University of Minnesota Athletics
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Photo by: Sam Janicki
Three Reach Podium at U23 Nationals & U20 WTT
6/1/2026 9:58:00 AM | Wrestling
MINNEAPOLIS – Three members of the Minnesota wrestling program finished on the podium this past weekend at the 2026 U23 Nationals & U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio.
The top finisher for the Gopher contingent came on the U20 level where incoming freshman Tyler Dekraker placed second in the Challenge Tournament at 65 kg. A native of Warrenton, Va., Dekraker opened with a 6-0 win over Ryan Kennedy (DMV RTC) before a 4-3 semifinal victory against Arseni Kikiniou (Poway Wrestling).Â
In the Challenge finals, Dekraker faced Clinton Shepard of Howe Wrestling School. Dekraker led 6-2 after the first period but Shepard rallied for four points in the second period and won by decision, 6-6, on criteria.
Koy Hopke, who recently completed his redshirt freshman season with the Gophers, earned a third-place finish at 125 kg at the U23 Nationals. Hopke dominated his opening matches, winning each of his first three contests by tech fall and with a combined score of 33-0 to reach the quarterfinals. There, Hopke suffered his lone defeat of the weekend with a 3-1 setback against Bradley Hill (ORTC).
Hopke bounced back in the consolations though to win his next four matches, starting with tech falls over Juan Mora (ORTC), Joshua Terrill (MWC) and Spencer Lanosga (NWC). Those wins earned Hopke a rematch with Hill in the third-place bout where Hopke rolled to a 7-2 victory.
Also placing at the U23 Nationals was fellow redshirt sophomore-to-be Blake Beissel, who came in fourth at 57 kg. Beissel opened with four straight victories, three of which came by tech fall, to reach the semifinals. Entering his matchup with Mack Mauger of TSWC, Beissel had outscored his opponents, 39-4.
A tight semifinal matchup went Mauger's way in a 5-4 decision. The loss dropped Beissel to the consolation semifinals where he rebounded with an 8-6 decision over Tyler Chappell (PWC). That put Beissel into the third-place match against Joey Cruz of HWC, and Cruz prevailed 6-1.
Other Gophers competing on the weekend at the U20 level were incoming freshmen John Murphy (1-2 at 86 kg) and Evan McGuire (0-2 at 97 kg), while rising redshirt sophomore Silas Dailey finished 5-2 at 86 kg as part of the U23 competition.
The top finisher for the Gopher contingent came on the U20 level where incoming freshman Tyler Dekraker placed second in the Challenge Tournament at 65 kg. A native of Warrenton, Va., Dekraker opened with a 6-0 win over Ryan Kennedy (DMV RTC) before a 4-3 semifinal victory against Arseni Kikiniou (Poway Wrestling).Â
In the Challenge finals, Dekraker faced Clinton Shepard of Howe Wrestling School. Dekraker led 6-2 after the first period but Shepard rallied for four points in the second period and won by decision, 6-6, on criteria.
Koy Hopke, who recently completed his redshirt freshman season with the Gophers, earned a third-place finish at 125 kg at the U23 Nationals. Hopke dominated his opening matches, winning each of his first three contests by tech fall and with a combined score of 33-0 to reach the quarterfinals. There, Hopke suffered his lone defeat of the weekend with a 3-1 setback against Bradley Hill (ORTC).
Hopke bounced back in the consolations though to win his next four matches, starting with tech falls over Juan Mora (ORTC), Joshua Terrill (MWC) and Spencer Lanosga (NWC). Those wins earned Hopke a rematch with Hill in the third-place bout where Hopke rolled to a 7-2 victory.
Also placing at the U23 Nationals was fellow redshirt sophomore-to-be Blake Beissel, who came in fourth at 57 kg. Beissel opened with four straight victories, three of which came by tech fall, to reach the semifinals. Entering his matchup with Mack Mauger of TSWC, Beissel had outscored his opponents, 39-4.
A tight semifinal matchup went Mauger's way in a 5-4 decision. The loss dropped Beissel to the consolation semifinals where he rebounded with an 8-6 decision over Tyler Chappell (PWC). That put Beissel into the third-place match against Joey Cruz of HWC, and Cruz prevailed 6-1.
Other Gophers competing on the weekend at the U20 level were incoming freshmen John Murphy (1-2 at 86 kg) and Evan McGuire (0-2 at 97 kg), while rising redshirt sophomore Silas Dailey finished 5-2 at 86 kg as part of the U23 competition.
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