McNeil, O'Connor Advance To NCAA Championship Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 16

Tulsa, Okla.

All Day

North Carolina

NCAA Championships

Lachlan McNeil during the second session of competition at the NCAA men’s Wrestling National Championship in Tulsa, Okla. on Wednesday, March 16, 2023. (Photo by Dave Crenshaw for the University of North Carolina)

Photo by: Dave Crenshaw

March 16, 2023 | Wrestling

Tulsa, Okla. – Lachlan McNeil and Austin O'Connor won two matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, on day one of the 2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

At 125-pounds, No. 26 Jack Wagner picked up a huge victory to begin his tournament, defeating No. 7 Brandon Kaylor of Oregon State by decision, 3-1. In the second round of the championship bracket, Wagner would drop his matchup to Arizona State's 10^th-ranked Brandon Courtney, 5-1.

Coming off his Canadian National Championship last weekend, redshirt-sophomore and No. 10-ranked McNeil began his quest for an NCAA Championship at 141-pounds with a 6-2 decision over No. 23 Cole Mattin of Michigan. In session two, McNeil would secure a top-10 victory, downing No. 7 Vince Cornella of Cornell by decision, 2-1.

The No. 1-ranked wrestler at 157-pounds, O'Connor began the day defeating No. 32 Vinny Zerban of Northern Colorado by decision, 6-1. O'Connor would continue to roll in the tournament, with a 4-1 decision over No. 17 Jarrett Jacques of Missouri in the second round.

For 184-pounder Gavin Kane, the No. 11-ranked sophomore was tripped up in the opening round by No. 22 Colton Hawks of Missouri by decision, 6-2. In the opening round of the consolation bracket, Kane used a sudden victory takedown to defeat Campbell's No. 27 Caleb Hopkins, 4-2.

Rounding out the Tar Heel competitors, 197-pounder Max Shaw started off his day with a 4-1 decision in the pigtail match against No. 33 Cole Urbas of Penn. Moving into the opening round of the championship bracket, Shaw was defeated by No. 1 Nino Bonaccorsi of Pitt by major decision, 10-1. Shaw would advance in the second round of the consolation round by medical forfeit.

2023 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
March 16, 2023 | BOK Center | Tulsa, Okla.

Session 1 (Morning)
Championship Preliminary Round
197: No. 32 Max Shaw (UNC) over No. 33 Cole Urbas (Penn) | 4-1 Dec

Championship First Round
125: No. 26 Jack Wagner (UNC) over No. 7 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) | 3-1 Dec
141: No. 10 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over No. 23 Cole Mattin (Michigan) | 2-1 Dec
157: No. 1 Austin O'Connor (UNC) over No. 32 Vinny Zerban (Northern Colo.) | 6-1 Dec
184: No. 22 Colton Hawks (Mizzou) over No. 11 Gavin Kane (UNC) | 6-2 Dec
197: No. 1 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) over No. 32 Max Shaw (UNC) | 10-1 MD

Session 2 (Evening)
Championship Second Round
125: No. 10 Brandon Courtney (Arizona St) over No. 26 Jack Wagner (UNC) | 5-1 Dec
141: No. 10 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over No. 7 Vince Cornella (Cornell) | 2-1 Dec
157: No. 1 Austin O'Connor (UNC) over No. 17 Jarrett Jacques (Mizzou) | 4-1 Dec

Consolation First Round
184: No. 11 Gavin Kane (UNC) over No. 27 Caleb Hopkins (Campbell) | 4-2 SV Dec
197: No. 32 Max Shaw over No. 17 Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) | M. For