UNC Wrestling 2025-2026
- Thread starter 81Heel/M1
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Damn, Carrigan was in on a leg - thought he had a shot there. Gutsy match from him.
In summary we lost 1 match we were seeded to win. If everyone wrestles well that doesn’t cost us much. Need to win matches in the next round. Root gets the next match, wrestling against the #32 seed.
Was a really tough draw for Simcox. That guy Wells has a final 12 and final 16 finish in prior tournaments.
Great job by Hepner. Carrigan really almost had it. Finally, I watched the Terukina match…frustrating that his opponent converted literally his only takedown attempt but Terukina was like 0 for 4 on good shots, including two where he ran out of time.
Hoping for some wins tonight.
Great job by Hepner. Carrigan really almost had it. Finally, I watched the Terukina match…frustrating that his opponent converted literally his only takedown attempt but Terukina was like 0 for 4 on good shots, including two where he ran out of time.
Hoping for some wins tonight.
Root lost 4-7, and is eliminated. He scored the half team point he was expected to score by seed. Always good to participate as a freshman.
Sorry not participating here. I have had multiple TVs going trying to keep up with everything. Nice work by our guys this session.
So after the first session we were in a 17 way tie for 33rd place with 1 point, I believe. After the evening session we are in a 5 way tie for 30th place with 4 points. We are basically wrestling to seed, except for Simcox losing in the first round and Hepner knocking off the #8 seed. Simcox’s loss cost us a half point that could have put us in a 2 way tie for 29th place. That said, Hepner’ win in the #8 vs #9 match scored an extra point. So what is the path forward?
Hepner needs to win 1 more match to reach AA status. His first match tomorrow will be against the #1 seed, Mesenbrink from PSU. Obviously this is a tough ask, but pull it off and he is automatically finishing top 6 in the weight. Lose, and he goes to the blood round. Win that first consolation match, and he is top 8 and an AA. The top seed competing to meet him in this slot is #11 Downey from UNI. He has already
The other 3 still in have to win 3 matches to make AA/top 8. For Terukina that likely requires beating the #13 seed, and then the #12 seed (Robinson from state) to get to the blood round. There he would have to beat a quarter final loser to make AA. Simcox has a similar path needing to beat the #11 and #14 seed to get a match against the quarter final loser for AA status. Dailey likely has to beat a #16 and then a #9 seed to wrestle against the quarter final loser for AA status.
There are no easy paths to AA, but they only have to string together 3 wins (1 for Hepner). You never know what can/will happen in the ncaa.
Hepner needs to win 1 more match to reach AA status. His first match tomorrow will be against the #1 seed, Mesenbrink from PSU. Obviously this is a tough ask, but pull it off and he is automatically finishing top 6 in the weight. Lose, and he goes to the blood round. Win that first consolation match, and he is top 8 and an AA. The top seed competing to meet him in this slot is #11 Downey from UNI. He has already
The other 3 still in have to win 3 matches to make AA/top 8. For Terukina that likely requires beating the #13 seed, and then the #12 seed (Robinson from state) to get to the blood round. There he would have to beat a quarter final loser to make AA. Simcox has a similar path needing to beat the #11 and #14 seed to get a match against the quarter final loser for AA status. Dailey likely has to beat a #16 and then a #9 seed to wrestle against the quarter final loser for AA status.
There are no easy paths to AA, but they only have to string together 3 wins (1 for Hepner). You never know what can/will happen in the ncaa.
As always, the matches on Day 2 are always super-tough, so we should be prepared for some disappointment and hope for outperformance. Terukina has a very tough consi match with Stevo Poulin from Iowa St who is the 13 seed but is battle-tested and has been a top 8 type of guy in the past. If he wins that he likely gets Vincent Robinson from State.
Simcox will be the underdog in any match from now on but has a decent path with Composto from Penn (11-seed) and then likely Braeden Davis from Penn State (14-seed).
Hepner wrestles Messenbrink in the quarters who is a Hodge Trophy candidate. Assuming he loses, likely gets Ryder Downey from Northern Iowa, who is extremely good, but who Hepner beat 7-4 earlier this year.
Dailey has Rogers from Lehigh (16-seed) and then likely C. Moore from Illinois (9-seed). Don't know much about either of those guys.
One more thing, ACC only has 8 in the Quarters which I think is lower than recent years. 2 from Va Tech (Ventresca, Seidel), 2 from State (Denny, Trumble), 3 from Stanford, and 1 from UNC (Hepner). Pitt and UVa shut out of the quarters.
Simcox will be the underdog in any match from now on but has a decent path with Composto from Penn (11-seed) and then likely Braeden Davis from Penn State (14-seed).
Hepner wrestles Messenbrink in the quarters who is a Hodge Trophy candidate. Assuming he loses, likely gets Ryder Downey from Northern Iowa, who is extremely good, but who Hepner beat 7-4 earlier this year.
Dailey has Rogers from Lehigh (16-seed) and then likely C. Moore from Illinois (9-seed). Don't know much about either of those guys.
One more thing, ACC only has 8 in the Quarters which I think is lower than recent years. 2 from Va Tech (Ventresca, Seidel), 2 from State (Denny, Trumble), 3 from Stanford, and 1 from UNC (Hepner). Pitt and UVa shut out of the quarters.
I saw the potential matchup between Terukina and Robinson when I was looking at the brackets this morning, will obviously be a tough match if he gets there, I do wonder about Robinson's mindset having to wrestle through the consolation bracket after winning it all last year, could be a factor
Terukina just lost 7-2. He had some chances, but Poulin got the first takedown right away, then the second one in the second period off a Kyson single-leg, scramble. Some good shots by Terukina in the 3rd but no dice.
In other 125 news, Moran who Kyson had a really close match in the first round, just got to the semi-finals. And Spencer Moore lost his consi match to end his season. Terukina for Moore, as we've been saying, was literally a one-for-one swap in terms of performance, ceiling.
ETA: Also, Ventresca lost in the quarters to 10-seed McGowan from Princeton.
Seidel tech'd Larkin from ASU in the 133 quarters. He's matched up with Jax Forrest, freshman 1 seed from Ok St, which should be an amazing Semi tonight.
I may not be able to do many more updates today, as life calls.
In other 125 news, Moran who Kyson had a really close match in the first round, just got to the semi-finals. And Spencer Moore lost his consi match to end his season. Terukina for Moore, as we've been saying, was literally a one-for-one swap in terms of performance, ceiling.
ETA: Also, Ventresca lost in the quarters to 10-seed McGowan from Princeton.
Seidel tech'd Larkin from ASU in the 133 quarters. He's matched up with Jax Forrest, freshman 1 seed from Ok St, which should be an amazing Semi tonight.
I may not be able to do many more updates today, as life calls.
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Been stuck at work again today, but I just caught Hepner's match, he lost 6-0 but it was an incredible match. The guy he was up against was probably the biggest favorite at any weight to win the title and has gotten bonus point wins versus literally everyone (apparently this was his first match he did not get bonus points all season), the announcers and guys on a national board were all shocked at the fact that Hepner didn't give up a takedown and kept it to a decision. Anyone know how any of our guys have done today in consolation matches today other than Terukina losing?
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Agree. Really strong performance by Hepner to keep it close. He almost has a takedown in the 1st period.
Simcox match was frustrating. He gave up two weak takedowns in the 1st period. First was a very weak shot / fake shot where he got caught on a re-attack. Second was a more assertive shot where Composto just slipped it and came around to get the takedown. So he was down 6-1. Simcox Got a reversal early in the second and rode out Composto. Sort of almost got a turn but not really. So riding time was basically even into the 3rd. But Simcox was a bit gassed.
Composto chose bottom but Simcox chose to just let him up. Tried hard to get the takedown in the 3rd but didn’t really come close.
Simcox is really good and I chalk up a bad first period to inexperience. He will be back.
