University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, December 29
Coralville, IA
10:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Soldier Salute
Players Mentioned
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
149 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Return to Action at Soldier Salute
12/27/2024 9:46:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS -- After a 22-day break from competition, Minnesota is back in action this weekend at the Soldier Salute. The two-day event takes place Sunday and Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. Session 1 starts Sunday at 10 a.m., while Session 2 begins at 3:30 p.m. Monday's Session 3 starts at 11 a.m., while the finals begin at 5 p.m. on Monday night. B1G+ will have streaming coverage, and SmoothComp.com will have live results.
The Golden Gophers, ranked fourth in the latest Intermat Tournament Team Rankings and seventh in Intermat's Dual Rankings, are one of 11 collegiate programs in action at the talent-laden Soldier Salute along with No. 2/2 Iowa, No. 5/3 Nebraska, No. 8/9 Northern Iowa, No. 16/18 Missouri, No. 24/14 Iowa State, No. 28/22 North Carolina, No. 27/16 South Dakota State, NR/26 Wyoming, Bellarmine and Navy.Â
The Gophers are scheduled to send 26 wrestlers to the Salute, including all 10 who appear in the latest Intermat rankings: No. 1 Gable Steveson (285 pounds), No. 4 Max McEnelly (184 pounds), No. 5 Isaiah Salazar (197), No. 6 Tommy Askey (157), No. 6 Vance VomBaur (141), No. 9 Cooper Flynn (125), No. 9 Andrew Sparks (165), No. 11 Tyler Wells (133), No. 21 Drew Roberts (149) and No. 23 Clayton Whiting (174).
Depending on who is sent by the other schools, there could be as many as 78 ranked wrestlers competing this weekend, according to Intermat's rankings. As noted above, Minnesota is planning to send all 10 of its ranked wrestlers, while Iowa, Nebraska and Northern Iowa could also send 10, as well. Iowa State has nine ranked wrestlers, followed by eight from South Dakota State, seven from Missouri, North Carolina has six, Wyoming has five and Navy has three.
This weekend marks the fifth major tournament of the season so far for the Gophers. The opening weekend saw the team capture seven titles combined at the Mountaineer Invite and Bison Open, while the following week featured five undefeated wrestlers at the Daktronics Open. Last time out at the Cougar Clash on Dec. 7, Minnesota walked away with eight individual titles. In addition, Minnesota sent a small contingent to the Jim Koch Open on Nov. 23, winning an additional title there.
Minnesota heads into the weekend with a 4-0 record in duals this season, topping Bucknell on Nov. 15, 35-3, before shutting out both North Dakota State, 39-0, and Campbell, 44-0, and then winning at Sout Dakota State, 30-3, on Dec. 1. It was the first time posting back-to-back shutouts since blanking four straight opponents in December of 1997 when current head coach Brandon Eggum was a sophomore on the team. Prior to that, the only other time it happened in program history came in the first three matches of the 1936-37 campaign.
Minnesota has won 10 straight duals dating back to last season. During the current streak, Minnesota has outscored opponents 329-54 and hasn't allowed more than 12 points in any dual.
Ten Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls with eight appearing in all four: Intermat, Win, Flo and OpenMat. Steveson (285) is ranked No. 1 in all four polls, while McEnelly (184) is top-five in each, VomBaur (141) and Askey (157) are sixth or better in each, and Flynn (125), Sparks (165) and Salazar (197) are all top-10 in each ranking.
McEnelly is 10-0 on the season with eight wins by tech fall. Those eight tech fall wins rank tied for second in the nation behind Purdue's Matt Ramos (10), according to WrestleStat.com.
VomBaur is 11-0 on the year with five of the wins coming by major decision, tying him for fourth in the country in MD wins.
LAST YEAR AT THE SOLDIER SALUTE
The Golden Gophers, ranked fourth in the latest Intermat Tournament Team Rankings and seventh in Intermat's Dual Rankings, are one of 11 collegiate programs in action at the talent-laden Soldier Salute along with No. 2/2 Iowa, No. 5/3 Nebraska, No. 8/9 Northern Iowa, No. 16/18 Missouri, No. 24/14 Iowa State, No. 28/22 North Carolina, No. 27/16 South Dakota State, NR/26 Wyoming, Bellarmine and Navy.Â
The Gophers are scheduled to send 26 wrestlers to the Salute, including all 10 who appear in the latest Intermat rankings: No. 1 Gable Steveson (285 pounds), No. 4 Max McEnelly (184 pounds), No. 5 Isaiah Salazar (197), No. 6 Tommy Askey (157), No. 6 Vance VomBaur (141), No. 9 Cooper Flynn (125), No. 9 Andrew Sparks (165), No. 11 Tyler Wells (133), No. 21 Drew Roberts (149) and No. 23 Clayton Whiting (174).
