TULSA, Okla. – UNI wrestling advanced three wrestlers to the finals to hold on to fourth place in the team standings after the first session of the Big 12 Championships.
Brody Teske, Kyle Biscoglia and Parker Kekeisen will compete for a Big 12 title tomorrow at 7 p.m. CT. It equals UNI’s most finalists since the program joined the Big 12 for the 2018 championships when UNI had its highest finish as runner-up.
Teske (125 pounds) and Keckeisen (184 pounds) have the opportunity to become just the third and fourth Panthers behind Taylor Lujan and Drew Foster to earn two Big 12 titles. Foster won his titles back-to-back. Lujan won titles in 2018 and 2020 and placed second in 2019.
Biscoglia will join the duo in the finals at 133 pounds. All three have secured a spot in the NCAA championships.
Four more Panthers are in contention for a third-place finish, and two more have already earned a berth to the NCAA championships.
Derek Holschlag earned a spot on the podium at 157 pounds with two wins in the consolations. Six Big 12 wrestlers are guaranteed a spot at nationals, and Holschlag has already beaten the two wrestlers who would be eligible to vie for the final spot.
Lance Runyon has secured a spot on the podium, which also awards him one of the eight spots allocated at 174 pounds.
Colin Realbuto will take on Dylan Martinez of Air Force for a chance at third place and one of the four qualifying spots at 149 pounds. At 165 pounds, Austin Yant is aiming for bronze and one of four qualifying spots.
Bonus point wins helped the Panthers stay within two points of Oklahoma State in the team standings after the first session.
In the opening match of the tournament for UNI, No. 16 Teske was working on a tech fall but got the fall in 6 minutes, 6 seconds instead for the Panthers. Teske, the reigning Big 12 champion is seeded third at 125 pounds. He earned a spot in the 125-pound semifinals tonight with a 6-5 decision over Iowa State’s Kysen Terukina.
At 184 pounds, UNI’s other reigning Big 12 champion Keckeisen notched two major decision wins to advance to the semifinals. He beat Air Force’s Jake Thompson 14-5 and followed up with a 12-4 major decision over North Dakota State’s DJ Parker.
After a first-round bye, Kyle Biscoglia cranked out a 10-2 major decision over No. 31 Tony Madrigal (Oklahoma) at 133 pounds. Lance Runyon (174 pounds)opened with an 8-0 major decision over Jackson Hemauer of Northern Colorado and edged out Hayden Hastings (Wyoming) in a 5-1 decision.
Colin Realbuto delivered UNI’s first upset of the tournament with a win over fourth-seeded No. 18 Josh Edmond of Missouri in a 3-1 decision at 149 pounds. Austin Yant also advanced to the 165-pound semifinals with a 4-1 decision over Danny Snediker of Utah Valley.
No. 33 Derek Holschlag opened with a 4-1 decision over Kenny O’Neil of South Dakota State before No. 5 Jared Franek (North Dakota State) bumped him into the consolation bracket in an 8-4 decision.
Also still competing in consolations are No. 23 Cael Happel, who is the sixth seed at 141 pounds, John Gunderson at 197 pounds and heavyweight Tyrell Gordon.
Team Scores
Missouri 109.5
Oklahoma 93.5
Oklahoma State 90
UNI 85
Iowa State 82.5
West Virginia 56
North Dakota State 54
South Dakota State 54
Wyoming 43
Air Force 34.5
Northern Colorado 31.5
Utah Valley 30
OSU and Missouri both lead the teams with four finalists. UNI has three, and West Virginia has two. Air Force, Northern Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa State, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Wyoming each have one.
WEIGHT (SEED) #NCAA RANKING
125 | (3) #16 Brody Teske
W – Jared Van Vleet (Air Force) 6:06 F
W – #18 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) 6-5
W – (7) #22 Joey Prata (Oklahoma) 6-3
NEXT – (1) #8 Killian Cardinale (West Virginia)
133 | (2) #21 Kyle Biscoglia
W – (7) #31 Tony Madrigal (Oklahoma) 10-2 MD
W – Haiden Drury (Utah Valley) 7-5 SV
NEXT – (1) #2 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State)
141 | (6) #23 Cael Happel – DNP
L – Andrew Alirez (UNC) 7-2
L – (5) #16 Carter Young (OSU) 10-5
149 | (5) Colin Realbuto
W – (4) #18 Josh Edmond (Missouri) 3-1
L – (1) #15 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State) 11-5
NEXT – Dylan Martinez (Air Force)
157 | (7) #33 Derek Holschlag
W – Kenny O’Neil (South Dakota State) 4-1
L – (2) #5 Jared Franek (North Dakota State) 8-4
W – Giano Petrucelli (Air Force) 11-3 MD
W – Alex Hornfeck (West Virginia)
NEXT – (5) #15 Jacob Wright (Wyoming)
165 | (3) #13 Austin Yant
W – Danny Snediker (Utah Valley) 4-1
L – (2) #8 Peyton Hall (West Virginia) 4-1
NEXT – (8) Joe Grello (Oklahoma)
174 | (4) #20 Lance Runyon
W – Jackson Hemauer (Northern Colorado) 8-0 MD
W – Hayden Hastings (Wyoming) 5-1
L – (1) #9 Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) 3-1
NEXT – (3) #23 Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma)
184 | (1) #4 Parker Keckeisen
W – Jake Thompson (Air Force) 14-5 MD
W – DJ Parker (North Dakota State) 12-4 MD
W – (4) #10 Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State) 19-7 MD
NEXT – (6) #19 Jeremiah Kent (Missouri)
197 | John Gunderson – DNP
L – Rocky Elam (Missouri) 14-3 MD
L – (3) #12 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) 7-2
285 | #32 Tyrell Gordon – DNP
L – Luke Surber (Oklahoma State) 13-3 MD
L – (8) #29 Josh Heindselman (Oklahoma) 2-1
