EAST LANSING, Mich. — Northwestern secured five placewinners, its most since having six in 2015, at the first day of the Big Ten Championships at the Breslin Center.
UPDATED BRACKETS
Additionally, four Wildcats earned berths to the NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, with their performances in Sessions I and II.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) and redshirt junior Conan Jennings (285) were the only Wildcats to go undefeated in Session II. Rivera notched a major decision and a pin, while Jennings earned a tech fall and a pin.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) will face Iowa rookie Spencer Lee in Session III tomorrow afternoon, while redshirt first-year Ryan Deakin (149) will face Colton McCrystal of Nebraska in the consolation semifinals.
Deakin topped McCrystal via 11-2 major decision in a dual earlier this season, while Lee beat Rivera, 7-4, in NU's dual at Iowa.
Redshirt junior Johnny Sebastian (174) will face (7) Joey Gunther of Iowa in the consolation semifinals. The two have not faced each other.
Redshirt junior Conan Jennings (285) will have heavyweight Sam Stoll of Iowa on tap in the consolation semifinals. Stoll has topped Jennings via decision in both of their matchups this season.
SEMIFINALS
Ryan Deakin (149) and Brandon Sorensen wrestled a tight match between the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds, but a set of late takedowns by Sorensen gave the Hawkeye the advantage and 7-2 decision victory.
Johnny Sebastian (174) competed well against top-seeded Mark Hall of Penn State, but fell via 4-1 decision.
CONSOLATIONS
Sebastian Rivera (125) clinched a trip to the NCAA Championships with a 13-3 major decision over No. 14 seed Carson Kuhn to open the session. With the win, he became the third Wildcat to punch their ticket to the event in Cleveland. The Jackson, New Jersey, native also clinched being a place-winner at the Big Ten Championships.
Zack Chakonis (197) picked up his first win of the Big Ten Championships with a dominating 13-2 major decision over Michigan State's Nick May. The win guaranteed that Chakonis will place for the first time in his career.
Conan Jennings (285) one-upped Chakonis with an even more commanding performance, a 16-0 shutout Tech Fall of Wisconsin's Ben Stone. Jennings will now place at the Championships for his second-straight season.
In his second consolation performance, Rivera delivered pin points for Northwestern, defeating Indiana's Elijah Oliver in 4:55.
Jennings needed one more win to seal NCAA Championships qualification, and he got it with a 44 second pin of Purdue's Shawn Streck. He advances to consolation semifinals.
9TH PLACE QUARTERFINALS
For the purpose of NCAA Championships at-large qualifications, Big Ten wrestlers who were not place-winners in certain weight classes competed in an additional bracket to determine the next-man-out in classes with eight NCAA allocation spots. These bouts did not count toward Big Ten Championships team score.
Alec McKenna (141) won his bout against Michigan's Sal Profaci, 7-6, and Michael Sepke (165) fell 4-1.
Mitch Sliga (184) received a bye in the quarterfinals and will wrestle in the 9th place semifinals tomorrow before Session III against Buddy Conley (IND).
Session II Results
Semifinals
149: (2) Brandon Sorensen (IOWA) dec. (3) Ryan Deakin, 7-2
174: (1) Mark Hall (PSU) dec. (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU), 4-1
Consolation Round 2
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) maj. dec. (14) Carson Kuhn (PSU), 13-3
133: (5) Scott DelVecchio (RUT) maj. dec. Colin Valdiviez (NU), 10-1
141: (4) Chad Red (NEB) dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 2-0
157: (6) Andrew Crone (WIS) dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 6-2
184: (7) Ricky Robertson (WIS) dec. Mitch Sliga (NU), 5-0
197: (7) Zack Chakonis (NU) maj. dec. Nick May (MSU), 13-2
285: (6) Conan Jennings Tech. Fall Ben Stone (WIS), 16-0
Consolation Round 3
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) Fall (10) Elijah Oliver (IND), 4:55
197: (3) Cash Wilcke (IOWA) dec. (7) Zack Chakonis (NU), 4-2
285: (6) Conan Jennings (NU) Fall (7) Shawn Streck (PUR), 0:44
9th Place Quarterfinals
141: Alec McKenna (NU) dec. Sal Profaci (MICH), 7-6
165: (11) Bryce Martin (IND) dec. (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 4-1
UPDATED BRACKETS
Additionally, four Wildcats earned berths to the NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, with their performances in Sessions I and II.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) and redshirt junior Conan Jennings (285) were the only Wildcats to go undefeated in Session II. Rivera notched a major decision and a pin, while Jennings earned a tech fall and a pin.
