Michigan
NCAA Championships
Wolverines Advance Three to NCAA Quarterfinals
3/21/2025 1:57:00 AM | Wrestling
» Michigan shares ninth place at the NCAA Championships with all five wrestlers still alive after the first day of action -- three in the quarterfinals and two in the consolation bracket.
» Beau Mantanona (165 pounds), Jacob Cardenas (197) and Josh Heindselman (Hwt) all posted 2-0 records to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in their careers.
» Michigan scored five bonus wins on the day, including three falls in the morning sessions.
Site: Philadelphia, Pa. (Wells Fargo Center)
Event: NCAA Championships (Day 1 of 3)
U-M Standing: Tied for 9th Place of 66 Teams (16.5 points)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 22 -- at NCAA Championships - Day Two (Philadelphia, Pa.), Noon
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The University of Michigan wrestling team advanced three into the quarterfinal round at the 2025 NCAA Championships on Thursday (March 20) in front of 18,088 fans at Wells Fargo Center. With two other Wolverines still alive in the wrestlebacks, Michigan is tied for ninth place (16.5 points) after the first day of competition.
Sophomore/freshman Beau Mantanona and graduate students Jacob Cardenas and Josh Heindselman combined for a perfect 6-0 tally to all advance to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in their careers. Michigan opened with big bonus wins in the morning session, earning seven extra points on three pins and a major decision. In all, Michigan posted an 8-6 record on the day.
Mantanona, seeded sixth at 165 pounds in his NCAA Championships debut, gutted out an 8-5 decision over Illinois' No. 11-seeded Braeden Scoles in the evening session. He scored first and last in the bout and with the score knotted up 5-5 in the third period, he used a single-leg shot to initiate a late scramble, avoided giving up a go behind, and earned the winning takedown inside the final 30 seconds. The takedown was challenged by the Illinois corner and upheld. Mantanona also earned a 7-3 decision against Indiana's No. 27-seeded Tyler Lillard in the first round on a pair of takedowns. He is 17-4 in his rookie campaign.
Cardenas, the top seed at 197 pounds, earned bonus points in his first match with a 10-0 major decision against Army West Point's Wolfgang Frable with takedowns in the first and third periods, a two-point tilt and 2:33 in riding-time advantage. He edged Northwestern's No. 2-seeded Evan Bates 4-1 in the evening session, using a low single-leg takedown to ice this bout midway through the third -- after not getting a takedown call on the edge earlier in the first period. Cardenas improved to 22-1 on the season.
Heindselman, seeded sixth at heavyweight, scored big bonus points in both of his day-one wins, including a fast first-period fall against Duke's Connor Barket with a cradle off the edge of the mat at the 1:02 mark. He also rolled to a 17-2 technical fall against Army West Point's No. 22-seeded Brady Colbert in the second round, scoring five takedowns in just 4:28. Heindselman is now 24-4 this season with 16 bonus wins, including a team-best 12 tech falls.
Sophomore Sergio Lemley and graduate student Chase Saldate both scored comeback wins with third-period pins at 141 and 157 pounds, respectively, in the morning session.
Lemley, seeded 14th, trailed Oklahoma's 19th-seeded Mosha Schwartz by two points early in the third after having a late second-period takedown overturned on review. He pushed the offense throughout the third period before muscling Schwartz to the mat with a crusher then turning him for the pin at 6:23, his second of the season. Lemley fell to Ohio State's third-seeded and defending NCAA champion Jesse Mendes 11-2 in the second round. The Buckeye scored a takedown per period, including one at the final buzzer to earn the bonus win.
Saldate's first-round pin against Maryland's 10th-seeded Ethen Miller was even more dramatic. Down 7-3 midway through the third, Saldate shot in on a single leg, and when Miller tried to dive underneath, the Wolverine caught him on his back. Saldate, with the official holding four and the win all but assured, took his time to work Miller flat and got the call at the 6:49 mark -- with just 11 seconds left on the clock. It was his second time avenging a dual loss to a top-10 opponent this postseason. Saldate, seeded 23rd, dropped a close one in the second round, falling 5-1 over Northern Colorado's seventh-seeded Vinny Zerban after giving up a reversal, two-point turn and riding time in the third period.
Michigan will resume competition at the NCAA Championships on Friday (March 21) at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The morning session will begin at noon and will feature quarterfinal matches and continued wrestleback competition live on ESPNU.
Team Standings (Top 10)
1. Penn State                39.5
2. Nebraska                  28
3. Oklahoma State     27
4. Iowa                       18
Minnesota                18
Ohio State                18
7. Northern Iowa          17.5
8. Cornell                  17
9. MICHIGANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 16.5
Illinois                  16.5
Michigan Results (Day 1)
Numbers listed are tournament seeds
133 Pounds -- #33 Nolan Wertanen
Pigtail - pinned by #32 Hunter Leake (Cal Baptist), 2:28
Consolations - dec. by #30 Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State), 10-7
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
141 Pounds -- #14 Sergio Lemley
First Round - pinned #19 Mosha Schwartz (Oklahoma), 6:23
Second Round - major dec. by #3 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State), 11-2
Consolations - vs. #29 Jayden Scott (North Carolina)
149 Pounds -- #28 Dylan Gilcher
First Round - dec. by #5 Kyle Parco (Iowa), 7-2
Consolations - dec. by #21 Willie McDougald (Oklahoma), 8-5 SV
Eliminated with a 0-2 record
157 Pounds -- #23 Chase Saldate
First Round - pinned #10 Ethen Miller (Maryland), 6:49
Second Round - dec. by #7 Vinny Zerban (Northern Colorado), 5-1
Consolations - vs. #24 Dylan Evans (Pittsburgh)
165 Pounds -- #6 Beau Mantanona
First Round - dec. #27 Tyler Lillard (Indiana), 7-3
Second Round - dec. #11 Braeden Scoles (Illinois), 8-5
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Mike Caliendo (Iowa)
197 Pounds -- #1 Jacob Cardenas
First Round - major dec. #32 Wolfgang Frable (Army West Point), 10-0
Second Round - dec. #16 Evan Bates (Northwestern), 4-1
Quarterfinals - vs. #24 Gabe Sollars (Indiana)
Heavyweight -- #6 Josh Heindselman
First Round - pinned #27 Connor Barket (Duke), 1:02
Second Round - tech. fall #22 Brady Colbert (Army West Point), 17-2 (4:28)
Quarterfinals - vs. #3 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
Players Mentioned
