University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
CSU Bakersfield
Panther wrestling rolls on opening day of 2026 NWCA National Duals
1/9/2026 7:59:00 PM | Wrestling
UNI shuts out Cal State Bakersfield and Ohio on day one of Pool B action. Panthers return to the mats Saturday morning against Bloomsburg
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI wrestling team opened the 2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships in style on Friday, rolling to dominant shutout victories over Cal State Bakersfield (44-0) and Ohio (43-0) inside the UNI-Dome.
Northern Iowa racked up four pins on the day and 15 of its 20 match victories in bonus points in Pool B competition. The Panthers' two victories marked the first UNI has posted 40+ team points in consecutive duals since the 2012-13 season (Iowa Western, Northern Colorado).
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
Trever Anderson started the action facing Richard Castro-Sandoval at 125 pounds. After getting taken down in the first period, Anderson fought back getting an escape and takedown, turning Castro-Sandoval for two additional near fall points. Starting on top in the second period, Anderson rode out Castro-Sandoval the whole period securing a riding time point. Earning an early escape in the third, Anderson snagged a final takedown to secure the major decision victory, 11-3.
At 133 pounds, Julian Farber earned a technical fall victory over Robert Jones. After giving up an early takedown, Farber responded right away with a reversal. In the second period Farber escaped right off the whistle, and took Jones down to his back and secured four near fall points. Farber took down Jones and let him up, finishing with the sequence one more time to earn the 23-6 technical fall in the third period.
Cory Land took on Santino Sanchez at 141 pounds. With an early takedown from Land, Sanchez got an escape. Land snagged an additional takedown and put Sanchez to his back for two near fall points. After a scoreless second period, Sanchez got a final takedown, Land defended to secure his 8-4 victory.
Back on the mat for the Panthers, Caleb Rathjen battled Hayden Zinkin at 149 pounds. With a scoreless first period, Rathjen earned a quick escape in the second and snagged a takedown to take a 4-0 lead into the third. Caleb secured a major decision win with a final takedown in the third period.
At 157 pounds Cael Rahnavardi put up a dominant performance against Devyn Flores-Che. Leading 12-0 in the second period, Rahnavardi turned Flores-Che to his back, securing a pin in four minutes, 31 seconds
Ryder Downey earned a major decision victory over Evan Manzo at 165 pounds. After fighting back from a first period takedown, Downey escaped to narrow the lead. In the second period, Downey escaped again and snagged a takedown with Manzo escaping. With an early takedown, Downey locked Manzo in a tilt and earned four back points, Downey switched position and earned another set of four near fall points. Manzo escapes in the final seconds, as Downey finishes with a 17-4 major decision.
Jared Simma shut out Guillermo Escobedo at 174 pounds in a 13-0 major decision. Earning a takedown and two near fall points, Simma switched positions to gain another set of near fall points closing out the first period in a 9-0 lead. Simma earned a takedown in the second period and secured a riding time point to close out the match, winning with a 13-0 major decision.
At 184 pounds Nick Fox earned his first victory of the season with a second period fall over Jeremy Manibog. With a takedown off the whistle, Fox let up and took down Manibog two more times to lead 9-2 into the second period. Fox escaped from a bottom start, earned a takedown, to stick Manibog on his back and secure the pin in three and a half minutes.
At 197 pounds, Carson Babcock took on Chris Neal. Keeping the pace high, Babcock earned a takedown in the first period and continued his attacks into the second period where he earned another takedown and three near fall points, leading 9-0 to start the third. Neal earned an escape, Babcock followed with a final takedown to secure a 17-1 technical fall victory.
At heavyweight Grant Stromberg defeated Mason Cover 4-0 with an escape and takedown to secure the shutout win for the Panthers.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. OHIO
In a tight match-up Anderson defeated Brayden Teunissen 3-0 at 125 pounds. Following at 133 pounds, Farber battled back after an early takedown against Ryan Meek. Farber was able to turn Meek for a fall in the final seconds of the first period.
At 141 pounds, Land pushed the pace against Austin McKee, earning a quick takedown and twelve total near fall points in the first period securing a 15-0 technical fall victory.
