Gable Steveson Reaches NCAA Semifinals with Dominant Wins

PHILADELPHIA — Minnesota‘s Gable Steveson solidified his reputation as one of college wrestling’s elite by advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on Friday, following impressive victories in the quarterfinals.

Steveson, the top seed and seeking to become just the sixth heavyweight in history to clinch three NCAA titles, defeated Arizona State‘s Cohlton Schultz by technical fall, 20-5. His latest win marked the 69th consecutive victory and improved his overall record to 102-2 during his career with the Gophers.

“I feel great,” Steveson said after the match. “I’m focused on my goal, and I’m going to keep pushing myself.”

In the semifinals, Steveson is set to face fourth-seeded Owen Trephan of Lehigh. This will be a highly anticipated rematch from last year’s championships.

Max McEnelly, competing at 184 pounds, also advanced to the semifinals for Minnesota, defeating Cornell‘s Chris Foca by a score of 10-7. McEnelly’s performance has been stellar; he is currently ranked third and has been a significant contributor to Minnesota’s success at the tournament.

Stepping out of the spotlight was 141-pound Vance VomBaur, who faced Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in the quarterfinals but fell 17-5, enduring a tough match. However, he has managed to keep his hopes alive by winning a consolation match against Rutgers‘ Joseph Olivieri, securing a 5-3 victory.

As the tournament unfolded, five Gophers have been eliminated, including Tommy Askey (157 pounds) and Andrew Sparks (165). Askey took two consolation matches before losing to Arkansas-Little Rock’s Matty Bianchi 2-1. Cooper Flynn (125) and Tyler Wells (133) each won a consolation match but did not advance further.

The team standings saw Minnesota’s wrestlers earn 18 points, placing them tied for fourth with Iowa and Ohio State. Leading the standings is Penn State with 39.5 points, followed by Nebraska with 28.0 and Oklahoma State with 27.0.

“We’re proud of our performances so far and will keep fighting,” said Minnesota head coach Brandon Eggum. “It’s a tough tournament, but we have the talent and determination to push through.”

The semifinals are on schedule to commence Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center, with the championship matches scheduled for Saturday. The eagerly awaited clashes will be broadcasted live, with fans anticipating a showcase of some of the finest young athletes in collegiate sports.