Iowa men, with eight champs, dominate Soldiers Salute, with Minnesota in second

CORALVILLE, Iowa – The University of Iowa dominated the men’s folkstyle division of the Soldier Salute on Friday, capturing eight of the 10 titles and defeating runner-up Minnesota by 103 points.

Iowa finished with 251.5 points, with Minnesota next with 148.5 points. Rounding out the top five were Columbia in third with 102.5, South Dakota State in fourth with 90.5 and North Carolina in fifth with 78 points.

Individual Hawkeye champions were Drake Ayala (125), Brody Teske (133), Real Woods (141), Caleb Rathjen (149), Jared Franek (157), Michael Caliendo (165), Gabe Arnold (174) and Zach Glazier (197).

Caliendo won the only all-Iowa final, defeating teammate Patrick Kennedy, 7-3.

The 197-pound final between Glazier and unattached AJ Ferrari, a past NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, ended with Ferrari being disqualified at 8:59. The match went into overtime, Ferrari scored the apparent winning takedown but an altercation ensued leading to Ferrari’s disqualification.

FloWrestling: AJ Ferrari Disqualified After Soldier Salute Final

Caleb Rathjen of Iowa defeated unattached Anthony Ferrari, AJ’s younger brother, 7-2 in the finals. Rathjen was named Outstanding Wrestler.

In a battle to two highly ranked stars, No. 1 Woods stopped No. 5 Lachlan McNeil of North Carolina, 8-4 in the championship finals.

Minnesota won the other two weight classes contested

Minnesota had both finalists at 184 pounds, No. 10 Isaiah Salazar and Max McEnelly did not compete. The match was declared no contest, and they were named co-champions.

At 285 pounds, Bennett Tabor of the Gophers beat Luke Rasmussen of South Dakota State, 7-2 to close out the tournament.

SOLDIERS SALUTE

At Iowa City, Iowa, Dec. 30, 2023

Men’s folkstyle results

125

1^st - #17 Drake Ayala (Iowa) dec. 7 Jore Volk (Wyoming), 4-2

3^rd – Patrick McKee (Minnesota) maj dec. Nick Babin (Columbia), 11-0

5^th – Brady Roark (South Dakota State) inj. dft Brandon Morvari (Minnesota)

7^th – Garrett Rinken (UNI) maj dec. Damion Ryan (Bellarmine), 9-0

133

1^st -. #11 Brody Teske (Iowa) dec. #33 Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska), 5-4

3^rd – Cullen Schriever (Iowa) dec. Kale Peterson (unattached), 2-1

5^th – Jake Gliva (Minnesota) dec. Garrett Totten (Navy), 5-2

8^th – Angelo Rini (Columbia) and Cooper Birdwell (Wyoming), no match

141

1^st - #1 Real Woods (Iowa) dec. #5 Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina), 8-4

3^rd – Vance Vombaur (Minnesota) dec. Josh Koderhandt (Navy), 4-2

5^th – Zeke Seltzer (Missouri) dec. Stockton O’Brien (Wyoming), 10-3

7^th – Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) inj dft. Blake Cushing (Nebraska)

149

1^st - Caleb Rathjen (Iowa) dec. Anthony Ferrari (unattached), 7-2

3^rd – Alek Martin (South Dakota State) dec. Victor Voinovich (Iowa), 7-4

5^th – Daniel Kimball (South Dakota State) dec. Joel Jesuroga (Iowa), 5-4

7^th – Will Guida (North Carolina) pin Kaemen Smith (Navy), 0:28

157

1^st - #2 Jared Franek (Iowa) dec. #18 Cael Swensen (South Dakota State), 4-1

3^rd – Paniro Johnson (unattached) dec. Sonny Santiago (North Carolina), 11-6

5^th – Jason Kraisser (Iowa State) dec. Carter Martinson (Iowa), 9-2

7^th – James Conway (Missouri) dec. Christian Stark (Iowa State), 7-3

165

1^st - #7 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) dec. Patrick Kennedy (Iowa), 7-3

