MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin wrestling team is set to compete in the Knockout Christmas Classic on Saturday, Dec. 21, in Kissimmee, Florida. The event, held at the Silver Spurs Arena, kicks off with the Badgers taking on Campbell in a dual. Following that, Wisconsin will face North Dakota State (NDSU) before rounding out the tournament against West Virginia.

Last Time Out:

The Badgers are coming off a successful weekend in Pennsylvania, where they went 2-1 across three dual meets. On Saturday, Dec. 7, Wisconsin delivered a dominant 23-7 victory over Bucknell. The following day, they overwhelmed Bloomsburg 37-9 but fell short against Lock Haven, losing 17-26.

Nicolar Rivera, competing at 125 pounds, went undefeated with a 3-0 record, earning wins by pin, major decision, and forfeit. Rivera's success has propelled him into the national rankings, where he is now No. 20 on InterMat, No. 23 in the College Wrestling Report, and No. 25 on FloWrestling.

Zan Fugitt, wrestling at 133 pounds, also posted a perfect 3-0 record, including two upset victories over ranked opponents—No. 14 Anthony Noto from Lock Haven and No. 25 Kurtis Phipps from Bucknell. Fugitt is now ranked No. 12 in the College Wrestling Report, No. 21 on FloWrestling, and No. 27 on InterMat.

Luke Condon, wrestling at 174 pounds, finished 2-1 for the weekend. His efforts included an upset over No. 24 Myles Takats of Bucknell, earning him a spot in the rankings at No. 30 on both InterMat and the College Wrestling Report.

Scouting the Competition:

Looking ahead to the Knockout Christmas Classic, the Badgers will face three teams. Campbell enters the event with a 1-4 record this season. Although they have yet to face any shared opponents with Wisconsin, their lone win came against California Baptist.

North Dakota State (NDSU) remains winless at 0-4. Despite a tough start to the season, including a Big 12 conference dual against Iowa State, they have yet to cross paths with any common opponents.

West Virginia, with a 3-1 record, has enjoyed a strong start to the season. Their only loss came against California Baptist, but they secured an emphatic 31-9 victory over Rider.

Projected Lineup:

125: Nicolar Rivera, Wyatt Skebba
133: Zan Fugitt
141: Carson Exferd, Brock Bobzien
149: Royce Nilo, Aidan Medora
157: Luke Mechler 
165: Cale Anderson
174: Luke Condon 
184: Dylan Russo
197: Niccolo Colucci, Wyatt Ingham
285: Gannon Rosenfeld

Wisconsin Coaching Staff:

Head Coach: Chris Bono

Overall Record: 153-92 (15th)

Associate Head Coach: Jon Reader

Assistant Coach: Tony Cassioppi

Assistant: Garrett Model 

Looking Ahead: