University of Minnesota Athletics
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285 lbs.
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Photo by: Chris Eutsler
NCAA Championships Start Thursday in Cleveland
3/18/2026 9:30:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS -- No. 13 Minnesota concludes its postseason journey this week at the 2026 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. The three-day, six-session event will take place at Rocket Arena starting Thursday, March 19. Linear and streaming coverage will be provided by the ESPN family of networks.
With six automatic qualifiers based on performances at the Big Ten Championships, this marks the 10th straight year that Minnesota will be sending at least six wrestlers to the NCAAs. In addition, Gavin Nelson was named an alternate at 197 pounds.
Minnesota ranks sixth in the NCAA all-time with three national titles in program history (2001, 2002, and 2007), as well as 41 top-10 finishes. The Gophers also have 24 individual national titles among 18 different champions, with nine of those championships coming in the heavyweight division to earn the program's moniker "Heavyweight U". The 24 champions rank tied for 11th in NCAA history.
The Golden Gophers are making their ninth appearance at the NCAA Championships under head coach Brandon Eggum (2020 was cancelled due to COVID). In the team's previous eight trips, they've finished 15th or better six times, including four top-10 placements. Last season, the Gophers tied for fifth in the team's best showing during Eggum's tenure. The Gophers have won two individual NCAA titles under Eggum, both at heavyweight by Gable Steveson in 2021-22.
Minnesota Championship Roster
*InterMat ranking | ^competed at Wyoming | +competed at 174 pounds in 2024
Competition Schedule (all times CT)
Thursday, March 19
11 a.m.: Session I (First Round) – ESPN2
6 p.m.: Session II (Second Round/Wrestlebacks) – ESPN
Friday, March 20
11 a.m.: Session III (Quarterfinals/Wrestlebacks) – ESPNU
7 p.m.: Session IV (Semifinals/Blood Round) – ESPN2
Saturday, March 21
10 a.m.: Session V (Medal Round) – ESPNU
5:30 p.m.: Session VI (Championship Finals) – ESPN
*ESPN+ will have individual mat coverage for all sessions
Last Gopher NCAA Champion // Finalist // All-American By Weight
GOPHERS VS. THE FIELD
With six automatic qualifiers based on performances at the Big Ten Championships, this marks the 10th straight year that Minnesota will be sending at least six wrestlers to the NCAAs. In addition, Gavin Nelson was named an alternate at 197 pounds.
Minnesota ranks sixth in the NCAA all-time with three national titles in program history (2001, 2002, and 2007), as well as 41 top-10 finishes. The Gophers also have 24 individual national titles among 18 different champions, with nine of those championships coming in the heavyweight division to earn the program's moniker "Heavyweight U". The 24 champions rank tied for 11th in NCAA history.
The Golden Gophers are making their ninth appearance at the NCAA Championships under head coach Brandon Eggum (2020 was cancelled due to COVID). In the team's previous eight trips, they've finished 15th or better six times, including four top-10 placements. Last season, the Gophers tied for fifth in the team's best showing during Eggum's tenure. The Gophers have won two individual NCAA titles under Eggum, both at heavyweight by Gable Steveson in 2021-22.
