WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team won the Budd Whitehill National Duals championship for the third consecutive season with a pair of victories over ranked opponents on Saturday. The Blugolds took down No. 19 Ithaca College in the semifinals before defeating No. 9 Roanoke College in the finals.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The fifth-ranked Blugolds (11-1) defeated No. 19 Ithaca 37-6 in the semifinals, and followed with a 31-16 victory over No. 9 Roanoke in the championship dual.
• UW-Eau Claire won all five duals it wrestled at the tournament by 15-plus points.
• The Blugolds reeled off six straight wins to close out the Ithaca dual. They won every match from 157 pounds and up, including three by pin. Preston Carlisle (Jr. - Red Wing, Minn./Cannon Falls), Ian Pepple (Jr. - Hastings, Minn.) and Sloan Welch (So. - Arpin, Wis./Auburndale) all had pins in the semifinal victory. Top-ranked Jared Stricker (Sr. - High Bridge, Wis./Ashland) defeated 12th-ranked Jackson Gray by decision at 174 pounds in the only head-to-head matchup of ranked wrestlers in the dual.
• The championship dual featured eight nationally ranked wrestlers between UW-Eau Claire and Roanoke. No. 6 Izzy Balsiger (Jr. - Chippewa Falls, Wis.) won the only head-to-head ranked matchup, beating No. 10 Isaic Paulino by decision at 125 pounds.
• Carlisle produced a huge result at 165 pounds, knocking off sixth-ranked David Reid by pin in 2:10.
• Stricker tied UW-Eau Claire's all-time pins record with the 64th of his career when he defeated Roanoke's Kyle Lee by fall.
• The Blugolds produced four pins in the championship dual.
• Balsiger (125 pounds), Carlisle (165) and Pepple (197) were all named to the all-tournament team. Carlisle was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

UP NEXT

The Blugolds return to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) action when they visit UW-Stevens Point on Thursday, January 16. Wrestling begins at 7 p.m.

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