Minnesota Concludes National Duals with Pair of victories, Securing Fifth Place
WEST VIRGINIA – The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling team finished fifth at the National Duals invitational on Sunday, December 17, after securing wins against Vermont adn a final-round victory. The Gophers’ performance caps a weekend of intense competition, showcasing their strength as a national contender during the early season.
The National Duals,a prestigious invitational featuring some of the nation’s top wrestling programs,provides a crucial early-season test for teams vying for national championships. Minnesota’s fifth-place finish demonstrates their resilience and potential as they prepare for the remainder of the season. The tournament’s results offer valuable insights into team strengths and areas for improvement before the individual conference and NCAA championships.
Minnesota began the day with a decisive 25-10 victory over Vermont. Tom Crook started the dual with a 4-1 decision over Vermont’s vance VomBaur at 125 pounds. Hunter Eisch followed with a major decision, 16-4, against Noah Nininger at 149 pounds. charlie Millard added to the Gophers’ led with a 9-4 decision over Collin Gaj at 157 pounds, and Andrew Sparks secured a major decision of his own, defeating Ryan Burton 11-2 at 165 pounds.Ethan Riddle continued the momentum with a 13-4 major decision against sergio Desiante at 174 pounds, and Max McEnelly earned a technical fall over Jaden Bullock at 184 pounds, winning 21-5 in 6:05. Despite a 9-8 decision by Vermont’s Sonny Sasso over Gabe Nagel at 197 pounds, Bennett Tabor closed out the dual with a 3-2 decision against Jimmy Mullen at 285 pounds.
