Wrestling Central: Northwestern Set For Big Ten Championships

EVANSTON, Ill. (March 3, 2023) – After finishing the regular season portion of its 2022-23 schedule in mid-February, No. 13 Northwestern wrestling (7-3, 5-3 B1G) opens the postseason this weekend, visiting Ann Arbor, Mich. for the 2023 Big Ten Championships.
 
Set to be hosted inside the Crisler Center on the campus of the University of Michigan, action will get underway on Saturday morning, with Session I scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT).  Session II follows at 3:30 p.m. (CT).  Sunday's slate opens with Session III at 12 p.m. (CT), while Session IV bringing the two-day event to a close at 3:30 p.m. (CT). 
 
Big Ten Network will provide live coverage of Sessions I, II, and IV, while action from every mat of all four sessions can be accessed online via B1G+.
 
Led by seventh-year head coach Matt Storniolo, who piloted the 'Cats to a fifth-place finish at last season's Big Ten Championships, the program's top showing since 2006, Northwestern saw five student-athletes earn top-six pre-seeds, which were announced by the conference earlier in the week.
 
Yahya Thomas enters the weekend as the top-seeded Wildcat, sitting at No. 3 at 149 pounds.  Thomas finished the regular season with an impressive 19-2 record, winning a Midlands title before going 7-1 in Big Ten dual action.  The local product picked up six wins by major decision.
 
Like Thomas, No. 4 Lucas Davison enters the postseason with only two blemishes on his record, owning an 18-2 mark on the year as he enters a loaded field at 285 pounds.  After placing fifth at the 2022 Big Ten Championships in his first season at heavyweight, Davison has been on a mission in 2022-23, with nine of his victories coming with bonus points.  The Chesterton, Ind. native steamrolled to a Midlands title of his own before posting a 7-1 record in conference action, with three of those wins coming by fall.
 
No. 4 Chris Cannon will look to return to the podium for a third straight conference meet at 133 pounds after posting a 15-6 ledger during the regular season.  Also a No. 4 pre-seed, Frankie Tal-Shahar appears to be hitting his stride at 141 pounds, as he surges into the postseason in the midst of a career-best seven-match win streak that has run his record to 10-4.  At 125 pounds, No. 6 Michael DeAugustino has his sights set on a fourth straight trip to the podium after injuries limited him to just 12 regular season appearances, ultimately finishing 6-6 overall.
 
NORTHWESTERN LINEUP
125: #6 Michael DeAugustino (6-6)
133: #4 Chris Cannon (15-6)
141: #4 Frankie Tal-Shahar (10-4)
149: #3 Yahya Thomas (19-2)
157: #8 Trevor Chumbley (21-5)
165: #7 Maxx Mayfield (21-9)
174: #8 Troy Fisher (17-5)
184: #11 Evan Bates (16-15)
197: #12 Andrew Davison (16-11)
285: #4 Lucas Davison (18-2)
 
*Big Ten Pre-Seeds Listed
 
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
125
Champ. Round 1 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) won by decision over Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) (Dec 5-1)
Quarterfinal - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) won by major decision over Matt Ramos (Purdue) (MD 9-1)
Semifinal - Liam Cronin (Nebraska) won by decision over Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) (Dec 2-1)

Cons. Semi - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) won by decision over Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) (Dec 3-2)
3rd Place Match - Matt Ramos (Purdue) won by medical forfeit over Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) (M. For.)

133

Champ. Round 1 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) won by decision over Dustin Norris (Purdue) (Dec 7-4)
Quarterfinal - Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) won by fall over Chris Cannon (Northwestern) (Fall 6:00)
Cons. Round 2 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) won by decision over Henry Porter (Indiana) (Dec 8-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) won by decision over Brody Teske (Iowa) (Dec 9-4)
Cons. Semi - Chris Cannon (Northwestern) won by decision over Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) (Dec 4-2)
3rd Place Match - Lucas Byrd (Illinois) won in sudden victory - 1 over Chris Cannon (Northwestern) (SV-1 3-1)

141
Champ. Round 1 - Frankie Tal-Shahar (Northwestern) won by decision over Cayden Rooks (Indiana) (Dec 7-4)
Quarterfinal - Frankie Tal-Shahar (Northwestern) won by decision over Jakob Bergeland (Minnesota) (Dec 7-5)
Semifinal - Real Woods (Iowa) won by decision over Frankie Tal-Shahar (Northwestern) (Dec 3-0)

Cons. Semi - Dylan D`Emilio (Ohio State) won by decision over Frankie Tal-Shahar (Northwestern) (Dec 6-2)
5th Place Match - Parker Filius (Purdue) won by decision over Frankie Tal-Shahar (Northwestern) (Dec 4-3)

149

Champ. Round 1 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) won by decision over Jaden Reynolds (Purdue) (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal - Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) won in sudden victory - 1 over Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) (SV-1 6-4)
Cons. Round 2 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) won by decision over Jake Harrier (Illinois) (Dec 8-3)
Cons. Round 3 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) won by medical forfeit over Ethen Miller (Maryland) (M. For.)
Cons. Semi - Max Murin (Iowa) won by injury default over Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) (Inj. 1:42)
5th Place Match - Graham Rooks (Indiana) won by medical forfeit over Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) (M. For.)

157
Champ. Round 1 - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) won by decision over Garrett Model (Wisconsin) Dec 4-2)
Quarterfinal - Peyton Robb (Nebraska) won by major decision over Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) (MD 11-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) won by decision over Michael Carr (Illinois) (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) won by decision over Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa) (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Semi - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) won by decision over Kendall Coleman (Purdue) (Dec 3-1)
3rd Place Match - Will Lewan (Michigan) won by decision over Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) (Dec 3-2)

165
Champ. Round 1 - Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) won in sudden victory - 1 over Nick South (Indiana) (SV-1 6-4)
Quarterfinal - Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) won by major decision over Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) (MD 11-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) won by decision over Stoney Buell (Purdue) (Dec 8-2)
Cons. Round 3 - Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) won by decision over Dan Braunagel (Illinois) (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Semi - Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) won by decision over Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) (Dec 10-4)
5th Place Match - Maxx Mayfield (Northwestern) won by decision over Bubba Wilson (Nebraska) (Dec 3-1)

174
Champ. Round 1 - Troy Fisher (Northwestern) won by decision over Max Maylor (Michigan) (Dec 8-5)
Quarterfinal - Carter Starocci (Penn State) won by major decision over Troy Fisher (Northwestern) (MD 10-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Jackson Turley (Rutgers) won by medical forfeit over Troy Fisher (Northwestern) (M. For.)

184
Champ. Round 1 - Layne Malczewski (Michigan State) won by fall over Evan Bates (Northwestern) (Fall 3:41)
Cons. Round 1 - Evan Bates (Northwestern) won by decision over Kevin Makosy (Maryland) (Dec 6-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Abe Assad (Iowa) won by decision over Evan Bates (Northwestern) (Dec 5-1)

9th-Place Quarterfinal - Evan Bates (Northwestern) won by decision over Kevin Makosy (Maryland) (Dec 8-1)
9th-Place Semifinal - Evan Bates (Northwestern) won by major decision over Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) (MD 11-3)
9th Place Match - Dylan Connell (Illinois) won by decision over Evan Bates (Northwestern) (Dec 6-0)

197

Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Warner (Iowa) won by decision over Andrew Davison (Northwestern) (Dec 6-2)
Cons. Round 1 - Andrew Davison (Northwestern) won by major decision over Brendin Yatooma (Michigan) (MD 10-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Jaxon Smith (Maryland) won by decision over Andrew Davison (Northwestern) (Dec 3-1)

9th-Place Quarterfinal - Andrew Davison (Northwestern) won by decision over Brendin Yatooma (Michigan) (Dec 3-2)
9th-Place Semifinal - Andrew Davison (Northwestern) won by medical forfeit over Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) (M. For.)
9th Place Match - Andrew Davison (Northwestern) won by decision over Nick Willham (Indiana) (Dec 3-1)

285
Champ. Round 1 - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) won by decision over Matt Wroblewski (Illinois) (Dec 3-0)
Quarterfinal - Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) won in sudden victory - 1 over Lucas Davison (Northwestern) (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) won by decision over Garrett Joles (Minnesota) (Dec 6-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) won by fall over Hayden Copass (Purdue) (Fall 1:40)
Cons. Semi - Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) won in sudden victory - 1 over Lucas Davison (Northwestern) (SV-1 4-2)
5th Place Match - Lucas Davison (Northwestern) won by medical forfeit over Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) (M. For.)
 
AN EYE TOWARDS TULSA
The NCAA has awarded 88 out of a possible 284 automatic qualifying bids to the upcoming NCAA Championships to the Big Ten Conference.  A complete listing of automatic bids available at each weight class follows.
 
125: 9
133: 9
141: 9
149: 9
157: 10
165: 8
174: 7
184: 9
197: 9
285: 9
 
UP NEXT
After returning from Ann Arbor, Northwestern will turn its attention towards the NCAA Championships, March 16-18, in Tulsa. Okla.