UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. – Top-ranked Parker Keckeisen scored a late takedown in the final seconds of regulation on Tuesday night to pick up a 7-4 exhibition win over No. 2 Bernie Truax of Penn State at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Star Dual in University Park’s Rec Hall.
On a night displaying the best of college wrestling, UNI’s three-time All-American took to the mat at the All-Star Classic for the second consecutive year, matching up against fellow a All-American in Truax, a recent transfer from Cal Poly who placed fourth at the NCAA Championships last season at 197 pounds. Entering Tuesday, Keckeisen and Truax have split their only two countable matches, both coming at the 2022 NCAA Championships in Detroit.
Truax gained an early lead in the 184 lbs. match with the first takedown of the night in the first period before Keckeisen (pictured above via UNI Athletics) followed suit with a pair of takedown attempts that fell short as Truax went out of bounds. Keckeisen cut into his opponent’s lead with an escape heading into the third period before Traux earned a tripod escape to take a 4-2 lead.
Remaining the aggressor, Keckeisen made multiple attempts to gain a final takedown.Truax once again went to the edge of the mat and incurred a stalling call, resulting in another point for the UNI redshirt junior. As the clock ticked down to a near seven seconds remaining, Keckisen secured the win with a nail-biting takedown at the edge of the mat for the 7-4 decision.
This year marks the 20th time a Panther has participated in the NWCA All-Star Classic, and first time since 1992 that UNI has participated in back to back seasons.
1967 – Don Parker (177 pounds)
1969 – Kent Osboe (HWT)
1974 – Jim Miller (134 pounds)
1975 – Jim Miller (134 pounds)
1984 – John Kriebs (HWT)
1988 – Mark Schwab (118 pounds)
1988 – Joel Greenlee (HWT)
1989 – Joel Greenlee (HWT)
1991 – Gary Steffensmeier (150 pounds)
1991 – Rich Powers (177 pounds)
1992 – Rich Powers (177 pounds)
1993 – Justin Greenlee (HWT)
2003 – Dylan Long (141 pounds)
2004 – Eric Hauan (174 pounds)
2004 – Dylan Long (141 pounds)
2004 – Sean Stender (197 pounds)
2017 – Max Thompson (149 pounds)
2017 – Drew Foster (184 pounds)
2022 – Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds)
2023 – Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds)
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to the mat as a team on December 1 at the Jim Koch Open in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as well as the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite on December 1-2.