Depending on who is sent by the other schools, there could be as many as 78 ranked wrestlers competing this weekend, according to Intermat's rankings. As noted above, Minnesota is planning to send all 10 of its ranked wrestlers, while Iowa, Nebraska and Northern Iowa could also send 10, as well. Iowa State has nine ranked wrestlers, followed by eight from South Dakota State, seven from Missouri, North Carolina has six, Wyoming has five and Navy has three.
This weekend marks the fifth major tournament of the season so far for the Gophers. The opening weekend saw the team capture seven titles combined at the Mountaineer Invite and Bison Open, while the following week featured five undefeated wrestlers at the Daktronics Open. Last time out at the Cougar Clash on Dec. 7, Minnesota walked away with eight individual titles. In addition, Minnesota sent a small contingent to the Jim Koch Open on Nov. 23, winning an additional title there.
Minnesota heads into the weekend with a 4-0 record in duals this season, topping Bucknell on Nov. 15, 35-3, before shutting out both North Dakota State, 39-0, and Campbell, 44-0, and then winning at Sout Dakota State, 30-3, on Dec. 1. It was the first time posting back-to-back shutouts since blanking four straight opponents in December of 1997 when current head coach Brandon Eggum was a sophomore on the team. Prior to that, the only other time it happened in program history came in the first three matches of the 1936-37 campaign.
Minnesota has won 10 straight duals dating back to last season. During the current streak, Minnesota has outscored opponents 329-54 and hasn't allowed more than 12 points in any dual.
Ten Gopher wrestlers are ranked in at least two of the major polls with eight appearing in all four: Intermat, Win, Flo and OpenMat. Steveson (285) is ranked No. 1 in all four polls, while McEnelly (184) is top-five in each, VomBaur (141) and Askey (157) are sixth or better in each, and Flynn (125), Sparks (165) and Salazar (197) are all top-10 in each ranking.
McEnelly is 10-0 on the season with eight wins by tech fall. Those eight tech fall wins rank tied for second in the nation behind Purdue's Matt Ramos (10), according to WrestleStat.com.
VomBaur is 11-0 on the year with five of the wins coming by major decision, tying him for fourth in the country in MD wins.
LAST YEAR AT THE SOLDIER SALUTE
Minnesota earned three individual championships and a runner-up team finish at last year's Soldier Salute. Isaiah Salazar and Max McEnelly shared the title at 184 pounds, while Bennett Tabor took home the heavyweight crown.Â
As a team, the Golden Gophers finished in second place with 148.5 points. Iowa was the team champion with a score of 251.5, while Columbia took third with 102.5 points.
The finals matchup between Salazar and McEnelly at 184 pounds was declared a no-contest, resulting in the Minnesota duo being named co-champions. Each finished with a 3-0 record on the weekend.Â
All three of Salazar's wins on the weekend came by bonus point, including tech falls in the quarters and semis. McEnelly got a fall in his opening match then took home a pair of decisions.
Tabor was 4-0 on the weekend. In the championship, Tabor came away with a 7-2 decision over South Dakota State's Luke Rasmussen. In the semis, Tabor posted an 11-3 major over SDSU's Bowen McConville
Minnesota also got third-place finishes from Patrick McKee at 125 pounds and Vance VomBaur at 141.
As a team, the Golden Gophers finished in second place with 148.5 points. Iowa was the team champion with a score of 251.5, while Columbia took third with 102.5 points.
The finals matchup between Salazar and McEnelly at 184 pounds was declared a no-contest, resulting in the Minnesota duo being named co-champions. Each finished with a 3-0 record on the weekend.Â
All three of Salazar's wins on the weekend came by bonus point, including tech falls in the quarters and semis. McEnelly got a fall in his opening match then took home a pair of decisions.
Tabor was 4-0 on the weekend. In the championship, Tabor came away with a 7-2 decision over South Dakota State's Luke Rasmussen. In the semis, Tabor posted an 11-3 major over SDSU's Bowen McConville
Minnesota also got third-place finishes from Patrick McKee at 125 pounds and Vance VomBaur at 141.
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Thursday, May 29
Steveson Advances to NCAA Title Match
Friday, March 21
Gable Steveson: NCAA Quarterfinals
Friday, March 21
Gable Steveson: NCAA Pin
Thursday, March 20