On Saturday, the 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will get underway at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. The championships will take place across four sessions on Saturday and Sunday at the XFINITY Center.
Entering this weekend, the Golden Gophers were 11-2 overall in the 2023-24 regular season including 6-2 in Big Ten action. and enter as the No. 12 team in the country.
The Gophers this year will be looking to improve on their sixth place finish in the 2023 Big Ten Championships as they finished behind Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Michigan. No Golden Gophers won an individual championship last season while Aaron Nagao and Michael Blockus both finished second at the 133 and 149 weight classes.
Nagoa is now at Penn State where he is ranked 11th nationally at 133 and fourth in the Big Ten. Blockhus of course is still with the Gophers and put together a terrific regular season with a 15-1 (8-0) record at 157. He enters the weekend as the No. 4 wrestler nationally at 157 and second in the Big Ten only behind Penn State's Levi Haines.
WHEN, WHERE, HOW TO WATCH
WHEN: March 9-10
- Session 1: March 9 (10:00 a.m.)
- Session 2: March 9 (5:00 p.m.)
- Session 3: March 10 (12:00 p.m.)
- Session 4: March 10 (4:30 p.m.)
WHERE: XFINITY CENTER (17,950) - College Park, Maryland
HOW TO WATCH: Big Ten Network (B1G+ / Fox Sports app)
MINNESOTA'S BIG TEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS LINEUP
A look at the Golden Gophers lineup for the Big Ten Champioinships and its fair to say that the Gophers to watch for potential individual championships this weekend are Michael Blockhus at 157, Isaiah Salazar at 184, and Garrett Jones at 197, Patrick McKee should be considered a darkhorse but will have his hands full with Matt Ramos (Purdue), Drake Aayala (Iowa), and Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) all among the best nationally at 125 as well.
If any Gopher wins an individual Big Ten Championship this weekend, they would be the first Gopher not named Gable Stevenson to do since 2015 when Chris Dardanes did so at the 133 weight class.
Additonally, Isaiah Salazar will look to be the Gophers first 184 champion since 2012 as he enters the weekend as the tournament's top seed at 184 and No. 5 nationally.
Below, you can find the pre-seeds for each weight class.
PRE-SEEDS: 125
1. Matt Ramos (PUR)
2. Drake Ayala (IOWA)
3. Eric Barnett (WIS)
4. Patrick McKee (MINN)
5. Caleb Smith (NEB)
6. Braeden Davis (PSU)
7. Michael DeAugustino (MICH)
8. Brendan McCrone (OSU)
9. Dean Peterson (RUT)
10. Tristan Lujan (MSU)
11. Justin Cardani (ILL)
12. Massey Odiotti (NU)
13. Tommy Capul (MD)
14. Blaine Frazier (IND)
PRE-SEEDS: 133
1. Dylan Ragusin (MICH)
2. Dylan Shawver (RUT)
3. Nic Bouzakis (OSU)
4. Jacob Van Dee (NEB)
5. Aaron Nagao (PSU)
6. Tony Madrigal (ILL)
7. Braxton Brown (MD)
8. Tyler Wells (MINN)
9. Nicolar Rivera (WIS)
