University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Arizona State
UNI wrestling stays unbeaten with road win over Sun Devils
1/17/2025 10:15:00 PM | Wrestling
Panthers score six bonus-point wins in rout of Arizona State. UNI heads to Cyclone Open on Sunday before hosting No. 3 Oklahoma State next Friday night.
TEMPE, Ariz. --- The UNI wrestling team won its 11th consecutive dual overall and ninth of the season on Friday night as the Panthers rolled to a 33-10 win in the desert over the Arizona State Sun Devils in Big 12 Conference action.
For a fifth straight dual, Northern Iowa posted over 30 team points, and also earned bonus points in six of its seven wins, thanks to a stretch of three straight technical falls late in the dual. UNI is now out to an 9-0 start in dual competition for the second time under head coach Doug Schwab and first time since the undefeated 2013-14 dual season (13-0).
Friday night was also a milestone dual for Schwab, who coached his 200th dual as leader of the Panther Train. Only Chuck Patten (316) and Don Briggs (212) have coached more duals at UNI.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Trever Anderson would start the night for the Panthers at 125 pounds with a tall task against reigning NCAA champion and second-ranked Richard Figueroa. After falling behind 6-2, Anderson, who scored on five escapes throughout the match, would cut into Figueroa's lead late and score a takedown in the final ten seconds before coming up short in a narrow 11-8 loss.
At 133 pounds, Julian Farber rallied in the final 45 seconds of the match against Julian Chlebove. Farber would score an escape in each of the first two periods before taking down his opponent in the final minute of the bout, holding off Chelbove's late offense to put the Panthers on the board with a 5-4 win.
Cael Happel (141 pounds) would overcome a slow start and scoreless first period against Daniel Miranda, scoring on an early second period escape before turning on the jets with a pair of takedowns for a 7-1 advantage and adding four additional takedowns in the final two minutes of the match to roll to a 19-5 major decision for UNI's first bonus-point win of the night and Happel's tenth bonus-point victory of the season.
Moving to 149 pounds, Colin Realbuto faced an early deficit against two-time NCAA qualifier and 16th ranked Jesse Vasquez, giving up an early takedown and four back points in the first period. Realbuto would slowly climb back into the match with a pair of escapes, followed by a second period takedown to cut Vasquez's lead to three points. In the third frame, after a Vasquez escape, Realbuto scored a takedown but would pin his opponent on his back second later for the fall, his second pin of the year.
Ryder Downey (157 pounds) dominated his match against Michael Kilic, posting a takedown and four back points in the first period for an early 7-0 lead. Downey would add four additional back points to extend his lead to 11-0, followed by a three-point nearfall and final takedown for an impressive 17-1 technical fall, staying a perfect 7-0 in duals this season and 12th in bonus points.
The Sun Devils would get their second win of the night at 165 pounds as Nicco Ruiz jumped on top of Jack Thomsen with a first period takedown and early escape in the second for a 4-0 lead. Thomsen would only be able to manage an escape in the third as Ruiz added another takedown and riding time for an 8-1 win.
Northern Iowa kicked off a string of three consecutive technical falls at 174 pounds as Jared Simma scored a pair of takedowns in the first period on Max Wilner. In the second stanza, Simma dominated Wilner with five takedowns to roll to a 21-5 tech fall for his 17th victory of the season.
Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds) dominated Cael Valencia with an offensive clinic in just over four and a half minutes, overcoming a brief deficit with four first period takedowns and an escape before adding four additional takedowns in the second for a 25-9 technical fall. Keckeisen's 25 points in the match are tied for the most in his career as he improved to 14-0 on the year with his 48th consecutive regular season win.
Wyatt Voelker (197 pounds) cruised past Max Acciardi, picking up two takedowns in the opening period before adding two more in the second for a 12-3 lead. In the third, with an escape and two additional takedowns, Voelker rolled to seventh straight victory with a 19-4 tech fall in his tenth bonus-point win of the season.
Lance Runyon would face a step challenge to close the night out at heavyweight, taking on four-time All-American and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Cohlton Schultz. After nearly scoring his own takedown in the first, Runyon would give up a takedown to Schultz before scoring himself a reversal. Schultz would show off his size and power down the stretch with a takedown in each of the final two frames and riding out Runyon for a 13-3 major decision.
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UP NEXT
The Panthers will return to the mats on Sunday as they compete at the Cyclone Open in Ames. Competition is slated to begin at Hilton Coliseum at 10 a.m. CT with live results available on TrackWrestling.
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FINAL RESULTS (Intermat / FloWrestling rankings listed)
No. 5 UNI 33, RV ARIZONA STATE 10
- 125 | #2/2 Richard Figueroa (ASU) dec. #30/21 Trever Anderson (UNI), 11-8
- 133 | #NR/21 Julian Farber (UNI) dec. #23/22 Julian Chlebove (ASU), 5-4
- 141 | #5/5 Cael Happel (UNI) maj. dec. Daniel Miranda (ASU), 19-5 MD
- 149 | #19/17 Colin Realbuto (UNI) pins #18/16 Jesse Vasquez (ASU), Fall 5:53
- 157 | #4/4 Ryder Downey (UNI) tech falls Michael Kilic (ASU), 17-1 TF
- 165 | #15/12 Nicco Ruiz (ASU) dec. #19/17 Jack Thomsen (UNI), 8-1
- 174 | #16/16 Jared Simma (UNI) tech falls Max Wilner (ASU), 21-5 TF
- 184 | #2/2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) tech falls Cael Valencia (ASU), 25-9 TF
- 197 | #14/12 Wyatt Voelker (UNI) tech falls Max Acciardi (ASU), 19-4 TF
- HWT | #5/8 Cohlton Schultz (ASU) maj. dec. #16/17 Lance Runyon (UNI), 13-3 MD
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UNI wrestling action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (University of Northern Iowa Wrestling), X (@UNI_wrestling) and on Instagram (@uni_panther_wrestling). Check out the latest Panther news and information online at UNIpanthers.com.
Players Mentioned
