March 5, 2016
VIDEO: Big Ten Championships Session I Roundup
Iowa City, Iowa -- No. 1 Penn State (16-0, 9-0 B1G) sits in first place after the opening session of the 2016 Big Ten Championships. Head coach Cael Sanderson's crew is looking for its fifth Big Ten Championship in the last six years at the two-day event in Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Penn State lads the team race with 74.0 points with home standing Iowa in second with 68.0. Nebraska is in third with 63.0. The Nittany Lions advanced seven wrestlers to the semifinals tonight with three still alive in consolation action, looking to finish as high as third.
Senior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4 nationally at 125 and the third-seed at the tournament, opened up his final Big Ten Championships against Michigan State's Mitch Rogaliner. He rolled up six takedowns and 2:41 in riding time to post the 15-5 major and pick up bonus points in Penn State's first match of the day. He followed that win up with a 10-2 major over Illinois' Johnny Jimenez to advance to the semifinals. Junior Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 21 nationally at 141 and the eighth-seed, received a first round bye at the 2016 Big Ten Championships. He then met No. 1 Micah Jordan of Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Gulibon rode Jordan out in a second tie-breaker (nearly turning him for two back points in the process) and escaped in his to post a 2-1 (TB2) win, advance to the semifinals and punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships.
Sophomore Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 nationally at 149 and the top seed, took on Illinois' Kyle Langenderfer in the opening round. Retherford made short work of the Illini, taking him down quickly and working him to his back for a first period pin at the 2:06 mark. Retherford then dominated his next opponent as well, using six takedowns and 3:46 in riding time to roll to a 14-4 major decision and move into the semifinals. Red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 nationally and the tournament's top seed at 157, met Doug Welch of Purdue in the opening round. Nolf wasted no time taking Welch to the mat, using a shoulder throw for a quick four-point move and then a cradle two minutes later to post a 2:53 first period pin. Nolf then dominated Minnesota's Brandon Kingsley, picking up more bonus points with a 20-5 technical fall at the 6:21 mark to advance to the semifinals.
Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 nationally and the top-seed at 174, received a first round bye. He took on No. 23 Phil Backukas of Rutgers. Nickal controlled the match from start to finish, notching five takedowns and two near falls on his way to a 15-3 major decision. The win moved Nickal into the semifinals. Sophomore Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 11 in the nation at 184 and the tourney's second seed, received a first round bye and then faced off against No. 22 Jeff Koepke of Illinois. McCutcheon dominated the match, using a first period takedown and a two-point near fall in the third to roll to a 6-2 win and into the semifinals. Senior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 nationally at 197 and Penn State's fourth top-seed at the event, met Indiana's Jake Masengale in the opening round of his final Big Ten Championship. McIntosh hit an early six point move, then reset, finished off a half nelson and got the first period pin at the 1:27 mark. He followed one first period pin up with another, catching Michigan State's Jacob Cooper midway through the first period and sticking him for the fall at the 1:40 mark to move into the semifinals.
Senior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 5 nationally at 133 and the third-seed, opened up his final Big Ten Championship against Minnesota's Sam Brancale. Conaway rolled up five takedowns and 3:36 in riding time to post Penn State's second straight major, a 12-3 win. Conaway met No. 14 Ryan Taylor, a returning All-American and the sixth seed, in the quarterfinals and fell behind 6-2 midway through the second period and could not comeback, dropping a 10-4 decision and falling into consolation action. Junior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.) made his Big Ten Championship debut against Minnesota's Brandon Krone at 165. Morelli used two first period takedowns and 1:21 in riding time to roll to a 6-2 win and advance to the quarterfinals where he met No. 3 Bo Jordan of Ohio State. Jordan used a counter takedown in the first period to withstand Morelli's late pressure, picking up a 3-2 win over the Nittany Lion junior. Morelli dropped into consolation action with the loss. Red-shirt freshman Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), the eighth seed at the tournament, took on Wisconsin's Brock Horwath in his Big Ten Championship debut match. Nevills gave up a counter takedown in the second period and dropped a tough 4-2 decision, a loss that sent him into the consolation bracket. Nevills met Indiana junior Garret Goldman in the first round of consolations and dominated the Hoosier. Nevills picked up three takedowns and tallied 3:52 in riding time on his way to a 9-1 major decision, moving into consolation round two.
