EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team won the title at the 8-Man Battles on Saturday at the McPhee Center, securing the tournament crown for the fifth straight season. The third-ranked Blugolds had 11 wrestlers win their respective brackets to coast to the tournament title.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the Gold Division, the Blugolds had champions in six of the 10 weight classes.
- In the Gold brackets, Royce Butt (Fr. – DeWitt, Iowa/Central DeWitt) placed first at 141 pounds, Ty Fink (Fr. – Baldwin, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville) prevailed at 149, Landon Church (So. – Jordan, Minn./Scott West) won at 157, Jared Stricker (Sr. – High Bridge, Wis./Ashland) took first at 174, Zak McPhee (Fr. – Duluth, Minn./Proctor) won at 184 and Sloan Welch (So. – Arpin, Wis./Auburndale) took first at 285. Each wrestler won three matches to clinch the title.
- UW-Eau Claire had five bracket champions in the Flights Division.
- Drake Gosda (Fr. – Mauston, Wis.) took first at 133, Finn Bloomquist (Fr. – Prior Lake, Minn.) won at 149, Jacob Bruner (So. – Pewaukee, Wis.) prevailed at 157, Jan Hernandez-Soto (Sr. – Minneapolis, Minn./Patrick Henry) triumphed at 174 and Ryder Depies (So. – Merrill, Wis.) won at 197.
- The Blugolds tallied 162.5 team points, finishing well ahead of runner-up Concordia-Moorhead at 104.5.
UP NEXT
The Blugolds will compete in the MSOE Invitational in Milwaukee on Saturday, December 7. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. at the Kern Center.
