Skip to main content
Iowa
Join Now

Iowa puts seven in quarterfinals amidst successful Day 1 at NCAAs

by: Tanner Lafever03/20/26TannerLafever

Day 1 at the 2026 NCAA Championships was an all-around success for the Iowa men’s wrestling program.

The Hawkeyes brought nine athletes to Cleveland and all nine are still alive (in both a wrestling and literal sense) – including seven who will compete during Friday’s morning’s quarterfinal round.

Those seven quarterfinalists tie Iowa with Nebraska and Oklahoma State for second-most at the national tournament (Penn State has eight). They’re also the most Iowa has produced since 2021.

With 25.5 points, Iowa sits in third place behind Penn State (40.5) and Nebraska (27) after Day 1 in Cleveland.

All in all, the Hawkeyes are right in the thick of the team trophy hunt (top four). But even after a 16-2 performance on Thursday, tomorrow’s results will have an even greater impact on whether that position holds steady or not.

Every quarterfinal victory guarantees All-American (top six) status – and huge team points along with it. Lose, and you fall to the bloodround with every other wrestler desperately trying to claw their way onto the podium.

Just like every other team, Iowa would do well to avoid the latter circumstance altogether. But it’s not going to be easy based upon their opponents.

Other than Michael Caliendo at 165 pounds, each of the Iowa’s six other quarterfinalists have previously wrestled (and lost to) their Friday morning foe – sporting a 4-10 combined record in said matchups.

If the Hawkeyes can turn the tables in several of them (see below), it’d do wonders for their prospects both individually (duh) and collectively.

Here’s how Friday looks for Iowa – followed by a recap of everything from Day 1 at Rocket Arena:

Session III Matchups

QUARTERFINALS
125 – #8 Dean Peterson vs. #1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State)
133 – #6 Drake Ayala vs. #3 Marcus Blaze (Penn State)
141 – #7 Nasir Bailey vs. #2 Sergio Vega (Oklahoma State)
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo vs. #27 EJ Parco (Stanford)
174 – #5 Patrick Kennedy vs. #4 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State)
184 – #7 Angelo Ferrari vs. #2 Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri)
285 – #8 Ben Kueter vs. #1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State)

CONSOLATION ROUND 2
149 – #15 Ryder Block vs. #33 Austin McBurney (Brown)
197 – #21 Rune Lawrence (West Virginia)

Session II summary – senior standouts

All season long; Iowa has relied upon a pair of senior starters to lead off both the front and back halves of its lineup.

At 125/133, that means Dean Peterson and Drake Ayala. And at 165/174, it’s Michael Caliendo and Patrick Kennedy.

All four did their part for the Hawkeyes on Thursday evening, following up a strong Session I by punching their quarterfinal tickets.

For Ayala/Caliendo – owners of three NCAA finals appearances between them – it was utter domination.

Ayala actually started quite slowly against #11 Tyler Ferrara (Cornell), twice getting hit for stalling in the first period while Ferrara peppered his legs.

But once he trailed 1-0, a switch seemed to flip in the Fort Dodge native. Over the next four-plus minutes, Ayala ruthlessly wore down his opponent – racking up five takedowns and some near fall points to earn a 19-4 technical fall victory.

Caliendo, meanwhile, came out firing from the jump in his second-round rout. And two years after walloping Bucknell’s Noah Mulvaney at NCAAs (26-10) he teched him again, 20-5, before the second period was even over.

As for Peterson and Kennedy, their wins weren’t nearly so decisive on the scoreboard – though valuable all the same.

Peterson scored the lone takedown in an otherwise cagey match against #9 Maximo Renteria (Oregon State), hitting a slick low single midway through the third period of a 4-1 victory.

Conversely, Kennedy advanced without a takedown thanks to a second-period ride out of #12 Carter Schubert (Oklahoma).

Session II summary – three out of four ain’t bad, and Arnold stays alive

As for Iowa’s four other quarterfinal hopefuls, a trio would pass their second-round tests.

Among them, Nasir Bailey prevailed over #10 Jack Consiglio (Stanford) via 11-5 decision.

About the only nit to pick for the first-year Hawkeye was that he let an extra team point slip through his fingers.

Bailey hit a blast double with 0:37 left to take a 10-3 lead that, combined with an impending riding time point, would’ve earned him a major decision. Unfortunately, fatigue/focus seemed to get the better of him, and an easy reversal ended the win on a semi-sour note.

Further up the weight class ladder, both Angelo Ferrari and Ben Kueter looked strong to close their undefeated Thursday.

Ferrari won 11-5 against #10 Caleb Campos (American) – a big, tricky 184-pounder who threw the kitchen sink at the Iowa freshman for seven minutes. And Kueter prevailed in a rubber match against #9 Cole Mirasola (Penn State) – whom he’d lost to at the dual (4-3) and defeated at Big Tens (2-0).

The homegrown Hawkeye led 1-0 entering the third period, with Mirasola choosing neutral after being ridden out in their previous meeting. This time, Kueter was able to shut the door by countering a Mirasola shot for a decisive takedown of his own.