10. Cayden Rooks (IND)
11. Dustin Norris (PUR)
12. Andrew Hampton (MSU)
13. Patrick Adams (NU)
14. Brody Teske (IOWA)
PRE-SEEDS: 141
1. Beau Bartlett (PSU)
2. Jesse Mendez (OSU)
3. Real Woods (IOWA)
4. Brock Hardy (NEB)
5. Sergio Lemley (MICH)
6. Danny Pucino (ILL)
7. Mitch Moore (RUT)
8. Jordan Hamdan (MSU)
T9. Dan Fongaro (IND)
T9. Vance VomBaur (MINN)
11. Kal Miller (MD)
12. Greyson Clark (PUR)
13. Kolby McClain (NU)
14. Felix Lettini (WIS)
PRE-SEEDS 149:
1. Ridge Lovett (NEB)
2. Austin Gomez (MICH)
3. Caleb Rathjen (IOWA)
4. Tyler Kasak (PSU)
5. Dylan D’Emilio (OSU)
6. Ethen Miller (MD)
7. Joseph Zargo (WIS)
8. Graham Rooks (IND)
9. Drew Roberts (MINN)
10. Michael Cetta (RUT)
11. Marcos Polanco (PUR)
12. Braden Stauffenberg (MSU)
13. Aiden Vandenbush (NU)
14. Jake Harrier (ILL)
PRE-SEEDS: 157
1. Levi Haines (PSU)
2. Michael Blockhus (MINN)
3. Brayton Lee (IND)
4. Jared Franek (IOWA)
5. Peyton Robb (NEB)
6. Chase Saldate (MSU)
7. Will Lewan (MICH)
8. Joey Blaze (PUR)
9. Trevor Chumbley (NU)
10. Isaac Wilcox (OSU)
11. Al DeSantis (RUT)
12. Michael North (MD)
13. Luke Mechler (WIS)
14. Logan Swaw (ILL)
PRE-SEEDS: 165
1. Dean Hamiti (WIS)
2. Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU)
3. Michael Caliendo (IOWA)
4. Caleb Fish (MSU)
5. Antrell Taylor (NEB)
6. Cameron Amine (MICH)
7. Stoney Buell (PUR)
8. Bryce Hepner (OSU)
9. Tyler Lillard (IND)
10. Blaine Brenner (MINN)
11. Chris Moore (ILL)
12. Maxx Mayfield (NU)
13. Anthony White (RUT)
14. AJ Rodrigues (MD)
PRE-SEEDS: 174
1. Carter Starocci (PSU)
2. Shane Griffith (MICH)
3. Patrick Kennedy (IOWA)
4. Edmond Ruth (ILL)
5. Rocco Welsh (OSU)
6. Jackson Turley (RUT)
7. Max Maylor (WIS)
8. DJ Washington (IND)
9. Andrew Sparks (MINN)
10. Brody Baumann (PUR)
11. Dominic Solis (MD)
12. Bubba Wilson (NEB)
13. DJ Shannon (MSU)
14. David Ferrante (NU)
PRE-SEEDS: 184
1. Isaiah Salazar (MINN)
2. Lenny Pinto (NEB)
3. Bernie Truax (PSU)
4. Ryder Rogotzke (OSU)
5. Jaden Bullock (MICH)
6. Layne Malczewski (MSU)
7. Shane Liegel (WIS)
8. Brian Soldano (RUT)
9. Troy Fisher (NU)
10. Roman Rogotzke (IND)
11. Dylan Connell (ILL)
12. James Rowley (PUR)
13. Aiden Riggins (IOWA)
14. Chase Mielnik (MD)
PRE-SEEDS: 197
1. Aaron Brooks (PSU)
2. Jaxon Smith (MD)
3. Zach Glazier (IOWA)
4. Silas Allred (NEB)
5. Garrett Joles (MINN)
6. Luke Geog (OSU)
7. John Poznanski (RUT)
8. Evan Bates (NU)
9. Ben Vanadia (PUR)
10. Gabe Sollars (IND)
11. Kael Wisler (MSU)
12. Isiah Pettigrew (ILL)
13. Bobby Striggow (MICH)
14. Josh Otto (WIS)
PRE-SEEDS: 285
1. Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)
2. Nick Feldman (OSU)
3. Lucas Davison (MICH)
4. Yaraslau Slavikouski (RUT)
5. Seth Nevills (MD)
6. Nick Willham (IND)
7. Bradley Hill (IOWA)
8. Bennett Tabor (MINN)
9. Josh Terrill (MSU)
10. Nash Hutmacher (NEB)
11. Jack Jessen (NU)
12. Gannon Rosenfeld (WIS)
13. Peter Marinopoulos (ILL)
14. Hayden Filipovich (PUR)
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