Two Bears Claim Titles at Southern Scuffle

Monday, January 1

Chattanooga, Tenn.

University of Northern Colorado

Southern Scuffle

1/2/2024 9:36:00 PM | Wrestling

2024 Final Results

Seven of UNC's 15 Wrestlers Place in Chattanooga

By: Michael High, Assistant Director for Strategic Communications

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Stevo Poulin and Vincent Zerban highlighted a record-setting performance by UNC at the 20th Southern Scuffle – presented by Compound Sportswear and hosted by Tennessee – Chattanooga – Monday and Tuesday at McKenzie Arena.

Seven of the 15 Bears placed, including the pair of individual titles and one runner-up finish. UNC posted a 39-24 (.619) record with five pins, four tech falls and 10 major decisions.

Poulin and Zerban combined to win all nine matches on their way to individual championships. Zerban posted a 5-0 mark.

Dominick Serrano recorded a 4-1 record, falling in the 133-title bout.

COACH QUOTES
"I am happy with the way we competed today, especially how we finished," head coach Troy Nickerson said. "Stevo {Poulin} and Vinny {Zerban} had huge wins that show they can compete with anyone in the nation. We will need to get back to work as we prepare for the second half of the season."

TEAM and TOURNAMENT NOTES

The Bears placed fifth in the 21-team field, tabulating 110.5 points, the highest all-time finish at the event for UNC.
UNC set a new high with seven-place winners, three finalists and two champions.
Stanford won with 155.5 points, while Oklahoma (136), Indiana (134) and Army (133) rounded out the top five.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Poulin earned the second individual title in program history at the Southern Scuffle, with Andrew Alirez winning last season.
- He knocked off Nico Provo (Stanford) - who entered the tournament ranked No. 2 in the nation – 6-5 in the championship bout.
Zerban recorded the third championship in team history at the event.
- He recorded an 8-5 sudden victory in the final over Stanford's Daniel Cardenas, who ranks sixth in the country.
Serrano placed second, falling in the finale 2-0 to Bucknell's Kurt Phipps.
- He eliminated two nationally ranked opponents in the quarters and semis.
In the quarterfinal, Serrano eked out a 5-4 win over No. 28 Braden Basile of Army.
- He backed up the victory over Basile with a 5-3 triumph over No. 9 Nasir Bailey from Little Rock.
Baylor Fernandes finished sixth, with a 4-3 record.
- He notched a fall over No. 21 Cael Carlson (Oklahoma) at the 2:22 mark.
Xavier Vasquez tallied a 5-2 record, with three major decisions and placed fifth.
Noah Pettigrew recorded a 3-1, with all three wins in the battle backs, placing seventh.
Travis Mastrogiovanni inked a 5-2 mark with a pin, tech fall and major decision on his way to a seventh-place finish.
Xavier Doolin posted a 4-1 result against No. 31 Nick Willham (Indiana).

Up Next: UNC travels to The Golden State for a pair of matches, first at Cal Poly (Jan. 12), before taking on California Baptist the next day.

Next Home Match: The Bears return to Bank of Colorado Arena at 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 26, when they host Wyoming. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

UNC MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
125 Stevo Poulin (N. Colorado) F Malik Hardy (The Citadel), 2:04
125 Stevo Poulin (N. Colorado) DEC Michael Spangler (Indiana), 10-5
125 Stevo Poulin (N. Colorado) MD Chad Bellis (Appalachian State), 15-2
125 Stevo Poulin (N. Colorado) DEC Nico Provo (Stanford), 6-5

133 Dom Serrano (N. Colorado) DEC Santino Sanchez (CSU-Bakersfield), 2-0
133 Dom Serrano (N. Colorado) F Carson Chalk (Chattanooga), 0:54
133 Dom Serrano (N. Colorado) DEC Braden Basile (Army), 5-4
133 Dom Serrano (N. Colorado) DEC Nasir Bailey (Little Rock), 5-3
133 Kurt Phipps (Bucknell) DEC Dom Serrano (N. Colorado), 2-0

141 Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) DEC Armando Garcia (N. Colorado), 6-1
141 Carter Schmidt (Oklahoma) DEC Armando Garcia (N. Colorado), 14-11 SV

149 Benji Alanis (N. Colorado) DEC Jeffrey Boyd (The Citadel), 4-2
149 Benji Alanis (N. Colorado) TF Nico Romero (Brown), 17-1 6:20
149 Cody Bond (Appalachian State) DEC Benji Alanis (N. Colorado), 3-0
149 Zach Price (Gardner-Webb) DEC Benji Alanis (N. Colorado), 9-2

