Six Wrestlers Advance To Day Two Of NCAAs, McNeil Into Quarterfinals – University of North Carolina Athletics

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 13th-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 12th-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

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