The Gophers will send their full ten man roster to Kansas City for the NCAA Championships
The #12 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers will send their full ten-man roster to the 2024 NCAA Championships this weekend in Kansas City. Minnesota is one of seven programs in the country to have a representative at all 10 weight classes this season. It’s the fifth time in program history the Gophers have accomplished the feat, and the first since 2013. They also did it in 2005, 2002 and 2001. With a full roster, the Gophers could compete with the 2021 team that tied for 7th place, the highest finish in coach Brandon Eggum’s seven trips to the NCAA Tournament with the Gophers. Minnesota is highlighted by Big Ten Champion Isiah Salazar who is the #2 national seed at 184 pounds and will be looking to win Minnesota’s first NCAA crown since Gable Steveson in 2022.
Here is a preview of all ten Gophers at the NCAA Championships:
Patrick McKee—125 Pounds #9 seed
The sixth-year senior earned the #9 seed which is the second best of his career. He will open up the NCAA Championships against #24 Kysen Terukina of Iowa State in the first ever matchup between the pair. McKee will look to become a three-time All-American with an 8th place finish or higher. He placed third in 2021 and fifth in 2022. McKee is 14-5 all-time in the NCAA Championships and went 4-6 against the rest of the field at 125.
Tyler Wells—133 Pounds #20 seed
The true freshman lakes his NCAA debut as the # 20 seed where he will face the #13 seed Kurt Phipps from Bucknell. The two faced off in a November duel where Wells upset then-No. 17 Phipps, 11-5. He went 5-4 against the field this year, with one additional loss via medical forfeit.
Vance VomBauer—141 Pounds #27 seed
The redshirt sophomore will make his debut at the NCAA Championships seeded 27th. He will face #6 seed Lachlan McNeil of North Carolina. The two met at the Soldier Salute in late December that McNeil won 7-4.
Drew Roberts—149 Pounds #23 seed
Another redshirt sophomore making his first appearance at the NCAA Championships Roberts earned the #23 seed. He will meet #10 seed Chance Lamer of Cal Poly. in his opening bout. This season Roberts went 4-6 against those in the field at 149 pounds.
Michael Blockhus—157 pounds #13 seed
Minnesota’s second sixth-year senior in the field, Blockhus earned the #13 seed at 157 pounds, He’ll take on #20 Max Brignola of Lehigh in the opening round. This season he has a 5-3 record against the field, though one of those losses was by injury default.
Blaine Brenner—165 pounds #27 seed
Brenner will be another redshirt sophomore first-timer at the NCAA Championships He earned the #27 seed at 165 pounds and wo;; face #6 seed Mike Caliendo from Iowa. The two have met twice this season where Caliendo won by tech fall at the Soldier Salute and by decision in conference action in mid-January.
Andrew Sparks—174 pounds #24 seed
Sparks will be making his third trip to the NCAA Championships, but first at 174 pounds where he is seeded #24. He also will see a familiar foe in #9 seed No. 9 Carter Starocci of Penn State. Starocci is a three-time NCAA Champion who is only ranked so low because he had to injury default out of the Big Ten Championships.
Isiah Salazar—184 pounds #2 seed
Minnesota’s best hope for a NCAA Championship reside with Salazar the reigning Big Ten Champion at 184 pounds, which was good enough to earn him the #2 overall seed. He will start his hopefully long run against #31 Tony Negron of Arizona State in the first ever meeting between the pair. Salazar is an impressive 21-1 on the season and 5-1 against the rest of the 184-pound field. Potentially waiting Salazar in a bout for the NCAA Championship is Norther Iowa star Parker Keckeisen who is 23-0 on the season and has won bonus points in 88.4% of his matches on the season.
Garrett Joles—197 pounds #22 seed
Minnesota’s third 6-year senior in the field, Joles is making his second appearance at the NCAA Championships after earning a spot at Heavyweight a year ago. He will be the #22 seed at 197 and will face a familiar foe in the #11 seed Maryland’s Jaxon Smith. The two just met at the Big Ten Championships with Smith winning by major decision. Joles has a 4-8 mark against the rest of the field at 197 pounds.
Bennett Tabor—Heavyweight #131 seed
Tabor closes out the Gophers participants at the NCAA Championships. The redshirt sophomore also is making his first appearance at the NCAA’s and will have a rough road to face. As the #31 seed he will face the #2 seed Yonger Bastida of Iowa State, the reigning Big 12 champion. He’s gone 1-4 so far this season versus the other heavyweights in the field.
The schedule for the NCAA Championships with the TV network airing the round is listed below:
Thursday, March 21
11 a.m.: Session I (First Round) – ESPNU
6 p.m.: Session II (Second Round/Wrestlebacks) – ESPN
Friday, March 22
11 a.m.: Session III (Quarterfinals/Wrestlebacks) – ESPNU
7 p.m.: Session IV (Semifinals/Blood Round) – ESPN
Saturday, March 23
10 a.m.: Session V (Medal Round) – ESPNU
6 p.m.: Session VI (Championship Finals) – ESPN
ESPN+ will have individual mat coverage for all sessions