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Live updates: Minnesota Gophers wrestlers at the NCAA Championships

Minnesota is well represented at this year's NCAA Championships.

Tony Liebert

Minnesota's Gable Steveson reacts after his match at 285 pounds in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. 220319 Ncaa Session 6 Wr 026 Jpg
Minnesota's Gable Steveson reacts after his match at 285 pounds in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. 220319 Ncaa Session 6 Wr 026 Jpg / Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Gophers wrestling team is well represented at this year's NCAA Championships, and three wrestlers remained alive heading into the quarterfinals on Friday. Vance VomBaur at 141 pounds, freshman Max McEnelly at 184 pounds and heavyweight Gable Steveson all had quarterfinal matches on Friday.

How to watch:

Quarterfinals and wrestle-backs for second and third rounds will begin at 11 a.m. CT, and it will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+. The semifinals, blood round and fifth-round wrestle-backs will begin at 7 p.m. CT and those will be on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Picture via: NCAA.com
Friday schedule / Picture via: NCAA.com

Steveson is the heavy favorite to win his third NCAA title in the heavyweight division, while McEnelly is one of the best freshmen in the country. VomBaur will look to keep his scrappy underdog run going.

Friday's results:

Quarterfinals

  • 141: No. 6 Vance VomBaur vs. No. 3 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State), Mendez wins 17-5 major decision
  • 184: No. 3 Max McEnelly vs. No. 6 Chris Foca (Cornell), McEnelly wins 10-7 decision
  • 285: No. 1 Gable Steveson vs. No. 9 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State): Stevenson wins 20-5 tech fall

Semifinals

  • 184: No. 3 Max McEnelly vs. No. 2 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa), Keckeisin wins 4-1 decision in overtime
  • 285: No. 1 Gable Steveson vs. No. 4 Owen Trephan (Lehigh), Steveson wins 13-5 major decision

Notable Thursday results:

After breezing past the first round, Steveson forced five stall calls against Rutgers' Yaraslau Slavikouski, who was eventually disqualified.

McEnelly holds the 3-seed in the 184-pound division and he continues to look like one of the best freshmen wrestlers in the country and finishing second at the Big Ten Tournament.

After an impressive showing at last week's Big Ten Championships, VomBaur has carried momentum into the NCAA Championships. As the sixth seed, he will look to pull off an upset Friday against third seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State.

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Tony Liebert
TONY LIEBERT

Tony Liebert is particularly known for his coverage of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, though he also contributes to coverage of the Minnesota Vikings, Timberwolves and Twins. His writing style is noted for providing in-depth analysis and insights, making him a go-to source for fans looking for comprehensive coverage of Minnesota sports.