University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, March 19
Cleveland, OH
11:00 AM
University of Minnesota
vs
NCAA Championships - Session I
Players Mentioned
285 lbs.
/ Wrestling
184 lbs.
/ Wrestling
157 lbs.
/ Wrestling
165 lbs.
/ Wrestling
125 lbs.
/ Wrestling
141 lbs.
/ Wrestling
Photo by: Sam Janicki
Golden Gophers Go Undefeated to Open NCAAs
3/19/2026 3:49:00 PM | Wrestling
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Minnesota wrestling won all six of its matches during Session I of the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships Thursday inside Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Those six wins, which included three by bonus points, puts Minnesota in ninth place in the team standings with 9.5 points. Penn State leads the way with 22.5 points. The Gophers were one of eight schools overall, and one of four with more than two wrestlers, to go undefeated in the morning session.
Session II is set to begin Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT with Round of 16 and consolation matches. ESPN will have the television coverage, while ESPN+ will have mat-specific streams.
Minnesota's top seed, No. 3 Max McEnelly, needed only four minutes on the mat to post his second tech fall win in seven career matches at NCAAs. Facing No. 30 Tyler Bienus of Bucknell, McEnelly scored four takedowns in the first period to lead 12-4 through one period. After an escape, McEnelly tallied three more in the second period for the 22-6 win, posting his team-leading 12th tech fall win of the year. Thursday night, McEnelly will take on No. 14 Jaden Bullock of Virginia Tech. They've faced each other three times already in their careers with McEnelly winning all three bouts. That includes two matchups this year, both of which McEnelly won by tech fall at the National Duals Invitational.
Looking to reach the podium for the third straight season, redshirt senior Vance VomBaur dominated in a 14-2 major decision over Virginia Tech's No. 25 Tom Crook, his third win of the season over the Hokie. VomBaur, the No. 8 seed, had two takedowns in the opening period, including one right at the buzzer, for a 6-1 lead. A takedown off a re-attack pushed VomBaur's lead to 9-2 after two, while the third period saw him record an escape and late takedown, plus riding time for his first bonus-point win at NCAAs. In the Round of 16, VomBaur will take on No. 24 Nash Singleton of Oregon State.
Also tallying a major decision was No. 13 Andrew Sparks at 165 over No. 20 Ty Whalen of Princeton at 165 pounds. Scoreless after the first period, Sparks escaped after 38 seconds then got in on a high-c, adding two nearfall points for a 6-0 lead through two periods. Sparks then rode out Whalen for nearly the entire third period, allowing an escape before tacking on one more late takedown in a 10-1 major decision. Winning in the opening round for the second straight season, Sparks has earned a matchup with No. 4 Nicco Ruiz of Arizona State in the Round of 16.
Making his NCAA Championships debut with Minnesota after two trips with Wyoming, senior Jore Volk, the No. 6 seed, won his opening match at 125 pounds with an 8-2 decision over South Dakota State's No. 27 Brady Roark. Volk got on the board first midway through the opening period. Leading 3-1 after one, Volk quickly escaped in the second period and battled through a long scramble to build a 7-1 lead. The victory, which avenged a 5-4 loss during the regular season, sends Volk to the Round of 16 against Rider's No. 11 Tyler Klinsky.
A pair of Gophers made their debuts at the NCAA Championships and both came away with victories.
At 157 pounds, No. 21 Charlie Millard upset No. 12 Vinny Zerban of Iowa State, a returning All-American, 12-6. Millard was the aggressor in the first period, jumping out to a 3-1 lead after a bevy of attacks. Escapes from both wrestlers made it a 4-2 lead for Millard early in the third period before Zerban took his lone lead at 5-4. A quick escape from Millard evened the match at 5-5, and he closed out the matchup with two takedowns and riding time in the final 70 seconds for the win. In the Round of 16, Millard will meet No. 5 Landon Robideau of Oklahoma State.
A rally in the third period sent No. 13 Koy Hopke to an 11-7 decision over No. 19 Nate Schon at heavyweight. Schon controlled the first period with a pair of takedowns, building a 6-2 lead. A strong second period from Hopke, which included an escape and his first takedown, sent the match to the third period all square at 6-6. A Schon escape put him back in front, but a double-leg from Hopke gave him the lead for good. Points for stalling and riding time got the match to its final margin. Hopke will now take on No. 3 Taye Ghadiali of Michigan in the Round of 16.