Minnesota Championship Roster
| Weight | Wrestler | Year | Seed | Ranking* | Record (vs. Field) | 2026 B1Gs | Previously at NCAAs |
| 125 | Jore Volk | Sr. | #6 | #6 | 22-5 (9-4) | 2nd | 7th (2024), DNP (2023)^ |
| 141 | Vance VomBaur | R-Sr. | #8 | #8 | 21-6 (7-5) | 4th | 8th (2024, '25) |
| 157 | Charlie Millard | R-Fr. | #21 | #17 | 19-9 (4-7) | 8th | First Appearance |
| 165 | Andrew Sparks | 6th | #13 | #9 | 20-6 (6-5) | 5th | DNP (2021, '23, '24, '25)+ |
| 184 | Max McEnelly | R-So. | #3 | #4 | 19-2 (10-2) | 2nd | 3rd (2025) |
| 197 | Gavin Nelson | R-So. | Alternate | - | 12-14 (2-12) | 11th | First Appearance |
| 285 | Koy Hopke | R-Fr. | #14 | #12 | 21-9 (7-8) | 7th | First Appearance |
Competition Schedule (all times CT)
Thursday, March 19
11 a.m.: Session I (First Round) – ESPN2
6 p.m.: Session II (Second Round/Wrestlebacks) – ESPN
Friday, March 20
11 a.m.: Session III (Quarterfinals/Wrestlebacks) – ESPNU
7 p.m.: Session IV (Semifinals/Blood Round) – ESPN2
Saturday, March 21
10 a.m.: Session V (Medal Round) – ESPNU
5:30 p.m.: Session VI (Championship Finals) – ESPN
*ESPN+ will have individual mat coverage for all sessions
Last Gopher NCAA Champion // Finalist // All-American By Weight
125: N/A // Ethan Lizak (2017) // Patrick McKee (2022)
133: Jayson Ness (2010) // Jayson Ness (2010) // Aaron Nagao (2023)
141: N/A // N/A // Vance VomBaur (2025)
149: Dustin Schlatter (2006) // Dylan Ness (2012) // Michael Blockhus (2023)
157: Luke Becker (2002) // Dylan Ness (2014) // Brayton Lee (2021)
165: N/A // N/A // Danny Zilverberg (2014)
174: N/A // N/A // Devin Skatzka (2020)
184: N/A // Roger Kish (2006) // Max McEnelly (2025)
197: Damion Hahn (2004) // Brett Pfarr (2017) // Brett Pfarr (2017)
HWT: Gable Steveson (2022) // Gable Steveson (2025) // Gable Steveson (2025)
The Golden Gophers are heading into NCAAs after the Big Ten Championships where Minnesota saw six wrestlers reach the podium: Jore Volk (125) and Max McEnelly (184) both came in second place, while Vance VomBaur (141) was fourth, Andrew Sparks (165) came in fifth, Koy Hopke (285) earned seventh and and Charlie Millard (157) placed eighth. The Gophers' team score of 76.5 points was good for seventh place.
The Maroon & Gold are coming off an 11-5 regular season, including a 5-3 mark in the Big Ten that saw the Gophers finish in a five-way tie for third place. Minnesota posted 11 duals wins for the third time in the last four seasons and and fourth time overall with Eggum as head coach. In addition, the team finished with a winning record in the Big Ten for the fourth straight season and seventh time under Eggum.
NCAA NUGGETS
The Golden Gophers are heading into NCAAs after the Big Ten Championships where Minnesota saw six wrestlers reach the podium: Jore Volk (125) and Max McEnelly (184) both came in second place, while Vance VomBaur (141) was fourth, Andrew Sparks (165) came in fifth, Koy Hopke (285) earned seventh and and Charlie Millard (157) placed eighth. The Gophers' team score of 76.5 points was good for seventh place.
The Maroon & Gold are coming off an 11-5 regular season, including a 5-3 mark in the Big Ten that saw the Gophers finish in a five-way tie for third place. Minnesota posted 11 duals wins for the third time in the last four seasons and and fourth time overall with Eggum as head coach. In addition, the team finished with a winning record in the Big Ten for the fourth straight season and seventh time under Eggum.
NCAA NUGGETS
Redshirt sophomore Max McEnelly is looking to build off last year's All-America run at 184 that saw him finish in third place. He has earned the No. 3 seed for the second straight year, the first Gopher at the weight to be seeded third or better at the championships since Roger Kish was the No. 2 seed in both 2006 and 2007. It's the seventh straight year for a Gopher at 184 to compete at NCAAs.
At 125 pounds, senior Jore Volk will make his first appearance at the NCAA Championships as a Gopher, but it'll be the third trip in his career after competing there twice for Wyoming. He debuted in 2023 with a 1-2 record and then became an All-American with a seventh-place finish in 2024. Volk is 22-5 on the season and has earned the No. 6 seed, Minnesota's highest at the weight since Sean Russell was also No. 6 in 2019. It's the 10th straight year that Minnesota has had a 125-pound representative.
Vance VomBaur is a returning two-time All-American at 141 pounds, finishing in eighth place each of the last two years. This year, he returns as the No. 8 seed as he looks to become the 29th three-time All-American in Minnesota history. It's the 26th straight year with a 141-pounder at NCAA for Minnesota, while the No. 8 seed for VomBaur is second highest of his career after earning the No. 6 seed a year ago.
Sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks is set to become the first Gopher in program history to compete at five NCAA Championships. Previously, Patrick McKee (2020-24) and Gable Steveson (2019-22, '25) each qualified five times, but the 2020 NCAA Championships did not take place because of COVID. Sparks' No. 13 seed this year is the second best of his career after earning the No. 10 last year. Sparks has won at least one match in each of his last three trips to the NCAA Championships. It's the 10th straight year for a Gopher at 165.