All seven of Penn State's semifinalists have earned spots in the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships two weeks from now in New York City's Madison Square Garden (March 17-19). Penn State posted a 14-3 overall record and picked up 15.5 bonus point off four pins, a tech fall and six majors.
Penn State will continue the event tonight with session two, set to begin at 7 p.m. session (Eastern). The championship, serving as the NCAA qualifier for the conference, concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. session (Eastern).
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. The 2015-16 Penn State wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
2016 Big Ten Championships -- Team Standings (top five) after Session 1:
March 5, 2016 -- Carver Hawkeye Arena -- Iowa City, Iowa.
1: PENN STATE -- 74.0
2: Iowa -- 68.0
3: Nebraska -- 63.0
4: Ohio State -- 43.5
5: Illinois -- 41.5
5: Michigan -- 41.5
Weight-by-weight agate (rankings listed are Coaches Poll as of 2/25/16)
* indicates unattached wrestler, not eligible for team scoring
125: #4 Nico Megaludis, Sr. -- 3rd seed
Rd 1: Mitch Rogaliner, Michigan State -- W, 15-5 maj. dec.
Rd. 2: Johnny Jimenez, Wisconsin -- W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Semi: #2 Thomas Gilman, Iowa
Senior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4 nationally at 125 and the third-seed at the tournament, opened up his final Big Ten Championships against Michigan State's Mitch Rogaliner. He rolled up six takedowns and 2:41 in riding time to post the 15-5 major and pick up bonus points in Penn State's first match of the day. He followed that win up with a 10-2 major over Illinois' Johnny Jimenez to advance to the semifinals.
133: #5 Jordan Conaway, Sr. -- 3rd seed.
Rd 1: Sam Brancale, Minnesota -- W, 12-3 maj. dec.
Rd. 2: #14 Ryan Taylor, Wisconsin -- L, 5-10 dec.
Cn 2: Alonzo Shepherd, Indiana --
Senior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 5 nationally at 133 and the third-seed, opened up his final Big Ten Championship against Minnesota's Sam Brancale. Conaway rolled up five takedowns and 3:36 in riding time to post Penn State's second straight major, a 12-3 win. Conaway met No. 14 Ryan Taylor, a returning All-American and the sixth seed, in the quarterfinals and fell behind 6-2 midway through the second period and could not comeback, dropping a 10-4 decision and falling into consolation action.
141: #21 Jimmy Gulibon, Jr. -- 8th seed
Rd 1: Bye
Rd. 2: #4 Micah Jordan, Ohio State -- W, 3-2 dec. (TB2)
Semi: #20 Javier Gasca, Michigan State
Junior Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 21 nationally at 141 and the eighth-seed, received a first round bye at the 2016 Big Ten Championships. He then met No. 1 Micah Jordan of Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Gulibon rode Jordan out in a second tie-breaker (nearly turning him for two back points in the process) and escaped in his to post a 2-1 (TB2) win, advance to the semifinals and punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships.
149: #1 Zain Retherford, So. -- 1st seed
Rd 1: Kyle Langenderfer, Illinois -- WBF (2:06)
Rd. 2: #16 Jake Short, Minnesota -- W, 14-4 maj. dec.
Semi: #5 Alec Pantaleo, Michigan --
Sophomore Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 nationally at 149 and the top seed, took on Illinois' Kyle Langenderfer in the opening round. Retherford made short work of the Illini, taking him down quickly and working him to his back for a first period pin at the 2:06 mark. Retherford then dominated his next opponent as well, using six takedowns and 3:46 in riding time to roll to a 14-4 major decision and move into the semifinals.
