UNI wrestling takes on Utah Valley in Saturday night clash

Panthers look for 2-0 start to Big 12 schedule hosting the Wolverines.

Published on January 12, 2024
by NIT Publisher

CEDAR FALLS – UNI wrestling will look for its second Big 12 dual win of the season as the Panthers host the Utah Valley Wolverines inside the McLeod Center on Saturday night.

Live coverage of the dual can be found through FloWrestling, with competition also being carried on CFU Channel 15. Tickets can be purchased online at UNIpanthers.com/tickets, or by calling 319-274-4849. Due to impending winter weather, the UNI Ticket Office will be closed on Friday, January 12, but will re-open for in-person purchases and pickup at 5 p.m. CT ahead of Saturday’s competition.

Northern Iowa will look to bounce back after splitting a pair of duals in Lincoln last weekend, scoring a 36-6 victory over Wyoming in its Big 12 opener, and dropping a hard fought battle to No. 7 Nebraska, 18-17. Despite the loss to the Cornhuskers, the Panthers secured the program’s 800th dual win in school history with their rout of Wyoming earlier in the day.

UNI leads the all-time series against Utah Valley, 5-1, which includes each of the previous five meetings where the Panthers have scored at least 24 team points. The purple and gold defeated the Wolverines by a score of 34-9 last January in Orem.

No. 24 UNI wrestling (2-4 / 1-0 Big 12) vs. RV Utah Valley (1-0 / 0-0 Big 12)

Jan. 13, 2023 | 7 p.m. CT
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
FloWrestling/CFU Channel 15 (Watch)
TrackWrestling (Live Results)

UNI PANTHERS
Parker Keckeisen (184 pounds) has anchored Northern Iowa in dual meets this year with a perfect 6-0 record, including five bonus-point victories. Keckeisen carries a 34-1 career dual record into Saturday’s competition, including a 20-0 record in Big 12 duals. Keckeisen is also riding a 27-match regular season winning streak dating back to last season.

Reigning Big 12 Wrestler of the Week Ryder Downey (157 pounds) looks to continue his hot stretch after picking up his first career win over a top-five ranked challenger in Nebraska’s Peyton Robb last weekend. Downey has notched three victories over top-15 opponents this season and is 4-2 in duals.

Cael Happel (141 pounds) returns to his home mat after knocking off No. 6 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) last Saturday in an 11-8 sudden victory in Lincoln, his second win over Hardy this season. Six of Happel’s 11 wins this season have come in bonus points.

PANTHERS IN THE RANKINGS (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)

UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES
The Wolverines return nine starters from last year’s Big 12 Championships, including two returning NCAA qualifiers in Isaiah Delgado (149 pounds) and Evan Bockman (197 pounds). Utah Valley won its first dual of the season back in November with a 25-12 road victory at American University, 25-12. The Wolverines will be in Ames to take on #4 Iowa State on Friday before facing the Panthers on Saturday night.

The Wolverines return to action for the first time since mid-December after placing fourth at the Reno Tournament of Champions in Nevada. Jacob Armstrong (184 pounds) won the lone title for UVU, while Haiden Drury (133 pounds) made the finals and placed second. Caleb Uhlenhopp (174 pounds), Mahonri Rushton (184 pounds), and Chase Trussell (heavyweight) also finished on the podium.

WOLVERINES IN THE RANKINGS (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)

184 | #28/31 Jacob Armstrong
197 | #22/24 Evan Bockman

PROJECTED LINEUP (Intermat/FloWrestling rankings)

125 | #26/22 Trever Anderson (UNI) vs. Yufief Lillie (UVU) OR Jacob Carson (UVU)
Anderson (6-7) looks to snap a two-match skid after falling to a pair of top-ten challengers in Lincoln last weekend. Lillie (0-3) dropped his only two matches in his last outing at the Penn’s Keystone Open in November, while Carson (11-5) has recorded seven pins this year.

133 | #22/20 Julian Farber (UNI) vs. Kase Maguer (UVU) OR Jakob Romero (UVU)
Farber (11-5) is riding a three-match winning streak and is 4-2 in duals this season. Maguer (3-2) placed sixth in the season-opening Southeast Open in November, while Romero (10-3) has split competition between 133 and 141 pounds.

141 | #6/7 Cael Happel (UNI) vs. Haiden Drury (UVU) OR James Emmer (UVU)
Happel (11-4) has won his last four matches, including three in bonus points. Drury (8-5) placed second at the Reno Tournament of Champions in his last competition in December, while Emmer (8-5) wrestled in two matches last month at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

149 | Adam Allard (UNI) OR Cael Rahnavardi (UNI) vs. Isaiah Delgado (UVU)
Allard (4-5) dropped a 7-2 decision to #22 Gabe Willochell (Wyoming) last week, while Rahnavardi (8-6) came up short against #1 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) in Lincoln. Delgado (5-7) is one of two returning NCAA qualifiers for the Wolverines, winning one match at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

157 | #12/8 Ryder Downey (UNI) OR Alex Emmer (UVU)
Downey (9-4) has won each of his last three dual starts and has scored 16 dual points for the Panthers this season. Emmer (4-4) split his four matches in his last outing at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

165 | RJ Weston (UNI) OR Jack Thomsen (UNI) vs. Jaxon Garoutte (UVU)
Weston (19-4) has won seven of his last eight bouts, which included a fifth-place finish at the Soldier Salute last month, while Thomsen (8-3) went 1-2 at the Soldier Salute. Garoutte (7-6) reached the round of eight consolation bracket last time out at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.

174 | #31/30 Jared Simma (UNI) vs. Caleb Uhlenhopp (UVU)
Simma (7-4) has notched bonus-point wins for the Panthers in three of his last four bouts. Uhlenhopp (7-3) placed fifth at the Reno Tournament of Champions with a pair of technical fall victories.

184 | #1/1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) vs. #28/31 Jacob Armstrong (UVU) OR Mahonri Rushton (UVU)
Keckeisen (15-0) has posted bonus-point victories in five of six duals this season, leading the Panthers with 23 team points scored in duals. Armstrong (10-4) won the 184-pound title at the Reno Tournament of Champions, while Rushton (5-4) is riding a three-match winning streak. Keckeisen is 2-0 in previous bouts against Armstrong (2021 Big 12 Championships, 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational).

197 | Kalob Runyon (UNI) OR #19/19 Wyatt Voelker (UNI) vs. #22/24 Evan Bockman (UVU)
Runyon (5-5) looks to snap a four-match skid and get back on track since tying for the first-place title at the Jim Koch Open, while Voelker (8-3) is coming off his first career dual win over No. 19 Joey Nowak (Wyoming). Bockman (9-4) reached the quarterfinal round of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in his last appearance.

HWT | #16/15 Tyrell Gordon (UNI) vs. Chase Trussell (UVU)
Gordon (4-1) has notched major decision wins in three of his first five matches this year. Trussell (4-2) made his season-debut at the Reno Tournament of Champions with a sixth-place finish. Gordon edged Trussell in their first-ever meeting in Orem last January.