Minnesota Results through Session I
125
First Round: #6 Jore Volk dec. #27 Brady Roark (South Dakota State), 8-2
141
First Round: #8 Vance VomBaur MD #25 Tom Crook (Virginia Tech), 14-2
157
First Round: #21 Charlie Millard dec. #12 Vinny Zerban (Iowa State), 12-6
165
First Round: #13 Andrew Sparks MD #20 Ty Whalen (Princeton), 10-1
184
First Round: #3 Max McEnelly TF #30 Tyler Bienus (Bucknell), 22-6 (4:00)
285
First Round: #14 Koy Hopke dec. #19 Nate Schon (Drexel), 11-7
Those six wins, which included three by bonus points, puts Minnesota in ninth place in the team standings with 9.5 points. Penn State leads the way with 22.5 points. The Gophers were one of eight schools overall, and one of four with more than two wrestlers, to go undefeated in the morning session.
Session II is set to begin Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT with Round of 16 and consolation matches. ESPN will have the television coverage, while ESPN+ will have mat-specific streams.
Minnesota's top seed, No. 3 Max McEnelly, needed only four minutes on the mat to post his second tech fall win in seven career matches at NCAAs. Facing No. 30 Tyler Bienus of Bucknell, McEnelly scored four takedowns in the first period to lead 12-4 through one period. After an escape, McEnelly tallied three more in the second period for the 22-6 win, posting his team-leading 12th tech fall win of the year. Thursday night, McEnelly will take on No. 14 Jaden Bullock of Virginia Tech. They've faced each other three times already in their careers with McEnelly winning all three bouts. That includes two matchups this year, both of which McEnelly won by tech fall at the National Duals Invitational.
Looking to reach the podium for the third straight season, redshirt senior Vance VomBaur dominated in a 14-2 major decision over Virginia Tech's No. 25 Tom Crook, his third win of the season over the Hokie. VomBaur, the No. 8 seed, had two takedowns in the opening period, including one right at the buzzer, for a 6-1 lead. A takedown off a re-attack pushed VomBaur's lead to 9-2 after two, while the third period saw him record an escape and late takedown, plus riding time for his first bonus-point win at NCAAs. In the Round of 16, VomBaur will take on No. 24 Nash Singleton of Oregon State.
Also tallying a major decision was No. 13 Andrew Sparks at 165 over No. 20 Ty Whalen of Princeton at 165 pounds. Scoreless after the first period, Sparks escaped after 38 seconds then got in on a high-c, adding two nearfall points for a 6-0 lead through two periods. Sparks then rode out Whalen for nearly the entire third period, allowing an escape before tacking on one more late takedown in a 10-1 major decision. Winning in the opening round for the second straight season, Sparks has earned a matchup with No. 4 Nicco Ruiz of Arizona State in the Round of 16.
Making his NCAA Championships debut with Minnesota after two trips with Wyoming, senior Jore Volk, the No. 6 seed, won his opening match at 125 pounds with an 8-2 decision over South Dakota State's No. 27 Brady Roark. Volk got on the board first midway through the opening period. Leading 3-1 after one, Volk quickly escaped in the second period and battled through a long scramble to build a 7-1 lead. The victory, which avenged a 5-4 loss during the regular season, sends Volk to the Round of 16 against Rider's No. 11 Tyler Klinsky.
A pair of Gophers made their debuts at the NCAA Championships and both came away with victories.
At 157 pounds, No. 21 Charlie Millard upset No. 12 Vinny Zerban of Iowa State, a returning All-American, 12-6. Millard was the aggressor in the first period, jumping out to a 3-1 lead after a bevy of attacks. Escapes from both wrestlers made it a 4-2 lead for Millard early in the third period before Zerban took his lone lead at 5-4. A quick escape from Millard evened the match at 5-5, and he closed out the matchup with two takedowns and riding time in the final 70 seconds for the win. In the Round of 16, Millard will meet No. 5 Landon Robideau of Oklahoma State.
A rally in the third period sent No. 13 Koy Hopke to an 11-7 decision over No. 19 Nate Schon at heavyweight. Schon controlled the first period with a pair of takedowns, building a 6-2 lead. A strong second period from Hopke, which included an escape and his first takedown, sent the match to the third period all square at 6-6. A Schon escape put him back in front, but a double-leg from Hopke gave him the lead for good. Points for stalling and riding time got the match to its final margin. Hopke will now take on No. 3 Taye Ghadiali of Michigan in the Round of 16.
Minnesota Results through Session I
125
First Round: #6 Jore Volk dec. #27 Brady Roark (South Dakota State), 8-2
141
First Round: #8 Vance VomBaur MD #25 Tom Crook (Virginia Tech), 14-2
157
First Round: #21 Charlie Millard dec. #12 Vinny Zerban (Iowa State), 12-6
165
First Round: #13 Andrew Sparks MD #20 Ty Whalen (Princeton), 10-1
184
First Round: #3 Max McEnelly TF #30 Tyler Bienus (Bucknell), 22-6 (4:00)
285
First Round: #14 Koy Hopke dec. #19 Nate Schon (Drexel), 11-7
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