TULSA - Wisconsin wrestling saw two Badgers - Dean Hamiti and Trent Hillger - advance to the quarterfinals after the first day of the 2023 NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma.Three additional wrestlers - Eric Barnett, Austin Gomez and Garrett Model - are still competing in the national tournament's consolation brackets as well with opportunity for all five Badgers to still place on the podium.
Competing at the BOK Center, Wisconsin finished Thursday's second session tied for 10th place with 13.0 points along with Arizona State and Virginia Tech. Penn State leads all teams with 26.0 points, followed by Iowa (21.5) and Missouri (17.5) in the top three.
Thursday's first session saw these five of Wisconsin's eight competitors advance with victories in the second session's championship rounds including bonus-point victories by Barnett (125 pounds), Gomez (149) and Hamiti (165) in the opening bouts. Complete results so far are available below.
Notably, Hamiti has wrestled in two bouts at the NCAA Championships on Thursday and earned wins by fall in both, pinning Drexel's Evan Barczak in 1:24 and the later pinning Illinois' Dan Braunagel in 2:47 at 165 pounds.
Hilger's used stingy defense to earn tight decision victories in his first two bouts, defeating Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech) 2-0 and Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) 1-0.
Model also earned a 10-5 decision at 157 to clinch a first-round upset of higher seed Cobe Siebrecht from Iowa. Siebrecht had handed Model a loss earlier in the season and Thursday's victory sweetened his advancement to the second round.
Wisconsin saw three Badgers exit the tournament. Taylor LaMont (133) and Joseph Zargo (141) both ended their seasons with two losses on Thursday, while at 197 pounds, Braxton Amos suffered a shoulder injury in his first match and was unable to continue to compete.
Looking ahead to Friday, action starts again at 11 a.m. CT for Session III.
RESULTS
Team Standings (Sessions 1 & 2)
1. Penn State 26.0
2. Iowa 21.5
3. Missouri 17.5
4. Minnesota 16.5
4. NC State 16.5
6. Cornell 15.5
6. Nebraska 15.5
8. Michigan 14.5
8. Ohio State 14.5
10. Arizona State 13.0
10. Virginia Tech 13.0
10. Wisconsin 13.0
Full standings on TrackWrestling
Wisconsin Individuals (Sessions 1 & 2)
Eric Barnett - 125 pounds - 9th seed - 1-1 - 2.0 team points
Champ. Round 1: Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) over Nick Babin (Columbia) • MD 9-0
Champ. Round 2: Anthony Noto (Lock Haven) over Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) • Dec 5-4
Next Match: Cons. Round 2: Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) vs Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) •  Bout 387
Taylor LaMont - 133 pounds - 27th seed - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) over Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) • SV-1 3-1
Cons. Round 1: Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) over Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) • Dec 7-5
Joseph Zargo - 141 pounds - 31st seed - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) over Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) • Fall 2:05
Cons. Round 1: Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) over Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) • SV-1 4-2
Austin Gomez - 149 pounds - 14th seed - 1-1 - 2.0 team points
Champ. Round 1: Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) over Johnny Lovett (Central Michigan) • MD 18-10
Champ. Round 2: Kyle Parco (Arizona State) over Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Dec 6-3
Next Match: Cons. Round 2: Kellyn March (North Dakota State) vs Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Bout 408
Garrett Model - 157 pounds - 19th seed - 1-0 - 1.0 team points
Champ. Round 1: Garrett Model (Wisconsin) over Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa) • Dec 10-5
Champ. Round 2: Peyton Robb (Nebraska) over Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • TF-1.5 5:40 (16-1)
Next Match: Cons. Round 2: Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) vs Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • Bout 416
Dean Hamiti - 165 pounds - 3rd seed - 2-0 - 6.0 team points
Champ. Round 1: Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) over Evan Barczak (Drexel) • Fall 1:24
Champ. Round 2: Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) over Dan Braunagel (Illinois) • Fall 2:47
Next Match: Quarterfinal: Cameron Amine (Michigan) vs Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) • Bout 363
Braxton Amos - 197 pounds - 17th seed - 0-1
Champ. Round 1: Owen Pentz (North Dakota State) over Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • Inj. 1:38
Cons. Round 1: Max Shaw (North Carolina) over Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • M. For.*
Braxton Amos withdraws from tournament due to injury. Medical forfeits do not count against record.
#9 Trent Hillger - 285 pounds - 11th seed - 2-0 - 2.0 team points
Champ. Round 1: #9 Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) over #18 Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech) • Dec 2-0
Champ. Round 2: #9 Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) over #10 Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) • Dec 1-0
Next Match: Quarterfinal: #9 Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) vs #2 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) • Bout 379
All individual rankings (noted as #XX) are Intermat for March 7, 2023
