Hawkeyes Send 5 to Semifinals at 2025 Big Ten Championships

EVANSTON, Illinois – The University of Iowa men’s wrestling team sent five wrestlers to the semifinals at the 2025 Big Ten Championships on Saturday afternoon at Welsh-Ryan Arena. 

Iowa went 5-1 in first round matches before going 5-4 in the quarterfinals and 1-0 to finish Session I with a 11-5 record in Session I.

Iowa posted bonus points in 7 wins, including 5 technical falls and 2 major decisions.

At 125, No. 5 seed Joey Cruz won the first match of the day for the Hawkeyes defeating No. 12 seed Christian Tanefeu of Michigan, 12-6. 

Top-seeded 133 pounder Drake Ayala had a bye into the quarterfinals where he matched up with eighth-seeded Angelo Rini of Indiana. Ayala won a 13-9 decision. 

11th-seeded 141-pounder Cullan Schriver dropped a 4-2 decision to the No. 6 seed Rutgers’ Joseph Olivieri in the opening round. Schriever won a 18-2 technical fall over No. 14 seed Jaden Crumpler of Michigan State. 

In the 157-pound bracket No. 4 seed Jacori Teemer defeated No. 13 seed Wisconsin’s Luke Mechler, 7-2 before falling in quarterfinals to fifth seed Tommy Askey of Minnesota in sudden victory, 4-1. 

Seeded second at 165 pounds, Michael Caliendo had a bye through the first round before winning a 21-4 technical fall over Anthony White of Rutgers the No. 10 seed in quarterfinals.

At 174 pounds, No. 4 seed Patrick Kennedy had a pair of technical falls defeating No. 13 seed Ceasar Garza of Michigan State, 22-5, in the opening round and No. 12 seed Maryland’s Branson John, 20-3. 

The four seed at 184 pounds Gabe Arnold won a technical fall over 13th seed Orlando Cruz of Purdue, 19-4. He dropped his quarterfinals match to fifth-seeded Jaxon Smith (Maryland), 3-2, in tiebreakers. 

Seeded No. 1 at 197 pounds, Stephen Buchanan had a bye into the quarterfinals where he matched up with No. 9 seed Seth Shumate of Ohio State and won a major decision, 8-0. Buchanan led 1-0 with 13 seconds remaining in the third period when he got a takedown and subsequently four near fall points to secure bonus points. 

Ben Kueter, the No. 7 seed at 285 pounds, won a 5-1 decision over the No. 10 seed Purdue’s Hayden Filipovich before losing his quarterfinal matchup with No. 2 seed Greg Kerkvliet of Penn State, via pin (1:54). 

Team Standings Through Session I
1. Penn State     88.0
2. Nebraska     63.0
3. Illinois     58.5
4. Iowa     54.0
5. Minnesota     41.0
6. Michigan     33.0
6. Ohio State     33.0
8. Maryland     26.5
9. Rutgers     24.5
10. Purdue     19.5
11. Northwestern 6.0
12. Wisconsin     4.5
13. Indiana     3.5
14. Michigan St. 2.5

Semifinal Matchups
133 - #1 Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. #5 Dylan Shawver (Rutgers)
149 - #2 Kyle Parco (Iowa) vs. #3 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska)
165 - #2 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) vs. #6 Braeden Scoles (Illinois)
174 - #4 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) vs. #1 Levi Haines (Penn State)
197 - #1 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) vs. #5 Zac Braunagel (Illinois)

Consolation Matchups
125 – #5 Joey Cruz (Iowa) vs. #11 Caleb Weiand (Michigan State)
141 – #11 Cullan Schriever (Iowa) vs. #5 Sergio Lemley (Michigan)
157 – #4 Jacori Teemer (Iowa) vs. #11 Jason Kraisser (Illinois) 
184 – #4 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) vs. #11 Jon Halvorsen (Northwestern) 
285 – #7 Ben Kueter (Iowa) vs. #8 Jacob Bullock (Indiana)

First Round
125 - #5 Joey Cruz (Iowa) dec. #12 Christian Tanefeu (Michigan), 12-6
141 - #6 Joseph Olivieri (Rutgers) dec. #11 Cullan Schriever (Iowa), 4-2 
157 - #4 Jacori Teemer (Iowa) dec. #13 Luke Mechler (Wisconsin), 7-2
174- #4 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) tech. fall #13 Ceasar Garza (Michigan State), 22-5
184 - #4 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) tech. fall #13 Orlando Cruz (Purdue), 19-4
285 - #7 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. #10 Hayden Filipovich (Purdue), 5-1

Quarterfinals
125 - #4 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) major dec. #5 Joey Cruz (Iowa), 11-1
133 - #1 Drake Ayala (Iowa) dec. #8 Angelo Rini (Indiana), 13-9
149 - #2 Kyle Parco (Iowa) major dec.  #7 Sam Cartella (Northwestern), 15-7
157 - #5 Tommy Askey (Minnesota) dec. #4 Jacori Teemer (Iowa), 4-1 SV1
165 - #2 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) tech. fall #10 Anthony White (Rutgers), 21-4
174 - #4 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) tech. fall #12 Branson John (Maryland), 20-3
184 - #5 Jaxon Smith (Maryland) dec. #4 Gabe Arnold (Iowa), 3-2 TB1
197 - #1 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) major dec. #9 Seth Shumate (Ohio State), 8-0
285 - #2 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) pinned #7 Ben Kueter (Iowa), 1:54

Consolations
141 – #11 Cullan Schriever (Iowa) tech. fall #14 Jaden Crumpler (Michigan State), 18-2