A pair of redshirt freshmen will make their first ever trips to the NCAAs as Koy Hopke grabbed the No. 14 seed at heavyweight, while Charlie Millard garnered the No. 21 seed at 157 pounds.
Hopke was a seventh-place finisher at the conference championships and boasts 21-9 record on the season. It's the eighth straight season for a Gopher heavyweight to compete at NCAAs.
Millard finished eighth at the Big Tens, entering the championships with a 19-9 record overall. It's the third straight year for Minnesota to have someone at the weight compete at NCAAs.
Additionally, Gavin Nelson was named an alternate at 197 pounds. According to the NCAA Championships Manual, if any wrestler withdraws or does not make weight, the alternate will be inserted into the bracket.
At 125 pounds, senior Jore Volk will make his first appearance at the NCAA Championships as a Gopher, but it'll be the third trip in his career after competing there twice for Wyoming. He debuted in 2023 with a 1-2 record and then became an All-American with a seventh-place finish in 2024. Volk is 22-5 on the season and has earned the No. 6 seed, Minnesota's highest at the weight since Sean Russell was also No. 6 in 2019. It's the 10th straight year that Minnesota has had a 125-pound representative.
Vance VomBaur is a returning two-time All-American at 141 pounds, finishing in eighth place each of the last two years. This year, he returns as the No. 8 seed as he looks to become the 29th three-time All-American in Minnesota history. It's the 26th straight year with a 141-pounder at NCAA for Minnesota, while the No. 8 seed for VomBaur is second highest of his career after earning the No. 6 seed a year ago.
Sixth-year senior Andrew Sparks is set to become the first Gopher in program history to compete at five NCAA Championships. Previously, Patrick McKee (2020-24) and Gable Steveson (2019-22, '25) each qualified five times, but the 2020 NCAA Championships did not take place because of COVID. Sparks' No. 13 seed this year is the second best of his career after earning the No. 10 last year. Sparks has won at least one match in each of his last three trips to the NCAA Championships. It's the 10th straight year for a Gopher at 165.
A pair of redshirt freshmen will make their first ever trips to the NCAAs as Koy Hopke grabbed the No. 14 seed at heavyweight, while Charlie Millard garnered the No. 21 seed at 157 pounds.
Hopke was a seventh-place finisher at the conference championships and boasts 21-9 record on the season. It's the eighth straight season for a Gopher heavyweight to compete at NCAAs.
Millard finished eighth at the Big Tens, entering the championships with a 19-9 record overall. It's the third straight year for Minnesota to have someone at the weight compete at NCAAs.
Additionally, Gavin Nelson was named an alternate at 197 pounds. According to the NCAA Championships Manual, if any wrestler withdraws or does not make weight, the alternate will be inserted into the bracket.
GOPHERS VS. THE FIELD
At 125 pounds, No. 6 Jore Volk has gone 9-4 against the field this year, including a pair of wins over Virginia Tech's Eddie Ventresca at the National Duals Invitational, the only losses on the season for the No. 2 seed. Volk also defeated No. 3 Nic Bouzakis of Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals. Volk will open up against Brady Roark of South Dakota State, the No. 27 seed. The two met earlier this season in the Gophers' dual against the Jackrabbits on Nov. 25, with Roark winning via a short-time takedown, 5-4.
Eighth-seeded Vance VomBaur is 7-5 versus the 141-pound class. Three of his five losses were to top-seeded Jesse Mendez of Ohio State (twice), while the other was to No. 3 Brock Hardy of Nebraska. Among VomBaur's wins include victories over No. 7 Nasir Bailey of Iowa, No. 12 Luke Simcox of North Carolina and No. 14 Braeden Davis of Penn State. VomBaur will first square off with Virginia Tech's No. 25 Tom Crook in their third matchup of the season. They faced each other twice at the National Duals Invitational in November with VomBaur winning both matchups by decision, 5-4 and then 4-1.
Charlie Millard, No. 21, went 4-7 against those at 157 pounds this season. Five of those seven losses came to wrestlers seeded eighth or higher, including three setbacks against No. 8 Brandon Cannon of Ohio State. Millard's top win against the field came over No. 17 Luke Mechler of Wisconsin, as well as an injury default victory versus No. 7 Kannon Webster of Illinois. Millard will make his NCAAs debut versus No. 12 Vinny Zerban of Iowa State in their first ever meeting.
