Quarterfinals conclude at NCAAs, Penn State sets new standard with eight semifinalists

All of the top seeds in each weight class have advanced into the semifinals, but only half of the No. 2 seeds did the same. A pair of second seeds went down last night, and three more today in the quarterfinals.

Opening up the action at 125 pounds, Princeton’s #10 Marc-Anthony McGowan won in ride outs over #2 Eddie Ventresca of Virginia Tech. You can call it a comeback at 149 pounds, as #10 Aden Valencia of Stanford recorded three third-period takedowns and topped #2 Jaxon Joy of Cornell, 12-9. Then up at 184 pounds in a battle of redshirt-freshmen, #7 Angelo Ferrari of Iowa got a takedown in extra time to come out on top over #2 Aeoden Sinclair of Missouri, 4-1.

Only 133 pounds and heavyweight were the two weight classes that saw all four top seeds advance to tonight’s semifinals.

The much talked about freshmen at the top of the 133-pound bracket held true to form up to this point. #1 Jax Forrest of Oklahoma State will face #4 Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech for the second time this season in the top half. #2 Ben Davino of Ohio State took out defending national champion Lucas Byrd of Illinois by 14-5 major decision and will face Big Ten rival #4 Marcus Blaze of Penn State.

The freshmen have been a huge story this tournament, as 11 either true or redshirt freshmen have advanced to the semifinals. Both 157 and 184 pounds feature multiple first-timers in addition to 133 pounds.

Talk coming into the weekend was any of the top four at heavyweight could win the title, now it will be a four-man bracket to see who does. #1 Yonger Bastida of Iowa State will face former national champion (down at 197 pounds) AJ Ferrari of Nebraska. The other semifinal has familiar foes as #2 Isaac Trumble of NC State will battle #3 Taye Ghadiali of Michigan (previously of Campbell).

Attendance for today’s session three in Cleveland was 17,067.

Session four action begins at 8 p.m. (ET), with TV coverage on ESPN2. This round is the semifinals and the Blood Round.

1. Penn State, 105.5 (8 SF, 0 Con.)

2. Nebraska, 66 (5 SF, 3 Con.)

3. Oklahoma State, 64.5 (5 SF, 3 Con.)

4. Iowa, 50.5 (3 SF, 6 Con.)

5. Ohio State, 44 (2 SF, 4 Con.)

6. Michigan, 41 (3 SF, 2 Con.)

7. Iowa State, 30.5 (1 SF, 3 Con.)

8. Stanford, 29 (1 SF, 5 Con.)

9. Virginia Tech, 28 (1 SF, 2 Con.)

10. Wyoming, 24.5 (1 SF, 3 Con.)

#1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. #5 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State)

#14 Jacob Moran (Indiana) vs. #10 Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton)

#1 Jax Forrest (Oklahoma State) vs. #4 Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech)

#3 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) vs. #2 Ben Davino (Ohio State)

#1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. #5 Luke Stanich (Lehigh)

#3 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) vs. #2 Sergio Vega (Oklahoma State)

#1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. #20 Chance Lamer (Nebraska)

#11 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan) vs. #10 Aden Valencia (Stanford)

#1 PJ Duke (Penn State) vs. #5 Landon Robideau (Oklahoma State)

#11 Ty Watters (West Virginia) vs. #2 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska)

#1 Mitchell Messenbrink (Penn State) vs. #12 Cesar Alvan (Columbia)

#3 Mikey Caliendo (Iowa) vs. #2 Joey Blaze (Purdue)

#1 Levi Haines (Penn State) vs. #5 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

#3 Christopher Minto (Nebraska) vs. #7 Cam Steed (Missouri)

#1 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) vs. #5 Brock Mantanona (Michigan)

#3 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) vs. #7 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa)

#1 Josh Barr (Penn State) vs. #5 Joey Novak (Wyoming)

#3 Stephen Little (Little Rock) vs. #7 Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State)

#1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs. #4 AJ Ferrari (Nebraska)

#3 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) vs. #2 Isaac Trumble (NC State)

#1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) dec. #8 Dean Peterson (Iowa), 2-1 (TB1)

#5 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) dec. #4 Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh), 8-2

#14 Jacob Moran (Indiana) dec. #6 Jore Volk (Minnesota), 5-4

#2 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) dec. #10 Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton), 2-1 (TB1)

#1 Jax Forrest (Oklahoma State) tech fall #8 Markel Baker (Northern Ill.), 18-3

#4 Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech) tech fall #5 Kyler Larkin (Arizona State), 16-1

#3 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) dec. #6 Drake Ayala (Iowa), 5-3

#2 Ben Davino (Ohio State) major dec. #7 Lucas Byrd (Illinois), 14-5

#1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) major dec. #8 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota), 16-4

#5 Luke Stanich (Lehigh) dec. #4 Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State), 6-4

#3 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) dec. #6 Vince Cornella (Cornell), 5-3

#2 Sergio Vega (Oklahoma State) dec. #7 Nasir Bailey (Iowa), 4-1

#1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) dec. #8 Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State), 5-2 (SV1)

#20 Chance Lamer (Nebraska) major dec. #12 Carter Young (Maryland), 12-0

#11 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan) WBF #3 Cross Wasilewski (Penn), 5:53

#10 Aden Valencia (Stanford) dec. #2 Jaxon Joy (Cornell), 12-9

#1 PJ Duke (Penn State) tech fall #8 Brandon Cannon (Ohio State), 21-5

#5 Landon Robideau (Oklahoma State) dec. #4 Kalen Larkin (Arizona State), 9-6 (SV1)

#11 Ty Watters (West Virginia) dec. #3 Meyer Shapiro (Cornell), 6-5

#2 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) dec. #7 Kannon Webster (Illinois), 5-2

#1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) dec. #9 Bryce Hepner (North Carolina), 6-0

#12 Cesar Alvan (Columbia) dec. #4 Nico Ruiz (Arizona State), 4-2

#3 Mikey Caliendo (Iowa) major dec. #27 EJ Parco (Stanford), 14-3

#2 Joey Blaze (Purdue) dec. #10 Will Denny (NC State), 4-3

#1 Levi Haines (Penn State) tech fall #9 Beau Mantanona (Michigan), 18-3

#5 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) dec. #4 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State), 2-1 (TB1)

#3 Christopher Minto (Nebraska) major dec. #11 MJ Gaitan (Iowa State), 11-3

#7 Cam Steed (Missouri) dec. #15 Danny Wask (Navy), 9-2 (SV1)

#1 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) INJ #8 Silas Allred (Nebraska), 5:11

#5 Brock Mantanona (Michigan) WBF #20 Brian Soldano (Oklahoma), 2:40

#3 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) dec. #6 Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming), 8-6

#7 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) dec. #2 Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri), 4-1 (SV1)

#1 Josh Barr (Penn State) tech fall #9 Angelo Posada (Stanford), 19-3

#5 Joey Novak (Wyoming) major dec. #29 Colton Hawks (Arizona State), 17-5

#3 Stephen Little (Little Rock) dec. #11 seed Camden McDanel (Nebraska), 4-1 (SV1)

#7 Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State) dec. #15 Remy Cotton (Rutgers), 8-3

#1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) dec. #8 Ben Kueter (Iowa), 5-2

#4 AJ Ferrari (Nebraska) dec. #21 Juan Mora (Oklahoma), 4-3

#3 Taye Ghadliali (Michigan) major dec. #27 Hunter Catka (Rutgers), 8-0

#2 Isaac Trumble (NC State) dec. #7 Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State), 4-0

• Session three live updates
• Brackets
• Photo gallery
• Interview playlist