Hawkeyes Wrap Day 1 at 2026 B1G Championships

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — University of Iowa wrestler Michael Caliendo advanced to the finals on Saturday night in Session II at the 2026 Big Ten Championships at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Hawkeyes sit in fourth place after Day 1.

Caliendo, the No. 3 seed, earned a spot in the 165-pound final for the second straight year after defeating No. 7 Andrew Barbosa of Rutgers.

The Hawkeyes have six wrestlers alive on the backside and three competing in extra brackets.
“Caliendo in the finals, have a lot of work to do there,” said head coach Tom Brands. “Lot on the backside with a lot of work to do there. Position yourself the best for the tournament that is in two weeks.”

Dean Peterson (125), Drake Ayala (133), Nasir Bailey (141), Patrick Kennedy (174) and Ben Kueter (285) will wrestle in the consolation semifinals Sunday morning.

Gabe Arnold remains alive in the 197-pound 11th-place bracket, while Ryder Block and Victor Voinovich III are alive in the 149- and 157-pound ninth-place brackets, respectively.

TEAM SCORES 

1. Penn State, 146.5
2. Ohio State, 115
3. Nebraska, 112
4. Iowa, 70
t5. Illinois, 69.5
t5. Minnesota 69.5
7. Michigan, 68.5
8. Rutgers, 56.5
9. Wisconsin, 43.5
10. Indiana, 33
11. Maryland, 31
12. Purdue, 23
13. Northwestern, 14.5
14. Michigan State, 10.5

FINALS MATCHUP
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) vs. #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State)

CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
125 – #8 Dean Peterson (Iowa) vs. #2 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State)
133 – #5 Drake Ayala (Iowa) vs. #2 Lucas Byrd (Illinois)
141 – #4 Nasir Bailey (Iowa) vs. #10 Joey Olivieri (Rutgers)
174 – #3 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) vs. #5 Beau Mantanona (Michigan)
285 – #10 Ben Kueter (Iowa) vs. Cole Mirasola (Penn State)

9TH PLACE BRACKET SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
149 – #8 Ryder Block (Iowa) vs. #12 Gavin Brown (Purdue)
157 – #10 Victor Voinovich III (Iowa) vs. Tony White (Rutgers)

11TH PLACE BRACKET SEMIFINAL MATCHUP
197 – #13 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) vs Hayden Walters (Michigan)

SEMIFINAL RESULTS
133 – #1 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) dec. #5 Drake Ayala (Iowa), 4-1 SV
141 – #1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) tech. fall #4 Nasir Bailey (Iowa), 19-4, 6:46
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) major dec. #7 Andrew Barbosa (Rutgers), 11-3
174 – #2 Christopher Minto (Nebraska) dec. #3 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) 5-1 

CONSOLATION ROUND TWO RESULTS
125 – #8 Dean Peterson (Iowa) dec. #10 Dedrick Navarro (Northwestern), 5-0
149 – #7 Andrew Clark (Rutgers) dec. #8 Ryder Block (Iowa), 4-0
157 – #8 Luke Mechler (Wisconsin) dec. #10 Victor Voinovich III (Iowa), 8-3
184 – #8 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) dec. #10 James Rowley (Purdue), 5-1
197 – #3 Remy Cotton (Rutgers) dec. #13 Gabe Arnold (Iowa), 4-1 SV1
285 – #10 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. #9 Josh Terrill (MSU), 4-1 SV1

CONSOLATION QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
125 – #8 Dean Peterson (Iowa) dec. #11 Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska), 4-3
184 – #5 Chris Moore (Illinois) MFF #8 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa)
285 – #10 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec. Luke Luffman (Illinois), 4-1 SV1

9TH PLACE BRACKET QUARTERFINAL RESULT
157 – #10 Victor Voinovich III (Iowa) major dec. #14 Ty Wilson (Northwestern), 8-0

11TH PLACE BRACKET QUARTERFINALS RESULT
184 – #13 Gabe Arnold (Iowa) dec. #12 Dylan Connell (Illinois), 4-1 SV1