Thirteenth-seeded Andrew Sparks is 6-5 versus the 165-pound field with four of the losses coming to those seeded sixth or higher. Sparks' top victory this season was over No. 6 LJ Araujo of Nebraska, and he's also got multiple wins over No. 14 Andrew Barbosa of Rutgers and No. 16 Paddy Gallagher from Ohio State. Sparks has drawn No. 20 Ty Whalen of Princeton in the opening round as the two square off for their first career matchup.
Third-seed Max McEnelly is 10-2 against the field at 184 pounds this year with the lone losses coming to top-seeded Penn State's Rocco Welsh in the Big Ten finals and No. 2 seed Aeoden Sinclair of Missouri at the National Duals Invitational. McEnelly has recorded a pair of wins over No. 8 Silas Allred of Nebraska, as well as a decision over No. 9 Chris Moore from Illinois. Additionally, McEnally has bonus point wins against No. 11 (2x), No. 14 (2x) and No. 27. McEnelly is opening against No. 30 Tyler Bienus of Bucknell in the first meeting between the two.
No. 14 Koy Hopke went 7-8 against fellow heavyweight competitors this season. Seven of the eight losses came to those seeded 12th or higher, though five of those seven losses were by three points or less. Hopke's top wins against the field were over No. 16 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech and No. 18 Christian Carroll from Wyoming. Hopke will first take on No. 19 seed Nate Schon of Drexel as they face one another for the first time.
A full history of Minnesota's wrestlers against their respective fields can be found on the final two pages of the notes.
Eighth-seeded Vance VomBaur is 7-5 versus the 141-pound class. Three of his five losses were to top-seeded Jesse Mendez of Ohio State (twice), while the other was to No. 3 Brock Hardy of Nebraska. Among VomBaur's wins include victories over No. 7 Nasir Bailey of Iowa, No. 12 Luke Simcox of North Carolina and No. 14 Braeden Davis of Penn State. VomBaur will first square off with Virginia Tech's No. 25 Tom Crook in their third matchup of the season. They faced each other twice at the National Duals Invitational in November with VomBaur winning both matchups by decision, 5-4 and then 4-1.
Charlie Millard, No. 21, went 4-7 against those at 157 pounds this season. Five of those seven losses came to wrestlers seeded eighth or higher, including three setbacks against No. 8 Brandon Cannon of Ohio State. Millard's top win against the field came over No. 17 Luke Mechler of Wisconsin, as well as an injury default victory versus No. 7 Kannon Webster of Illinois. Millard will make his NCAAs debut versus No. 12 Vinny Zerban of Iowa State in their first ever meeting.
Thirteenth-seeded Andrew Sparks is 6-5 versus the 165-pound field with four of the losses coming to those seeded sixth or higher. Sparks' top victory this season was over No. 6 LJ Araujo of Nebraska, and he's also got multiple wins over No. 14 Andrew Barbosa of Rutgers and No. 16 Paddy Gallagher from Ohio State. Sparks has drawn No. 20 Ty Whalen of Princeton in the opening round as the two square off for their first career matchup.
Third-seed Max McEnelly is 10-2 against the field at 184 pounds this year with the lone losses coming to top-seeded Penn State's Rocco Welsh in the Big Ten finals and No. 2 seed Aeoden Sinclair of Missouri at the National Duals Invitational. McEnelly has recorded a pair of wins over No. 8 Silas Allred of Nebraska, as well as a decision over No. 9 Chris Moore from Illinois. Additionally, McEnally has bonus point wins against No. 11 (2x), No. 14 (2x) and No. 27. McEnelly is opening against No. 30 Tyler Bienus of Bucknell in the first meeting between the two.
No. 14 Koy Hopke went 7-8 against fellow heavyweight competitors this season. Seven of the eight losses came to those seeded 12th or higher, though five of those seven losses were by three points or less. Hopke's top wins against the field were over No. 16 Jimmy Mullen of Virginia Tech and No. 18 Christian Carroll from Wyoming. Hopke will first take on No. 19 seed Nate Schon of Drexel as they face one another for the first time.
A full history of Minnesota's wrestlers against their respective fields can be found on the final two pages of the notes.
Gopher Round Table: Wrestling
Wednesday, March 11
Highlights: Big Ten Wrestling Session II
Saturday, March 07
Highlights: Big Ten Wrestling Session I
Saturday, March 07
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Smash the Spartans on Senior Day
Thursday, February 19