157 Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado) TF Tanner Peake (Davidson), 16-1 5:31
157 Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado) TF Nick Tattini (Duke), 16-0 3:11
157 Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado) MD Zach Hanson (Stanford), 11-3
157 Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado) DEC Jared Hill (Oklahoma), 4-3
157 Vinny Zerban (N. Colorado) DEC Daniel Cardenas (Stanford), 8-5 SV

165 Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado) F Aidan Lenz (The Citadel), 4:29
165 Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado) DEC Drake Acklin (Appalachian State), 7-5
165 Joey Bianchi (Little Rock) DEC Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado), 7-2
165 Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado) DEC Derek Matthews (N. Colorado), 5-3
165 Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado) F Cael Carlson (Oklahoma), 2:22
165 Tyler Lillard (Indiana) DQ Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado), 2:16
165 Hunter Garvin (Stanford) M FOR Baylor Fernandes (N. Colorado)

165 Derek Matthews (N. Colorado) DEC Caden Dobbins (Bloomsburg), 8-2
165 Kamdyn Munro (Chattanooga) DEC Derek Matthews (N. Colorado), 7-3
165 Derek Matthews (N. Colorado) MD Bryce Sanderlin (Davidson), 12-3
165 Derek Matthews (N. Colorado) DEC Wesley Barnes (Clarion), 8-2

174 Jack Janda (Drexel) DEC Aydin Rix-McElhinney (N. Colorado), 7-3
174 Myles Takats (Bucknell) DEC Aydin Rix-McElhinney (N. Colorado), 11-4

174 Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado) F Augustine Garcia (CSU-Bakersfield), 2:44
174 Gerrit Nijenhuis (Oklahoma) DEC Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado), 7-2
174 Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado) MD Austin Keal (Little Rock), 14-3
174 Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado) TF Jonathan Conrad (Brown), 20-4 6:19
174 Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado) DEC John Worthing (Clarion), 11-4
174 Gavin Sax (ND State) TF Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado), 15-0 6:03
174 Travis Mastrogiovanni (N. Colorado) DEC Gerrit Nijenhuis (Oklahoma), 4-3

184 Andrew Donahue (N. Colorado) DEC Wyatt Ferguson (Davidson), 4-0
184 Roman Rogotzke (Indiana) MD Andrew Donahue (N. Colorado), 15-5
184 Andrew Donahue (N. Colorado) MD Nolan Springer (Bucknell), 14-5
184 Jack Darrah (Stanford) DEC Andrew Donahue (N. Colorado), 7-0

184 Branson Britten (N. Colorado) DEC Tomas Brooker (Appalachian State), 10-6
184 Giuseppe Hoose (Oklahoma) DEC Branson Britten (N. Colorado), 4-2
184 Aidan Brenot (ND State) MD Branson Britten (N. Colorado), 14-5

197 Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado) MD Quinton Lear (Brown), 16-4
197 Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado) MD Cameo Blankenship (Davidson), 15-5
197 Stephen Buchanan (Oklahoma) F Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado), 6:13
197 Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado) MD Josh Mccutchen (Gardner-Webb), 10-2
197 Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado) DEC Noah Pettigrew (N. Colorado), 2-1
197 Nick Stemmet (Stanford) DEC Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado), 2-0
197 Xavier Vasquez (N. Colorado) DEC Logan Deacetis (Bucknell), 2-0

197 Nick Stemmet (Stanford) MD Noah Pettigrew (N. Colorado), 15-7
197 Noah Pettigrew (N. Colorado) MD Spencer Mooberry (ND State), 14-6
197 Noah Pettigrew (N. Colorado) MD Lathan Duda (ND State), 16-5
197 Noah Pettigrew (N. Colorado) DEC Thomas Godbee (Army), 9-4

285 Xavier Doolin (N. Colorado) DEC Nick Willham (Indiana), 4-1 SV
285 Lucas Stoddard (Army) DEC Xavier Doolin (N. Colorado), 8-6
285 Connor Barket (Duke) F Xavier Doolin (N. Colorado), 3:44

285 Josiah Hill (Little Rock) F Remington Peterson (N. Colorado), 2:14
285 Peyton Mccomas (Gardner-Webb) DEC Remington Peterson (N. Colorado), 4-1