2023 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Notebook • 184 pounds

WIN Magazine will provide notes and quotes about the 184-pound wrestlers at the 2023 NCAA Division I Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

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Semifinals (March 17 – 7 p.m.)

#1 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dec. #4 Trey Munoz (Oregon State), 5-1 — A second-period takedown for the Panther was the only form of offensive point scored in a bout that was mired by injury time and a coaches’ challenge, but Keckeisen added two escapes and a riding time point for a comfortable victory and his first NCAA finals berth.

#3 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) dec. #2 Trent Hidlay (NC State), 6-3 — The two-time defending NCAA champion scored successive opening period takedowns on a single leg and a pancake on the edge of the mat to jump out to an early lead. The Nittany Lion escaped in the second period and rode Hidlay for much of the third period to add an insurance riding time point.

Quarterfinals (March 17 – 11 a.m.)

#1 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dec. #9 Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota), 3-2 — The Panther scored the bout’s only takedown with 1:21 left in the match to earn his third All-American honor.

#4 Trey Munoz (Oregon State) dec. #5 Marcus Coleman (Iowa State), 3-1 SV — In a rematch of a December matchup that Munoz handled by an 8-4 decision, the Beaver and Cyclone battled to a 1-1 deadlock into the sudden victory period where Munoz converted a quick shot attempt to earn his first All-American honor.

#3 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) dec. #6 Kaleb Romero (Ohio State), 4-1 — The two-time champ beat the Buckeye for a third time this season … by scoring the bout’s only takedown with 18 seconds left in the second period with a single on the edge of the mat.

#2 Trent Hidlay (NC State) dec. #7 Hunter Bolen (Va. Tech), 5-0 — Hidlay poured the points on late, as the match entered the third period tied 0-0, but the Wolfpack senior scored an escape, stalling point, takedown and riding time point to earn another berth to the semis.

Second Round (March 16 – 6 p.m.)

• Top-seeded Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) used a second-period takedown to edge Lehigh’s Tate Samuelson, 4-2.
• No. 9 Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) still has not been scored upon as the Gopher dominated Drexel’s No. 25 Brian Bonino, 12-0.
• No. 5 Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) was just four seconds short of securing a riding time point in regulation, but still got the job done in the tiebreakers, advancing over Iowa’s No. 12 Abe Assad, 2-1 TB.
• No. 3 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) opened up a 5-2 lead late in the second period, throwing a headlock for the fall over No. 14 Will Feldkamp (Clarion) at the 5:00 mark.
• No. 2 Trent Hidlay (NC State) used four takedowns and a two-point nearfall to cruise to a 12-4 major decision over true freshman No. 18 Brian Soldano (Rutgers).

First Round (March 16 – 11 a.m. CDT)

• No. 25 Brian Bonino (Drexel) scored a takedown with one second remaining in the bout to upset No. 8 Matt Finesilver (Michigan), 3-2. The Wolverine is a transfer from Duke.
• No. 20 Neil Antrassian (Virginia) scored 11 unanswered points in an upset victory over No. 13 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska), as the Cavalier went down 6-0 in the opening frame but stormed back with a match-tying six-point second period and five-point third period to pull away, 11-6.
• No. 22 Colton Hawks (Missouri) upset No. 11 Gavin Kane (North Carolina), with two first period takedowns, an escape and a riding time point, to win 6-2.
• True freshman No. 18 Brian Soldano (Rutgers) was on his back trailing 4-0, but hit a headlock from bottom and scored a first period fall over No. 15 Layne Malczewski (Michigan State) at the 1:40 mark.

All-American Round (March 18 – 10 a.m.)

Finals (March 18 – 6 p.m.)