University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, November 8
Brookings, SD
10:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
Daktronics Invitational
Photo by: Jerod Ringwald
11/8/2026 7:33:00 PM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota saw nine wrestlers go undefeated Sunday as the team opened its 118th season of competition at the Daktronics Invitational in Brookings, S.D.
With multiple pools at each weight class, no tournament champions were crowned. But that didn't stop the Golden Gophers from enjoying a successful opening tournament.
Minnesota saw undefeated performances from freshman Titan Friederichs (3-0) and No. 5 fifth-year senior Jore Volk (3-0) at 125 pounds, junior Blake Beissel (4-0) at 133, freshman Tyler Dekraker (3-0) and No. 3 sixth-year senior Vance VomBaur (2-0) at 141, No. 18 junior Charlie Millard (3-0) at 157, freshman John Murphy (3-0) and No. 33 senior Ethan Riddle (3-0) at 174 and No. 8 junior Koy Hopke (3-0) at 285.
Beissel and Volk both posted three bonus-point victories on the day, while Dekraker, Hopke, Millard, VomBaur and Gavin Nelson each had two.
Riddle and Millard both came away with ranked wins for the Gophers.
At 174, Riddle went to overtime with No. 16 Drake Rhodes of South Dakota State tied at 1-1. Midway through the extra session, Riddle secured the winning takedown for a 4-1 victory as he secured the highest ranked win of his career.
At 157, Millard faced another ranked Jackrabbit in No. 17 Cael Swensen. Millard was down 1-0 going to the third but started on bottom and quickly escaped. With 20 seconds to go, he got the go-ahead takedown for the victory.
In addition to the aforementioned freshmen, six other first-years made their collegiate debuts Sunday: Joel Friederichs (3-1 at 125 pounds), Trey Beissel (1-2 at 133), Cooper Rowe (1-2 at 165), Joey Muhlstein (2-1 at 174), Sutton Kenning (1-1 at 184) and Evan McGuire (1-1 at 285).
Sophomore Brett Swenson also competed for the first time at the collegiate level with a 2-1 day at 133 pounds, while Drayden Morton, a senior transfer from Cal Baptist, was 2-1 at 165 pounds in his Gophers debut.
Full results from all Minnesota wrestlers can be found at the links above.
Minnesota returns to action next Sunday at the Mountaineer Invitational in Boone, N.C. Competition begins at 9 a.m. CT.
With multiple pools at each weight class, no tournament champions were crowned. But that didn't stop the Golden Gophers from enjoying a successful opening tournament.
Minnesota saw undefeated performances from freshman Titan Friederichs (3-0) and No. 5 fifth-year senior Jore Volk (3-0) at 125 pounds, junior Blake Beissel (4-0) at 133, freshman Tyler Dekraker (3-0) and No. 3 sixth-year senior Vance VomBaur (2-0) at 141, No. 18 junior Charlie Millard (3-0) at 157, freshman John Murphy (3-0) and No. 33 senior Ethan Riddle (3-0) at 174 and No. 8 junior Koy Hopke (3-0) at 285.
Beissel and Volk both posted three bonus-point victories on the day, while Dekraker, Hopke, Millard, VomBaur and Gavin Nelson each had two.
Riddle and Millard both came away with ranked wins for the Gophers.
At 174, Riddle went to overtime with No. 16 Drake Rhodes of South Dakota State tied at 1-1. Midway through the extra session, Riddle secured the winning takedown for a 4-1 victory as he secured the highest ranked win of his career.
At 157, Millard faced another ranked Jackrabbit in No. 17 Cael Swensen. Millard was down 1-0 going to the third but started on bottom and quickly escaped. With 20 seconds to go, he got the go-ahead takedown for the victory.
In addition to the aforementioned freshmen, six other first-years made their collegiate debuts Sunday: Joel Friederichs (3-1 at 125 pounds), Trey Beissel (1-2 at 133), Cooper Rowe (1-2 at 165), Joey Muhlstein (2-1 at 174), Sutton Kenning (1-1 at 184) and Evan McGuire (1-1 at 285).
Sophomore Brett Swenson also competed for the first time at the collegiate level with a 2-1 day at 133 pounds, while Drayden Morton, a senior transfer from Cal Baptist, was 2-1 at 165 pounds in his Gophers debut.
Full results from all Minnesota wrestlers can be found at the links above.
Minnesota returns to action next Sunday at the Mountaineer Invitational in Boone, N.C. Competition begins at 9 a.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
197 lbs.
/ Wrestling
174 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
133 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
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