TULSA, Okla. — UNI’s Parker Keckeisen punched his ticket to his second national quarterfinal match as the Panthers returned to the mats for the Thursday night session of the 2023 NCAA Championships at the BOK Center.
“We gave ourselves chances to win with some small margins, but you got to be able to put in a little bit more in your favor,” said head coach Doug Schwab. “One thing I know about our team is that they are a gritty group. That’s part of what we’re founded on and what we are, so I know that they’ll come back. We still have 7 guys and you can score a lot of points, but we have to take it one match at a time.”
Keckeisen secured his 18th consecutive victory with a 4-2 decision against 17-seed Tate Samuelson of Lehigh. The three-time reigning Big 12 champion picked up an escape and a takedown in the second period after a deadlocked first stanza. Picking up riding time, Keckeisen advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 2021, where he will meet 9-seed Isaiah Salazar of Minnesota tomorrow morning.
After grabbing a pin in Thursday’s opening round, 15th-seeded Kyle Biscoglia (133 pounds) struggled to take down 2-seed Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) on Thursday night. Giving up a pair of first period takedowns and a reversal in the second, Biscoglia was able to score an escape and a late takedown in the third, falling to the four-time Big 12 champion in an 8-4 decision. Biscoglia will face 16-seed Joe Heilmann of Rutgers in tomorrow’s consolation bracket.
Coming off his first career win at the NCAA Championships this morning, 14th-seeded Cael Happel gave 3-seed and two-time reigning ACC champion Cole Matthews (Pitt) a major challenge with his attacking speed. Despite two scoreless periods and Happel’s pressure, Matthews was able to score an escape in the third period for the 1-0 victory over the Lisbon, Iowa native. Happel will take on 29th-seeded Jordan Titus (West Virginia) in Friday’s wrestlebacks.
Collin Realbuto took on 2nd-seeded Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) in the 149-pound bracket, looking to replicate his upset win over Sasso last December in New Orleans at the Collegiate Duals. The defending Big Ten champion quickly jumped on Realbuto, limiting the redshirt junior’s ability to attack with a quick 5-1 lead on a pair of fast takedowns. Realbuto would get a pair of escapes, but would be unable to make up the difference in a 9-2 decision. Realbuto will face 33-seed Dom Demas of Cal Poly in tomorrow’s consolation bracket.
Derek Holschlag faced a challenge against 6-seed Daniel Cardensa on Thursday night, giving up 5 straight points before scoring an escape in the third period in a 6-2 loss to the Pac-12 champion. Holschlag will face off with 28th-seeded Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) on Friday.
Austin Yant (165 pounds) struggled to match the speed of top-seeded David Carr (Iowa State) in a 15-4 major decision loss. Carr scored 4 takedowns on Yant, who was able to pick up 4 escapes throughout the match. Yant will go face-to-face with 31-seed Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) in Friday’s wrestlebacks. Sheets won the lone meeting with Yant earlier this season with a late pin in dual competition in Cedar Falls.
Facing off against three-time national qualifier in 4th-seeded Tony Cassioppi (Iowa), Tyrell Gordon (285 pounds) struggled to match his opponent’s size as Cassioppi jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, ultimately falling in a 9-0 major decision. Gordon will match up with 19th-seeded Jonah Niesenbaum of Duke tomorrow in the second round of the consolation bracket.
The third session of competition is slated to begin at 11 a.m. CT on Friday morning with the quarterfinal round and wrestlebacks. Fans can watch the action live on the networks of ESPN.
UNI RESULTS (Thru Session II)
(Seed) #NCAA/RPI rank listed
133 | (15) #HM/18 Kyle Biscoglia (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (18) #17/17 Jason Shaner (Oregon State), 6:02 Fall
Round 2 | L – (2) #2/2 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State), 8-4
141 | (14) #15/17 Cael Happel (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (19) #23/22 Matt Kazimir (Columbia), 3-2
Round 2 | L – (3) #3/3 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 1-0
149 | (15) #16/17 Colin Realbuto (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (18) #18/22 Mitch Moore (Oklahoma), 9-3
Round 2 | L – (2) #2/2 Sammy Sasso (Ohio State), 9-2
157 | (22) #HM/24 Derek Holschlag (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (11) #9/11 Chase Saldate (Michigan State), 4-3
Round 2 | L – (6) #13/11 Daniel Cardenas (Stanford), 6-2
165 | (17) #17/17 Austin Yant (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (16) #NR/16 Joshua Ogunsanya (Columbia), 8-1
Round 2 | L – (1) #1/1 David Carr (Iowa State), 15-4 MD
184 | (1) #2/2 Parker Keckeisen (2-0)
Round 1 | W – (33) #HM/33 Anthony Carman (West Virginia), 12-3 MD
Round 2 | W – (17) #17/17 Tate Samuelson (Lehigh), 4-2
285 | (13) #14/12 Tyrell Gordon (1-1)
Round 1 | W – (20) #16/18 Konner Douchet (Oklahoma State), 2-1
Round 2 | L – (4) #3/3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa), 9-0 MD
TEAM STANDINGS (Top-20 thru Session II)
1st – Penn State (26)
2nd – Iowa (21.5)
3rd – Missouri (17.5)
T4th – Minnesota (16.5)
T4th – North Carolina State (16.5)
T6th – Cornell (15.5)
T6th – Nebraska (15.5)
T8th – Michigan (14.5)
T8th – Ohio State (14.5)
T10th – Arizona State (13)
T10th – Virginia Tech (13)
T13th – Iowa State (12)
T13th – Northwestern (12)
15th – UNI (11)
16th – South Dakota State (10.5)
T17th – Illinois (10)
T17th – Oklahoma State (10)
T17th – Stanford (10)
T20th – Air Force (9.5)
T20th – North Dakota State (9.5)
