Sunday, February 2
Minneapolis, Minn.
1 PM
Rutgers University
at
Minnesota
Photo by: Tom Gilbert
Wrestling Weekend Ahead: Back to Work after Top-10 Victory
Jan 31 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 12 Rutgers wrestling (11-4, 3-2) hits the road to face No. 8 Minnesota (7-1, 3-1) on Sunday in Minneapolis. The 1 p.m. ET dual is set for a national broadcast on Big Ten Network, with Shane Sparks (play-by-play) and Jim Gibbons (analyst) on the call.
The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend after they defeated then-No. 10 Illinois on criteria, 16-15, on Sunday at Jersey Mike's Arena. The win marked the program's first over a top-10 opponent since it defeated No. 10 Wisconsin, 17-16, on Jan. 11, 2019 in Piscataway. The victory also moved RU to No. 12 in this week's NWCA Coaches Poll – its highest team ranking since Jan. 4, 2022.
Sunday's dual at Maturi Pavilion against the No. 8 Gophers will be the program's fifth matchup against a top-10 opponent this season. Rutgers has also wrestled No. 1 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 6 NC State and No. 7 Virginia Tech.
Focus on Minnesota after Illinois Victory
By Bradly Derechailo
The party was on as soon as Yaraslau Slavikouski drove through for three on Sunday in overtime.
The takedown sent Jersey Mike's Arena into a frenzy, sealing Rutgers wrestling's first win over a top-10 opponent in six years. Members of the program embraced, thrilled to have achieved one of their preseason goals. Head Coach Scott Goodale was on the receiving end of a Gatorade bath, and Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" blasted through the speakers to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
The celebration was a realization of just how much this team can accomplish.
"The fan base wants big wins, that just became the focus, it seems," Goodale said. "So, when there's chatter about it, our guys lock in on it. Getting that top-10 win is something they really wanted to do. This group has been close so many times, so I think that's where all of that emotion on Sunday came from and why it poured out like that."
Now in his sixth collegiate season, Jackson Turley has seen his fair share of heartbreakers during his time "On the Banks." Last season, Rutgers had three chances against No. 7 Ohio State, No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 9 Minnesota, ultimately falling just short one way or another. This year, the Scarlet Knights had the No. 4 Buckeyes on the ropes, leading the OSU after nine bouts before losing 17-15 in Columbus.
But that metaphorical wall was broken down after Slavikouski delivered a 4-1 win over No. 10 Luke Luffman in sudden victory, giving RU a 16-15 win over No. 10 Illinois on criteria.
"I was so happy when Yara got that takedown in overtime," Turley said. "I was a lot happier for that takedown than for my own or any other one during that match, just because it solidified the win. I've been a part of a few heartbreakers here. I've caused a few heartbreakers, and, you know, to finally get one under our belt feels really good."
RU gets another crack at a top-10 win this weekend in Minneapolis. Like Rutgers, all 10 of No. 8 Minnesota's starters are ranked heading into Sunday's matchup at Maturi Pavilion (1 p.m. ET, BTN). UM is 7-1 this the season, with its only loss coming at No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln.
Minnesota will be the fifth top-10 opponent for the Scarlet Knights this season, and Goodale believes his guys have done a great job of moving on to the next challenge on the schedule.
"I think we did a great job of moving forward," Goodale said. "After losing a tough one to Ohio State, we had a great week of preparation for Wisconsin. After losing to Penn State, we had a great day of preparation for Illinois. We've done a good job this week ahead of Minnesota. I actually think this may be, other than Penn State, the toughest team we're going to wrestle. We have to be ready."
The Gophers' lineup includes six individuals ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes, highlighted by two-time NCAA champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson at heavyweight.
Steveson represents another challenge for Slavikouski in a season that has been full of them. The 2024 NCAA All-American has already wrestled six ranked opponents during the 2024-25 campaign, including four within the top 10 – No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State), No. 4 Isaac Trumble (NC State), No. 7 Nick Feldman (Ohio State) and No. 10 Luffman.
Sunday's hero helped Rutgers to one of its biggest dual wins in recent memory. While the celebration is something Slavikouski will take with him the rest of his life, he knows there are other goals his team is looking to accomplish.
"Yeah, we had a day to recover and to celebrate that day and that's now in the past, now we need to move on," Slavikouski said. "We have a big duel coming up, more duals on the schedule and then Big Tens and NCAAs. There's a lot more wrestling to come and that's what we're focused on right now."
