No. 4 Ohio State Starts Strong, Beats No. 3 Iowa to Win National Duals
Buckeyes claim $200,000 title prize with 4-0 record on the weekend
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 4 Ohio State (5-0) dominated No. 2 Nebraska (3-1) and No. 3 Iowa (4-1) at the 2025 National Duals Invitational sponsored by Paycom Sunday to earn the $200,000 first place prize money.
The Buckeyes cruised in the morning dual against the Huskers, 33-3, before taking on No. 3 Iowa (4-0) in the event championship. The Buckeyes won nine of 10 matches against Nebraska to advance to the finals against the Hawkeyes. Ohio State did not let up in the title bout in downing Iowa, 27-12.
The Buckeyes received $200,000 for winning the championship while the second-place Hawkeyes claimed $150,000. In the final vs. the Hawkeyes, Nic Bouzakis got things started with an early pin over Iowa’s No. 10 Dean Peterson for a quick 6-0 lead for the Buckeyes.
Ben Davino followed with decision victory over No. 3 Drake Ayala, 10-4 … more at … https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/news/2025/11/16/wrestling-no-4-ohio-state-starts-strong-beats-no-3-iowa-to-win-national-duals
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Ohio State leaves no doubt, claims National Duals Invitational title with 27-12 win over Iowa
TULSA, Oklahoma – Statement made by fourth ranked Ohio State; The Buckeyes dominated all comers on its way to first place and the $200k grand prize at the 2025 National Duals Invitational held this weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Ohio State cemented its place atop the standings with a decisive 27-12 win over No. 3 Iowa on Sunday evening at the BOK Center, which aired nationally on ESPN2. The Buckeyes won the first five bouts of the dual, sparked by a pin at 125 pounds from Nick Bouzakis. Freshman Ben Davino took it to two-time NCAA finalist Drake Ayala at 133 pounds, 10-4. Two-time NCAA champion Jesse Mendez earned a punishing 17-1 technical fall over Nasir Bailey at 141 pounds. Wins by Ethan Stiles at 149 pounds and Brandon Cannon at 157 practically put the dual out of reach. Nick Feldman was given a forfeit at heavyweight to add to the Buckeyes total at night’s end.
Iowa had a nice, four-match strech with decision wins from Michael Caliendo at 165 pounds, Patrick Kennedy at 174 pounds, Angelo Ferrari at 184 pounds and Massoma Endene at 197 pounds. Caliendo, Kennedy and Ferrari all won in sudden victory. The Hawkeyes bagged $150k in prize money for the runner-up finish. No. 5 Oklahoma State rebounded from a two-point loss to Iowa to finish in third place, and also earn $150k in prize money. The Cowboys …more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/november/15/2025-national-duals-invitational-results
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Ohio State Buckeyes wrestling is a championship contender once again
It’s been a relatively rough few years for the Ohio State wrestling program. For a team that won a National Championship in 2015 and came one match away from another in 2017, the years since 2020 have not been fun. Sure, the Buckeyes have had great wrestlers, and the tragic career-ending shooting of Sammy Sasso set the program back, but this team went from being a perennial contender to being barely a top ten tournament team.
If the start of the 2025 season is any indication, though, that won’t be a problem this year.
Ohio State took home the inaugural National Duals Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma this year––complete with a $200,000 winner’s prize for the wrestling program (plus another $20,000 for takedown incentives). Penn State wasn’t one of the teams invited, so don’t declare the Buckeyes the best in the country just yet, but the manner in which Ohio State blew threw this competition … more at … https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/buckeyes/2025/11/17/ohio-state-buckeyes-wrestling-is-a-championship-contender-once-again/87313059007/
Crusaders Open Dual Schedule with Conference Carolinas Sweep
BLUEFIELD STATE Box Score
EMORY & HENRY Box Score
BELMONT, N.C. — Belmont Abbey Wrestling opened its home and Conference Carolinas schedules Thursday evening, sweeping Bluefield State and Emory & Henry at the Wheeler Center. The Crusaders defeated the Big Blue 42-11, then topped the Wasps by a 38-13 count.
In the opener, the Crusaders won eight of the 10 bouts, including a fall by freshman Luca Giagunto at 149 and tech falls by Dylan Drinkard (133) and Will Cline (141). The second match followed a similar script, with The Abbey taking seven bouts. Kyle Simpson (125) and Brady Ross (174) earned falls.
