ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Nine of 10 Wisconsin wrestlers remain in contention in the 2023 Big Ten Wrestling Championships after two sessions on Saturday and five Badgers have qualified to the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Wisconsin is currently eighth overall in the team standings with 46.5 points among 14 teams. Penn State leads all teams with 120.0, while Iowa is second with 108.5. Updated brackets are available to view at Big Ten Wrestling Championship Central.
Held in Ann Arbor at Michigan's Crisler Center, top-seeded Dean Hamiti remains undefeated and has advanced to the 165-pound final. He'll wrestle Patrick Kennedy of Iowa on Sunday for the Big Ten title. After a first-round bye, Hamiti earned two major decisions to advance to the final. Hamiti finished third last season as a true freshman and was named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year. He also finished sixth overall at the 2022 NCAA Championships and earned All-America honors. Hamiti's 8-0 major decision victory over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) in the quarterfinal secured him his second trip to the NCAA Championships in as many seasons.
Heavyweight Trent Hillger advanced to the tournament's semifinals with a pin against Ryan Vasbinder (Michigan State) in 3:50 in the opening round and a sudden-victory 3-1 decision over Northwestern's Lucas Davison in the quarterfinals. Hillger lost a 9-3 decision to top-seeded Mason Parris (Michigan) in the semifinals. Hillger will wrestle Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) in Sunday's consolation semifinals. Hillger is a three-time NCAA All-American and has qualified to the national tournament four times. His victory against Davison earned him his fifth qualification.
Eric Barnett earned his third trip to the national tournament at 125 pounds thanks to a 4-1 decision victory over Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) in the second round of the consolations. Barnett opened up Big Tens with a pin in 4:09 against Maximo Renteria (Illinois), but fell into the wrestlebacks after being pinned by Patrick McKee (Minnesota) in the quarterfinals. Barnett also earned a 6-1 decision over Jack Medley (Michigan) to advance to Sunday's consolation semifinals against Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern).
Sophomore Joseph Zargo earned a second career qualification to the NCAA Championships thanks to a 10-1 major decision at 141 against Indiana's Cayden Rooks in round two of the wrestlebacks. Zargo earned a 8-4 decision against Danny Pucino (Illinois), but then lost 12-0 to Brock Hardy (Nebraska) in the quarterfinals. He also lost 10-1 to Ohio State's Dylan D'Emilio in round three of the consolations. Zargo wrestles on Sunday for seventh place against Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota).
Seeded No. 8, Braxton Amos lost a narrow 4-2 sudden-victory decision to Michial Foy (Minnesota) in the opening round on Saturday morning at 197 pounds. Amos later defeated Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) 6-1 to earn his second qualification to the NCAA Championships in the second round of consolations. Amos advanced to round three, but lost to 3-1 to Maryland's Jaxon Smith. Amos will meet Foy again on Sunday morning to wrestle for seventh place overall.
Four Badgers — Taylor LaMont (133), Austin Gomez (149), Garrett Model (157) and Tyler Dow (184) — also remain alive in their respective brackets and will wrestle for ninth-place finishes on Sunday and possible NCAA qualification. Challenged by a leg injury, Gomez earned two losses on Saturday and is no longer in contention to defend his 2022 Big Ten title.
Josh Otto (174) finished with two losses on Saturday and has completed his season.