No. 12 Rutgers (11-4, 3-2)
125: 10/12 Dean Peterson (16-3) -OR- Ayden Smith (4-4)
133: 9/9 Dylan Shawver (14-5)
141: 13/15 Joseph Olivieri (13-4) -OR- Joe Fongaro (4-4)
149: 20/26 Andrew Clark (17-8)
157: 30/26 Conner Harer (13-6)
165: 25/28 Anthony White (12-7) -OR- Andrew Barbosa (5-3)
174: 21/20 Jackson Turley (13-6)
184: 18/17 Shane Cartagena-Walsh (17-7)
197: 17/17 John Poznanski (11-6) -OR- PJ Casale (7-8)
HWT: 8/8 Yaraslau Slavikouski (13-4) -OR- John O'Donnell (7-3)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
No. 8 Minnesota (7-1, 3-1)
125: 9/7 Cooper Flynn (11-2) -OR- Brandon Morvari (4-4)
133: 18/13 Tyler Wells (9-2) -OR- Blake Beissel (6-6)
141: 8/8 Vance VomBaur (17-2)
149: 25/24 Drew Roberts (9-3) -OR- Theo Cha (5-7)
157: 8/9 Tommy Askey (17-2) -OR- Charlie Millard (11-1)
165: 11/15 Andrew Sparks (16-4) -OR- Tim Stapleton (3-7)
174: 25/24 Clayton Whiting (12-6)
184: 4/4 Max McEnelly (14-0)
197: 9/10 Isaiah Salazar (13-3)
285: 1/1 Gable Steveson (7-0)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
"When you have a little success, you want more. For us, it's on to Minnesota. That's where we're at. I know that's old coach talk, but that's where I'm at with it. Let's get ready for Minnesota." – Head coach Scott Goodale on moving forward after Sunday's win over No. 10 Illinois.
The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend after they defeated then-No. 10 Illinois on criteria, 16-15, on Sunday at Jersey Mike's Arena. The win marked the program's first over a top-10 opponent since it defeated No. 10 Wisconsin, 17-16, on Jan. 11, 2019 in Piscataway. The victory also moved RU to No. 12 in this week's NWCA Coaches Poll – its highest team ranking since Jan. 4, 2022.
Sunday's dual at Maturi Pavilion against the No. 8 Gophers will be the program's fifth matchup against a top-10 opponent this season. Rutgers has also wrestled No. 1 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 6 NC State and No. 7 Virginia Tech.
| From the Wrestling Room |
By Bradly Derechailo
The party was on as soon as Yaraslau Slavikouski drove through for three on Sunday in overtime.
The takedown sent Jersey Mike's Arena into a frenzy, sealing Rutgers wrestling's first win over a top-10 opponent in six years. Members of the program embraced, thrilled to have achieved one of their preseason goals. Head Coach Scott Goodale was on the receiving end of a Gatorade bath, and Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" blasted through the speakers to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
The celebration was a realization of just how much this team can accomplish.
"The fan base wants big wins, that just became the focus, it seems," Goodale said. "So, when there's chatter about it, our guys lock in on it. Getting that top-10 win is something they really wanted to do. This group has been close so many times, so I think that's where all of that emotion on Sunday came from and why it poured out like that."
Now in his sixth collegiate season, Jackson Turley has seen his fair share of heartbreakers during his time "On the Banks." Last season, Rutgers had three chances against No. 7 Ohio State, No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 9 Minnesota, ultimately falling just short one way or another. This year, the Scarlet Knights had the No. 4 Buckeyes on the ropes, leading the OSU after nine bouts before losing 17-15 in Columbus.
But that metaphorical wall was broken down after Slavikouski delivered a 4-1 win over No. 10 Luke Luffman in sudden victory, giving RU a 16-15 win over No. 10 Illinois on criteria.
"I was so happy when Yara got that takedown in overtime," Turley said. "I was a lot happier for that takedown than for my own or any other one during that match, just because it solidified the win. I've been a part of a few heartbreakers here. I've caused a few heartbreakers, and, you know, to finally get one under our belt feels really good."
RU gets another crack at a top-10 win this weekend in Minneapolis. Like Rutgers, all 10 of No. 8 Minnesota's starters are ranked heading into Sunday's matchup at Maturi Pavilion (1 p.m. ET, BTN). UM is 7-1 this the season, with its only loss coming at No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln.
Minnesota will be the fifth top-10 opponent for the Scarlet Knights this season, and Goodale believes his guys have done a great job of moving on to the next challenge on the schedule.
"I think we did a great job of moving forward," Goodale said. "After losing a tough one to Ohio State, we had a great week of preparation for Wisconsin. After losing to Penn State, we had a great day of preparation for Illinois. We've done a good job this week ahead of Minnesota. I actually think this may be, other than Penn State, the toughest team we're going to wrestle. We have to be ready."
The Gophers' lineup includes six individuals ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes, highlighted by two-time NCAA champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson at heavyweight.
Steveson represents another challenge for Slavikouski in a season that has been full of them. The 2024 NCAA All-American has already wrestled six ranked opponents during the 2024-25 campaign, including four within the top 10 – No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State), No. 4 Isaac Trumble (NC State), No. 7 Nick Feldman (Ohio State) and No. 10 Luffman.
Sunday's hero helped Rutgers to one of its biggest dual wins in recent memory. While the celebration is something Slavikouski will take with him the rest of his life, he knows there are other goals his team is looking to accomplish.
