Takedown Report

Lovett and Hardy B1G Champs, Huskers Take Second

Evanston, Ill. – Ridge Lovett (149) and Brock Hardy (141) claimed Big Ten Championships on Sunday evening, highlighting the Nebraska wrestling campaign for its second-place team finish. The Huskers wrapped the two-day tournament with 137 points, the most ever recorded by Nebraska in a conference tournament.
Lovett secured his second-straight title, the first Husker to do so since Robert Kokesh in 2014 and 2015. Lovett and Hardy’s wins made the duo the first in 11 years to bring home multiple champions for the Big Red (2014 – James Green and Kokesh). 
The runner-up Big Ten finish for the team is the highest since finishing second in 2020.
Four Huskers placed above their designated pre-seeds, No. 7 Camden McDanel in fifth, No. 3 Lenny Pinto in second and No. 3 seeds Hardy and Lovett taking home titles. Nine represented Nebraska on their respective podiums, and punched their tickets for the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, Pa., with automatic qualifications. 
No. 7 Caleb Smith opened the championship bouts in Evanston, facing No. 8 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) in the final at 125. The Nittany Lion struck first, putting three on the board with a takedown in the first period. Smith used an escape to notch a point, and earned two more from PSU penalties, but with an extra escape from Lilledahl, the Husker fell after 7:00. Smith took two ranked wins en-route to his runner-up finish and will continue his postseason campaign in Philadelphia.
In the 141 final, No. 6 Hardy took on No. 8 Vance Vombaur (MINN). Hardy did not take long to strike with a takedown, but followed through to pin the Gopher in 1:59. The championship fall was the Husker’s fifth of the season, and his 50th career bonus-point win. Hardy leaves Evanston a Big Ten Champion, and an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships.
Going for back-to-back Big Ten titles, Lovett met Kannon Webster (ILL) on the mat at 149. The pair tussled, but in the end an escape from the Husker made the decision after regulation. Lovett won by 1-0 decision, becoming the first Husker since Kokesh in 2015 to claim consecutive Big Ten titles. The senior’s victory in the final also made it the first time in 11 years that the Big Red had two champions. … more at … https://huskers.com/news/2025/03/9/lovett-and-hardy-b1g-champs-huskers-take-second

March 11, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment

Pre-Seeds and Brackets Announced for the 2025 ACC Wrestling Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced the pre-seeds and brackets for the upcoming 2025 ACC Wrestling Championship, which will be held this Sunday, March 9, at Cameron Indoor Stadium on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  
Five teams had at least one wrestler earn a No. 1 seed, led by Virginia Tech with four top seeds, including 2024 NCAA National Champion and 2023 ACC Champion Caleb Henson at 149 pounds. The other three Hokies to earn a top seed were Eddie Ventresca at 125 pounds, Sam Latona at 141 pounds and Rafael Hipolito at 157 pounds. Latona was the 2021 ACC Champion at 125 pounds.  
North Carolina, which shared the 2024 ACC Regular Season Dual Meet Championship with both Virginia Tech and NC State, had two wrestlers seeded No. 1 in Ethan Oakley at 133 pounds and Joshua Ogunsanya at 174 pounds. NC State, the six-time defending ACC Champions, had one No. 1 seed in Isaac Trumble at 285 pounds.  
The other three No. 1 seeds came by way of Stanford’s Hunter Garvin at 165 pounds and Pitt’s Reece Heller and Mac Stout at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively.  
The two-time defending 133-pound champion Kai Orine of NC State is the No. 4 seed in the weight class this year, while fellow two-time champion (2022 and 2025) Ed Scott of the Wolfpack is the No. 2 seed at 157 pounds for this year’s championship. The 165-pound defending champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler at last year’s championship in Virginia’s Nick Hamilton is the No. 2 seed at that weight this year, while the 184-pound defending champion in Virginia Tech’s Thomas Stewart, Jr. came in at the No. 4 seed in the weight class this year.  
ACC pre-seeds for this year’s tournament were generated by WrestleStat.com and a vote of the league’s seven head coaches.  With seven competing teams in the ACC this year with the addition of Stanford, the No. 1 seeds will get a bye into the quarterfinals at all 10 weight classes.  
The complete 2025 ACC Wrestling Championship Brackets … more at … https://theacc.com/news/2025/3/4/pre-seeds-and-brackets-announced-for-the-2025-acc-wrestling-championship.aspx

March 7, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment

The TDR Top 12 Men’s Team – 2025

The TakeDown Report will reward the following wrestlers for their successful seasons with an engraved wooden plaque with the wrestler’s name and weight class. The following wrestlers will be listed as a First Team of the top ranked wrestler at each weight, a Second Team, with the next best 14 wrestlers with no connection to a weight class, and the Honorable Mentions are across deep weight classes.  We had planned on post rankings after the Regionals and befoe state but became imprudent and we did not do it. The full listing of rankings will be posted later. We welcome input, corrections, snide rearks or whatever your reaction to this may be. This has been updated.

