Pitt Wrestling Completes Day One at NCAA Championships

PHILADELPHIA — The Pitt Panthers finished a hectic day one at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center.

No. 6 Mac Stout made it to the Quarterfinals at 197 pounds for Pitt with victories over 12-0 major decision over No. 27 Michael Dellagata of Cornell and then a 4-2 decision over his brother, No. 11 Luke Stout of Princeton, in the Round of 16.

Both No. 9 Reece Heller at 184 pounds and No. 10 Dayton Pitzer at 285 pounds made the Round of 16 for the Panthers, but would lose and head to the consolations.

Pitt had two wrestlers lose in the First Round, but get wins in the consolations to keep going into Day two. This includes No. 24 Dylan Evans at 157 pounds and No. 15 Luca Augustine at 174 pounds.

Pitt saw some of their wrestlers drop out of the NCAA Championships, which included No. 24 Nick Babin at 125 pounds, No. 30 Briar Priest at 141 pounds and No. 32 Jared Keslar at 165 pounds, who lost twice on the first day.

Babin, who transferred in from Columbia, completes his collegiate career and is done wrestling for Pitt.

Pitt Wrestling Day 1 Results at the NCAA Championships

125 Pounds: No. 24 Nick Babin (0-2)
First Round: No. 9 Caleb Smith (Nebraska) 3-0 SV-1 over No. 24 Nick Babin (Pitt)
Consolations: No. 25 Charlie Farmer (Army) 7-4 decision (riding time) over No. 24 Nick Babin (Pitt)

Smith rode out Babin for the second period, but then chose bottom in the third period. Babin took advantage of this, riding Smith out for the third period and sending the match into extra time.Babin took some shots at Smith, but wasn't successful, while Smith got a late takedown, winning in sudden victory.

Both Farmer and Babin had wrestled before, with Babin winning a 6-2 decision at Midlands Chamionships on Dec. 29, 2022 and Farmer winning a 12-5 decision on Nov. 14, 2021.

Babin got an early takedown and led 3-0 in the second period while riding Farmer, but allowed a reversal and then four back points. Both wrestlers made escapes, but Farmer would win it 7-4 after riding time over Babin.

141 Pounds: No. 30 Briar Priest (1-2)
First Round: No. 3 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) 21-5 technical fall (5:41) over No. 30 Briar Priest (Pitt)
Consolations: No. 30 Briar Priest (Pitt) 5-0 decision (riding time) over No. 33 Lorenzo Frezza (Columbia)
No. 19 Mosha Schwartz (Oklahoma) 9-5 decision (riding time) over No. 30 Briar Priest (Pitt)

Mendez, the reigning National Champion at 141 pounds, dominated this matchup, with seven takedowns en route to a technical fall over Priest.

He also defeated Priest in a 20-4 technical fall (4:19) back in a dual at Fitzgerald Field House on Dec. 13.

Priest faced No. 33 Lorenzo Frezza of Columbia in the first consolation and performed much better.

He rode Frezza for the entirety of the second round, got an escape and a takedown in the third period and held on for the 5-0 victory after riding time.

Priest battled No. 19 Mosha Schwartz of Oklahoma in the next round of consolations later in the night.

Schwartz got two quick takedowns and took a 6-2 lead and then rode out Priest the entirety of the second period.

Priest managed a takedown late in the third period, but Schwartz held on for the 9-5 decision after riding time.

157 Pounds: No. 24 Dylan Evans (1-1)
First Round: No. 9 Tommy Askey (Minnesota) 7-2 decision over No. 24 Dylan Evans (Pitt)
Consolations: No. 24 Dylan Evans (Pitt) 4-1 SV-1 over No. 25 Sonny Santiago (North Carolina)

Askey got an early takedown and fended off shots from Evans throughout, scoring a takedown towards the end of the bout, winning on a 7-2 decision.

Evans faced No. 25 Sonny Santiago (North Carolina) in the consolations later in the night. He won 4-1 in the dual on Feb. 7 with a late takedown, while Santiago won 4-1 in sudden victory in the ACC Third Place match

Much like the two prior matchups, this one was low scoring, with both wrestlers getting an escape each before heading into extra time.

Santiago and Evans both made shots, but Evans completed his and got the takedown, winning 4-1 in sudden victory.

He'll face No. 23 Chase Saldate of Michigan in the morning.

165 Pounds: No. 32 Jared Keslar (0-2)
Preliminaries: No. 33 Chandler Amaker (Central Michigan) 8-5 SV-1 over No. 32 Jared Keslar (Pitt)
Consolations:No. 30 Aiden Riggins (Iowa State) 7-6 decision over No. 32 Jared Keslar (Pitt)

Amaker took an early lead on Keslar with a takedown in the first period. Keslar got two escapes, but Amaker got an escape to start the third period, keeping him up 4-2.

Keslar managed a takedown on Amaker and rode him for most of the period, but Amaker escaped with six seconds remaining, sending the match into extra time.

Both wrestlers took attempts on each other, but Amaker was successful, winning 8-5 in sudden victory.

Keslar faced No. 30 Aiden Riggins of Iowa State in the Consolations, the first match between the two wrestlers.

Riggins got a takedown each in the first and second periods and Keslar got one as well, but so late in the third period, that he fell just short at 7-6, ending his time at the NCAA Championships.

174 Pounds: No. 15 Luca Augustine (1-1)
First Round: No. 18 Gaven Sax (Oklahoma) 5-0 decision (riding time) over No. 15 Luca Augustine (Pitt)
Consolations: No. 15 Luca Augustine (Pitt) 10-2 major decision over No. 31 Branson John (Maryland)

Sax chose neutral to start the second period and after fending off shots from Augustine, dominated him on top in the third period.

He would get Augustine on his back for four near fall points and won 5-0 after riding time, not allowing Augustine an escape.

Augustine headed to the consolations and faced No. 31 Branson John of Maryland later in the night. Augustine won a technical fall, 20-4 (6:26) back in the Rider Quad Meet on Dec. 20.

He won an 11-2 major decision over John and will face off against No. 16 Lorenzo Norman of Stanford in the morning.

Norman won 8-6 in the dual at Fitzgerald Field House on Jan. 10, but Augustine won 4-1 in sudden victory in the ACC Semifinals.

184 Pounds: No. 9 Reece Heller (1-1)
First Round: No. 9 Reece Heller (Pitt) 2-0 decision (riding time) No. 24 Devan Hendricks (Bellarmine)
Round of 16: No. 8 Jaxon Smith (Maryland) pins (2:45) No. 9 Reece Heller (Pitt)

Heller avoided a takedown in the first period and excelled on top, riding Hendricsk out for the entirety of the second period.

He chose bottom to start the third period, but Hendricks wanted neutral, giving Heller a point. Heller then stood strong the rest of the period and held on for the 2-0 decision after riding time.

Heller moved on to the Round of 16, where took on No. 8 Jaxon Smith of Maryland. Smith won a 3-2 decision in tiebreakers over Heller at the Rider Quad Meet back on Dec. 20.

Smith would get Heller on his back, earning the takedown, near fall points and then pinning him with 15 seconds left in the third period.

This is Heller's first loss in three months and he'll head to the consolations, where he'll take on No. 23 Aidan Brenot of North Dakota State.

197 Pounds: No. 6 Mac Stout (2-0)
First Round: No. 6 Mac Stout (Pitt) 12-0 major decision over No. 27 Michael Dellagata (Cornell)
Round of 16: No. 6 Mac Stout (Pitt) 4-2 decision over No. 11 Luke Stout (Princeton)

Stout dominated Dellagatta, with three takedowns and exceptional defense for the 12-0 major decision.

He faced his brother, No. 11 Luke Stout of Princeton, in the Round of 16 later in the night, the first match between the two.

Mac Stout held on for the 4-2 decision and will make the quarterfinals, where he'll take on former NCAA Champion in No. 3 A.J. Ferrari of Cal Baptist.

285 Pounds: No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (1-1)
First Round: No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) 6-2 decision (riding time) over No. 23 Daniel Bucknavich (Cleveland State)
Round of 16: No. 7 Isaac Trumble (NC State) 5-2 decision (riding time) over No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt)

Pitzer got a takedown in the second period after a scoreless first period to take a 3-2 lead. He then made a reversal early in the third period and rode Bucknavich out for the 6-2 decision.

He'll face No. 7 Isaac Trumble of NC State in the Round of 16 later in the night.

Trumble won a 10-1 major decision in the dual back on Jan. 24, but Pitzer got revenge with a 4-1 win in the ACC Semifinals.

Pitzer fell behind early after Trumble got a takedown, but would get the reversal to make it 3-2 late in the first period.

He didn't ride Trumble much in the second period, allowing the escape, while Trumble rode him out in the third period for the win.

Pitzer will face No. 25 Luke Rasmussen of South Dakota State in the consolations.

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