"Yeah, we had a day to recover and to celebrate that day and that's now in the past, now we need to move on," Slavikouski said. "We have a big duel coming up, more duals on the schedule and then Big Tens and NCAAs. There's a lot more wrestling to come and that's what we're focused on right now."
| Projected Lineups |
125: 10/12 Dean Peterson (16-3) -OR- Ayden Smith (4-4)
133: 9/9 Dylan Shawver (14-5)
141: 13/15 Joseph Olivieri (13-4) -OR- Joe Fongaro (4-4)
149: 20/26 Andrew Clark (17-8)
157: 30/26 Conner Harer (13-6)
165: 25/28 Anthony White (12-7) -OR- Andrew Barbosa (5-3)
174: 21/20 Jackson Turley (13-6)
184: 18/17 Shane Cartagena-Walsh (17-7)
197: 17/17 John Poznanski (11-6) -OR- PJ Casale (7-8)
HWT: 8/8 Yaraslau Slavikouski (13-4) -OR- John O'Donnell (7-3)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
No. 8 Minnesota (7-1, 3-1)
125: 9/7 Cooper Flynn (11-2) -OR- Brandon Morvari (4-4)
133: 18/13 Tyler Wells (9-2) -OR- Blake Beissel (6-6)
141: 8/8 Vance VomBaur (17-2)
149: 25/24 Drew Roberts (9-3) -OR- Theo Cha (5-7)
157: 8/9 Tommy Askey (17-2) -OR- Charlie Millard (11-1)
165: 11/15 Andrew Sparks (16-4) -OR- Tim Stapleton (3-7)
174: 25/24 Clayton Whiting (12-6)
184: 4/4 Max McEnelly (14-0)
197: 9/10 Isaiah Salazar (13-3)
285: 1/1 Gable Steveson (7-0)
Rankings Intermat/Flo
| Last Time Out |
- Rutgers delivered a thrilling 16-15 win over No. 10 Illinois on Sunday in front of 3,385 fans at Jersey Mike's Arena. Down 15-12 ahead of the day's final bout, No. 7 Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) worked a 4-1 win in sudden victory over No. 10 Luke Luffman to lock up the top-10 dual win thanks to Criteria C, total match points, where the Scarlet Knights held a 38-34 advantage.
- Slavikouski, No. 14 Joseph Olivieri (141), No. 19 Dean Peterson (125), No. 22 Jackson Turley (174) and No. 31 Conner Harer (157) all worked decisions against the Illini. Eight of the dual's 10 bouts were decided by four points or less, with four of RU's five wins coming against ranked individuals.
- Rutgers also wrestled No. 1 Penn State last Friday in Piscataway, losing to the Nittany Lions, 35-3. Peterson picked off then- No. 6 Luke Lilledahl to highlight action for the Scarlet Knights against PSU.
| Quote of the Week |
| In the Rankings |
- Rutgers moved up to No. 12 this week, the program's highest ranking since January 4, 2022. The Scarlet Knights are one of 10 Big Ten programs ranked by the coaches this week, joining No. 1 Penn State, No. 2 Iowa, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 Nebraska, No. 8 Minnesota, No. 14 Illinois, No. 19 Michigan, No. 23 Indiana and No. 25 Maryland.
- Eleven individuals appear in at least one poll this week. No. 8 Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT), No. 9 Dylan Shawver (133) and No. 10 Dean Peterson (125) are all ranked within the top 10 of their respective weights by Intermat. Seven Scarlet Knights appear in Intermat's top 20.
| Wrestler | Intermat | FloWrestling | The Open Mat | AWN | WIN |
| Dean Peterson (125) | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Dylan Shawver (133) | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Joseph Olivieri (141) | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
| Andrew Clark (149) | 20 | 26 | 20 | NR | NR |
| Conner Harer (157) | 30 | 26 | NR | NR | 19 |
| Anthony White (165) | 25 | 28 | NR | NR | NR |
| Jackson Turley (174) | 21 | 20 | NR | NR | 18 |
| Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184) | 18 | 17 | 18 | 14 | NR |
| Brian Soldano (184) | NR | NR | NR | NR | 16 |
| John Poznanski (197) | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Other Notables |
- Peterson was named Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, announced Thursday by the conference office. Peterson went 2-0 in Big Ten duals over the weekend, which included a win over previously undefeated Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) to move to 16-3 on the season.
- Slavikouski enters the weekend with 99 career collegiate victories. The 2024 All-American produced 64 career wins at Harvard and owns 35 wins at Rutgers.
- Peterson and John Poznanski (197) rank within the top 10 nationally in tech falls with seven apiece.
- Despite not wrestling since the Midlands Championships, Brian Soldano (184) is second in the country with 12 falls this season, totaling 38:59 of time.
| Against Minnesota |
- Minnesota leads the all-time series with Rutgers, 6-0. All six matchups have occurred in Big Ten Conference action.
- The Scarlet Knights lost to the Gophers, 20-12, last season at Jersey Mike's Arena. RU won four bouts against UM, including ranked wins from current student-athletes Dean Peterson, Yaraslau Slavikouski and Jackson Turley.
- This will be Rutgers' first visit to Maturi Pavilion since Jan. 6, 2019 – a 22-15 loss.
| Up Next |
- Rutgers remains on the road to face No. 25 Maryland on Friday, Feb. 7 in College Park. The dual is set for a 7:30 p.m. start on Big Ten Plus.
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