Six to Pin: No. 16 UNI

Sunday, February 25

Cedar Falls, Iowa

1 PM CT

Wisconsin Badgers

UNI

Tickets

Felix Lettini and Wisconsin wrestling teammates Luke Mechler and Joe Zargo get ready to be announced for lineups during the Wisconsin versus Illinois dual match at the UW Field House on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024.

Photo by: Taylor Wolfram

February 20, 2024 | Wrestling

Badgers close dual season on the road

By: Jessica Burda Leslie

NCAA Dual Match

No. 26 Wisconsin at No. 16 UNI

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One. More. Dual. ??

Final dual match of the regular season at Northern Iowa
Sunday, Feb. 25
1 PM CT
McLeod Center, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Watch live on @flowrestling pic.twitter.com/75AFp0KGma
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) February 19, 2024

MADISON, Wis. – No. 26 Wisconsin will close the regular season on the road at No. 16 UNI (Northern Iowa) for a dual match on Sunday, Feb. 25.

Held at UNI’s McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the dual match starts at 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Click here to watch live.

The Badgers have won the last two outings against the Panthers, winning 23-17 in 2023 in Madison and 24-10 in 2022 in Cedar Falls. The Panthers hold a 5-4 edge dating back to the 2011-12 season.

Here’s six more notes to pin:

1. Last Time Out:

Wisconsin closed the Big Ten dual-match season with two tough losses on the road this past weekend.

Ranked 22nd in the country by Intermat, UW lost 28-12 to No. 11 Minnesota in Minneapolis on Friday, Feb. 16.

Three Badgers earned wins, led by Dean Hamiti with a 20-3 tech fall at 165 pounds. No. 19 Joe Zargo collected a 13-5 major decision upset of No. 16 Drew Roberts and Max Maylor scored a last-second takedown to win 4-1 over Andrew Sparks.

Wisconsin lost 34-7 to No. 3 Iowa in Iowa City on Sunday, Feb. 18. Eric Barnett earned an 8-0 major decision over Iowa’s Joey Cruz at 125, while No. 5 Dean Hamiti remained unbeaten against Big Ten competition with a 14-11 decision against No. 7 Mike Caliendo in a top-10 matchup at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

2. Triple Threat

Dean Hamiti also earned his third Big Ten weekly honor of the season, named the Co-Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 21 for his two wins from this weekend.

Hamiti improves to 23-1 overall with 19 bonus-point wins (8 pins, 6 tech falls and 5 major decisions). He is 12-0 against Big Ten opponents this season and his lone loss is to Iowa State’s David Carr, a narrow 2-0 decision.

He previously won the weekly honor earlier this season on Nov. 14 and Jan. 3.

Whose house? OUR HOUSE ??

Celebrated the seniors and secured the W in our last home match of the season.

Wisconsin 20
Illinois 18

Full recap via https://t.co/XlcG8gsYGk pic.twitter.com/NlbRzjHU9B
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) February 11, 2024

3. Scouting the Panthers

No. 16 UNI is 6-6 overall (5-2 in Big 12 Conference). Among common opponents with Wisconsin, UNI has losses against No. 4 Iowa State (27-14), No. 10 Ohio State (26-7) and No. 7 Nebraska (18-17), while UNI defeated 30-12 over No. 18 Oklahoma.

UNI won four bouts against Iowa State including upsets by unranked Trever Anderson of No. 24 Kysen Terukina (8-5 decision) at 125 and No. 15 Ryder Downer over No. 14 Cody Chittum (12-9 decision) at 157.

UNI will wrestle No. 7 Missouri on Friday at home before wrestling Wisconsin on Sunday.

The Panthers have eight wrestlers currently ranked by Intermat led by No. Parker Keckeisen (184), No. 6 Cael Happel (141), No. 14 Ryder Downey (157) and No. 16 Tyrell Gordon (285).

Read UNI’s latest wrestling news updates.

4. Liegel embracing change and challenge

One of the most meaningful moments in life comes when you decide to trade a familiar existence for something unknown. It could involve a different address, time zone, acquaintance or a job offer. It could be abrupt or a long time coming.

Regardless, you expect things will become more challenging, more humbling and more uncomfortable. But you go ahead and make the change because, deep inside your heart, you believe it’s for the best.

Shane Liegel had an intensely satisfying existence as a wrestler at Loras College, an NCAA Division III school in Dubuque, Iowa. From 2019 to ’23, he won 100 of 110 matches, advanced to the national finals three times at 184 pounds and was crowned NCAA Champion as a sophomore in 2021.

5. In the media polls

Five Badgers continue to earn national rankings in the latest Intermat poll, while the team is No. 17 in the team rankings in tournament and No. 25 in duals by Intermat.

No. 5 – Dean Hamiti, 165
No. 6 – Eric Barnett, 125
No. 12 – Max Maylor, 174
No. 16 – Joseph Zargo, 149
No. 17 - Shane Liegel, 184

Five Badgers earn nods in latest @InterMat national rankings

3?? @ericbarnett1117 125
1??9?? @joseph_zargo 149
5?? @HamitiDean 165
1??2?? @max_maylor10 174
1??6?? Shane Liegel 184

With 2 weeks left of regular season, UW is 2??2?? for duals & tied at 1??6?? for tournament. RV (16) in NWCA. pic.twitter.com/hSiO2Qka6c
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) February 13, 2024

6. Lineup

No. 26 Wisconsin (9-6, 3-5 B1G)

125: #6 Eric Barnett (21-4)
133: Nicolar Rivera (12-9)
141: Felix Lettini (3-15)
149: #19 Joseph Zargo (17-6) or Julian George (1-3)
157: Luke Mechler (6-15)
165: #5 Dean Hamiti (23-1)
174: #12 Max Maylor (15-4) or Cale Anderson (5-5)
184: #17 Shane Liegel (18-8) or Luke Condon (9-2)
197: Josh Otto (1-11)
285: Gannon Rosenfeld (3-13)

Head Coach: Chris Bono
Record at Wisconsin: 50-34 (6th)
Overall Record: 153-92 (15th)
Associate Head Coach: Jon Reader
Assistant Coach: Seth Gross
Coach (RTC): Garrett Model

No. 16 UNI (6-6, 5-2 Big 12)