The UNI wrestling team traveled to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Invitational on Friday, Dec. 2, through Saturday, Dec. 3. In an event featuring 33 teams, UNI came away in fifth-place with 96 points behind five medalists, including two runners-up.

Parker Keckeisen was one of the runners-up for UNI at 184 pounds. He won his first four matchups, including three major decisions, by scores of 10-1, 11-2, 5-3 and 11-2. He finally lost to Trent Hidlay of North Carolina State 8-2 to finish second. He finished with a 4-1 record as a runner-up.

Cael Happel also rolled through his first four matchups on his way to the championship bout at 141 pounds, winning a 12-3 major decision, along with 4-2, 7-1 and 4-1 victories. However, he also fell in the championship, losing to Brock Hardy of Nebraska 6-1. He finished with a 4-1 record as a runner-up.

Despite an early loss, Kyle Biscoglia battled back to finish third in the 133-pound class with a 6-1 record. After winning his opening match with a fall, he lost in his second match 7-4. He then rattled off three straight wins of 3-0, 9-2 and 6-5. His opponent for the third-place bout had to bow out due to a medical forfeit, giving Biscoglia third-place.

In the 285-pound class, Tyrell Gordon won his first two matches, including a 11-1 major decision and a 3-2 decision. He dropped his third match 6-1. In the consolation bracket, he won two more matches before falling in his sixth matchup 7-2. This dropped him to the fifth-place bout, which he won 3-1. He claimed fifth-place with a 5-2 record.

Austin Yant finished 3-1 to claim sixth-place in the 165-pound class. He won his first three matchups, including two major decisions, by scores of 13-0, 6-3 and 11-2. He was forced to two medical forfeits and a forfeit, though, which caused him to drop his last three matches. Only the forfeit counts against his record, which gave him a record of 3-1 and a finish of sixth-place.

Kyle Golhoffer finished 1-2 in the 125-pound class. Colin Realbuto finished in eighth-place in the 149-pound class with a 3-3 record. Derek Holschlag finished with a 2-2 record in the 157-pound class. Jared Simma finished with a 1-2 record in the 174-pound class. Noah Glaser finished with a 2-2 record in the 197-pound class.

UNI as a team finished with 96 points to wind up in fifth place. This was a half-point behind Michigan, who finished with 96.5 points. The winner of the event was Nebraska, who finished with 137.5 points.

UNI wrestling’s next event is the UNI Open in the UNI-Dome beginning at 9 a.m., on Saturday, Dec. 10. Along with the Panthers, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Upper Iowa and Wisconsin are expected to compete.