Hawkeyes grab early lead with seven in semis at Big Ten Championships
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Ohio State senior Logan Stieber is now two wins away from winning his fourth Big Ten title. USAW photo.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Session I of the two-day Big Tens was every bit as close and entertaining as expected.
The No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes have the lead through the quarterfinals of the 101st Big Ten Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Ohio State’s St. John Arena.
Iowa advanced seven wrestlers into Saturday night’s semifinal round and leads the tournament with 65 points. Minnesota is in second place with 54 points with Ohio State and Penn State tied for third with 48 points apiece.
Minnesota advanced six wrestlers to the semifinals while Ohio State and Penn State pushed five apiece into the semis.
Session II is scheduled for 6 p.m. Eastern in Columbus and can be seen on the BT2GO webcast. The finals are set for 3 p.m. Sunday and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Top-seeded Hawkeyes Thomas Gilman (125 pounds) and Brandon Sorensen (149) reached the semis along with All-Americans Cory Clark (133), Mike Evans (174), Nathan Burak (197) and Bobby Telford (285). Teammate Josh Dziewa (141) also is in the semis.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Iowa coach Tom Brands said. “I think a lot of points are being left off the board as a team. We could score more takedowns.”
Iowa did suffer a big setback at 184. Penn State freshman Matt McCutcheon scored an overtime takedown to upset top seed Sammy Brooks of Iowa 6-4. McCutcheon, the No. 8 seed, took Brooks down late in regulation to force overtime.
Returning runner-up Nick Moore of Iowa dropped his first bout at 165.
The Big Ten has secured 86 automatic qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships, set for March 19-21 in St. Louis. An additional 70 at-large spots from all conferences for the NCAA tournament will be awarded on Wednesday, March 11.
The Big Ten has earned five automatic qualifying spots at 125, 12 at 133, eight at 141, seven at 149, eight at 157, eight at 165, 10 at 174, 10 at 184, nine at 197 and nine at 285.
Iowa has won 34 Big Ten tournament titles and is seeking its first title since 2010. Penn State has won the last four league crowns in addition to the last four NCAA titles. Minnesota last won Big Tens in 2007.
Ohio State is seeking its third conference title and first since 1951.
Three-time Big Ten champion and three-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State advanced to the 141-pound semifinals. Stieber is trying to become the league’s 14th four-time champion
Two-time Big Ten champion and two-time NCAA champion Jesse Delgado of Illinois reached the semis at 125. Top-seeded and unbeaten teammate Isaiah Martinez also made the semifinals at 157.
Returning Big Ten champion and NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern landed a spot in the 149 semis. Wildcat teammate Mike McMullan is in the semis at 285. McMullan has placed third, second and third at the NCAA tournament.
Returning champions James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) of Nebraska landed spots in the semis.
Green will battle two-time NCAA runner-up and past Big Ten champion Dylan Ness of Minnesota in a much-anticipated semifinal between two of the nation’s most dynamic wrestlers.
Green beat Ness in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Ness pinned the top-seeded Green in the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals. Ness was second and Green third last year at nationals. Green was a silver medalist at the 2014 University World Championships in freestyle.
Kokesh will meet long-time rival Logan Storley of Minnesota in the semis. Kokesh beat Storley in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Storley beat Kokesh twice at the 2014 NCAAs. Storley was third and Kokesh fourth last year at nationals.
2013 Big Ten champion Matt Brown of Penn State will face long-time rival Mike Evans of Iowa in another big semi at 174. Brown beat Evans in the league finals two years ago and again in a dual this season. Brown is ranked No. 2 nationally and Evans is No. 3.
Past Big Ten champion Hunter Stieber of Ohio State advanced to the semifinal round at 149. Stieber is scheduled to face Tsirtsis in the semis. Junior World champion and top-seed Kyle Snyder of Ohio State is in the semis at 197.
Twins Chris and Nick Dardanes of Minnesota powered into the semis. Chris is seeded No. 1 at 133 and Nick is seeded No. 2 at 141. Chris Dardanes is ranked No. 1 in the country.
Cousins Bo Jordan of Ohio State and Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin both landed spots in the semis at 165. If both Jordans win tonight, they would meet in tomorrow’s finals.
Semifinal matchups
125 pounds
Thomas Gilman (Iowa) vs. Jordan Conaway (Penn State)
Jesse Delgado (Illinois) vs. Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)
133 pounds
Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) vs. Cory Clark (Iowa)
Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin) vs. Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State)
141 pounds
Logan Stieber (Ohio State) vs. Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) vs. Josh Dziewa (Iowa)
149 pounds
Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) vs. Alec Pantaleo (Michigan)
Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) vs. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)
157 pounds
Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs. Doug Welch (Purdue)
Dylan Ness (Minnesota) vs. James Green (Nebraska)
165 pounds
Bo Jordan (Ohio State) vs. Pierce Harger (Northwestern)
Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) vs. Taylor Walsh (Indiana)
174 pounds
Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) vs. Logan Storley (Minnesota)
Matt Brown (Penn State) vs. Mike Evans (Iowa)
184 pounds
Matt McCutcheon (Penn State) vs. Brett Pfarr (Minnesota)
Dom Abounader (Michigan) vs. Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin)
197 pounds
Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) vs. Nathan Burak (Iowa)
Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) vs. Scott Schiller (Penn State)
285 pounds
Connor Medbery (Wisconsin) vs. Bobby Telford (Iowa)
Adam Coon (Michigan) vs. Mike McMullan (Northwestern)
Team scoring
Iowa 65, Minnesota 54, Ohio State 48, Penn State 48, Wisconsin 41, Michigan 33.5, Nebraska 30, Northwestern 29, Illinois 27, Rutgers 12.5, Purdue 12, Indiana 11.5, Michigan State 9, Maryland 1.5
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Session I of the two-day Big Tens was every bit as close and entertaining as expected.
The No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes have the lead through the quarterfinals of the 101st Big Ten Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Ohio State’s St. John Arena.
Iowa advanced seven wrestlers into Saturday night’s semifinal round and leads the tournament with 65 points. Minnesota is in second place with 54 points with Ohio State and Penn State tied for third with 48 points apiece.
Minnesota advanced six wrestlers to the semifinals while Ohio State and Penn State pushed five apiece into the semis.
Session II is scheduled for 6 p.m. Eastern in Columbus and can be seen on the BT2GO webcast. The finals are set for 3 p.m. Sunday and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Top-seeded Hawkeyes Thomas Gilman (125 pounds) and Brandon Sorensen (149) reached the semis along with All-Americans Cory Clark (133), Mike Evans (174), Nathan Burak (197) and Bobby Telford (285). Teammate Josh Dziewa (141) also is in the semis.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Iowa coach Tom Brands said. “I think a lot of points are being left off the board as a team. We could score more takedowns.”
Iowa did suffer a big setback at 184. Penn State freshman Matt McCutcheon scored an overtime takedown to upset top seed Sammy Brooks of Iowa 6-4. McCutcheon, the No. 8 seed, took Brooks down late in regulation to force overtime.
Returning runner-up Nick Moore of Iowa dropped his first bout at 165.
The Big Ten has secured 86 automatic qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships, set for March 19-21 in St. Louis. An additional 70 at-large spots from all conferences for the NCAA tournament will be awarded on Wednesday, March 11.
The Big Ten has earned five automatic qualifying spots at 125, 12 at 133, eight at 141, seven at 149, eight at 157, eight at 165, 10 at 174, 10 at 184, nine at 197 and nine at 285.
Iowa has won 34 Big Ten tournament titles and is seeking its first title since 2010. Penn State has won the last four league crowns in addition to the last four NCAA titles. Minnesota last won Big Tens in 2007.
Ohio State is seeking its third conference title and first since 1951.
Three-time Big Ten champion and three-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State advanced to the 141-pound semifinals. Stieber is trying to become the league’s 14th four-time champion
Two-time Big Ten champion and two-time NCAA champion Jesse Delgado of Illinois reached the semis at 125. Top-seeded and unbeaten teammate Isaiah Martinez also made the semifinals at 157.
Returning Big Ten champion and NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern landed a spot in the 149 semis. Wildcat teammate Mike McMullan is in the semis at 285. McMullan has placed third, second and third at the NCAA tournament.
Returning champions James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) of Nebraska landed spots in the semis.
Green will battle two-time NCAA runner-up and past Big Ten champion Dylan Ness of Minnesota in a much-anticipated semifinal between two of the nation’s most dynamic wrestlers.
Green beat Ness in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Ness pinned the top-seeded Green in the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals. Ness was second and Green third last year at nationals. Green was a silver medalist at the 2014 University World Championships in freestyle.
Kokesh will meet long-time rival Logan Storley of Minnesota in the semis. Kokesh beat Storley in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Storley beat Kokesh twice at the 2014 NCAAs. Storley was third and Kokesh fourth last year at nationals.
2013 Big Ten champion Matt Brown of Penn State will face long-time rival Mike Evans of Iowa in another big semi at 174. Brown beat Evans in the league finals two years ago and again in a dual this season. Brown is ranked No. 2 nationally and Evans is No. 3.
Past Big Ten champion Hunter Stieber of Ohio State advanced to the semifinal round at 149. Stieber is scheduled to face Tsirtsis in the semis. Junior World champion and top-seed Kyle Snyder of Ohio State is in the semis at 197.
Twins Chris and Nick Dardanes of Minnesota powered into the semis. Chris is seeded No. 1 at 133 and Nick is seeded No. 2 at 141. Chris Dardanes is ranked No. 1 in the country.
Cousins Bo Jordan of Ohio State and Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin both landed spots in the semis at 165. If both Jordans win tonight, they would meet in tomorrow’s finals.
Semifinal matchups
125 pounds
Thomas Gilman (Iowa) vs. Jordan Conaway (Penn State)
Jesse Delgado (Illinois) vs. Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)
133 pounds
Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) vs. Cory Clark (Iowa)
Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin) vs. Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State)
141 pounds
Logan Stieber (Ohio State) vs. Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) vs. Josh Dziewa (Iowa)
149 pounds
Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) vs. Alec Pantaleo (Michigan)
Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) vs. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)
157 pounds
Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) vs. Doug Welch (Purdue)
Dylan Ness (Minnesota) vs. James Green (Nebraska)
165 pounds
Bo Jordan (Ohio State) vs. Pierce Harger (Northwestern)
Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) vs. Taylor Walsh (Indiana)
174 pounds
Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) vs. Logan Storley (Minnesota)
Matt Brown (Penn State) vs. Mike Evans (Iowa)
184 pounds
Matt McCutcheon (Penn State) vs. Brett Pfarr (Minnesota)
Dom Abounader (Michigan) vs. Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin)
197 pounds
Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) vs. Nathan Burak (Iowa)
Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) vs. Scott Schiller (Penn State)
285 pounds
Connor Medbery (Wisconsin) vs. Bobby Telford (Iowa)
Adam Coon (Michigan) vs. Mike McMullan (Northwestern)
Team scoring
Iowa 65, Minnesota 54, Ohio State 48, Penn State 48, Wisconsin 41, Michigan 33.5, Nebraska 30, Northwestern 29, Illinois 27, Rutgers 12.5, Purdue 12, Indiana 11.5, Michigan State 9, Maryland 1.5
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