157: #1 Jason Nolf, Fr. -- 1st seed
Rd 1: #31 Doug Welch, Purdue -- WBF (2:53)
Rd. 2: #32 Brandon Kingsley, Minnesota -- W, 20-5 (TF; 6:21)
Semi: #15 Edwin Cooper, Iowa --
Red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 nationally and the tournament's top seed at 157, met Doug Welch of Purdue in the opening round. Nolf wasted no time taking Welch to the mat, using a shoulder throw for a quick four-point move and then a cradle two minutes later to post a 2:53 first period pin. Nolf then dominated Minnesota's Brandon Kingsley, picking up more bonus points with a 20-5 technical fall at the 6:21 mark to advance to the semifinals.
165: Geno Morelli, Jr. -- 7th seed
Rd 1: Brandon Krone, Minnesota -- W, 6-2 dec.
Rd. 2: #3 Bo Jordan, Ohio State -- L, 2-3 dec.
Cn 2: Bryce Martin, Indiana --
Junior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.) made his Big Ten Championship debut against Minnesota's Brandon Krone at 165. Morelli used two first period takedowns and 1:21 in riding time to roll to a 6-2 win and advance to the quarterfinals where he met No. 3 Bo Jordan of Ohio State. Jordan used a counter takedown in the first period to withstand Morelli's late pressure, picking up a 3-2 win over the Nittany Lion junior. Morelli dropped into consolation action with the loss.
174: #1 Bo Nickal, Fr. -- 1st seed
Rd 1: Bye
Rd. 2: #23 Phil Backukas, Rutgers -- W, 15-3 maj. dec.
Semi: #14 Myles Martin, Ohio State --
Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 nationally and the top-seed at 174, received a first round bye. He took on No. 23 Phil Backukas of Rutgers. Nickal controlled the match from start to finish, notching five takedowns and two near falls on his way to a 15-3 major decision. The win moved Nickal into the semifinals.
184: #11 Matt McCutcheon, So. -- 2nd seed
Rd 1: Bye
Rd. 2: #22 Jeff Koepke, Illinois -- W, 6-2 dec.
Semi: #12 Sammy Brooks, Iowa --
Sophomore Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 11 in the nation at 184 and the tourney's second seed, received a first round bye and then faced off against No. 22 Jeff Koepke of Illinois. McCutcheon dominated the match, using a first period takedown and a two-point near fall in the third to roll to a 6-2 win and into the semifinals.
197: #1 Morgan McIntosh, Sr. -- 1st seed
Rd 1: Jake Masengale, Indiana -- WBF (1:27)
Rd. 2: Jacob Cooper, Michigan State -- WBF (1:40)
Semi: #9 Aaron Studebaker, Nebraska --
Senior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 nationally at 197 and Penn State's fourth top-seed at the event, met Indiana's Jake Masengale in the opening round of his final Big Ten Championship. McIntosh hit an early six point move, then reset, finished off a half nelson and got the first period pin at the 1:27 mark. He followed one first period pin up with another, catching Michigan State's Jacob Cooper midway through the first period and sticking him for the fall at the 1:40 mark to move into the semifinals.
285: Nick Nevills, Fr. -- 8th seed
Rd 1: #33 Brock Horwath, Wisconsin -- L, 2-4 dec.
Cn. 1: Garret Goldman, Indiana -- W, 9-1 maj. dec.
Cn2: #24 Brooks Black, Illinois --
Red-shirt freshman Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), the eighth seed at the tournament, took on Wisconsin's Brock Horwath in his Big Ten Championship debut match. Nevills gave up a counter takedown in the second period and dropped a tough 4-2 decision, a loss that sent him into the consolation bracket. Nevills met Indiana junior Garret Goldman in the first round of consolations and dominated the Hoosier. Nevills picked up three takedowns and tallied 3:52 in riding time on his way to a 9-1 major decision, moving into consolation round two.