First Team:
106– Sam Boltes, So. (Washington), 113– Holton Quincy, So. (N.E.C.P.), 120– Brandon Nolasco-Rayo, Sr. (Louisburg), 126– Tyler Watt, Sr. (Wake Forest), 132– Stephen Rubistello, Jr. (Tarboro), 138– Ryan Mann, Sr. (N.E.C.P.), 144– Tobin McNair, So. (Wakefield), 150– Gerald “JJ” Johnson, Sr. (West Craven), 157– Justin Root, Sr. (Dixon), 165– Mac Kopelman, Jr. (Laney), 175– Noah Michael, Sr. (Franklinton), 190– Lucas Summers, Sr. (First Flight), 215– Asher Eason, Sr. (Heidi Trask), 285– Jaden McClary, Jr. (Goldsboro)

Second Team:
106– Sader Tran, Jr. (South Central), 120– Cole Hunt, Sr. (Jacksonville), 126– Bryce Perry, So., (Washington), 126– Gavin Nipper, Sr. (Jacksonville), 144– Hayden Smith, Fr. (White Oak), 150– Gabe Foreman, Jr. (Washington), 150– Isiah Mewborn, Jr. (Pamlico Co.), 157– Landon Browning, Jr. (Tarboro), 175– Brendan Stevens, Sr. (Corinth-Holders), 175– Jude Moulton, Jr. (Hoggard), 190– Joseph Miller, Sr. (Lejeune), 190– Aldinio Previl, So. (Rosewood), 285– Everest Ouellette, Sr. (First Flight), 285– Nicholas Rodgers, Sr. (Wilson-Fike)

Honorable Mentions:
106– Tyler Mundell, So. (North Pitt), 113– Abrey Verhow, Jr. (White Oak), 120– Ethan Brownlee, Sr. (South Johnston), 120– Keller Guthrie, Jr. (Ayden-Grifton), 120– Ayden Arington (Laney) 126– Braulio Nolasco-Rayo, Sr. (Louisburg), 126– Jake Amiott, Fr. (Topsail) 132– Bladen Davis, Sr. (South Lenoir), 138– Dylan Shirley, Sr. (West Carteret), 138– Coy Deel, So. (West Craven), 144– Ashton Shield-Adams, Sr. (SW Onslow), 150– Kirick Gurkin, Jr. (North Brunswick), 157– Trenstin Bolden, So. (SW Onslow), 165– Jordyn Toliver, Sr. (Curituck Co.), 175– Josiah Daniel, Jr. (J.F. Webb), 175– Marquise Kelly, Sr. (Laney), 190– Clark Kellar, So. (Pasquotank Co.), 190– Lucky Horrell, Sr. (Hoggard), 190– Wisdom Mason, So. (North Pitt), 215– Nick Wade, Jr. (Rosewood), 285– Daniel Silver, Sr. (N.E.C.P.), 285– Antonio Nixon, Sr. (Heidi Trask)

Award Finalists for the James Johnson Memorial, Michael Stokes, Roy Heverly & Lee Caroll Awards;
113– Holton Quincy, So. (N.E.C.P.), 132– Stephen Rubistello, Jr. (Tarboro), 138– Ryan Mann, Sr. (N.E.C.P.), 144– Tobin McNair, So. (Wakefield), 150– Gerald “JJ” Johnson, Sr. (West Craven), 175– Noah Michael, Sr. (Franklinton), 190– Lucas Summers, Sr. (First Flight), 285– Jaden McClary, Jr. (Goldsboro)

March 6, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment

Nicolosi wins regional; UMO features three qualifiers

Results  
PEMBROKE, N.C. (March 1) – The University of Mount Olive men’s wrestling program qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA National Championships following their performance at the NCAA Super Region II Championships held on the campus of UNCP on Saturday.  
The Trojans tallied 92 points in the team standings behind five wrestlers with top-four finishes while competing on the regional stage. Lander won a third-straight NCAA Regionals with 157 points following eight wrestlers qualifying for nationals. UNC Pembroke (117 points) placed second overall with a trio of qualifiers and Newberry rounded out the top three behind 109.5 points.  
Senior Jake Nicolosi became the second-ever in program history to claim an individual regional championship at Mount Olive. Competing at 157, he produced an unblemished 4-0 record to capture the crown and clinch his spot as a national qualifier. In the opening round, Nicolosi posted a 15-0 tech fall over Malachi Thomas of Limestone before defeating Dennis Virelli of Newberry via a 14-3 major decision. He followed up with a 10-4 decision over No. 2 seed Keegan Roberson of UNC Pembroke to earn his spot in the championship. In the title bout, Nicolosi got his revenge and battled to an 11-7 decision versus top-seeded Trent Mahoney of King.  
In the 165-weight class, freshman Brent Nicolosi entered as the No. 2 seed and finished as the runner-up in his first regional appearance. After a first-round bye, he pinned Samuel Daniels of Limestone before a dominant 16-0 tech fall against William Lowery of UNCP to reach the championship. Nicolosi faced off against No. 1 ranked David Hunsberger of Lander and despite an excellent performance fell via a 7-6 decision. Brent will join brother Jake as a national qualifier in what has been an outstanding season for the tandem.  
Junior Calan Staub returns to the national stage … more at … https://umotrojans.com/news/2025/3/2/wrestling-nicolosi-wins-regional-umo-features-three-qualifiers.aspx

March 4, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment