University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, November 2
Salem, VA
8:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Southeast Open
Players Mentioned
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Claim Four Titles at Southeast Open as 2025-26 Campaign Begins
11/2/2025 8:57:00 PM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota wrestling opened the 2025-26 season Sunday with four individual titles at the Southeast Open in Salem, Va.
In total, of the 20 wrestlers that competed for the Golden Gophers at the Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College, 14 placed in the top six at their respective weights.
Arguably the most impressive performance belonged to redshirt freshman Koy Hopke, who knocked off three ranked opponents to win the heavyweight title. After missing all of last season due to injury, Hopke made his collegiate debut by pinning Presbyterian's George Hopkins at the 1:39 mark. He then shut out No. 30 Stephan Monchery of Appalachian State, 8-0, before another major decision in the semifinals, this time over No. 14 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech, 12-1. In the finals, Hopke had to go up against Gophers teammate and 25th-ranked Bennett Tabor. Both could only register escapes in regulation, but Hopke got the winning takedown in overtime for the 4-1 victory and tournament title.
Two-time All-American Vance VomBaur went 5-0 with three bonus-point wins to capture the 141-pound title. The redshirt senior, ranked eighth by InterMat, opened with back-to-back 14-2 major decisions, defeating The Citadel's George Rosas and then Blake Reihner of Davidson. VomBaur's closest match came in the quarterfinals where he needed a reversal and riding time in the last 30 seconds to rally past North Carolina's Elias Navida, 10-7. After an 8-3 decision against Franklin and Marshall's Bryce Kresho, VomBaur took care of North Carolina's Luke Simcox in the finals with a 12-3 major decision.
Newcomer Jore Volk, a Wyoming transfer, made a statement in his first competition with the Maroon and Gold as he won the 125-pound title. Ranked eighth, the senior recorded tech falls in his first two matches, stopping Appalachian State's Colby McBride, 20-5 (6:41) and then West Virginia's 16-0 (6:42). Volk was tested versus Franklin and Marshall's James Garcia, but came away with a 5-1 win. In the finals, facing No. 6 Jett Strickenberger, Volk led 2-1 in the second period before the match was called at 4:52 in Volk's favor due to a medical forfeit.
The new starter for Minnesota this year at 157 pounds, redshirt freshman Charlie Millard looked right at home as he went 5-0 and outscored opponents 59-8 to claim the title. Ranked 17th in the country, he began with techs of Omaury Alvarez of North Carolina, 15-0 (3:42), and Chattanooga's Alex Hutchcraft, 20-4 (7:00). After a 11-1 major decision of Davidson's Tyler-Xavier McKnight in the quarterfinals, Millard faced his toughest test in Maryland's Kal Miller but prevailed with a 5-2 victory. In the finals, he jumped out to a 7-0 lead through two periods en route to an 8-1 decision over App State's Jeremiah Price.
In addition to the four champions, Minnesota also had finalists at 165 in sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks, 174 with redshirt sophomore Ethan Riddle and heavyweight with Tabor. Sparks, the No. 9 wrestler, had outscored opponents 37-11 through the semifinals but was stopped in the finals by No. 23 Thomas Snipes of The Citadel, 2-1. Unranked, Riddle's run included upsets over No. 31 Dom Solis of Maryland, 9-2, in the Round of 16 and No. 20 Sergio DeSiante of Virginia Tech, 16-10, in the semifinals before falling to No. 24 Brody Conley of West Virginia, 8-2. Tabor, ranked 25th, had a small upset in the semifinals with a 4-1 sudden victory win over No. 22 Nolan Neves of North Carolina.
Minnesota also saw a third-place finish from redshirt sophomore Gavin Nelson (197), fourth-place finishes from redshirt senior Jager Eisch (149) and redshirt junior Clayton Whiting (184), fifth-place finishes from redshirt senior Blaine Brenner (174) and redshirt freshmen Jed Wester (174; no-contest declared between Brenner and Wester) and Silas Dailey (197), and a sixth-place finish from redshirt sophomore Rhett Koenig (149).
The Golden Gophers are back in action next Sunday at the Bison Open in Fargo, N.D.
In total, of the 20 wrestlers that competed for the Golden Gophers at the Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College, 14 placed in the top six at their respective weights.
Arguably the most impressive performance belonged to redshirt freshman Koy Hopke, who knocked off three ranked opponents to win the heavyweight title. After missing all of last season due to injury, Hopke made his collegiate debut by pinning Presbyterian's George Hopkins at the 1:39 mark. He then shut out No. 30 Stephan Monchery of Appalachian State, 8-0, before another major decision in the semifinals, this time over No. 14 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech, 12-1. In the finals, Hopke had to go up against Gophers teammate and 25th-ranked Bennett Tabor. Both could only register escapes in regulation, but Hopke got the winning takedown in overtime for the 4-1 victory and tournament title.
Two-time All-American Vance VomBaur went 5-0 with three bonus-point wins to capture the 141-pound title. The redshirt senior, ranked eighth by InterMat, opened with back-to-back 14-2 major decisions, defeating The Citadel's George Rosas and then Blake Reihner of Davidson. VomBaur's closest match came in the quarterfinals where he needed a reversal and riding time in the last 30 seconds to rally past North Carolina's Elias Navida, 10-7. After an 8-3 decision against Franklin and Marshall's Bryce Kresho, VomBaur took care of North Carolina's Luke Simcox in the finals with a 12-3 major decision.
Newcomer Jore Volk, a Wyoming transfer, made a statement in his first competition with the Maroon and Gold as he won the 125-pound title. Ranked eighth, the senior recorded tech falls in his first two matches, stopping Appalachian State's Colby McBride, 20-5 (6:41) and then West Virginia's 16-0 (6:42). Volk was tested versus Franklin and Marshall's James Garcia, but came away with a 5-1 win. In the finals, facing No. 6 Jett Strickenberger, Volk led 2-1 in the second period before the match was called at 4:52 in Volk's favor due to a medical forfeit.
The new starter for Minnesota this year at 157 pounds, redshirt freshman Charlie Millard looked right at home as he went 5-0 and outscored opponents 59-8 to claim the title. Ranked 17th in the country, he began with techs of Omaury Alvarez of North Carolina, 15-0 (3:42), and Chattanooga's Alex Hutchcraft, 20-4 (7:00). After a 11-1 major decision of Davidson's Tyler-Xavier McKnight in the quarterfinals, Millard faced his toughest test in Maryland's Kal Miller but prevailed with a 5-2 victory. In the finals, he jumped out to a 7-0 lead through two periods en route to an 8-1 decision over App State's Jeremiah Price.
In addition to the four champions, Minnesota also had finalists at 165 in sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks, 174 with redshirt sophomore Ethan Riddle and heavyweight with Tabor. Sparks, the No. 9 wrestler, had outscored opponents 37-11 through the semifinals but was stopped in the finals by No. 23 Thomas Snipes of The Citadel, 2-1. Unranked, Riddle's run included upsets over No. 31 Dom Solis of Maryland, 9-2, in the Round of 16 and No. 20 Sergio DeSiante of Virginia Tech, 16-10, in the semifinals before falling to No. 24 Brody Conley of West Virginia, 8-2. Tabor, ranked 25th, had a small upset in the semifinals with a 4-1 sudden victory win over No. 22 Nolan Neves of North Carolina.
Minnesota also saw a third-place finish from redshirt sophomore Gavin Nelson (197), fourth-place finishes from redshirt senior Jager Eisch (149) and redshirt junior Clayton Whiting (184), fifth-place finishes from redshirt senior Blaine Brenner (174) and redshirt freshmen Jed Wester (174; no-contest declared between Brenner and Wester) and Silas Dailey (197), and a sixth-place finish from redshirt sophomore Rhett Koenig (149).
The Golden Gophers are back in action next Sunday at the Bison Open in Fargo, N.D.
Coach's Corner with Brandon Eggum
Thursday, October 30
Behind the Scenes: Media Day
Thursday, October 16
Gopher Wrestling Tries Gymnastics
Thursday, May 29
Steveson Advances to NCAA Title Match
Friday, March 21