Hawkeyes Put 3 in NCAA Finals and Crown 2 More All-Americans

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Iowa men’s wrestling team put three wrestlers into the NCAA Finals -- Drake Ayala (133), Michael Caliendo (165) and Stephen Buchanan II (197) – and the Hawkeyes crowned two more All-Americans, going 5-for-6 in session IV on Friday night at the 2025 NCAA Championships at the Wells Fargo Center. Iowa sits in fourth place in the team race with 73.5 points. 

Ayala is back in the NCAA Finals for a second consecutive year. A season ago he defeated Wisconsin’s Eric Barnett in the 125-pound bracket, now the No. 2 seed at 133 pounds he defeated Wisconsin’s No. 14 seeded Zan Fugitt, 6-1 to make it to Saturday night. 

The Fort Dodge, Iowa, native will meet top-seeded Lucas Byrd of Illinois on the championship stage, the third meeting between the two this season. Ayala won the first meeting in the dual, 4-2, and Byrd won the most recent meeting pinning Ayala in the Big Ten Finals two weeks ago.
 
“I think that I've just kinda grown up a lot,” said Ayala. “I said that in another interview, too, but I feel like I'm maturing, I'm growing into a leader, I'm growing into -- just a man.”

At 165 pounds, No. 3 seed Michael Caliendo advanced for the finals for the first time in his career with a 14-10 decision over the No. 2 seed Peyton Hall. 

“I think it was a matter of doing what I do best,” said Caliendo. “Obviously I got Terry Morningstar in my corner. Like I said, it's what I've been dreaming of since I was a little kid, and it means a lot, but the job is not finished.” 

Caliendo will face top-seeded Mitchell Mesenbrink. The two have met five times over the past two seasons with Mesenbrink coming out on top in each of those meetings. 

To close out the semifinal matches for the Hawkeyes at 197 pounds. No. 2 seed Stephen Buchanan II defeated a former National Champion in No. 3 seed AJ Ferrari, 3-0.

“Prepare the same way for every single match,” said Buchanan. “Like I said, we have history.  I'm 1-2 against him.  He beat me down in Big 12 Finals and beat me again later in a dual.  So just having this match and coming out on top shows me how much I've grown as a wrestler.”

Buchanan will face No.  4 seed Josh Barr in the finals. Buchanan defeated Barr in the dual earlier this season. 

Both Patrick Kennedy (174) and Ben Kueter won in the blood round to claim All-America honors. The No. 11 seed Patrick Kennedy defeated No. 15 seed Luca Augustine of Pittsburgh, 7-6. No. 5 seed Ben Kueter defeated No. 10 seed Dayton Pitzer also of Pittsburgh, 5-1. 

Kennedy then defeated the No. 7 seed Navy’s Danny Wask, 7-3 and will wrestle No. 13 seed Cade DeVos in the consolation semifinals tomorrow morning. Kueter dropped a 10-2 match against No. 9 seed Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State and will wrestle No. 6 seed Joshua Heinselman of Michigan for seventh. 

SEMIFINAL RESULTS
133 – #2 Drake Ayala (Iowa) dec. #14 Zan Fugitt (Wisconsin), 6-1
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) dec. #2 Peyton Hall (West Virginia),14-10
197 – #2 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) dec. #3 AJ Ferrari (Cal State Bakersfield), 3-0

CONSOLATION RESULTS 
174 – #11 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) dec. #15 Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh), 7-6
285 – #5 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. #10 Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh), 5-1
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174 – #11 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) dec. #7 Danny Wask (Navy), 7-3
285 – #9 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) major dec. #5 Ben Kueter (Iowa) 10-2

FINAL MATCHUPS
133 – #2 Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. #1 Lucas Byrd (Illinois)
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) vs. #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State)
197 – #2 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) vs. #4 Josh Barr (Penn State)

CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
174 – #11 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) vs. #13 Cade DeVos (South Dakota State) 

SEVENTH PLACE MATCHUPS
285 – #5 Ben Kueter (Iowa) vs. #6 Joshua Heindselman (Michigan) 

TEAM SCORES
1. Penn State - 135.5
2. Nebraska- 101.5
3. Oklahoma State - 91.0
4. Iowa - 73.5
5. Minnesota - 47.0
6. Cornell - 46.0
7. Northern Iowa - 44.5
8. Ohio State - 44.0
9. Illinois - 40.5
10. Virginia Tech - 40.0

UP NEXT
Session V will take place Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). The session will consist of the consolation semifinals and placement matches for third, fifth and seventh place.