Northwestern University Athletics
Wrestling Wows at Day One of NCAA Championships
3/18/2021 9:45:00 PM | Wrestling
All seven Wildcat qualifiers will be in action in Day Two, headlined by three Wildcats in the quarterfinals.
ST. LOUIS – Northwestern wrestling got off to a great start to the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday as all seven qualifiers earning wins to advance to the second day of action, headlined by three Wildcats punching their tickets to the national quarterfinals.
Chris Cannon, Yahya Thomas and Ryan Deakin each went 2-0 on the day and are among the eight finalists for a national championship in their respective weight classes.
The Wildcats opened session one with wins in six of their first seven bouts, including a pair of victories over Top-10 seeds for Thomas and Colin Valdiviez.
A No. 8 seed at 133 lbs, Cannon opened his first-ever NCAA Championships appearance with a convincing 10-1 major decision over Purdue's Jacob Rundell. Facing the No. 9 seed Michaell McGee (Arizona State) in the second round, Cannon secured a dramatic pin to beat the buzzer at the end of the first period and advance to the quarterfinals. Cannon has now earned bonus points in eight of his 10 wins this season, including four pins. Cannon will face off against the No. 1 seed at 133, Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) in Friday morning's quarterfinals.
As a No. 25 seed, Thomas picked up a pair of decisive wins over the No. 8 and No. 9 wrestlers in the 149 lb bracket. In session one, he took down Stanford's Jaden Abas by a 6-2 decision, followed by an emphatic 10-4 decision over the No. 9 seed Legend Lamer (Cal Poly) in the evening. Thomas will now face off against the No. 1 seed Sammy Sasso of Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Friday morning. Sasso and Thomas last met in the quarterfinals of last year's 2020 Big Ten Championships, with Sasso earning a narrow 5-4 decision after six tiebreaker rounds in overtime.
As the top seed at 157 lbs, Deakin cruised to the quarterfinals with a pair of victories over Oklahoma State's Wyatt Sheets and Stanford's Requir van der Merwe, respectively. Deakin will look to punch his first-ever ticket to the national semifinals on Friday as he faces off against North Dakota State's Jared Franek.
Also earning victories in round one were Michael DeAugustino (No. 12 seed, 125 lbs) and Lucas Davison ((No. 12 seed, 197 lbs), along with Valdiviez's takedown of former All-American Ian Parker in the 141 lb bracket. All three wrestlers will be back in action in the wrestelbacks tomorrow afternoon, along with true first-year David Ferrante, who earned an impressive win over the No. 15 seed Dan Braunagel (Illinois) in the evening consolation round.
Quarterfinals action kicks off on Friday morning beginning at 10 am CT, with coverage live on ESPNU. Semifinals action will take place on Friday evening beginning at 7 pm CT on ESPN.
Full Results (Day One - Sessions 1 & 2):
125:
Champ. Round 1 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 4-3 decision over Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State)
Champ. Round 2 - Brody Teske (Northern Iowa) 7-4 decision over Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern)
133:
Champ. Round 1 – Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 10-1 major decision over Jacob Rundell (Purdue)
Champ. Round 2 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) fall (3:00) over Michael McGee (Arizona State)
141:
Champ. Round 1 - Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern) 8-5 decision over Ian Parker (Iowa State)
Champ. Round 2 - Zachary Sherman (North Carolina) 14-1 major decision over Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern)
149:
Champ. Round 1 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 6-2 decision over Jaden Abas (Stanford)
Champ. Round 2 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 10-4 decision over Legend Lamer (Cal Poly)
157:
Champ. Round 1 - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 10-3 decision over Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State)
Champ. Round 2 - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 4-2 decision over Requir van der Merwe (Stanford)
165:
Champ. Round 1 - Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) 14-4 major decision over David Ferrante (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 1 - David Ferrante (Northwestern) 11-5 decision over Dan Braunagel (Illinois)
197:
Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 8-3 decision over Marcus Coleman (Iowa State)
Champ. Round 2 - Jacob Warner (Iowa) 3-0 decision over Lucas Davison (Northwestern)
Chris Cannon, Yahya Thomas and Ryan Deakin each went 2-0 on the day and are among the eight finalists for a national championship in their respective weight classes.
