UNI wrestling matches up with high talent ahead of NWCA Collegiate Duals

No. 25 UNI wrestling (0-1 / 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 10 Ohio State (4-1 / 0-0 Big Ten)

Dec. 19, 2023 | 2 p.m. CT
Nashville, Tenn. | Montgomery Bell Academy
Rokfin (Watch - $)

No. 25 UNI wrestling (0-1 / 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 2 North Carolina State (7-0 / 0-0 ACC)

Dec. 19, 2023 | 4 p.m. CT
Nashville, Tenn. | Montgomery Bell Academy
Rokfin (Watch - $)

No. 25 UNI wrestling (0-1 / 0-0 Big 12) vs. Lock Haven (0-2 / 0-0 MAC)

Dec. 19, 2023 | 6 p.m. CT
Nashville, Tenn. | Montgomery Bell Academy
Rokfin (Watch - $)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI wrestling prepares for a key day of dual competition on Tuesday afternoon as the Panther Train takes on a trio of well rounded opponents in the 2023 NWCA Collegiate Duals in Nashville.

Live coverage of all three duals can be found online through Rokfin with a subscription.

Competing in the event for the third consecutive year, the Panthers will look to replicate their success from 2022 when they picked up dual victories over then-No. 3 Ohio State and Lock Haven in New Orleans. UNI returns three wrestlers from last year's Collegiate Duals in Cael Happel (141 pounds), Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds) and Tyrell Gordon (285 pounds).

Northern Iowa will seek to knock off Ohio State for a second consecutive season and for a fourth straight dual to open competition. The Panthers are expecting a pair of rematches from last year's Collegiate Duals, with Happel looking to stay unbeaten against #4/4 Dylan D'Emilio after a pair of sudden victories over his Buckeye challenger last season at 141 pounds. Gordon defeated OSU's #18/18 Nick Feldman twice in 2022 in the heavyweight class, both by a score of 3-2 at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and Collegiate Duals.

Matching up with North Carolina State, the Panthers look for their first win against the Wolfpack since 1989 with two potential rematches on tap. Happel is slated to for a 2022 Collegiate Duals rematch with #4/4 Ryan Jack at 141 pounds, while Gordon prepares to do the same against #17/16 Owen Trephan. The Wolfpack have rolled to 7-0 start in dual meets, outscoring their opponents 247-30.

Squaring off against Lock Haven, Northern Iowa looks to maintain its 4-0 record all-time against the Bald Eagles, scoring a 36-3 win last December in New Orleans. Keckeisen and Gordon are both expected to face 2022 Collegiate Dual rematches against Colin Fegley and Ethan Miller respectively.

As a team, the Panthers will have the opportunity to make history with its next two dual victories, sitting two wins shy of the program's 800th dual win.

Six Panthers head into Tuesday's action ranked in both the Intermat and FloWrestling rankings:

125 | #32/31 Trever Anderson (4-4)
133 | #17/21 Julian Farber (7-4)
141 | #9/9 Cael Happel (7-3)
157 | #12/12 Ryder Downey (6-2)
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (10-0)
285 | #9/12 Tyrell Gordon (1-0)

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
The Buckeyes six of its nine NCAA qualifiers from 2023 in Jesse Mendez (133), Dylan D'Emilio (141), Sammy Sasso (149), Paddy Gallagher (157), Carson Kharchla (165), Gavin Hoffman (184) and Tate Orndorff (285). OSU placed fourth at the NCAAs as a team following their fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships with Sasso securing the Buckeyes' lone individual conference title.

Ohio State rolled to victory in their first four duals of the season by a combined score of 177-12 before falling at home to #13 Pittsburgh, 21-13 last week in Columbus. In open competition, D'Emilio (149), Gallagher (157), Rocco Welsh (174) and Nick Feldman (285) opened the season for Ohio State by winning titles at the Clarion open in November. Mendez topped the podium for the Buckeyes at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at 141 pounds.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
The Wolfpack returns all nine of its NCAA qualifiers from 2023 in Jarrett Trombley (125), Kai Orine (133), Ryan Jack (141), Jackson Arrington (149), Ed Scott (157), Alex Faison (174), Trent Hidlay (184), Isaac Trumble (197) and Owen Trephan (285). Orine, Scott and Hidlay all earned All-American recognition. North Carolina State placed tenth at the NCAA's as a team following their fifth consecutive ACC Championships, and come to Nashville a perfect 7-0 in duals, outscoring their opponents 247-30.

NC State's top dual win this year came back on Nov. 11 in a 37-3 neutral site win over No. 25 Purdue. In open competition, Orine (133) and Hidlay (184) both won titles for the Wolfpack at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in late November, the lone open tournament on NC State's schedule this season.

LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES
Lock Haven returns three of its four NCAA qualifiers from last season in Anthony Noto (125), Gable Stickland (133) and Tyler Stoltzfus (174). Noto placed fourth at the NCAA Championships last March to earn All-American honors as the Bald Eagles placed fourth overall.

Lock Haven also returns nine starters from its 2023 MAC championship team, including conference title holders in Noto and Strickland. The Bald Eagles have dropped their only two duals of the season this season back in November to Arizona State and Army at the Journeyman Wranglemania in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Wyatt Henson meanwhile claimed the 141-pound title at LHU's Mat-Town Open I on Nov. 26, while Noto won the 125-pound bracket at George Mason's Patriot Open two weeks ago.

PROJECTED LINEUPS (Intermat / FloWrestling rankings listed)

UNI Panthers

125 | #32/31 Trever Anderson
133 | #17/21 Julian Farber
141 | #9/9 Cael Happel
149 | Adam Allard OR Cael Rahnavardi
157 | #12/12 Ryder Downey
165 | Evan Yant OR RJ Weston
174 | Jared Simma
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen
197 | Kalob Runyon
285 | #9/12 Tyrell Gordon OR Jose Valdez

Ohio State Buckeyes

125 | #26/29 Brendan McCrone OR Vinny Kileary
133 | #12/12 Nic Bouzakis OR Andre Gonzales
141 | #3/3 Jesse Mendez OR Brandon Cannon
149 | #4/4 Dylan D'Emilio OR Brock Herman
157 | #13/13 Paddy Gallagher
165 | #21/24 Isaac Wilcox OR Bryce Hepner
174 | Rocco Welsh OR Carter Chase
184 | #16/16 Gavin Hoffman OR Seth Shumate OR Ryder Rogotzke
197 | #23/19 Luke Geog
285 | #18/18 Nick Feldman OR Hogan Swenski

North Carolina State Wolfpack

125 | #1/2 Jakob Camacho
133 | #5/5 Kai Orine OR Jarrett Trombley
141 | #4/4 Ryan Jack OR Koy Buesgens
149 | #5/5 Jackson Arrington OR Ryan Jack
157 | #6/6 Ed Scott
165 | AJ Kovacs OR Derek Fields
174 | #23/28 Alex Faison
184 | #15/12 Dylan Fishback OR Brock DelSignore
197 | #4/2 Trent Hidlay
285 | #17/16 Owen Trephan or Chase Horne

Lock Haven Bald Eagles

125 | #2/5 Anthony Noto
133 | Gable Strickland
141 | Zack Zeamer
149 | Nick Stonecheck OR Ty Linsenbigler
157 | Connor Eck OR J.T. Hogan
165 | Eric Alderfer
174 | Tyler Stoltzfus
184 | Colin Fegley OR Cael Black
197 | Brad Morrison
285 | Ethan Miller

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