Belmont Abbey (2-0, 2-0) returns to action on Saturday … more at … https://abbeyathletics.com/news/2025/11/13/wrestling-crusaders-open-dual-schedule-with-conference-carolinas-sweep.aspx
UMO Win Against Lincoln Memorial and King at Ferrum Duals
Ferrum, VA – The Trojans put together an impressive day of competition, rolling past Lincoln Memorial before grinding out a tight win over King. Despite a couple matchup losses, Mount Olive’s men’s wrestling was able to keep their cool and win the day in some competitive matchups.
Mount Olive 40, Lincoln Memorial 8
UMO opened up strong against Lincoln Memorial with three decisions and two falls, taking the mat by storm. Following close were three forfeits, which allowed the Trojans to pull ahead in dominant fashion.
Match Results vs. Lincoln Memorial
- 125: Christian Luker (UMO) def. Andrae Aguilera — Fall (0:15)
- 133: Eli Pendergrass (UMO) def. LMU — Forfeit …more at … https://umotrojans.com/news/2025/11/13/wrestling-umo-win-against-lincoln-memorial-and-king-at-ferrum-duals.aspx
Lander Takes Down Coker and UNC Pembroke to Open Conference Slate
HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The second-ranked Lander Wrestling team opened the 2025–26 dual slate with a pair of Conference Carolinas wins on Thursday afternoon, shutting out Coker 40–0 before defeating UNC Pembroke 27–12. With the sweep, the Bearcats extend their Conference Carolinas winning streak to 31 straight duals, a run that dates back to the 2022–23 season.
Seven Bearcats went 2–0 on the day, including #11 Elijah Lusk (141), #5 Isham Peace (149), #1 David Hunsberger (165), #15 Maxwell Kiel (174), #15 Dylan Kohn (184), #5 Marvelous Rutledge (197), and #7 Issac Sheeren (285). Lander collected bonus points in 11 of its 17 individual wins across both duals.
Match 1: #2 Lander 40, Coker 0
Lander opened the season with a dominant shutout, beginning with decision wins from Oren Decker and #4 James Joplin (133) to take a 6–0 lead. From there, the Bearcats rolled to six straight bonus-point victories.
Lusk and Peace each earned major decisions in their first duals at 141 and 149, respectively, while Noah Roulo added an 8–0 major at 157. Hunsberger recorded the team’s first tech fall of the season, a 23–4 win in just three minutes, and newcomers Kiel and Kohn followed with tech falls of their own.
Rutledge controlled a 7–1 decision at 197 before Sheeren closed the match with a 16–4 major at heavyweight.
Match 2: #2 Lander 27, UNC Pembroke 12
Lander fell behind early as UNCP opened with a tech fall at 125 and a decision at 133 to lead 8–0. Lusk responded with an 11–3 major decision, and Peace followed with a 7–3 win to cut the deficit to one.
A UNCP major at 157 pushed the Braves back ahead 12–7, but the Bearcats closed the door from that point forward, winning the final five bouts.
Hunsberger started the run with an 18–8 major before Kiel and Kohn delivered tech falls … more at … https://landerbearcats.com/news/2025/11/13/wrestling-lander-takes-down-coker-and-unc-pembroke-to-open-conference-slate.aspx
Montreat wins all six duals in Lynchburg
LYNCHBURG, Va.— Montreat College’s women’s wrestling team visited the campus of Liberty University to compete in The Strong & Courageous Duals on Saturday. The Cavaliers wrestled six opposing schools during the event and finished with a record of 6-0 on the day. Montreat wrestled all four opponents they faced in last season’s rendition of the Duals hosted by Liberty, plus two new additions to the slate. The fresh faces were The Apprentice School Builders and the Randolph College Wildcats.
The Cavaliers started in dominant fashion, beating Brewton-Parker Christian University 36-12. Montreat dropped points on only two of the ten total bouts in the dual. Dinayah Vazquez, Sheyla Ochoa Salgado and Annastasia Skoda all notched pins in the opening dual for the Cavs. They cruised to victory, 36-12, with the help of two forfeits from the Barons.
Against The Apprentice School Builders, the Cavaliers continued to control the pace. The Builders forfeited five bouts, which accounted for 25 of Montreat’s 33 total points. Additionally, Vazquez secured another victory via a pin. At 180, Shay Potter was the only other Cavalier to win her match that was not a forfeit. She won her bout 10-2 in a decision, keeping the Cavs in front 33-15.
