UI Athletics news release
CLEVELAND — University of Iowa wrestler Michael Caliendo (165) advanced to the finals and the Hawkeyes crowned four additional All-Americans during Session IV on Friday night at the 2026 NCAA Championships at Rocket Arena.
Iowa sits fourth in the team standings with 81 points.
Caliendo returned to the NCAA finals for the second consecutive season. The No. 3 seed at 165 pounds, Caliendo avenged a regular season loss to No. 2 seed Joey Blaze of Purdue, winning 8-5 in sudden victory to earn a spot in Saturday night’s championship bout.
The Geneva, Illinois, native will face top-seeded Mitchell Mesenbrink in the finals. The meeting will be the third between the two this season.
At 174 pounds, No. 5 seed Patrick Kennedy dropped his semifinal match. At 184, No. 7 seed Angelo Ferrari was edged by No. 3 seed Max McEnelly of Minnesota, 3-2, in tiebreakers.
Drake Ayala (133), Ryder Block (149), Gabe Arnold (197) and Ben Kueter (285) all won their blood-round matches to secure All-America honors.
Ayala, Block and Kueter advanced by winning their consolation quarterfinals and will wrestle in the consolation semifinals Saturday morning, along with Kennedy and Ferrari. Arnold fell in the consolation quarterfinals and will wrestle for seventh place Saturday morning.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo dec. #2 Joey Blaze (Purdue), 8-5 SV1
174 – #1 Levi Haines (Penn State) tech. fall #5 Patrick Kennedy, 18-3
184 – #3 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) dec. #7 Angelo Ferrari, 3-2 TB1
CONSOLATION R4 RESULTS
125 – #11 Tyler Klinsky (Rider) dec. #8 Dean Peterson, 4-1
133 – #6 Drake Ayala dec. #10 Maximilian Leete (American), 8-3
141 – #13 Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) dec. #7 Nasir Bailey, 6-4
149 – #15 Ryder Block dec. #12 Carter Young (Maryland), 4-1 SV1
197 – #27 Gabe Arnold dec. #15 Remy Cotton (Rutgers), 4-3
285 – #8 Ben Kueter dec. #12 Braxton Amos (Wisconsin), 5-2
CONSOLATION QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
133 – #6 Drake Ayala dec. #7 Lucas Byrd (Illinois), 10-4
149 – #15 Ryder Block dec. #8 Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State), 8-5 SV1
197 – #11 Camden McDanel (Nebraska) dec. #27 Gabe Arnold, 4-2
285 – #8 Ben Kueter dec. #10 David Szuba (Arizona State), 7-0
ATTENDANCE: 17,115
FINALS MATCHUP
165 – #3 Michael Caliendo vs. #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State)
CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
133 – #6 Drake Ayala vs. #4 Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech)
149 – #15 Ryder Block vs. #11 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan)
174 – #5 Patrick Kennedy vs. #15 Danny Wask (Navy)
184 – #7 Angelo Ferrari vs. #10 Caleb Campos (American)
285 – #8 Ben Kueter vs. #3 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan)
SEVENTH PLACE MATCHUP
197 – #27 Gabe Arnold vs. #16 Branson John (Maryland)
TEAM SCORES
1. Penn State, 153.0
2. Oklahoma State, 111.5
3. Nebraska, 90.5
4. Iowa. 81.0
5. Ohio State, 77.5
6. Stanford, 58.0
7. Iowa State, 52.0
8. Michigan, 48.0
9. Minnesota, 39.5
10. NC State, 37.0
UP NEXT
Session V will take place Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT). The session will consist of the consolation semifinals and placement matches for third, fifth and seventh place.