University of Minnesota Athletics
11/4/2026 10:30:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Reigning national champion Max McEnelly and two-time All-American Vance VomBaur have both been named to the 2026-27 Big Ten Wrestlers to Watch list, the conference announced Wednesday.
Now a senior, McEnelly made history at the 2026 NCAA Championships, becoming the first Gopher to win a national title at 184 pounds. He became the 19th different Gopher to win a national title, and it was the 25th individual championship overall in program history.
En route to his championship, McEnelly finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-2 record, including a 15-1 record in duals, a perfect 8-0 mark during the Big Ten regular season and a 15-2 record versus ranked competition. Twelve of his 24 victories were by tech fall, which was the fifth highest total in the nation, and two more came by major decision.
A finalist at the Big Ten Championships, McEnelly was also a Second-Team All-Big Ten honoree, a Third-Team Academic All-American, NWCA Scholar All-American, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
In his sixth season with the Gophers, VomBaur is looking to become the 29th three-time All-American in program history. He previously placed eighth at the NCAA Championships in 2024 and 2025.
VomBaur went 23-8 last season at 141 pounds, including nine wins by major decision, which tied for third in the country. He also posted five victories by tech fall and one by pin. VomBaur finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships before going 2-2 at NCAAs as the No. 8 seed. A native of Greeley, Colo., VomBaur tied for the team lead in bonus point wins (15) and Big Ten dual matches wrestled (8).
He also placed second on the roster in Big Ten dual wins (7), Big Ten win percentage (.875, 7-1) and dual team points scored in B1G matches (29), and was third on the Gophers in bonus point rate (.484), tech fall wins (5), dual wins (11) and dual team points scored (42).
Minnesota opens the 2026-27 season this Sunday when it travels to Brookings, S.D., for the Daktronics Invitational.
Now a senior, McEnelly made history at the 2026 NCAA Championships, becoming the first Gopher to win a national title at 184 pounds. He became the 19th different Gopher to win a national title, and it was the 25th individual championship overall in program history.
En route to his championship, McEnelly finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-2 record, including a 15-1 record in duals, a perfect 8-0 mark during the Big Ten regular season and a 15-2 record versus ranked competition. Twelve of his 24 victories were by tech fall, which was the fifth highest total in the nation, and two more came by major decision.
A finalist at the Big Ten Championships, McEnelly was also a Second-Team All-Big Ten honoree, a Third-Team Academic All-American, NWCA Scholar All-American, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
In his sixth season with the Gophers, VomBaur is looking to become the 29th three-time All-American in program history. He previously placed eighth at the NCAA Championships in 2024 and 2025.
VomBaur went 23-8 last season at 141 pounds, including nine wins by major decision, which tied for third in the country. He also posted five victories by tech fall and one by pin. VomBaur finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships before going 2-2 at NCAAs as the No. 8 seed. A native of Greeley, Colo., VomBaur tied for the team lead in bonus point wins (15) and Big Ten dual matches wrestled (8).
He also placed second on the roster in Big Ten dual wins (7), Big Ten win percentage (.875, 7-1) and dual team points scored in B1G matches (29), and was third on the Gophers in bonus point rate (.484), tech fall wins (5), dual wins (11) and dual team points scored (42).
Minnesota opens the 2026-27 season this Sunday when it travels to Brookings, S.D., for the Daktronics Invitational.
Players Mentioned
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
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