Iowa’s lone defeat of the session came when Ryder Block fell to #2 Jaxon Joy (Cornell), 10-3, in perhaps his first matchup all season long against an equally tall, lanky opponent.

With the loss, Block will join Gabe Arnold in Friday morning’s consolations.

Arnold made sure of that with an impressive 7-2 victory over #22 Devin Wasley (North Dakota State). Iowa’s ultimate utility man rebounded from a devastating opening round loss, hitting a pair of dynamic takedowns to secure his first win of the weekend.

Session II Results

SECOND ROUND
125 – #8 Dean Peterson dec. #9 Maximo Renteria (Oregon State), 4-1
133 – #6 Drake Ayala tech. fall #11 Tyler Ferrara (Cornell), 19-4
141 – #7 Nasir Bailey dec. #10 Jack Consiglio (Stanford), 11-5
149 – #2 Jaxon Joy (Cornell) dec. #15 Ryder Block, 10-3
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo tech. fall #19 Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell), 20-5
174 – #5 Patrick Kennedy dec. #12 Carter Schubert (Oklahoma), 2-1
184 – #7 Angelo Ferrari vs. #10 Caleb Campos (American), 11-5
285 – #8 Ben Kueter dec. #9 Cole Mirasola (Penn State), 4-0

CONSOLATION ROUND 1
197 – #27 Gabe Arnold dec. #22 Devin Wasley (North Dakota State), 7-2

Session I summary – bonus points aid successful start

The opening round went about as well as Iowa could’ve hoped – which advanced 8/9 qualifiers in the championship bracket.

Even better, six of its eight victories came with bonus points, helping the Hawkeyes to second place in the team standings at the end of Session I.

Each of Dean Peterson, Drake Ayala, Nasir Bailey and Ryder Block secured major decisions thanks to third-period takedowns. All four of their bouts also began with first-period takedowns by the Hawkeyes – a welcomed theme for a team that has struggled to get on the scoreboard at times this season.

Peterson and Block both got takedowns in the final moments – the latter’s on a blast double of #18 Eugene Harney (Morgan State).

Meanwhile, Bailey was very active during his last two minutes of action, extending his 7-2 lead with a takedown and three near fall points – then hustling to try and tack on some more as the clock ran down.

As for the upper weights, Michael Caliendo wasted no time in the first match of his last NCAA tournament.

Iowa’s 165-pounder fought through a scramble to score his opening takedown, then went to work on top, getting a pin before the first period had concluded

Not long after, Angelo Ferrari tallied Iowa’s final bonus points of the morning with a thorough 10-0 major decision of #26 Chase Kranitz (Pittsburgh). In his NCAA debut, the freshman scored a pair of takedowns out of the front headlock position and was tough on top, looking to turn the Panther throughout a third-period ride out.

Session I summary – games of inches

Iowa’s two other wins during the morning session were of the regular decision variety.

At 174, Patrick Kennedy fought off several early shots from his Princeton opponent – #28 Holden Garcia – before ending the first period with a 3-1 lead. A ride out in the second bolstered his advantage, but he may have spent too much time on top after another takedown in the third – ultimately running out of time/opportunity to chase down a major decision.

Even so, the 8-2 victory was good enough to advance.

The final Hawkeye victory came courtesy of Ben Kueter at heavyweight.

Kueter – the #8 seed – won a less-than-thrilling 2-0 decision over #25 Alex Semenenko (Brown) thanks to a second-period escape and a third-period ride out.

As for Iowa’s lone defeat of the round, Gabe Arnold fell in another heartbreaker – the latest in a line of outcomes he’d like to forget from this season.

At a massive size/seed disadvantage against #6 Justin Rademacher (Oregon State) – a reigning U20 World champion – Arnold stood toe-to-toe.

And after a 1-1 match carried all the way to tiebreakers, a four-second escape by the Hawkeye seemingly had him in great position to spring a major upset. But Rademacher got away even quicker – possibly aided by an earlier stall call on Arnold that may’ve made him reticent to hang on a leg.

In the end, one single second of riding time in favor of Rademacher proved the difference, sending Arnold to the consolations by the slimmest of margins.

Session I Results

125 – #8 Dean Peterson major dec. #25 Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska), 9-1
133 – #6 Drake Ayala major dec. #27 Marcel Lopez (SIUE), 11-1
141 – #7 Nasir Bailey major dec. #26 Braden Basile (Army), 14-3
149 – #15 Ryder Block major dec. #18 Eugene Harney (Morgan State), 11-2
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo pinned #30 Thomas Snipes (Citadel), 2:44
174 – #5 Patrick Kennedy dec. #28 Holden Garcia (Princeton), 8-2
184 – #7 Angelo Ferrari major dec. #26 Chase Kranitz (Pittsburgh), 10-0
197 – #6 Justin Rademacher (Oregon State) dec. #27 Gabe Arnold, 3-2 TB1
285 – #8 Ben Kueter dec. #25 Alex Semenenko (Brown), 2-0

You may also like