Wrestling Places Three at UWW U23 Nationals
May 30 | Wrestling
LINCOLN, Neb. – Rutgers wrestling finished action at UWW U23 Nationals, held over the weekend at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sammy Alvarez (fifth), John Poznanski (sixth) and Robert Kanniard (eighth) all placed at the two-day freestyle tournament.
Alvarez and Poznanski advanced to their respective championship semifinal matches. Alvarez lost to eventual 65kg champion and 2021 Big 12 individual champion Domonick Demas in the semifinals, while Poznanski lost a tough 6-4 result to 2019 NJSIAA state champion Chris Foca in his semifinal bout. Alvarez wrestled back and defeated Northwestern's Justin Benjamin to finish fifth.
After he dropped his second-round match, Kanniard wrestled back with five consecutive wins to finish eighth. Dylan Shawver also enjoyed a productive outing with three consecutive wins on the championship side of the 61kg bracket, which included wins over NCAA qualifiers Michael Colalocco (Penn) and Alex Thomson (Nebraska).
Full results from this weekend's tournament can be found below.
65kg: Sammy Alvarez (fifth, 5-2)
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Michael Gunther (Illinois RTC), 14-3
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Eduardo Bolivar (Illinois), 13-2
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Zach Price (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club), 11-1
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Jacob Butler (Oklahoma RTC), 12-2
Domonick Demas (Oklahoma RTC) VFA Sammy Alvarez, 10-0
Joshua Saunders (Spartan Combat RTC) VSU1 Sammy Alvarez, 12-2
Sammy Alvarez VPO1 Justin Benjamin (Illinois), 12-0
84kg: John Poznanski (sixth, 3-3)
John Poznanski VPO1 Barrett Blakely (Blue Ridge RTC), 7-1
John Poznanski VSU1 Travis Stefani (NJRTC), 16-6
John Poznanski VPO1 Max Lyon (Boilermaker RTC), 9-2
Christopher Foca (Spartan Combat RTC) VPO1 John Poznanski, 6-4
Jack Jessen (Wildcat Wrestling Club) VSU1 John Poznanski, 12-2
Maximus Hale (Pennsylvania RTC) VFO John Poznanski, 0-0
74kg: Robert Kanniard (eighth, 6-3)
Robert Kanniard VSU Jay Nivison (Bulls Wrestling Club), 10-0
Jeremiah Moody (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 12-10
Robert Kanniard VSU Jerry Hall (Olivet Wrestling Club), 10-0
Robert Kanniard VSU Troy Mantanona (Oklahoma RTC), 11-0
Robert Kanniard VPO1 Weston Wichman (Wisconsin), 11-9
Robert Kanniard VSU Brawley Lamer (Central Coast RTC), 11-0
Robert Kanniard VFO Chase Saldate (Michigan Wrestling Club)
Derek Gilcher (Michigan) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 12-4
Joshua Ogunsanya (NYC RTC) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 17-11
61kg: Dylan Shawver (3-2)
Dylan Shawver VSU1 Isaiah Delgado (Brunson UVRTC), 13-3
Dylan Shawver VSU1 Michael Colalocco (Pennsylvania RTC), 13-2
Dylan Shawver VPO1 Alex Thomsen (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center), 13-7
Cullan Schriever (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) VSU Dylan Shawver, 10-0
Malyke Hines (Florida) VFO Dylan Shawver
74kg: Andrew Clark (0-2)
Gabriel Dinette (Mile High Wrestling Club) VPO1 Andrew Clark, 8-2
Maxwell Anderson (Central Coast RTC) VPO1 Andrew Clark, 17-12
125kg: Boone McDermott (2-2)
Boone McDermott VSU Toby Cahill (Pennsylvania), 10-0
Jacob Bullock (Indiana) VPO1 Boone McDermott, 13-4
Boone McDermott VSU Ethan Bunce (Indiana), 10-0
Joshua Helndselman (Oklahoma RTC) VPO1 Boone McDermott, 10-4
70kg: Michael VanBrill (2-2)
Joshua Finesilver (Blue Blood Wrestling Club) VPO1 Michael VanBrill, 4-3
Michael VanBrill VSU Michael Levelle (Boilermaker RTC), 12-0
Michael VanBrill VSU1 Willie McDougald (Oklahoma RTC), 17-4
Wilder Wichman (Askern Wrestling Academy) VPO1 Michael VanBrill, 6-3
125kg: Niccolo Colucci (1-2)
Niccolo Colucci VPO1 Trent Ragland (Cougar Wrestling Club), 6-2
Lucas Davison (Wildcat Wrestling Club) VSU Niccolo Colucci, 10-0
Joshua Helndselman (Oklahoma RTC) VSU Niccolo Colucci, 11-0
Alvarez and Poznanski advanced to their respective championship semifinal matches. Alvarez lost to eventual 65kg champion and 2021 Big 12 individual champion Domonick Demas in the semifinals, while Poznanski lost a tough 6-4 result to 2019 NJSIAA state champion Chris Foca in his semifinal bout. Alvarez wrestled back and defeated Northwestern's Justin Benjamin to finish fifth.
After he dropped his second-round match, Kanniard wrestled back with five consecutive wins to finish eighth. Dylan Shawver also enjoyed a productive outing with three consecutive wins on the championship side of the 61kg bracket, which included wins over NCAA qualifiers Michael Colalocco (Penn) and Alex Thomson (Nebraska).
Full results from this weekend's tournament can be found below.
65kg: Sammy Alvarez (fifth, 5-2)
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Michael Gunther (Illinois RTC), 14-3
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Eduardo Bolivar (Illinois), 13-2
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Zach Price (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club), 11-1
Sammy Alvarez VSU1 Jacob Butler (Oklahoma RTC), 12-2
Domonick Demas (Oklahoma RTC) VFA Sammy Alvarez, 10-0
Joshua Saunders (Spartan Combat RTC) VSU1 Sammy Alvarez, 12-2
Sammy Alvarez VPO1 Justin Benjamin (Illinois), 12-0
84kg: John Poznanski (sixth, 3-3)
John Poznanski VPO1 Barrett Blakely (Blue Ridge RTC), 7-1
John Poznanski VSU1 Travis Stefani (NJRTC), 16-6
John Poznanski VPO1 Max Lyon (Boilermaker RTC), 9-2
Christopher Foca (Spartan Combat RTC) VPO1 John Poznanski, 6-4
Jack Jessen (Wildcat Wrestling Club) VSU1 John Poznanski, 12-2
Maximus Hale (Pennsylvania RTC) VFO John Poznanski, 0-0
74kg: Robert Kanniard (eighth, 6-3)
Robert Kanniard VSU Jay Nivison (Bulls Wrestling Club), 10-0
Jeremiah Moody (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 12-10
Robert Kanniard VSU Jerry Hall (Olivet Wrestling Club), 10-0
Robert Kanniard VSU Troy Mantanona (Oklahoma RTC), 11-0
Robert Kanniard VPO1 Weston Wichman (Wisconsin), 11-9
Robert Kanniard VSU Brawley Lamer (Central Coast RTC), 11-0
Robert Kanniard VFO Chase Saldate (Michigan Wrestling Club)
Derek Gilcher (Michigan) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 12-4
Joshua Ogunsanya (NYC RTC) VPO1 Robert Kanniard, 17-11
61kg: Dylan Shawver (3-2)
Dylan Shawver VSU1 Isaiah Delgado (Brunson UVRTC), 13-3
Dylan Shawver VSU1 Michael Colalocco (Pennsylvania RTC), 13-2
Dylan Shawver VPO1 Alex Thomsen (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center), 13-7
Cullan Schriever (Hawkeye Wrestling Club) VSU Dylan Shawver, 10-0
Malyke Hines (Florida) VFO Dylan Shawver
74kg: Andrew Clark (0-2)
Gabriel Dinette (Mile High Wrestling Club) VPO1 Andrew Clark, 8-2
Maxwell Anderson (Central Coast RTC) VPO1 Andrew Clark, 17-12
125kg: Boone McDermott (2-2)
Boone McDermott VSU Toby Cahill (Pennsylvania), 10-0
Jacob Bullock (Indiana) VPO1 Boone McDermott, 13-4
Boone McDermott VSU Ethan Bunce (Indiana), 10-0
Joshua Helndselman (Oklahoma RTC) VPO1 Boone McDermott, 10-4
70kg: Michael VanBrill (2-2)
Joshua Finesilver (Blue Blood Wrestling Club) VPO1 Michael VanBrill, 4-3
Michael VanBrill VSU Michael Levelle (Boilermaker RTC), 12-0
Michael VanBrill VSU1 Willie McDougald (Oklahoma RTC), 17-4
Wilder Wichman (Askern Wrestling Academy) VPO1 Michael VanBrill, 6-3
125kg: Niccolo Colucci (1-2)
Niccolo Colucci VPO1 Trent Ragland (Cougar Wrestling Club), 6-2
Lucas Davison (Wildcat Wrestling Club) VSU Niccolo Colucci, 10-0
Joshua Helndselman (Oklahoma RTC) VSU Niccolo Colucci, 11-0
Players Mentioned
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
/ Wrestling
Wrestling Post Match Press Conference - Minnesota
Saturday, February 07
Wrestling Post Match Press Conference - Michigan
Saturday, January 17
Rutgers Wrestling Preview Show 2025-26
Thursday, October 23
Day in the Life of Head Coach Scott Goodale: Part 3
Thursday, October 23