The Wildcats opened session one with wins in six of their first seven bouts, including a pair of victories over Top-10 seeds for Thomas and Colin Valdiviez.
A No. 8 seed at 133 lbs, Cannon opened his first-ever NCAA Championships appearance with a convincing 10-1 major decision over Purdue's Jacob Rundell. Facing the No. 9 seed Michaell McGee (Arizona State) in the second round, Cannon secured a dramatic pin to beat the buzzer at the end of the first period and advance to the quarterfinals. Cannon has now earned bonus points in eight of his 10 wins this season, including four pins. Cannon will face off against the No. 1 seed at 133, Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) in Friday morning's quarterfinals.
It's March and we have our own buzzer-beaters too! ??#NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/3x9c6dpAMR
— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 18, 2021
As a No. 25 seed, Thomas picked up a pair of decisive wins over the No. 8 and No. 9 wrestlers in the 149 lb bracket. In session one, he took down Stanford's Jaden Abas by a 6-2 decision, followed by an emphatic 10-4 decision over the No. 9 seed Legend Lamer (Cal Poly) in the evening. Thomas will now face off against the No. 1 seed Sammy Sasso of Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Friday morning. Sasso and Thomas last met in the quarterfinals of last year's 2020 Big Ten Championships, with Sasso earning a narrow 5-4 decision after six tiebreaker rounds in overtime.
25-seed Yahya Thomas is out here busting brackets on day 1!#NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/emfZBBN054
— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 19, 2021
As the top seed at 157 lbs, Deakin cruised to the quarterfinals with a pair of victories over Oklahoma State's Wyatt Sheets and Stanford's Requir van der Merwe, respectively. Deakin will look to punch his first-ever ticket to the national semifinals on Friday as he faces off against North Dakota State's Jared Franek.
Also earning victories in round one were Michael DeAugustino (No. 12 seed, 125 lbs) and Lucas Davison ((No. 12 seed, 197 lbs), along with Valdiviez's takedown of former All-American Ian Parker in the 141 lb bracket. All three wrestlers will be back in action in the wrestelbacks tomorrow afternoon, along with true first-year David Ferrante, who earned an impressive win over the No. 15 seed Dan Braunagel (Illinois) in the evening consolation round.
Quarterfinals action kicks off on Friday morning beginning at 10 am CT, with coverage live on ESPNU. Semifinals action will take place on Friday evening beginning at 7 pm CT on ESPN.
Full Results (Day One - Sessions 1 & 2):
125:
Champ. Round 1 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 4-3 decision over Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State)
Champ. Round 2 - Brody Teske (Northern Iowa) 7-4 decision over Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern)
133:
Champ. Round 1 – Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 10-1 major decision over Jacob Rundell (Purdue)
Champ. Round 2 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) fall (3:00) over Michael McGee (Arizona State)
141:
Champ. Round 1 - Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern) 8-5 decision over Ian Parker (Iowa State)
Champ. Round 2 - Zachary Sherman (North Carolina) 14-1 major decision over Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern)
149:
Champ. Round 1 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 6-2 decision over Jaden Abas (Stanford)
Champ. Round 2 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 10-4 decision over Legend Lamer (Cal Poly)
157:
Champ. Round 1 - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 10-3 decision over Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State)
Champ. Round 2 - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 4-2 decision over Requir van der Merwe (Stanford)
165:
Champ. Round 1 - Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) 14-4 major decision over David Ferrante (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 1 - David Ferrante (Northwestern) 11-5 decision over Dan Braunagel (Illinois)
197:
Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 8-3 decision over Marcus Coleman (Iowa State)
Champ. Round 2 - Jacob Warner (Iowa) 3-0 decision over Lucas Davison (Northwestern)
Players Mentioned
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