Six Wrestlers Advance To Day Two Of NCAAs, McNeil Into Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 20

Philadelphia, Pa.

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North Carolina

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Photo by: AINSLEY FAUTH

Six Wrestlers Advance To Day Two Of NCAAs, McNeil Into Quarterfinals

March 21, 2025 | Wrestling

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Six North Carolina wrestlers advanced through day one of the 2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.

Lachlan McNeil (149) will wrestle tomorrow morning in the quarterfinals, as Spencer Moore (125), Ethan Oakley (133), Jayden Scott (141), Joshua Ogunsanya (174) and Gavin Kane (184) will take the mat in the consolation bracket.

At 125 pounds in his first NCAA tournament, Moore collected the 2-0 decision in the opening match, via an escape and riding time point. In the round of 16, the Kentucky native fell to ACC foe Eddie Ventresca, 6-3.

Appearing in his third national tournament, his first at Carolina, Oakley would bounce back from an opening round defeat with a 15-11 decision in the consolation bracket, advancing to day two.

Scott would respond in his first consolation bracket matchup with 13^th-ranked Todd Carter, earning the 5-4 victory.

At 157 pounds, Santiago would drop both his matches in the tournament, a 7-0 verdict to eighth-ranked Joey Blaze and a 4-1 SV decision to Pitt's Dylan Evans.

Ogunsanya, the Tar Heel 174-pounder, collected an overtime takedown to clip 12^th-ranked Myles Takats in the opening round, 4-1. In the round of 16, Ogunsanya would fall to No. 5 Simon Ruiz of Cornell by decision, 4-2.

Kane, a 2023 All-America, responded in the consolation bracket with a 9-1 major decision, punching his ticket to the second day.

Rounding out the day at 285 pounds, Neves would fall to No. 9 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) and No. 25 Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State).

2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
March 20, 2025 | Wells Fargo Center | Philadelphia, Pa.

Session One (Afternoon)
Championship Round One
125: No. 14 Moore (UNC) over No. 19 Cooper Flynn (Minnesota): 2-0 Dec
133: No. 21 Angelo Rini (Indiana) over No. 12 Oakley (UNC): 7-1 Dec
141: No. 4 Josh Koderhandt (Navy) over No. 29 Scott (UNC): 4-1 SV Dec
149: No. 6 McNeil (UNC) over No. 27 Kaden Cassidy (George Mason): 10-0 MD
157: No. 8 Joey Blaze (Purdue) over No. 25 Santiago (UNC): 7-0 Dec
174: No. 21 Ogunsanya (UNC) over No. 12 Myles Takats (Bucknell): 4-1 SV Dec
184: No. 16 Shane Cartagena-Walsh (Rutgers) over No. 17 Kane (UNC): 11-3 MD
285: No. 9 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) over No. 24 Neves (UNC): 8-0 MD

Session Two (Evening)
Championship Round Two
125: No. 3 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) over No. 14 Moore (UNC): 6-3 Dec
149: No. 6 McNeil (UNC) over No. 11 Sammy Alvarez (Rider): 4-2 Dec
174: No. 5 Simon Ruiz (Cornell) over No. 21 Ogunsanya (UNC): 4-2 Dec

Consolation Round One
133: No. 12 Oakley (UNC) over No. 28 Colton Camacho (Edinboro): 15-11 Dec
141: No. 29 Scott (UNC) over No. 13 Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb): 5-4 Dec
157: No. 24 Dylan Evans (Pitt) over No. 25 Santiago (UNC): 4-1 SV Dec
184: No. 17 Kane (UNC) over No. 32 Caden Rogers (Lehigh): 9-1 MD
285: No. 25 Luke Rasmussen (South Dakota State) over No. 24 Neves (UNC): 10-6 Dec