Montreat was rolling after its first two wins in a row and kept it going by beating Randolph College 32-15. Ochoa Salgado collected her second pin victory of the day. Nicole Lewis pinned her opponent in 3:19, and at 207, Daniella Jenkins finished the dual with a pin in 1:40 to give the Cavaliers the 32-15 triumph.
After the Cavs received a bye, they faced the Greensboro College Pride in their fourth match of the day. They remained undefeated and came out victorious again, this time with a 40-8 win. The Pride forfeited five bouts to Montreat, giving the Cavaliers 25 team points. Both Lewis and Jenkins earned pins as … more at … https://montreatcavaliers.com/news/2025/11/15/womens-wrestling-montreat-wins-all-six-duals-in-lynchburg.aspx
#2 Lander Dominates Division I Campbell On Deck of USS Yorktown
CHARLESTON, S.C. – With the Charleston Harbor and a bright blue sky serving as a scenic backdrop, the second-ranked Lander Wrestling team took another step in establishing itself as a national powerhouse with a 32–6 win over Division I Campbell on Saturday morning at Throwdown on the Yorktown II aboard the USS Yorktown.
Campbell (1–3) entered the season having claimed at least a share of the Southern Conference regular-season title in each of the last two years and winning four of five SoCon Tournament championships from 2017–2022. Lander (3–0), however, controlled the dual from start to finish, winning eight of ten bouts and limiting the Camels to a pair of narrow decisions.
Lander opened with six free points at 125 as Campbell forfeited to #9 Kaden Kuenzi, and although RJ James dropped a tight 10–6 decision at 133, the Bearcats responded immediately. #11 Elijah Lusk delivered a 24–9 tech fall at 141 before #5 Isham Peace added a 14–4 major at 149 to stretch the lead to 15–3.
Campbell picked up a 6–4 win at 157, but the Bearcats shut the door from that point forward. #1 David Hunsberger controlled his bout in a 13–6 decision, and back-to-back major decisions from #15 Maxwell Kiel (14–2) and #15 Dylan Kohn (10–1) officially clinched the dual for the Blue and Gold.
#5 Marvelous Rutledge and #7 Issac Sheeren closed … more at … https://landerbearcats.com/news/2025/11/15/wrestling-2-lander-dominates-division-i-campbell-on-deck-of-uss-yorktown.aspx
Maryland Defeats Gardner-Webb and the Citadel at the Throwdown on the Yorktown
CHARLESTON, SC – The Maryland wrestling team capped off the Throwdown on the Yorktown with an undefeated 2-0 record, defeating Gardner-Webb 27-13 and The Citadel 24-9.
In their first dual against Gardner-Webb, the Terrapins delivered a balanced team performance to secure a 27-13 victory. Key contributors included Dominic Solis (174 lbs) and Joey Schneck (285 lbs), who earned major decisions, and Dario Lemus (141 lbs) and Branson John (197 lbs), who recorded technical falls. Jaxon Smith (184 lbs) added a quick pin, while Michael Pizzuto (149 lbs) sealed a close decision in sudden victory. Maryland’s consistent effort across the lineup ensured a decisive win.
Maryland carried that momentum into their matchup against The Citadel. Braxton Brown (133 lbs) and Dario Lemus (141 lbs) set the tone with hard-fought decisions, while Jackson Young (149 lbs) defeated Thomas Termini 4-1. The upper weights were dominated by Maryland, with … more at … https://umterps.com/news/2025/11/15/wrestling-defeats-gardner-webb-and-the-citadel-at-the-throwdown-on-the-yorktown.aspx
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Gardner-Webb Splits Throwdown on The Yorktown, Falling to Maryland and Defeating Air Force
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Gardner-Webb wrestling team returned to action on Saturday morning, splitting action on the deck of the USS Yorktown with a 27-13 loss to Maryland and a 20-18 win over Air Force in the 2025 Throwdown on The Yorktown.
After a loss in the opening match, the Runnin’ Bulldogs bounced back in a big way to defeat Air Force. Against the Falcons, Gardner-Webb turned to No. 16 ranked redshirt sophomore T.K. Davis, who scored a win by 7-3 decision at 133 pounds over Gavin Caprella.
GWU also grabbed important points at 141 through graduate Dominic Ditullio who recorded a 9-2 decision over Carter Nogle and at 149 with junior Drew Pepin, who scored a 5-0 decision over Bryce Shelton.