Redshirt first-year Sebastian Rivera (125) will face Iowa rookie Spencer Lee in Session III tomorrow afternoon, while redshirt first-year Ryan Deakin (149) will face Colton McCrystal of Nebraska in the consolation semifinals.
Deakin topped McCrystal via 11-2 major decision in a dual earlier this season, while Lee beat Rivera, 7-4, in NU's dual at Iowa.
Redshirt junior Johnny Sebastian (174) will face (7) Joey Gunther of Iowa in the consolation semifinals. The two have not faced each other.
Redshirt junior Conan Jennings (285) will have heavyweight Sam Stoll of Iowa on tap in the consolation semifinals. Stoll has topped Jennings via decision in both of their matchups this season.
SEMIFINALS
Ryan Deakin (149) and Brandon Sorensen wrestled a tight match between the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds, but a set of late takedowns by Sorensen gave the Hawkeye the advantage and 7-2 decision victory.
Johnny Sebastian (174) competed well against top-seeded Mark Hall of Penn State, but fell via 4-1 decision.
CONSOLATIONS
Sebastian Rivera (125) clinched a trip to the NCAA Championships with a 13-3 major decision over No. 14 seed Carson Kuhn to open the session. With the win, he became the third Wildcat to punch their ticket to the event in Cleveland. The Jackson, New Jersey, native also clinched being a place-winner at the Big Ten Championships.
Zack Chakonis (197) picked up his first win of the Big Ten Championships with a dominating 13-2 major decision over Michigan State's Nick May. The win guaranteed that Chakonis will place for the first time in his career.
Conan Jennings (285) one-upped Chakonis with an even more commanding performance, a 16-0 shutout Tech Fall of Wisconsin's Ben Stone. Jennings will now place at the Championships for his second-straight season.
In his second consolation performance, Rivera delivered pin points for Northwestern, defeating Indiana's Elijah Oliver in 4:55.
Jennings needed one more win to seal NCAA Championships qualification, and he got it with a 44 second pin of Purdue's Shawn Streck. He advances to consolation semifinals.
9TH PLACE QUARTERFINALS
For the purpose of NCAA Championships at-large qualifications, Big Ten wrestlers who were not place-winners in certain weight classes competed in an additional bracket to determine the next-man-out in classes with eight NCAA allocation spots. These bouts did not count toward Big Ten Championships team score.
Alec McKenna (141) won his bout against Michigan's Sal Profaci, 7-6, and Michael Sepke (165) fell 4-1.
Mitch Sliga (184) received a bye in the quarterfinals and will wrestle in the 9th place semifinals tomorrow before Session III against Buddy Conley (IND).
Session II Results
Semifinals
149: (2) Brandon Sorensen (IOWA) dec. (3) Ryan Deakin, 7-2
174: (1) Mark Hall (PSU) dec. (5) Johnny Sebastian (NU), 4-1
Consolation Round 2
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) maj. dec. (14) Carson Kuhn (PSU), 13-3
133: (5) Scott DelVecchio (RUT) maj. dec. Colin Valdiviez (NU), 10-1
141: (4) Chad Red (NEB) dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 2-0
157: (6) Andrew Crone (WIS) dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 6-2
184: (7) Ricky Robertson (WIS) dec. Mitch Sliga (NU), 5-0
197: (7) Zack Chakonis (NU) maj. dec. Nick May (MSU), 13-2
285: (6) Conan Jennings Tech. Fall Ben Stone (WIS), 16-0
Consolation Round 3
125: (4) Sebastian Rivera (NU) Fall (10) Elijah Oliver (IND), 4:55
197: (3) Cash Wilcke (IOWA) dec. (7) Zack Chakonis (NU), 4-2
285: (6) Conan Jennings (NU) Fall (7) Shawn Streck (PUR), 0:44
9th Place Quarterfinals
141: Alec McKenna (NU) dec. Sal Profaci (MICH), 7-6
165: (11) Bryce Martin (IND) dec. (14) Michael Sepke (NU), 4-1