Big Ten Releases Pre-Seeds For 2026 Conference Tournament

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Seven University of Iowa wrestlers are seeded eighth or better in the pre-seeds for the 2026 Big Ten Championships, the league office announced Monday. The tournament is set for Saturday and Sunday in State College, Pennsylvania.

The Hawkeyes have a No. 2 seed in Michael Caliendo (165). Patrick Kennedy (174) is the No. 3 seed, while Nasir Bailey (141) is No. 4 and Drake Ayala (133) is No. 5. Iowa has three No. 8 seeds in Dean Peterson (125), Ryder Block (149) and Angelo Ferrari (184).

Victor Voinovich III and Ben Kueter are both seeded No. 10 at 157 and 285 pounds, respectively, and Gabe Arnold is the No. 13 seed at 197.

Block and Ferrari are making their postseason debuts, while Bailey and Voinovich are making their Big Ten postseason debuts.

The Hawkeyes have won 37 team conference titles, more than twice as many as the next closest school (Illinois, 17).

The complete tournament brackets and official seeds will be released Friday afternoon following the Big Ten Conference coaches meeting. For more information on the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, visit bigten.org.

Iowa Pre-Seeds | 2026 Big Ten Championships
125 – #8 Dean Peterson
133 – #5 Drake Ayala
141 – #4 Nasir Bailey
149 – #8 Ryder Block
157 – #10 Victor Voinovich III
165 – #2 Michael Caliendo
174 – #3 Patrick Kennedy
184 – #8 Angelo Ferrari
197 – #13 Gabe Arnold
285 – #10 Ben Kueter

125 lbs
1.    Luke Lilledahl (PSU)
2.    Spencer Moore (ILL)
3.    Nic Bouzakis (OSU)
4.    Jacob Moran (IND)
5.    Jore Volk (MINN)
6.    Ayden Smith (RU)
7.    Nicolar Rivera (WIS)
8.    Dean Peterson (IOWA)
9.    Diego Sotelo (MICH)
10.    Dedrick Navarro (NU)
11.    Kael Lauridsen (NEB)
12.    Nick Corday (MSU)
13.    Ashton Jackson (PUR)
14.    Abram Cline (MD)

133 lbs
1.    Marcus Blaze (PSU)
2.    Lucas Byrd (ILL)
3.    Ben Davino (OSU)
4.    Zan Fugitt (WIS)
5.    Drake Ayala (IOWA)
6.    Jacob Van Dee (NEB)
7.    Sean Spidle (NU)
8.    Braxton Brown (MD)
9.    Dylan Shawver (RU)
10.    Blake Boarman (PUR)
11.    Caleb Weiand (MSU)
12.    Blaine Frazier (IND)
13.    Gauge Botero (MICH)
14.    Jager Eisch (MINN)

141 lbs
1.    Jesse Mendez (OSU)
2.    Brock Hardy (NEB)
3.    Vance VomBaur (MINN)
4.    Nasir Bailey (IOWA)
5.    Dylan Ragusin (MICH)
6.    Greyson Clark (PUR)
7.    Braeden Davis (PSU)
8.    Billy Dekraker (NU)
9.    Henry Porter (IND)
10.    Joey Olivieri (RU)
11.    Dario Lemus (MD)
12.    Danny Pucino (ILL)
13.    Carson Exferd (WIS)
14.    Jaden Crumpler (MSU)
 
149 lbs
1.    Shayne Van Ness (PSU)
2.    Ethan Stiles (OSU)
3.    Joseph Zargo (WIS)
4.    Lachlan McNeil (MICH)
5.    Carter Young (MD)
6.    Chance Lamer (NEB)
7.    Andrew Clark (RU)
8.    Ryder Block (IOWA)
9.    Michael Gioffre (ILL)
10.    Drew Roberts (MINN)
11.    Joey Buttler (IND)
12.    Gavin Brown (PUR)
13.    Clayton Jones (MSU)
14.    August Hibler (NU)

157 lbs
1.    Antrell Taylor (NEB)
2.    PJ Duke (PSU)
3.    Kannon Webster (ILL)
4.    Anthony White (RU)
5.    Cameron Cartabone (MICH)
6.    Charlie Millard (MINN)
7.    Brandon Cannon (OSU)
8.    Luke Mechler (WIS)
9.    Stoney Buell (PUR)
10.    Victor Voinovich III (IOWA)
11.    Bryce Lowery (IND)
12.    Darius Marines (MSU)
13.    Mekhi Neal (MD)
14.    Ty Wilson (NU) 

165 lbs
1.    Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU)
2.    Michael Caliendo (IOWA)
3.    Joey Blaze (PUR)
4.    Andrew Sparks (MINN)
5.    LJ Araujo (NEB)
6.    Braeden Scoles (ILL)
7.    Andrew Barbosa (RU)
8.    Paddy Gallagher (OSU)
9.    Tyler Lillard (IND)
10.    Cody Goebel (WIS)
11.    Jacob Bostelman (NU)
12.    Justin Gates (MICH)
13.    AJ Rodrigues (MD)
14.    Jack Conley (MSU)

174 lbs
1.    Christopher Minto (NEB)
2.    Levi Haines (PSU)
3.    Patrick Kennedy (IOWA)
4.    Beau Mantanona (MICH)
5.    Carson Kharchla (OSU)
6.    Derek Gilcher (IND)
7.    Ethan Riddle (MINN)
8.    Brody Baumann (PUR)
9.    Colin Kelly (ILL)
10.    Lenny Pinto (RU)
11.    Eddie Enright (NU)
12.    Luke Condon (WIS)
13.    Connor O’Neil (MSU)
14.    Seth Digby (MD)

184 lbs
1.    Rocco Welsh (PSU)
2.    Max McEnelly (MINN)
3.    Silas Allred (NEB)
4.    Brock Mantanona (MICH)
5.    Chris Moore (ILL)
6.    Dylan Fishback (OSU)
7.    Shane Cartagena-Walsh (RU)
8.    Angelo Ferrari (IOWA)
9.    Sam Goin (IND)
10.    James Rowley (PUR)
11.    J.D. Perez (NU)
12.    Sepanta Ahanj-Elias (MD)
13.    Ryan Boucher (MSU)
14.    Cale Anderson (WIS)

197 lbs
1.    Josh Barr (PSU)
2.    Camden McDanel (NEB)
3.    Remy Cotton (RU)
4.    Branson John (MD)
5.    Luke Geog (OSU)
6.    Wyatt Ingham (WIS)
7.    Kael Wisler (MSU)
8.    Gabe Sollars (IND)
9.    Ben Vanadia (PUR)
10.    Hayden Walters (MICH)
11.    Gavin Nelson (MINN)
12.    Dylan Connell (ILL)
13.    Gabe Arnold (IOWA)
14.    Alex Smith (NU) 

285 lbs 
1.    Taye Ghadiali (MICH)
2.    AJ Ferrari (NEB)
3.    Nick Feldman (OSU)
4.    Cole Mirasola (PSU)
5.    Braxton Amos (WIS)
6.    Luke Luffman (ILL)
7.    Koy Hopke (MINN)
8.    Hunter Catka (RU)
9.    Josh Terrill (MSU)
10.    Ben Kueter (IOWA)
11.    Hayden Filipovich (PUR)
12.    Joey Schneck (MD)
13.    Gabe Christenson (NU)
14.    Caleb Marzolino (IND)