's NCAAs and received an at-large spot for this year's tournament. Valencia earned a spot on Mexico's Senior World Team. Yant is a three-time Big 12 medalist, taking third place this year. He is a two-time NCAA qualifier with three top-25 wins.

174: (18) #22/NA Lance Runyon vs. (15) Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma)

It will be a rematch of Runyon's final match prior to the NCAA championships. Mantanona edged out Runyon for a chance at the bronze medal at the Big 12 Championships. Runyon medically forfeited his final bout to take sixth. Runyon is 1-2 against Mantanona having pinned him in 2 minutes, 10 seconds in their first meeting in 2021. Mantanona has taken the last two this season in a 9-6 decision in a dual and by an 8-4 decision at Big 12s.

184: (4) #4/3 Parker Keckeisen vs. (29) Chris Weiler (Wisconsin)

Keckesein is UNI's only returning all-American. He took third last year and was UNI's highest placing freshman since 1952. He became the third Panther to earn two Big 12 titles last weekend. His major decision win in the final dual of the season over Weiler was the start of Keckeisen's five-match win streak by major decision. He is currently on a 14-bout win streak, having earned bonus points in 11 of them. Keckeisen's only two career losses are to the returning NCAA champion, Aaron Brooks of Penn State. Weiler is a four-time NCAA qualifier who transferred from Lehigh to Wisconsin.

285: (33) #33/31 Tyrell Gordon vs. (32) Matt Cover (Princeton)

Gordon is the second Panther to receive a pigtail match to open the tournament. In his first season in the heavyweight division, Gordon faced nine top-25 opponents this season, the most of any Panther. Gordon re-entered the lineup for the Big 12 Championships after sitting out the final two duals of the season due to injury. This will be the first matchup between the wrestlers. Cover is making his NCAA Championship debut after earning an at-large bid.

COACH SCHWAB AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
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.

Team finishes under 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

Calendar

Upcoming Events