4 JACKS REMAIN AFTER DAY 1 OF NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, March 19

Cleveland, Ohio

11 a.m.

South Dakota State University

NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships - Day 1

Photo by: Justin Hoch

3/19/2026 9:50:00 PM | Wrestling

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Four Jackrabbits moved on to Day 2 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday.

Brady Roark started off his very first tournament with a tough test ahead of him, a rematch with the 6-seed Jore Volk. Roark battled but it proved to be not enough as Volk took the rematch between the pair, 8-2. But Roark was able to get his name in the win column later in the day during Session 2. In his match against Davis Motyka of Penn, Roark scored two takedowns in the first and third periods before sealing the major decision with a near fall. He will face reigning National Champ 12-seed Vincent Robinson of North Carolina State, tomorrow.

Julian Tagg ended his Jackrabbit career on Thursday, dropping both of his matches, first by major decision to 13-seed Wyatt Henson of Lock Haven and then to 29-seed Jordan Titus of West Virginia.

Cael Swensen returned to the NCAA Tournament after missing last year with an injury. He faced 17-seed Luke Mechler in his opening round match. The pair fought back and forth but Mechler ultimately took the match thanks to the ride time point. But Swensen wasn't out quite yet as he took the fight to 33-seed Yanni Charles of Morgan State. Swensen was shot out of a cannon in the first, racking up two takedowns before riding out his opponent in the second. He secured the major, scoring a last second takedown and moving on to the next round. He will face 15-seed Cam Catrabone from Michigan tomorrow morning.

Moses Espinoza-Owens faced 19-seed Logan Messer from George Mason in his opening round match at his first NCAA Tournament. Espinoza-Owens struck first with a takedown in the first but Messer was able to battle back and force the match into overtime. In overtime, Messer got the jump on Espinoza-Owens, scoring a takedown and sending him to the wrestlebacks. Espinoza-Owens got back on track in his match against 30-seed Riley Davis of Wyoming. After scoring a takedown in the third, he continued adding on, scoring a late takedown to secure the decision. He will face 20-seed Daschle Lamer of Oregon State tomorrow.

Bennett Berge was the only Jackrabbit to win his opening round match, in a bloody affair between him and Wyatt Ingham. Berge came out on top, scoring a pair of takedowns and securing a 8-5 decision. But Berge's topside run was halted by Colton Hawks in the Round of 16, as Hawks scored the decisive takedown in the second and held on for the rest of the match, forcing Berge to the wrestlebacks. He will take on 14-seed Gabe Sollars of Indiana.

After stealing an allocation at the Big 12 Tournament, Luke Rasmussen had a tough road ahead at the NCAA Tournament, starting with 4-seed AJ Ferrari. Rasmussen held off Ferrari for a while but couldn't get to his offense, as Ferrari secured a tech fall, 17-2. In his wrestleback, he faced off with Navy's 13-seed Spencer Lanosga. Lanosga caught Rasmussen in the first with a takedown and a four-point near fall, and it ended up being the deciding factor as Rasmussen hit a near fall too late. Lanosga ended Rasmussen's tournament with a 9-5 decision.
RESULTS:
125: #27 Brady Roark
Round of 32: Decision loss to #6 Jore Volk (MINN), 8-2
Cons. Rd. 1: MD over #22 Davis Motyka (Penn), 13-4
    Session 3 match vs. #12 Vince Robinson (NCST)

141: #20 Julian Tagg
Round of 32: MD loss to #13 Wyatt Henson (LH), 11-2
Cons. Rd. 1: Decision loss to #29 Jordan Titus (WVU), 9-4
    Eliminated

157: #16 Cael Swensen
Round of 32: Decision loss to #17 Luke Mechler (WIS), 2-1
Cons. Rd. 1: MD over #33 Yanni Charles (Morgan St.), 12-4
    Session 3 Match vs. #15 Cam Catrabone (Michigan)

174: #14 Moses Espinoza-Owens
Round of 32: SV-1 loss to #19 Logan Messer (GMU), 6-3
Cons. Rd. 1: Decision over #30 Riley Davis (WYO), 7-2
    Session 3 Match vs. #20 Daschle Lamer (Oregon St.)

197: #13 Bennett Berge
Round of 32: Decision over #20 Wyatt Ingham (WIS), 8-5
Champs Rd. of 16: Decision loss to #29 Colton Hawks (ASU), 5-1
    Session 3 Match vs. Gabe Sollars (IU)

285: #29 Luke Rasmussen
Round of 32: TF loss to #4 AJ Ferrari (NEB), 17-2
Cons. Rd. 1: Decision loss to #13 Spencer Lanosga (Navy), 9-5
    Eliminated

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