To set up the eventual win, junior Joseph Giordano defeated EJ Beloncik 15-3 by major decision at 157, then freshman Isaiah Guerrero won by decision, 7-2 over Cunner Cramblett at 174 pounds.
The highlight of the day would come from Josh McCutchen at 197 pounds who defeated … more at … https://gwusports.com/news/2025/11/15/wrestling-splits-throwdown-on-the-yorktown-falling-to-maryland-and-defeating-air-force.aspx
Davidson ‘Cats Drop Season-Opening Duals at Brown and Sacred Heart
PROVIDENCE, R.I. / FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After falling at Brown earlier in the day, the Davidson wrestling team suffered a hard fought, 20-18 setback to Sacred Heart Saturday evening to open their 2025-26 dual slate.
Davidson at Brown Recap
In their morning dual with Brown, the Wildcats picked up wins from Luke Passarelli and Bryce Griffin, while Kiyan Simon also earned six points by forfeit at 141 pounds.
Passarelli, a 133-pound senior from Irwin, Pa., put the first points on the board for Davidson with a pin at 3:42. At 174 pounds, Griffin would edge the Bears’ Drew Clearie in the final bout of the dual.
Brown 35, Davidson 15 … more at … https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2025/11/15/wrestling-cats-drop-season-opening-duals-at-brown-and-sacred-heart
Campbell earns first conference win, two Camels notch ranked upsets
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell wrestling team earned its first conference win of the 2025–26 season Saturday at the second annual Throwdown on the Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The Camels also faced Lander and Penn, falling in both duals.
Campbell opened the day with a 32-6 loss to Lander, who entered ranked No. 2 in the NWCA Division II preseason poll. Graduate student Logan Heil delivered the Camels’ first win with a 10-6 decision at 133 pounds, and sophomore Pablo Macias added an 8-6 decision at 157.
The Camels then fell 36-6 to Penn, which is receiving votes in the latest NWCA Division I Coaches Poll. Despite the result, Campbell posted two strong individual performances.
In his Campbell debut, redshirt freshman Anthony Ferrari upset Sean Seefeldt, ranked No. 32 by InterMat and No. 43 by WrestleStat, with a 5-4 decision at 165 pounds. Redshirt senior Conor Maslanek followed with a 7-3 win at 197 over Marin Cosgrove, ranked No. 27 by InterMat and No. 43 by WrestleStat. Campbell closed the day with a 21-19 comeback win over Presbyterian to start 1-0 in conference play. Trailing 13-4 entering the 157-pound match, Macias sparked the rally with a clutch pin with 1:03 left in the third period. His victory was the first of three straight for the Camels, followed by a tech fall from Ferrari at 6:23 and a 15-11 decision from graduate student Ryan Bolletino.
Presbyterian earned a win at 184, … more at … https://gocamels.com/news/2025/11/15/wrestling-earns-first-conference-win-two-camels-notch-ranked-upsets.aspx
No. 21 UNC Wrestling Defeats Navy, 20-18
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Bryce Hepner’s second-period fall highlighted 21st-ranked North Carolina wrestling’s win over Navy, 20-18, Saturday afternoon inside Carmichael Arena.
Hepner was one of five Tar Heels earning wins on the day, joined by Kysen Terukina (125), Ethan Oakley (133), Laird Root (157) and Jake Dailey (184).
With the matchup starting at 125-pounds, No. 19 Kysen Terukina secured his second-straight dual victory to begin his Carolina career, an 11-1 major decision.
At 133-pounds, Ethan Oakley secured an escape and the match-winning takedown with 40 seconds remaining in the bout, to claim a 4-1 decision versus Navy’s Brendan Ferretti.
Root’s major decision at 157-pounds was his second consecutive major decision to begin the dual campaign. The redshirt-freshman collected two third-period takedowns, claiming the bonus-point victory.
Hepner’s fall was the 11th of his collegiate career, and the first for Carolina in duals this season. After earning the first-period takedown, the Avon, Ohio native never looked back, earning the fall less than a minute into the second period.
Rounding out the Tar Heel victories, Dailey’s decision at 184-pounds was his second-straight decision in dual action, a 5-2 verdict over Gage Yackee. Up next, the Tar Heels host the Carolina Duals on Friday, … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2025/11/15/no-21-wrestling-defeats-navy-20-18
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After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
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