EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team hosted the 71^st Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday at the McPhee Gymnasium. The Blugolds captured three individual champions, Wyatt Unser, Zak McPhee, and Sloan Welch earned first place in their respective brackets. In addition to the three individual champions, the Blugolds placed nine individuals in the top 3 of their brackets to help win the conference championship outright for the first time in program history.
 
Wyatt Unser took first in the 133-weight class with two tech falls and a pin. After defeating UW-Whitewater's Tyler Tiangco by a 18-5 tech fall in the quarterfinals, Unser earned his spot in the finals with a 5:27 pin against UW-Oshkosh's Ryan Hanson. In the finals, Unser defeated UW-La Crosse's Wyatt Magolski by a 24-14 tech fall to earn his first WIAC Championship.
 
Zak McPhee won the 184 division after going perfectly 3-0 on the day. A pair of pins in the quarters and semis against Whitewater's RJ Samuels and Platteville's Cal Ries, earned McPhee a spot in the finals. In the championship, Zak McPhee defeated La Crosse's Robert Flege by a 6-1 decision to earn his first WIAC Championship.
 
Sloan Welch got his first WIAC Championship after being the runner-up two years prior. A shutout 3-0 decision win over Whitewater's Jordan Lewis advanced Welch to the semifinals. In the semis, Welch beast La Crosse's Henry Vander Heiden by a 7-2 decision to earn a third straight appearance in the finals. Sloan Welch wrestled fellow Blugold Cole Matulenko in the finals and took home the victory by 6-5 decision to earn the crown.
 
Izzy Balsiger took second in the 125 bracket with two wins by tech fall, but a 7-3 decision loss in the finals. Ty Fink was the runner-up in the 141 division after two decision wins, but a fall by pin in the finals. Landon Church was a first time second place finisher after two pins and one victory by decision at 149. Church fell in the final by a close 8-6 decision. Ian Pepple took second in the 197-weight class after earning two pins but fell in the finals by a 14-0 major decision.
 
Calvin Singlewald earned a third-place finish after going 2-1 on the day, including a 7-6 decision win over Whitewater's Jordan Rasof in the consolation finals. Finn Bloomquist was the third-place finisher in the 149-weight class with four wins and one loss on the day. Bloomquist defeated Oshkosh's Jacob Ward in the consolation finals by injury default. Briar Ivey also took third with a 4-1 record on the day. Ivey won the third-place match at 157 with a pin over La Crosse's Kolt Knaack. Lastly, Jon Harvey earned a third-place finish in the 165 division going 4-1 on the day. Harvey climbed his way back through the wrestle backs and won the consolation final by a 7-2 decision over Whitewater's Cal Kirchner.
 
Zak McPhee earned the John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet after clinching the title for the Blugolds. It is the third straight year Eau Claire has had a wrestler of the meet at the WIAC Championships after Ian Pepple won it in 2025 and Connor Collins won it in 2024. The UW-Eau Claire coaching staff earned the Mertz Motorelli Coaches/Coaching Staff of the Year for their finish in the conference. It is the first time UWEC has earned the honor since the late Don Parker won it during the 1999-00 season.
 
The Blugolds will take the next week off and gear up for the NCAA Division III Region 7 championships on February 27 and 28. UW-Eau Claire will host the regional event with 15 other teams traveling to the Chippewa Valley.

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