Thursday, March 18
Enterprise Center | St. Louis, MO
All Day
Northwestern
vs
NCAA Championships
Photo by: NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Wildcats Earn Top-Ten Finish at NCAA Championships
3/21/2021 10:49:00 AM | Wrestling
Three Wildcats took home All-American honors as Northwestern Wrestling secured its best finish at the championships since 2014.
ST. LOUIS – Northwestern wrestling wrapped up its run at the NCAA Championships with a Top-Ten national finish, the program's best finish under head coach Matt Storniolo.
Three individual wrestlers earned All-American honors as each earned career-best finishes, with Yahya Thomas and Ryan Deakin each finishing in third place, while Chris Cannon placed seventh.
The Wildcats went 5-0 during the final Saturday afternoon session as Cannon, Thomas and Deakin all locked up higher finishes.
Entering the tournament as an at-large No. 25 overall seed, Thomas finished the weekend as one of the stories of the championships after defeating five Top-10 seeds, including the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on Saturday, on his way to an impressive 6-1 showing at the championships. Thomas becomes the third 149 lb wrestler in program history to lock up All-American status.
In his first NCAA Championships, redshirt first-year Chris Cannon capped off a memorable rookie campaign for Northwestern with a seventh place finish as he took down the No. 10 seed Louie Hayes (Virginia) by an emphatic 11-3 decision. Cannon's seventh place finish marks the highest by a Wildcat in their redshirt first-year campaign since Sebastian Rivera placed 6th in the 2018 Championships.
Northwestern was one of five Big Ten programs to finish among the Top-10 in the nation. Complete results from the championships can be found HERE.
Full Northwestern results from this weekend's championships below:
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 8-6 decision over Daniel Vega (South Dakota State)
Cons. Round 3 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 2-1 decision over Jaret Lane (Lehigh)
Cons. Round 4 - Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) 9-7 sudden victory-1 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)
Quarterfinal - Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) fall (5:10) over Chris Cannon (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 4 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 9-4 decision over Zach Price (South Dakota State)
Cons. Round 5 - Lucas Byrd (Illinois) 4-1 decision over Chris Cannon (Northwestern)
7th Place Match - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 11-3 major decision over Louie Hayes (Virginia)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern) 10-2 major decision over Drew Mattin (Michigan)
Cons. Round 3 - Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) 9-0 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)
Quarterfinal - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) 8-3 decision over Yahya Thomas (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 4 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 3-1 decision over Mitch Moore (Oklahoma)
Cons. Round 5 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 7-1 decision over Jaden Abas (Stanford)
Cons. Semi - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 7-4 decision over Brock Mauller (Missouri)
3rd Place Match - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 5-3 decision over Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State)
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)
Quarterfinal - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 5-4 decision over Jared Franek (North Dakota State)
Semifinal - Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider) fall (3:18) over Ryan Deakin (Northwestern)
Cons. Semi - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 8-0 major decision over Brayton Lee (Minnesota)
3rd Place Match - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 1-0 decision over Jacori Teemer (Arizona State)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Thomas Bullard (NC State) 9-1 major decision over David Ferrante (Northwestern)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 9-3 decision over Chris Kober (Campbell)
Cons. Round 3 - Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) 8-2 decision over Lucas Davison (Northwestern)
Three individual wrestlers earned All-American honors as each earned career-best finishes, with Yahya Thomas and Ryan Deakin each finishing in third place, while Chris Cannon placed seventh.
A 5-0 session and we call it a day. @Chris_Cannon18 @yahya2021prime @RyanDeakinn #GoCats #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/Pasnsfe3Qk
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 20, 2021
The Wildcats went 5-0 during the final Saturday afternoon session as Cannon, Thomas and Deakin all locked up higher finishes.
Entering the tournament as an at-large No. 25 overall seed, Thomas finished the weekend as one of the stories of the championships after defeating five Top-10 seeds, including the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on Saturday, on his way to an impressive 6-1 showing at the championships. Thomas becomes the third 149 lb wrestler in program history to lock up All-American status.
How about 3rd in the land for @yahya2021prime!! That's how you bring it for 3 days. #GoCata #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/c9PM8nWBAu
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 20, 2021
At 157 lbs, Ryan Deakin battled back in wrestlebacks to secure his third-straight All-American honor and the highest national finish of his career. Deakin did not allow a single point in two matches on Saturday, defeating the No. 6 seed Brayton Lee (Minnesota) by an 8-0 major decision before grinding out a 1-0 decision over Arizona State's Jacori Teemer in the third place match. Deakin becomes the ninth wrestler in Northwestern history to earn three-or-more All-American accolades, as well as the first 157 lb wrestler since Jason Welch (2011-13).After his performance this weekend, no one will be overlooking @yahya2021prime anymore! Thomas takes 3rd for @NUWrestle. #NCAAWrestling x ?? @espn pic.twitter.com/TdLRQxeKn5
— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 20, 2021
In his first NCAA Championships, redshirt first-year Chris Cannon capped off a memorable rookie campaign for Northwestern with a seventh place finish as he took down the No. 10 seed Louie Hayes (Virginia) by an emphatic 11-3 decision. Cannon's seventh place finish marks the highest by a Wildcat in their redshirt first-year campaign since Sebastian Rivera placed 6th in the 2018 Championships.
If you're winning your match but the team needs another take down for the major... find a way... @Chris_Cannon18 #GoCats pic.twitter.com/sywpzP6Tsc
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 20, 2021
Northwestern was one of five Big Ten programs to finish among the Top-10 in the nation. Complete results from the championships can be found HERE.
Full Northwestern results from this weekend's championships below:
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 8-6 decision over Daniel Vega (South Dakota State)
Cons. Round 3 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) 2-1 decision over Jaret Lane (Lehigh)
Cons. Round 4 - Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) 9-7 sudden victory-1 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)
Quarterfinal - Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) fall (5:10) over Chris Cannon (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 4 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 9-4 decision over Zach Price (South Dakota State)
Cons. Round 5 - Lucas Byrd (Illinois) 4-1 decision over Chris Cannon (Northwestern)
7th Place Match - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 11-3 major decision over Louie Hayes (Virginia)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Colin Valdiviez (Northwestern) 10-2 major decision over Drew Mattin (Michigan)
Cons. Round 3 - Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) 9-0 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)
Quarterfinal - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) 8-3 decision over Yahya Thomas (Northwestern)
Cons. Round 4 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 3-1 decision over Mitch Moore (Oklahoma)
Cons. Round 5 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 7-1 decision over Jaden Abas (Stanford)
Cons. Semi - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 7-4 decision over Brock Mauller (Missouri)
3rd Place Match - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) 5-3 decision over Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State)
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)
Quarterfinal - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 5-4 decision over Jared Franek (North Dakota State)
Semifinal - Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider) fall (3:18) over Ryan Deakin (Northwestern)
Cons. Semi - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 8-0 major decision over Brayton Lee (Minnesota)
3rd Place Match - Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) 1-0 decision over Jacori Teemer (Arizona State)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Thomas Bullard (NC State) 9-1 major decision over David Ferrante (Northwestern)
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)
Cons. Round 2 - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 9-3 decision over Chris Kober (Campbell)
Cons. Round 3 - Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) 8-2 decision over Lucas Davison (Northwestern)
Players Mentioned
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