RESULTS
Team Standings (Sessions I & II)
1. Penn State 120.0
2. Iowa 108.5
3. Nebraska 98.5
4. Ohio State 77.0
5. Minnesota 73.0
6. Michigan 67.0
7. Northwestern 64.0
8. Wisconsin 46.5
9. Illinois 36.5
9. Purdue 36.5
11. Rutgers 30.0
12. Indiana 27.0
12. Michigan State 27.0
14. Maryland 19.5
Eric Barnett - 125 pounds - 3-1
Qualified for 2023 NCAA Championships
Champ. Round 1: Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) over Maximo Renteria (Illinois) • Fall 4:09
Quarterfinal: Patrick McKee (Minnesota) over Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) • Fall 4:36
Cons. Round 2: Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) over Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) • Dec 4-1
Cons. Round 3: Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) over Jack Medley (Michigan) • Dec 6-1
Next Match: Cons. Semi: Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) vs Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) • Bout 202
Taylor LaMont - 133 pounds - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Joe Heilmann (Rutgers) over Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) • Dec 5-2
Cons. Round 1: Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) • Bye
Cons. Round 2: Brody Teske (Iowa) over Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) • Dec 4-1
9th-Place Bracket Round 1 (Qtr.): Taylor LaMont (Wisconsin) • Bye
Next Match: 9th-Place Bracket Semifinal: Taylor Lamont (Wisconsin) vs Dustin Norris (Purdue) • Bout 1020
Joseph Zargo - 141 pounds - 2-2
Qualified for 2023 NCAA Championships
Champ. Round 1: Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) over Danny Pucino (Illinois) • Dec 8-4
Quarterfinal: Brock Hardy (Nebraska) over Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) • MD 12-0
Cons. Round 2: Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) over Cayden Rooks (Indiana) • MD 10-1
Cons. Round 3: Dylan D`Emilio (Ohio State) over Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) • MD 10-1
Next Match: 7th Place Match: Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota) vs Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin) • Bout 223
Austin Gomez - 149 pounds - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Bye
Quarterfinal: Graham Rooks (Indiana) over Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Dec 6-5
Cons. Round 2: Ethen Miller (Maryland) over Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Inj. 4:18
9th-Place Bracket Round 1 (Qtr.): Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Bye
Next Match: 9th-Place Bracket Semifinal: Tony White (Rutgers) vs Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) • Bout 102
Garrett Model - 157 pounds - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) over Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • Dec 4-2
Cons. Round 1: Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • Bye
Cons. Round 2: Derek Gilcher (Indiana) over Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • Fall 6:54
9th-Place Bracket Round 1 (Qtr.): Garrett Model (Wisconsin) • Bye
Next Match: 9th-Place Bracket Semifinal: Garrett Model (Wisconsin) vs Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) • Bout 1026
Dean Hamiti - 165 pounds - 3-0
Qualified for 2023 NCAA Championships
Champ. Round 1: Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) • Bye
Quarterfinal: Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) • MD 8-0
Semifinal: Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) over Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) • MD 14-2
Next Match: 1st Place Match: Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) vs Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) • Bout 236
Josh Otto - 174 pounds - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Bailee O`Reilly (Minnesota) over Josh Otto (Wisconsin) • MD 9-0
Cons. Round 1: Dominic Solis (Maryland) over Josh Otto (Wisconsin) • Dec 5-1
Tyler Dow - 184 pounds - 0-2
Champ. Round 1: Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) over Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) • Fall 1:46
Cons. Round 1: Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) • Bye
Cons. Round 2: Brian Soldano (Rutgers) over Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) • TB-2 12-9
9th-Place Bracket Round 1 (Qtr.): Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) • Bye
Next Match: 9th-Place Bracket Semifinal: Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) vs Evan Bates (Northwestern) • Bout 1030
Braxton Amos - 197 pounds - 1-2
Qualified for 2023 NCAA Championships
Champ. Round 1: Michial Foy (Minnesota) over Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • SV-1 4-2
Cons. Round 1: Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • Bye
Cons. Round 2: Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) over Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) • Dec 6-1
Cons. Round 3: Jaxon Smith (Maryland) over Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • Dec 3-1
Next Match: 7th Place Match: Michial Foy (Minnesota) vs Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) • Bout 229
Trent Hillger - 285 pounds - 2-1
Qualified for 2023 NCAA Championships
Champ. Round 1: Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) over Ryan Vasbinder (Michigan State) • Fall 3:50
Quarterfinal: Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) over Lucas Davison (Northwestern) • SV-1 3-1
Semifinal: Mason Parris (Michigan) over Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) • Dec 9-3
Next Match: Cons. Semi: Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) vs Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) • Bout 219
