ROCHESTER, Minn. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team opened its 2023-24 season at the Yellowjacket Open on Saturday. The Blugolds had 12 placewinners at the tournament, including two second-place finishes.

Travis Moelter (Fr. – River Falls, Wis.) placed second at 125 pounds in his first college tournament. He won three matches — one by fall and two by major decision — to reach the finals, where he fell in a 12-6 decision. Carter Schulz (So. – Rice Lake, Wis.) and Chris Cushman (Fr. – Wabasha, Minn./Wabasha-Kellogg) also wrestled at 125 pounds for the Blugolds, with Schulz placing fifth after winning four consolation matches. Cushman reached the consolation semis before being eliminated.

Landon Church (Fr. – Jordan, Minn./Scott West) also earned a second-place finish in the first meet of his Blugold career. Church won three matches — two by fall, one by major decision — to reach the 149-pound championship. He fell by 8-3 decision in the finals to take second. Tobias Speth (Fr. – Janesville, Wis./Craig) and Blake Heal (Fr. – Hatley, Wis./D.C. Everest) both fell in the consolation bracket at 149, with Heal forfeiting his match.

Sloan Welch (Fr. – Arpin, Wis./Auburndale) earned a fourth-place finish at 285 pounds in his first collegiate tournament. He won two matches to reach the semifinals, and eventually fell 10-6 in the third-place match.

Ryan Goddard (So. – Oswego, Ill.) wrestled at 133 pounds. He ended up in the consolation bracket, where he won his first match before falling.

Jacob Bruner (Fr. – Pewaukee, Wis.) and Max Shibko (Fr. – Wayzata, Minn.) competed at 141 pounds. Both ended up in the consolation bracket, where they dropped their first matches.

Victor Perez-Mesa (So. – Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center) reached the quarterfinals at 157 pounds before dropping into the consolation bracket. He fell in the consolation quarterfinals to just miss out on the podium. Ethan Struck (Fr. – Marengo, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) also wrestled at 157, falling in the consolation bracket.

The Blugolds had four wrestlers competing at 165. Carter Friend (So. – Whitewater, Wis.) and Jon Harvey (So. – Lake City, Minn./Lincoln) both had first-round byes and fell in the second round. Harvey went on to place fifth by winning four matches in the consolation bracket. Tristan Drier (Fr. – Cadott, Wis.) and Patrick Boyle (So. – Libertyville, Ill.) both dropped their opening matches and later fell in consolation action.

UW-Eau Claire's three wrestlers at 174 pounds ended up in the consolation bracket. Preston Carlisle (So. – Red Wing, Minn./Cannon Falls) made it the furthest, reaching the seventh-place match. Ryan Lexvold (Fr. – Mazeppa, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa) narrowly missed out on a placewinner spot, falling in the consolation quarterfinals. Brandon Meister (Fr. – Spooner, Wis.) fell in the first round of consolation wrestling.

Terry Smith (So. – Tacoma, Wash./Curtis) placed fifth at 184 pounds. He fell in the championship quarterfinals, but won three consolation matches. Liam Speich (Fr. – Evansville, Wis.) just missed out on the podium, falling in the consolation semis.

The Blugolds shined at 197 pounds, with three wrestlers reaching the quarterfinals: Ian Pepple (Fr. – Hastings, Minn.), Ryder Depies (Fr. – Merrill, Wis.) and Cole Matulenko (Fr. – Libertyville, Ill.). They all fell in the quarterfinals, but all three placed. Pepple took sixth after defeating Depies in the consolation semis. Depies and Matulenko reached the seventh-place match.

The Blugolds had two wrestlers competing in the open division. Jan Hernandez Soto (Jr. – Minneapolis, Minn./Patrick Henry) placed sixth at 157 pounds by winning his consolation semi by fall, later being defeated in the fifth-place match.

Connor Collins (Sr. – Oshkosh, Wis./Oshkosh West) placed fifth at 184 pounds in the open division. He won his consolation semifinal 11-0 and the fifth-place match in a sudden victory.

The eighth-ranked Blugolds will next be in action on Thursday, Nov. 9. They face 12^th-ranked Stevens in their first dual of the season at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis.