WHEATON, Ill. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team sits atop the team standings after the first day of action at the Pete Willson Wheaton Invitational. The sixth-ranked Blugolds have four wrestlers in the semifinals of their respective weight classes heading into the final day of the oldest and largest small-college wrestling tournament in the country.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Blugolds tallied 97 team points on the first day of action. They hold a slight lead over second-place UW-Whitewater, which sits at 94 points. There are 30 teams in action at the tournament, with each squad only permitted one entry per weight class.
• Izzy Balsiger (Jr. - Chippewa Falls, Wis.), Zach Sato (Sr. - Oswego, Ill.), Jared Stricker (Sr. - High Bridge, Wis./Ashland) and Niall Schoenfelder (Sr. - Antioch, Ill.) are all in contention for tournament titles after advancing to the semifinals on Friday.
• Sixth-ranked Balsiger won two matches at 125 pounds, first by fall and then 8-3 decision in the quarterfinals. He will face ninth-ranked Isaic Paulino of Roanoke in Saturday's semifinals. Balsiger defeated Paulino by decision earlier this season at the Budd Whitehill National Duals.
• Sato booked his spot in the 149-pound semis with three wins. He won his opener by technical fall, his second match by fall and his quarterfinal by technical fall. He will face Dalton Monger of Messiah in the semifinals on Saturday.
• Top-ranked Stricker won all three of his matches by pin at 174 pounds to advance to the semifinals. The two-time defending champion will continue his quest for a third Wheaton title when he takes on UW-Whitewater's Ryan Riser in the semifinals.
• Schoenfelder moved into the semis with two technical falls and a decision victory on Friday. He will face Messiah's Ryder Slayton in Saturday's semifinals.
• Of the six Blugolds knocked out of the championship brackets, four are still alive in the consolation brackets entering Saturday. Calvin Singewald (Fr. - Cannon Falls, Wis.) at 133 pounds, Finn Bloomquist (Fr. - Prior Lake, Minn.) at 141, Landon Church (So. - Jordan, Minn./Scott West) at 157 and Ian Pepple (So. - Hastings, Minn.) at 197 are all still in contention to get on the podium.

UP NEXT

The tournament concludes on Saturday, February 1. Wrestling begins at 11 a.m.

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