CEDAR FALLS – Big 12 dual competition awaits the UNI wrestling team on Saturday as the Panthers head to Lincoln, Nebraska for a pair of dual meets against the Wyoming Cowboys and the seventh-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Deveany Center.
Live results for both duals can be found online through TrackWrestling, with the UNI-Nebraska dual being streamed through BTN+ with a subscription.
Heading into their first dual meet of the new year, the Panthers will look to build off a 1-3 dual record compiled in December, with the lone victory being picked up against Lock Haven at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville. The purple and gold can also pick up the program’s 800th all-time dual victory with at least one win this weekend.
UNI leads the all-time series against Wyoming, 15-5, which includes a 33-3 win at home last January. The Panthers have won five of their last six Big 12 opening duals since joining the conference as an affiliate member in 2017-18.
Northern Iowa will face a tough test against the Cornhuskers, looking to knock off Nebraska for the first time since 1964. The Panthers last faced off against the Cornhuskers in November 2019 at home, narrowly falling to then third-ranked Nebraska, 23-19. Saturday’s late dual will also see UNI face off against its former head coach in Mark Manning, who coached the Panthers from 1998 to 2000 before taking over the program in Lincoln.
UNI PANTHERS
Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds) has anchored Northern Iowa in dual meets this year with a perfect 4-0 record, including three bonus-point victories. Keckeisen carries a 32-1 career dual record into Saturday’s competition, with a 25-match regular season winning streak on the line.
Trever Anderson, who knocked off top-ranked Jakob Camacho (North Carolina State) at the Collegiate Duals, sits 3-1 in four starts at 125 pounds in duals. At 174 pounds, Jared Simma has notched pins in each of his last two dual appearances, while Tyrell Gordon (285 pounds) has recorded bonus-point wins in each of his two dual victories this year.
PROJECTED PANTHER LINEUP (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)
125 | #26/22 Trever Anderson (6-5) OR Garret Rinken (8-5)
133 | #22/19 Julian Farber (9-5)
141 | #8/8 Cael Happel (9-4)
149 | Adam Allard (4-4) OR Cael Rahnavardi (6-7)
157 | #13/12 Ryder Downey (7-4)
165 | RJ Weston (18-3) OR Jack Thomsen (7-4)
174 | #30/31 Jared Simma (7-4)
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (13-0)
197 | Kalob Runyon (5-5) OR #19/29 Wyatt Voelker (7-2)
HWT | #17/16 Tyrell Gordon (2-1)
WYOMING COWBOYS
The Cowboys are led by their lone returning All-American from 2023 in Jore Volk (125 pounds), along with three returning Big 12 Championship participants (Volk, 125 / Quayin Short, 184 / Tyce Raddon, 197).
Volk led Wyoming with a runner-up finish at 125 pounds last week at the Soldier Salute, falling to #7 Drake Ayala (Iowa) in the final in a 4-2 decision. Stockton O’Brian placed fifth at 141 pounds, while Joey Novak took third-place at 197 pounds.
The Cowboys rolled in their first three duals of the season, including a 16-point win at Cal Baptist in their Big 12 opener. Wyoming has dropped its last three duals to Campbell, No. 3 Missouri and No. 9 Oklahoma State.
PROJECTED COWBOYS LINEUP (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)
125 – #8/14 Jore Volk (14-4) OR Dylan Catlin (1-2)
133 – Cooper Birdwell (8-9) OR Garrett Ricks (6-5)
141 – #31/NR Cole Brooks (7-2) OR Stockton O’Brien (10-6)
149 – #23/22 Gabe Willochell (11-5) OR Aidan Noonan (6-5)
157 – Cooper Voorhees (6-10) OR Sloan Swan (7-4)
165 – Brett McIntosh (6-10)
174 – Kevin Anderson (0-0)
184 – Quayin Short (6-9) OR Tyce Raddon (8-7)
197 – #21/19 Joey Novak (15-7)
HWT – Mason Ding (2-3) OR Lane Catlin (0-2)
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
The Cornhuskers return five of their seven NCAA qualifiers from 2023, including All-Americans Brock Hardy (141 pounds) and Peyton Robb (157 pounds). Nebraksa also brings back six competitors from its Big Ten Championship roster that placed third last season at the conference tournament.
The Cornhuskers enter Saturday afternoon a perfect 3-0 in duals this year, knocking off No. 14 South Dakota State at home 21-17 in a tight matchup at the Devaney Center.
The Huskers have claimed eight open tournament individual titles this year, including six crowns at the Navy Classic, and a pair of championships at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Ridge Lovett, 149 / Peyton Robb, 157).
PROJECTED CORNHUSKER LINEUP (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)
125 – #3/2 Caleb Smith (13-1)
133 – Kyle Burwick (3-2) OR #32/NR Jacob Van Dee (10-4)
141 – #6/6 Brock Hardy (9-3) OR Blake Cushing (11-3)
149 – #1/1 Ridge Lovett (12-0) OR Scott Robertson (1-5)
157 – #3/3 Peyton Robb (13-0)
165 – #21/16 Antrell Taylor (9-2)
174 – #33/20 Bubba Wilson (7-4) OR Elise Brown Ton (6-3)
184 -#4/4 Lenny Pinto (11-2)
197 – #11/13 Silas Allred (11-3)
HWT – Harley Andrews (8-8) OR Nash Hutmacher (0-0)
POTENTIAL REMATCHES
133 | #22/19 Julian Farber (UNI) vs. Cooper Birdwell (WYO)
2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Farber won, 9-6)
133 | #22/19 Julian Farber (UNI) vs. #32/NR Jacob Van Dee (NEB)
2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Farber won, 9-5)
133 | #22/19 Julian Farber (UNI) vs. Kyle Burwick (NEB)
2023 Last Chance Open (Farber won, 4-2)
141 | #8/8 Cael Happel (UNI) vs. #6/6 Brock Hardy (NEB)
2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Hardy won, 6-1)
2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Happel won, 15-13)
174 | #30/31 Jared Simma (UNI) vs. Elise Brown Ton (NEB)
2021 Grand View Open (Simma won, 7-0)
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) vs. Quayin Short (WYO)
2023 Big 12 Championships (Keckeisen won, 22-6 TF)
184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) vs. #4/4 Lenny Pinto (NEB)
2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Keckeisen won, 11-2 MD)
2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Keckeisen won, 8-4)
HWT | Tyrell Gordon (UNI) vs. Mason Ding (WYO)
Wyoming @ UNI [2023] (Gordon won, 5-1)
