TULSA, Okla. – The 2022-23 season has come to a close for the University of Minnesota wrestling program, as Aaron Nagao and Michael Blockhus locked in their spots on the NCAA podium on Saturday morning.
Nagao opened up the session in the consolation semifinals in a rematch with Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix. It was a back-and-forth bout that appeared to be heading to overtime as Nagao had the riding time advantage to send the match to overtime, but Fix earned a reversal in the final fifteen seconds to steal a 6-4 win.
Nagao then dropped to the fifth-place match, where he would once again face Jesse Mendez of Ohio State. This time around, Nagao dominated from start to finish, securing a takedown off the opening whistle and tallying nearly three minutes of riding time en route to a 4-0 decision.
Michael Blockhus only had one contest on the day, as he squared off against Missouri’s Brock Mauller in the seventh-place bout. Blockhus would ultimately fall 6-2, with Mauller getting the match-clinching takedown early in the third period before he would ride out the frame for the win.
The Gophers finished the tournament with 30.5 points good for a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Results for Minnesota
125 Patrick McKee (14-9) DNP and scored 2.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 14-9 won by major decision over Diego Sotelo (Harvard) 15-10 (MD 12-3)
Champ. Round 2 – Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) 20-9 won by decision over Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 14-9 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 2 – Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 14-9 won by decision over Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 10-9 (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 3 – Dean Peterson (Rutgers) 24-11 won by decision over Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 14-9 (Dec 6-4)
133 Aaron Nagao (23-6) placed 5th and scored 14.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 won by major decision over Kurtis Phipps (Bucknell) 31-13 (MD 8-0)
Champ. Round 2 – Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 won by fall over Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh) 16-5 (Fall 2:50)
Quarterfinal – Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) 20-1 won by decision over Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 (Dec 4-1)
Cons. Round 4 – Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 won by major decision over Zach Redding (Iowa State) 18-12 (MD 12-0)
Cons. Round 5 – Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 won by decision over Kai Orine (NC State) 18-8 (Dec 5-4)
Cons. Semi – Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) 30-2 won by decision over Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 (Dec 6-4)
5th Place Match – Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 23-6 won by decision over Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) 19-9 (Dec 4-0)
141 Jakob Bergeland (15-11) DNP and scored 1.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota) 15-11 won by decision over Carter Young (Oklahoma State) 15-14 (Dec 5-0)
Champ. Round 2 – Brock Hardy (Nebraska) 30-8 won by decision over Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota) 15-11 (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Matt Kazimir (Columbia) 22-11 won by medical forfeit over Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota) 15-11 (M. For.)
149 Michael Blockhus (21-8) placed 8th and scored 5.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 won by decision over Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State) 17-13 (Dec 3-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 24-6 won in sudden victory – 1 over Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 won by decision over Caleb Tyus (SIU Edwardsville) 24-9 (Dec 9-6)
Cons. Round 3 – Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 won in sudden victory – 1 over Dom Demas (Cal Poly) 14-9 (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Round 4 – Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 won by decision over Graham Rooks (Indiana) 28-10 (Dec 6-2)
Cons. Round 5 – Max Murin (Iowa) 23-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 (SV-1 3-1)
7th Place Match – Brock Mauller (Missouri) 20-4 won by decision over Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) 21-8 (Dec 6-2)
165 Andrew Sparks (16-11) DNP and scored 1.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Quincy Monday (Princeton) 27-3 won by major decision over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) 16-11 (MD 12-4)
Cons. Round 1 – Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) 16-11 won by major decision over Gerrit Nijenhuis (Oklahoma) 16-9 (MD 12-3)
Cons. Round 2 – Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) 21-5 won by decision over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) 16-11 (Dec 6-3)
174 Bailee O’Reilly (20-7) DNP and scored 2.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota) 20-7 won by decision over Nick Incontrera (Pennsylvania) 21-11 (Dec 5-3)
Champ. Round 2 – Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota) 20-7 won by decision over Edmond Ruth (Illinois) 29-8 (Dec 4-2)
Quarterfinal – Carter Starocci (Penn State) 24-0 won by decision over Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota) 20-7 (Dec 5-2)
Cons. Round 4 – Ethan Smith (Ohio State) 24-8 won by decision over Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota) 20-7 (Dec 7-6)
184 Isaiah Salazar (18-4) DNP and scored 3.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) 18-4 won by decision over Cade King (South Dakota State) 19-11 (Dec 3-0)
Champ. Round 2 – Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) 18-4 won by major decision over Brian Bonino (Drexel) 24-10 (MD 12-0)
Quarterfinal – Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) 26-2 won by decision over Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) 18-4 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 4 – Will Feldkamp (Clarion) 29-6 won by decision over Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) 18-4 (Dec 8-4)
197 Michial Foy (15-12) DNP and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Jaxon Smith (Maryland) 23-8 won by decision over Michial Foy (Minnesota) 15-12 (Dec 6-3)
Cons. Round 1 – Nick Stemmet (Stanford) 20-11 won by decision over Michial Foy (Minnesota) 15-12 (Dec 6-5)
285 Garrett Joles (16-16) DNP and scored 1.0 team points.
Prelim – Garrett Joles (Minnesota) 16-16 won by decision over Travis Stefanik (Princeton) 16-13 (Dec 4-1)
Champ. Round 1 – Mason Parris (Michigan) 33-0 won by major decision over Garrett Joles (Minnesota) 16-16 (MD 12-2)
Cons. Round 1 – Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) 18-9 won by decision over Garrett Joles (Minnesota) 16-16 (Dec 6-3)
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