Three UNI Panthers will be wrestling for the 2016 MAC Championshp in Sunday’s title matches, and two have a shot at third place. UNI wrestling sits in third place in the team standings after the first day of competition.

Dylan Peters and Bryce Steiert have secured spots at the NCAA tournament. Blaize Cabell will need to win to earn an automatic bid.

In championships:
No. 5 Dylan Peters – 125 pounds
No. 21 Bryce Steiert – 157 pounds
No. 15 Blaize Cabell – heavyweight

In consolations (secured a top-six finish):
No. 32 Trevor Jauch – 141 pounds
No. 17 Cooper Moore – 165 pounds
Drew Foster – 184 pounds

Peters secured his third trip to the NCAA tournament by advancing to the finals of the MAC. He is on a six-match win streak after pinning Kent State’s Del Vinas and earning a decision over Ohio’s No. 26 Shakur Laney of Ohio. Peters now has 34 career falls and is sixth among all Panthers for the most pins. Peters is looking for his second MAC title. He was second last year and won in 2014 as a redshirt freshman. He would join Moore and former Panther Joey Lazor as the only Panthers with two MAC titles.

Steiert will be UNI’s first true freshman at the NCAA tournament since former All-American Tony Wieland in 1996. He notched his first top-10 win and his fourth top-20 win with a 6-3 decision over No. 10 Luke Smith of Central Michigan. He also blanked Andrew Morse of Northern Illinois to earn an 11-0 major decision.

Cabell also finished with a major decision, beating Newton Smerchek of Central Michigan, 15-6. He started the day with a decision over Missouri’s Cody Johnson.

CONSOLATIONS:
Moore was unable to defend his crown at 165 pounds. He was the just the second Panther to earn consecutive MAC titles. He beat Shaun’Qae McMurty early in the day, but was knocked into consolations by Dakota Juarez.

Jauch lost his first-round match to Central Michigan’s No. 15 Zach Horan, who was seeded fourth. However, he was able to wrestle back to stay alive for a third-place finish with a decision over Buffalo’s Brandon Lapi.

After a tough first-round loss, Foster battled his way back in the 184-pound weight class. He faces the top seed next for a shot at third place.

KNOCKED OUT:
No. 12 Josh Alber’s first MAC tournament was cut short with losses to No. 25 Corey Keener of Central Michigan and No. 8 Mack McGuire of Kent State. Alber finished the season with a No. 9 RPI in the 133-pound weight class.

The weight class had a shakeup in the bracket with the loss of Emilio Saavedra of Old Dominion. Saavedra failed to make weight, which meant the MAC lost one of its allocated spots at 133 pounds. Saavedra was No. 13 in RPI.

After stepping into the 149-pound spot in UNI’s lineup after two years of not competing, Adam Perrin came out to earn bonus points for the Panthers with a fall in the preliminary matches. However, he lost his next two matches to exit the tournament after the first day.

Kyle Lux also earned bonus points to push the Panthers into the lead after preliminary matches, but went out with a 1-2 record on the day.

At 197 pounds, Cody Krumwiede started out with a 7-0 win before falling to Missouri’s No. 2 J’Den Cox and No. 20 Shawn Scott of Northern Illinois.

RESULTS:
125 – No. 5 Dylan Peters
Peters pinned Del Vinas (Kent State), 5:27
Peters dec. Shakur Laney (Ohio), 9-5
UP NEXT: No. 10 Barlow McGhee (Missouri)

133 – No. 12 Josh Alber - DNP
No. 25 Corey Keener (Central Michigan), 3-2
No. 8 Mack McGuire (Kent State) pinned Alber, 4:12

141 – No. 32 Trevor Jauch
No. 15 Zach Horan (Central Michigan), 3-2
Jauch dec. Brandon Lapi (Buffalo), 2-1
UP NEXT: No. 14 Steve Bleise (Northern Illinois)

149 – Adam Perrin - DNP
Perrin pinned Cullen Cummings (Ohio), 1:55
No. 4 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) maj. dec. Perrin, 15-5
Nick Barber (Eastern Michigan) maj. dec. Perrin, 12-2

157 – No. 21 Bryce Steiert
Steiert maj. dec. Andrew Morse (Northern Illinois), 11-0
Steiert dec. No. 10 Luke Smith (Central Michigan), 6-3
UP NEXT: 29 Le’Roy Barnes (Missouri)

165 – No. 17 Cooper Moore
Moore dec. Shaun McMurty (Northern Illinois), 13-6
Dakota Juarez (Eastern Michigan) dec. Moore, 4-3
UP NEXT: Colin Heffernan (Central Michigan)

174 – Kyle Lux - DNP
Lux maj. dec. Jared Swan (Old Dominion), 11-2
No. 11 Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) dec. Lux, 3-2
No. 32 Jacob Davis (Eastern Michigan) dec. Lux, 8-3

184 – Drew Foster
No. 15 Jack Dechow (Old Dominion) dec. Foster, 3-2
Foster dec. Quinton Rosser (Northern Illinois), 7-2
Foster dec. Derek Hillman (Eastern Michigan), 8-4
UP NEXT: No. 9 Willie Miklus (Missouri)

197 – Cody Krumwiede - DNP
Krumwiede dec. Terrell Forbes (Old Dominion), 7-0
No. 2 J’Den Cox (Missouri) pinned Krumwiede, 0:39
No. 20 Shawn Scott (Northern Illinois) dec. Krumwiede, 5-2

285 – No. 15 Blaize Cabell
Cabell dec. Cody Johnson (Missouri), 10-6
Cabell maj. dec. Newton Smerchek (Central Michigan), 15-6
UP NEXT: Jake Gunning (Buffalo)

TEAM SCORES:
1. Missouri 103.5
2. Central Michigan 76.0
3. Northern Iowa 60.0
4. Ohio 52.5
5. Kent State 49.0
6. Buffalo 44.5
7. Northern Illinois 40.5
8. Eastern Michigan 40.0
9. Old Dominion 35.0

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