Simcox match was frustrating. He gave up two weak takedowns in the 1st period. First was a very weak shot / fake shot where he got caught on a re-attack. Second was a more assertive shot where Composto just slipped it and came around to get the takedown. So he was down 6-1. Simcox Got a reversal early in the second and rode out Composto. Sort of almost got a turn but not really. So riding time was basically even into the 3rd. But Simcox was a bit gassed.
Composto chose bottom but Simcox chose to just let him up. Tried hard to get the takedown in the 3rd but didn’t really come close.
Simcox is really good and I chalk up a bad first period to inexperience. He will be back.
So looks like we are down to just Hepner tonight, he is going against #11 Downey from UNI who has gotten a tech the last two matches, he was knocked out of the championship bracket by Parco from Stanford. This is the blood round so a win here secures AA. This was obviously not the year we hoped for with all the injuries, and was even without that going to be a kind of rebuilding year with a youth movement, but it would be nice to at least get an AA this year.
Just got a chance to watch some of the matches. Hepner wrestled well against a really good wrestler, but none of you commented on the injury time he took in the first period. In addition to our trainer coming out to check on him, at least 3 other medical types came out to check on him. Then the ems crew came with the ambulance stretcher, and 1 had a collar ready to put on him before he go up, shook it off, and went on with the match. Hope he is okay to wrestle tonight (He finished the match so you have to assume he is okay). Would also love to know what the conversation was at the end of the match. Dailey was up 4-2 with 45 seconds to go, and gave up 7 points in the last 30 seconds or so. Freshman mistake.
The team score no points that round, and dropped to a 3 way tie for 39th place. Basically we are right where we were seeded to be, except that Simcox was eliminated a little early. Simcox lost his first match, and had a more difficult path because of that loss. Hepner won the key match as the 9th seed over the 8 seed. It was a really minor upset, but it made his path to potential AA easier in spite of having to wrestle Mesenbrink.
Looking at our transfers, Terukina and Moore lost in the same round. All year they have seemed like they were pretty much an equal trade. While Hepner has done well, and could possibly end up placing as high as McNeil, Lachlan is in the semis after a 3rd period pin of the #3 seed. He had a little bit of an off year and came into the tournament seeded #11, but he is now guaranteed to finish top 6 once again. For those that care, Ferrari is also in the semis at heavyweigh. McNeil has the #11 seed Valencia from Stanford tonight, while Ferrari has the #1 seed Bastida from ISU.
With everyone else out, ou fate rest with Hepner. If he can win his blood round match tonight it’s worth at least 3.5 team points
The team score no points that round, and dropped to a 3 way tie for 39th place. Basically we are right where we were seeded to be, except that Simcox was eliminated a little early. Simcox lost his first match, and had a more difficult path because of that loss. Hepner won the key match as the 9th seed over the 8 seed. It was a really minor upset, but it made his path to potential AA easier in spite of having to wrestle Mesenbrink.
Looking at our transfers, Terukina and Moore lost in the same round. All year they have seemed like they were pretty much an equal trade. While Hepner has done well, and could possibly end up placing as high as McNeil, Lachlan is in the semis after a 3rd period pin of the #3 seed. He had a little bit of an off year and came into the tournament seeded #11, but he is now guaranteed to finish top 6 once again. For those that care, Ferrari is also in the semis at heavyweigh. McNeil has the #11 seed Valencia from Stanford tonight, while Ferrari has the #1 seed Bastida from ISU.
With everyone else out, ou fate rest with Hepner. If he can win his blood round match tonight it’s worth at least 3.5 team points
Wow! Hepner got 1 swipe 3-4 times but somehow never got a full takedown. Thankfully the other guy elected to go neutral and Hepner wins 1-0 after a very intense scramble to finish where he looked to be in some trouble. All-American!
Hepner just got a hard fought 1-0 win and secured his spot as an All-American this year
So happy for him. What a hard fought and well earned AA. And after that first period scare against Mesenbrink too. Dude has left it all out there today.
Important note, Hepner transferred in from Ohio State where he never finished as an All-American, and in one season here improved to the point of making All-American, so clearly we have better development that Ohio State. At least that is how I am taking this result, and how I would sell it to recruits.