University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Columbia
Panther wrestling hosts Columbia in Sunday matinee
12/8/2023 11:56:00 AM | Wrestling
UNI takes on Columbia in the first dual of the 2023-24 season. Tickets now available for purchase.
 No. 16 UNI wrestling (0-0 / 0-0 Big 12) vs. Columbia (0-2 / 0-0 EIWA)
- Dec. 10, 2023
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- FloWrestling/CFU Channel 15 (Watch)
- TrackWrestling (Results)
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI's first dual of its 100th anniversary season comes knocking on Sunday afternoon as the Panthers battle the Columbia Lions for the first time in program history inside the McLeod Center.
Live coverage of the dual can be found on FloWrestling as well as CFU Channel 15. Live results will also be available online through TrackWrestling. Tickets can be purchased online at UNIpanthers.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at 319-273-4849.
Fans are encouraged to donate during this year's annual Toys For Tots drive and can receive a free ticket to UNI's January 13 home dual against Utah Valley. Holiday photos with Santa will also be taken on the McLeod Center concourse.
Sunday's dual marks UNI's first November/December dual since Nov. 24, 2019 against Nebraska. The Panthers went 7-5 overall in duals last season, including a 5-3 mark against Big 12 opponents and 3-2 at home.Â
Northern Iowa has crowned 17 open champions at the Grand View, Daktronics and Jim Koch Opens, as well as the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational leading into its first dual of the 2023-24 season:
- Grand View Open Champions: Bowen Downey & Brandon Paez (125-Fresh/Soph), RJ Weston (157-Open), Izzy Moreno (165-Fresh/Soph), Nick Fox (174-Fresh/Soph), Parker Keckeisen (184-Open), CJ Walrath (184-Fresh/Soph)
- Daktronics Open Champions: Cael Happel (141), Adam Allard (149), Ryder Downey (157), Jared Simma (174), Wyatt Voelker (197)
- Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Champions: Parker Keckeisen (184)
- Jim Koch Open Champions: Connor Thorpe (141), RJ Weston (157), Jack Thomsen & Izzy Moreno (165), CJ Walrath (184), Kalob Runyon (197)
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Five Panthers head into Sunday's matchup ranked in both the Intermat and FloWrestling rankings:
- 133 | #17/21 Julian Farber (7-3)
- 141 | #6/7 Cael Happel (7-2)
- 157 | #12/12 RJ Weston (5-2)
- 184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (9-0)
- 285 | #9/12 Tyrell Gordon (0-0)
Sunday's dual is also expected to see a probable rematch at 141 pounds from this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with No. 6/7 Cael Happel taking on Kai Owen. Happel pinned Owen in three minutes, 30 seconds in the opening round of competition in the desert en route to a fourth-place finish.
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The Lions come to Cedar Falls amid a challenging dual schedule to open the season, including home losses to both then No. 9 Michigan and No. 6 Ohio State. Columbia will wrestle at No. 4 Iowa on Friday night.
Columbia returns four of its six qualifiers from the 2023 NCAA Championships, including Nick Babin (125), Angelo Rini (133), Joshua Ogunsanya (165) and Lennox Wolak (184). Eight Lions made the podium at last year's EIWA Championships with the program matching its best-ever team finish in fourth-place.
At the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Babin, along with Aaron Ayzerov (184), Jack Wehmeyer (197) and Nolan Neves (285) all made the consolation round of eight. Ayzerov recorded Columbia's big win of the tournament with a 9-1 major decision against No. 3 Christopher Foca (Cornell) in the consolations.
ÂPROBABLE MATCHUPS (Intermat / FloWrestling rankings listed)
- 125 | Trever Anderson (UNI) vs. #27/20 Nick Babin or Sulayman Bah (Columbia)
- 133 | #17/21 Julian Farber (UNI) vs. #11/11 Angelo Rini (Columbia)
- 141 | #6/7 Cael Happel (UNI) vs. Kai Owen (Columbia)
- 149 | Adam Allard (UNI) vs. Richard Fedalen (Columbia)
- 157 | #12/12 Ryder Downey (UNI) vs. Jaden Le or Andy Garr (Columbia)
- 165 | Evan Yant or RJ Weston (UNI) vs. Kyle Mosher (Columbia)
- 174 | Jared Simma (UNI) vs. #26/13 Lennox Wolak or Garret Bilgrav (Columbia)
- 184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) vs. #31/22 Aaron Ayzerov or Jack McGill (Columbia)
- 197 | Kalob Runyon (UNI) vs. #27/33 Jack Wehmeyer or Adam Haselius (Columbia)
- 285 | Jose Valdez or #9/12 Tyrell Gordon vs. Bill McChesney (Columbia)
Players Mentioned