3^rd – Connor Euton (Iowa State) dec. Blaine Brenner (Minnesota), 16-13

5^th – RJ Weston (UNI) inj. dft Izzy Moreno (UNI)

7^th – Drake Rhodes (Iowa) dec. Grant O’Dell (Bellarmine), 6-3

174

1^st - #6 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) dec. #13 Lennox Wolak (Columbia), 4-1

3^rd – Tyler Eischens (North Carolina) dec. Bubba Wilson (Nebraska), 5-2

5^th – Elise Brown Ton (Nebraska) Nick Fox (UNI), 7-3

7^th – Devan Hendricks (Bellarmine) inj dft Devin Wasley (Minnesota)

184

1^st - #10 Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) and Max McEnelly (Minnesota), draw

3^rd – Colton Hawks (Missouri) maj. dec. Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia), 13-4

5^th – John Gunderson (unattached) dec. Zyan Hall (Navy), 9-2

7^th – Nicholas Fine (unattached) tech fall Aiden Riggins (Iowa), 17-0, 3:28

197

1^st - #25 Zach Glazier (Iowa) won by disq. AJ Ferrari (unattached), 8:59

3^rd – Joey Novak (Wyoming) dec. Garrett Johns (Minnesota), 4-1 OT

5^th – Jack Wehmeyer (Columbia) maj dec. Gavin Nelson (unattached), 12-1

7^th – Adam Ahrends (UNI) maj. dec. Daniel Williams (Navy), 12-1

285

1^st - #33 Bennett Tabor (Minnesota) dec. Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State), 7-2

3^rd – Bradley Hill (Iowa) dec. Nathan Schon (unattached), 6-4

5^th – Seth Nitzel (Missouri) pin Bowen McConville (South Dakota State), 2:27

7^th – Harley Andrews (Nebraska) pin Tyler Moussaw (VMI), 4:36

Team Standings

1. Iowa, 251.5

2. Minnesota, 148.5

3. Columbia, 102.5

4. South Dakota State, 90.5

5. North Carolina, 78

6. Northern Iowa, 76

7. Wyoming, 71.5

8. Nebraska, 60.5

9. Navy, 57

10. Iowa State, 52

11. Missouri, 48.5

12. Bellarmine, 20

13. Oregon State, 7.5

Semifinals results

125

#7 Jore Volk (Wyoming) dec. Brandon Morvari (Minnesota), 2-0

#17 Drake Ayala (Iowa) dec.  #19 Patrick McKee (Minnesota), 5-4

133

#33 Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) dec. Cullen Schriever (Iowa), 5-1

#11 Brody Teske (Iowa) tech fall Kale Petersen (unattached), 15-0, 6:03

141

#1 Real Woods (Iowa) dec. #13 Josh Koderhandt (Navy), 9-4

#5 Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina) dec. #31 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota), 7-4

149

Anthony Ferrari (unattached) dec. Alek Martin (South Dakota State), 5-2, OT

Caleb Rathjen (Iowa) dec. #8 Victor Voinovich (Iowa), 6-3

157

#2 Jared Franek (Iowa) maj. dec. Jason Kraisser (Iowa State), 13-3

#18 Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) dec. Paniro Johnson (unattached), 4-1, OT

165

#7 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) tech fall Blaine Brenner (Minnesota), 19-4, 4:43

Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) maj dec. Izzy Moreno (UNI), 10-0

174

#6 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) dec. Elise Brown Ton (Nebraska), 4-2

#13 Lennox Wolak (Columbia) maj dec. Tyler Eischens (North Carolina), 13-5

184

#10 Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) tech fall Zyan Hall (Navy), 15-0, 3:00

Max McEnelly (Minnesota) dec. John Gunderson (unattached), 11-9

197

AJ Ferrari (unattached) dec. Joey Novak (Wyoming), 7-2

#25 Zach Glazier (Iowa) dec. #23 Grant Joles (Minnesota), 5-4

285

#33 Bennett Tabor (Minnesota) maj dec. Bowen McConville (South Dakota State), 11-3

Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State) dec. Seth Nitzel (Missouri), 17-13