Bates and Mayfield Secure NCAA Bids on Big Ten Tournament's Opening Day
3/8/2025 11:13:00 PM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. - A pair of Wildcats punched their NCAA tickets on day one of Big Ten Championship action inside Welsh-Ryan Arena, as both Evan Bates and Maxx Mayfield secured podium placements and automatic bids to the national tournament.
Wrestling at 165 lbs, Mayfield earned automatic NCAA qualification for the third straight season and secured a finish of at least sixth place this weekend. After falling 7-2 to Paddy Gallagher of Ohio State in his first-round matchup, Mayfield won both of his next two bouts to wrestle his way back to a podium spot. He first downed Rutgers' Andrew White, the ten-seed, by 5-1 decision. Then, faced with third-seeded Christopher Minto (Nebraska), Mayfield pulled off a thrilling upset by 8-1 decision to stay alive in consolation action.
With a victory in his first match tomorrow, against Michigan's fourth-seeded Beau Mantanona, Mayfield would guarantee the highest Big Ten Tournament finish of his career.
Sixth-seeded Evan Bates opened his third Big Ten Championships with a victory at 197 lbs, blanking Purdue's Ben Vanadia 10-0 for the major decision. He then collected his second shutout of the day in the back half of the bracket with a technical fall over Maryland's Chase Mielnik, 15-0. Following his loss to Camden McDanel (Nebraska), Bates will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow against Ohio State's Seth Shumate.
Dedrick Navarro will also continue action in Session III tomorrow with an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. After dropping out of podium contention, Navarro picked up a 17-1 technical fall over Tyler Garvin (Maryland) in the ninth-place bracket at 125 lbs. Navarro is set to face off with Ohio State's Brendan McCrone - who he already defeated once in the tournament's first round on Saturday - tomorrow as he continues his hunt for an NCAA bid. A win over McCrone and a victory in the following match would earn Navarro ninth place at 125 lbs, good for the final automatic qualification in that weight class.
Big Ten Tournament action will resume in Evanston tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT with Session III, which will feature consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches. First-, third- and fifth-place matches will take place in Session IV, which is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS (Through Session II)
125
Champ. Round 1 - Dedrick Navarro won by decision over Brendan McCrone (Ohio State) (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal - Caleb Smith (Nebraska) won by tech fall over Dedrick Navarro (TF 17-2, 6:05)
Cons. Round 2 - Cooper Flynn (Minnesota) won by major decision over Dedrick Navarro (MD 10-0)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Dedrick Navarro won by tech fall over Tyler Garvin (Maryland) (TF 17-1, 6:31)
133
Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) won by major decision over Massey Odiotti (MD 10-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Massey Odiotti won by decision over Andrew Hampton (Michigan State) (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) won by tech fall over Massey Odiotti (TF 20-4, 4:34)
11th-Place Quarterfinal - Andrew Hampton (Michigan State) won by decision over Massey Odiotti (Dec 2-0)
141
Champ. Round 1 - Danny Pucino (Illinois) won by decision over Chris Cannon (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Greyson Clark (Purdue) won by decision over Chris Cannon (Dec 11-5)
149
Champ. Round 1 - Sam Cartella won by decision over Drew Roberts (Minnesota) (Dec 4-3)
Quarterfinal - Kyle Parco (Iowa) won by major decision over Sam Cartella 16-9 (MD 15-7)
Cons. Round 2 - Dylan Gilcher (Michigan) won in sudden victory - 1 over Sam Cartella (SV-1 6-3)
157
Champ. Round 1 - Trevor Chumbley won by decision over Conner Harer (Rutgers) (Dec 7-0)
Quarterfinal - Tyler Kasak (Penn State) won by decision over Trevor Chumbley (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Chase Saldate (Michigan) won by decision over Trevor Chumbley (Dec 6-3)
165
Champ. Round 1 - Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) won by decision over Maxx Mayfield (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Maxx Mayfield won by decision over Anthony White (Rutgers) (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Maxx Mayfield won by decision over Christopher Minto (Nebraska) (Dec 8-1)
174
Champ. Round 1 - Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) won by tech. fall over Aiden Vandenbush (TF 21-6, 4:53)
Cons. Round 1 - Jackson Turley (Rutgers) won by decision over Aiden Vandenbush (Dec 8-2)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Derek Gilcher (Indiana) won by major decision over Aiden Vandenbush (MD 17-5)
184
Champ. Round 1 - Edmond Ruth (Illinois) won in sudden victory - 1 over Jon Halvorsen (SV-1 4-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Jon Halvorsen won by decision over Dylan Russo (Wisconsin) Dec 4-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Gabe Arnold (Iowa) won by major decision over Jon Halvorsen (MD 10-1)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Jon Halvorsen won by decision over Dylan Russo (Wisconsin) (Dec 8-1)
197
Champ. Round 1 - Evan Bates won by major decision over Ben Vanadia (Purdue) (MD 10-0)
Quarterfinal - Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) won by decision over Evan Bates (Dec 8-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Evan Bates won by tech fall over Chase Mielnik (Maryland) (TF 15-0, 7:00)
Cons. Round 3 - Camden McDanel (Nebraska) won by decision over Evan Bates (Dec 5-2)
285
Champ. Round 1 - Nick Feldman (Ohio State) won by tech fall over Dirk Morley (TF 21-6, 2:01)
Cons. Round 1 - Max Vanadia (Michigan State) won by major decision over Dirk Morley (MD 17-6)
11th-Place Quarterfinal - Gannon Rosenfeld (Wisconsin) won by fall over Dirk Morley (Fall 4:21)
Wrestling at 165 lbs, Mayfield earned automatic NCAA qualification for the third straight season and secured a finish of at least sixth place this weekend. After falling 7-2 to Paddy Gallagher of Ohio State in his first-round matchup, Mayfield won both of his next two bouts to wrestle his way back to a podium spot. He first downed Rutgers' Andrew White, the ten-seed, by 5-1 decision. Then, faced with third-seeded Christopher Minto (Nebraska), Mayfield pulled off a thrilling upset by 8-1 decision to stay alive in consolation action.
With a victory in his first match tomorrow, against Michigan's fourth-seeded Beau Mantanona, Mayfield would guarantee the highest Big Ten Tournament finish of his career.
Put him on the podium ??#GoCats | #B1GWrestle pic.twitter.com/jg9Q876fHd
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 9, 2025
Sixth-seeded Evan Bates opened his third Big Ten Championships with a victory at 197 lbs, blanking Purdue's Ben Vanadia 10-0 for the major decision. He then collected his second shutout of the day in the back half of the bracket with a technical fall over Maryland's Chase Mielnik, 15-0. Following his loss to Camden McDanel (Nebraska), Bates will wrestle for seventh place tomorrow against Ohio State's Seth Shumate.
???????????? ?????????????? ???
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle) March 9, 2025
Evan Bates is headed to the @NCAAWrestling Championships! pic.twitter.com/A7lRDy7KNl
Dedrick Navarro will also continue action in Session III tomorrow with an automatic trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. After dropping out of podium contention, Navarro picked up a 17-1 technical fall over Tyler Garvin (Maryland) in the ninth-place bracket at 125 lbs. Navarro is set to face off with Ohio State's Brendan McCrone - who he already defeated once in the tournament's first round on Saturday - tomorrow as he continues his hunt for an NCAA bid. A win over McCrone and a victory in the following match would earn Navarro ninth place at 125 lbs, good for the final automatic qualification in that weight class.
Big Ten Tournament action will resume in Evanston tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT with Session III, which will feature consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches. First-, third- and fifth-place matches will take place in Session IV, which is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS (Through Session II)
125
Champ. Round 1 - Dedrick Navarro won by decision over Brendan McCrone (Ohio State) (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal - Caleb Smith (Nebraska) won by tech fall over Dedrick Navarro (TF 17-2, 6:05)
Cons. Round 2 - Cooper Flynn (Minnesota) won by major decision over Dedrick Navarro (MD 10-0)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Dedrick Navarro won by tech fall over Tyler Garvin (Maryland) (TF 17-1, 6:31)
133
Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) won by major decision over Massey Odiotti (MD 10-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Massey Odiotti won by decision over Andrew Hampton (Michigan State) (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska) won by tech fall over Massey Odiotti (TF 20-4, 4:34)
11th-Place Quarterfinal - Andrew Hampton (Michigan State) won by decision over Massey Odiotti (Dec 2-0)
141
Champ. Round 1 - Danny Pucino (Illinois) won by decision over Chris Cannon (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Greyson Clark (Purdue) won by decision over Chris Cannon (Dec 11-5)
149
Champ. Round 1 - Sam Cartella won by decision over Drew Roberts (Minnesota) (Dec 4-3)
Quarterfinal - Kyle Parco (Iowa) won by major decision over Sam Cartella 16-9 (MD 15-7)
Cons. Round 2 - Dylan Gilcher (Michigan) won in sudden victory - 1 over Sam Cartella (SV-1 6-3)
157
Champ. Round 1 - Trevor Chumbley won by decision over Conner Harer (Rutgers) (Dec 7-0)
Quarterfinal - Tyler Kasak (Penn State) won by decision over Trevor Chumbley (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Chase Saldate (Michigan) won by decision over Trevor Chumbley (Dec 6-3)
165
Champ. Round 1 - Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) won by decision over Maxx Mayfield (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Maxx Mayfield won by decision over Anthony White (Rutgers) (Dec 5-1)
Cons. Round 3 - Maxx Mayfield won by decision over Christopher Minto (Nebraska) (Dec 8-1)
174
Champ. Round 1 - Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) won by tech. fall over Aiden Vandenbush (TF 21-6, 4:53)
Cons. Round 1 - Jackson Turley (Rutgers) won by decision over Aiden Vandenbush (Dec 8-2)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Derek Gilcher (Indiana) won by major decision over Aiden Vandenbush (MD 17-5)
184
Champ. Round 1 - Edmond Ruth (Illinois) won in sudden victory - 1 over Jon Halvorsen (SV-1 4-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Jon Halvorsen won by decision over Dylan Russo (Wisconsin) Dec 4-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Gabe Arnold (Iowa) won by major decision over Jon Halvorsen (MD 10-1)
9th-Place Quarterfinal - Jon Halvorsen won by decision over Dylan Russo (Wisconsin) (Dec 8-1)
197
Champ. Round 1 - Evan Bates won by major decision over Ben Vanadia (Purdue) (MD 10-0)
Quarterfinal - Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) won by decision over Evan Bates (Dec 8-1)
Cons. Round 2 - Evan Bates won by tech fall over Chase Mielnik (Maryland) (TF 15-0, 7:00)
Cons. Round 3 - Camden McDanel (Nebraska) won by decision over Evan Bates (Dec 5-2)
285
Champ. Round 1 - Nick Feldman (Ohio State) won by tech fall over Dirk Morley (TF 21-6, 2:01)
Cons. Round 1 - Max Vanadia (Michigan State) won by major decision over Dirk Morley (MD 17-6)
11th-Place Quarterfinal - Gannon Rosenfeld (Wisconsin) won by fall over Dirk Morley (Fall 4:21)
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