Ethan Basile defeated Paul Woo by a 6-2 score at 149 pounds, while Cael Rahnavardi battled Dominic Serio at 157 pounds. After giving up an early takedown in the first period, Rahnavardi escaped early in the second and attacked right away earning a reversal to end the first period. Escaping early in the second, Rahnavardi snagged a takedown and turned Serio for two near fall points. Serio escaped and got a takedown, Rahnavardi was able to kick up offense and earn a final takedown to secure the 16-7 major decision victory.
At 165 pounds, Downey controlled the match-up against Jack Lledo. Earning an early takedown and near fall points, Downey rolled to an 18-1 major decision over Lledo.
Simma took on Jeremy Olszko at 174 pounds. Battling back from an early takedown by his opponent, Simma was able to come back and defeat Olszko with a 12-2 major decision victory.
At 184 pounds, Fox earned his second fall of the day in the first period against Drew Lincicome in the second period, pinning his opponent in just three minutes and thirty eight seconds.
Gunderson defeated Evan Wingrove at 197 pounds. Responding from an early takedown from Wingrove, Gunderson was able to take the lead and win with a 14-6 major decision.
Rounding out the dual at heavyweight, Adam Ahrendsen took on Wyatt Schmitt. After a scoreless first period, Ahrendsen switched for an escape in the second period and was able to secure a takedown in the third, adding riding time for a 5-0 win.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to dual action on Saturday morning for the second day of competition at the NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships against Bloomsburg (9 a.m. CT) and Drexel (11 a.m. CT). A third dual against a Pool A opponent will also be contested in the afternoon at a time to be determined. Live coverage of the event can be found on FloWrestling.
FINAL RESULTS (#Intermat/Flowrestling rankings listed)
No. 17 UNI 44, CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 0
- 125 | #26/20 Trever Anderson (UNI) maj. dec. Richard Castro-Sandoval (CSUB), 11-3 MD
- 133 | #25/18 Julian Farber (UNI) tech fall Saxton Scott (CSUB), 23-6 TF
- 141 | #10/9 Cory Land (UNI) dec. Santino Sanchez (CSUB), 8-4
- 149 | #32/20 Caleb Rathjen (UNI) maj. dec. Hayden Zinkin (CSUB), 8-0 MD
- 157 | Cael Rahnavardi (UNI) pins Devyn Flores-Che (CSUB), Fall 4:32
- 165 | #7/7 Ryder Downey (UNI) maj. dec. Coen Quintana (CSUB), 17-4 MD
- 174 | #13/19 Jared Simma (UNI) maj. dec. Guillermo Escobedo (CSUB), 13-0 MD
- 184 | Nick Fox (UNI) pins Jeremy Manibog (CSUB), Fall 3:30
- 197 | Carson Babcock (UNI) tech falls Chris Neal (CSUB), 17-1 TF
- HWT | Grant Stromberg dec. Mason Clover (CSUB), 4-0
No. 17 UNI 43, OHIO 0
- 125 | #26/20 Trever Anderson (UNI) dec. Brayden Teunissen (OHIO), 2-0
- 133 | #25/18 Julian Farber (UNI) pins Ryan Meek (OHIO), Fall 3:00
- 141 | #10/9 Cory Land (UNI) tech falls Austin McKee (OHIO), 15-0 TF
- 149 | Ethan Basile (UNI) dec. Paul Woo (OHIO), 6-2
- 157 | Cael Rahnavardi (UNI) maj. dec. Dominic Serio (OHIO), 16-7 MD
- 165 | #7/7 Ryder Downey (UNI) tech falls Jack Lledo (OHIO), 18-1 TF
- 174 | #13/19 Jared Simma (UNI) maj. dec. Jeremy Olszko (OHIO), 12-3 MD
- 184 | Nick Fox (UNI) pins Drew Linciome (OHIO), Fall 3:38
- 197 | John Gunderson (UNI) maj. dec. Evan Wingrove (OHIO), 14-6 MD
- HWT | Adam Ahrendsen (UNI) dec. Wyatt Schmitt (OHIO), 5-0
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
