University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, March 8
Tulsa, Okla.
University of Northern Colorado
at
Big 12
Serrano and Zerban Advance to Big 12 Finals
3/8/2025 9:16:00 PM | Wrestling
Northern Colorado in Fifth after First Day
TULSA, Okla. – Dominick Serrano and Vincent Zerban advanced to the finals of the Big 12 Championships at BOK Arena Saturday.
Northern Colorado sits in fifth place with 63.0 points and six Bears competing Sunday.
Oklahoma State leads the team event with 137.5 points and six Cowboys punched a ticket in the finals. Northern Iowa tallied 120.5 points, with four in the championship bouts, while no other school put more than two in the finals.
Stevo Poulin, Andrew Alirez, Clayton Ulrey and Aydin Rix-McElhinney wrestle for All-Big 12 honors and final position Sunday.
125 | Stevo Poulin (20-2)
Round 1 - Stevo Poulin (UNC) won by a fall over Bridger Ricks (Utah Valley) 11-11 (Fall 2:49)
Quarterfinal - Stevo Poulin (UNC) won by decision over Trever Anderson (Northern Iowa) 12-9 (Dec 5-1)
Semifinal - Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia) 10-2 won by fall over Stevo Poulin (UNC) 20-2 (Fall 2:15)
133 | Dominick Serrano (22-2)
Round 1 - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Julian Chlebove (Arizona State) 5-11 (Dec 7-3)
Quarterfinal - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State) 17-13 (Dec 8-5)
Semifinal - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Hunter Leake (California Baptist) 6-7 (Dec 10-3)
141 | Andrew Alirez (14-1)
Round 1 - Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 won by tech fall over Cole Brooks (Wyoming) 16-16 (TF-1.5 7:00 (15-0))
Quarterfinal - Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 won by decision over Julian Tagg (South Dakota State) 15-10 (Dec 4-3)
Semifinal - Tagen Jamison (Oklahoma State) 20-3 won in sudden victory - 1 over Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 (SV-1 13-6)
149 | Benji Alanis (10-14)
Round 1 - Benji Alanis (UNC) 10-14 won by decision over Alec Viduya (Air Force) 8-16 (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal - Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) 21-4 won by a fall over Benji Alanis (NC) 10-14 (Fall 5:27)
Cons. Round 2 - Avery Allen (South Dakota State) 16-11 won by major decision over Benji Alanis (UNC) 10-14 (MD 8-0)
157 | Vincent Zerban
Round 1 - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over John Wiley (Oklahoma) 2-4 (Dec 8-1)
Quarterfinal - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) 23-4 (Dec 8-7)
Semifinal - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over Caleb Fish (Oklahoma State) 17-8 (Dec 5-4)
165 | Clayton Ulrey (13-10)
Round 1 - Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 won by injury default over Drake Rhodes (South Dakota State) 19-5 (Inj. 6:14)
Quarterfinal - Cam Steed (Missouri) 14-4 won by major decision over Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 (MD 12-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 won by decision over Logan Fowler (Air Force) 8-8 (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 3 - Aiden Riggins (Iowa State) 10-16 won by major decision over Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 (MD 11-3)
174 | Aydin Rix-McElhinney (4-12)
Round 1 - Jared Simma (Northern Iowa) 22-11 won by tech fall over Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 (TF-1.5 7:00 (18-3))
Cons. Round 1 - Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 won by injury default over Brody Conley (West Virginia) 13-8 (Inj. 0:02)
Cons. Round 3 - MJ Gaitan (Iowa State) 10-9 won by decision over Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 (Dec 15-9)
184 | AJ Heeg (14-15)
Round 1 - Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) 23-0 won by tech fall over AJ Heeg (Northern Color) 14-15 (TF-1.5 6:21 (20-4))
Cons. Round 1 - Colton Hawks (Missouri) 10-6 won by decision over AJ Heeg (Northern Colorado) 14-15 (Dec 2-0)
197 | Andrew Donahue (9-13)
Round 1 - Brian Burburija (Air Force) 22-10 won by decision over Andrew Donahue (UNC) 9-13 (Dec 5-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Eli Sheeren (California Baptist) 14-16 won by major decision over Andrew Donahue (UNC) 9-13 (MD 11-2)
285 | Jose Valdez (1-8)
Champ. Round 1 - Lance Runyon (Northern Iowa) 17-7 won by decision over Jose Valdez (UNC) 1-8 (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 1 - Andrew Blackburn-Forst (North Dakota State) 13-18 won by a fall over Jose Valdez (UNC) 1-8 (Fall 1:18)
Northern Colorado sits in fifth place with 63.0 points and six Bears competing Sunday.
Oklahoma State leads the team event with 137.5 points and six Cowboys punched a ticket in the finals. Northern Iowa tallied 120.5 points, with four in the championship bouts, while no other school put more than two in the finals.
Stevo Poulin, Andrew Alirez, Clayton Ulrey and Aydin Rix-McElhinney wrestle for All-Big 12 honors and final position Sunday.
125 | Stevo Poulin (20-2)
Round 1 - Stevo Poulin (UNC) won by a fall over Bridger Ricks (Utah Valley) 11-11 (Fall 2:49)
Quarterfinal - Stevo Poulin (UNC) won by decision over Trever Anderson (Northern Iowa) 12-9 (Dec 5-1)
Semifinal - Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia) 10-2 won by fall over Stevo Poulin (UNC) 20-2 (Fall 2:15)
133 | Dominick Serrano (22-2)
Round 1 - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Julian Chlebove (Arizona State) 5-11 (Dec 7-3)
Quarterfinal - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State) 17-13 (Dec 8-5)
Semifinal - Dominick Serrano (UNC) 22-2 won by decision over Hunter Leake (California Baptist) 6-7 (Dec 10-3)
141 | Andrew Alirez (14-1)
Round 1 - Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 won by tech fall over Cole Brooks (Wyoming) 16-16 (TF-1.5 7:00 (15-0))
Quarterfinal - Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 won by decision over Julian Tagg (South Dakota State) 15-10 (Dec 4-3)
Semifinal - Tagen Jamison (Oklahoma State) 20-3 won in sudden victory - 1 over Andrew Alirez (UNC) 14-1 (SV-1 13-6)
149 | Benji Alanis (10-14)
Round 1 - Benji Alanis (UNC) 10-14 won by decision over Alec Viduya (Air Force) 8-16 (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal - Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) 21-4 won by a fall over Benji Alanis (NC) 10-14 (Fall 5:27)
Cons. Round 2 - Avery Allen (South Dakota State) 16-11 won by major decision over Benji Alanis (UNC) 10-14 (MD 8-0)
157 | Vincent Zerban
Round 1 - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over John Wiley (Oklahoma) 2-4 (Dec 8-1)
Quarterfinal - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) 23-4 (Dec 8-7)
Semifinal - Vincent Zerban (UNC) 17-4 won by decision over Caleb Fish (Oklahoma State) 17-8 (Dec 5-4)
165 | Clayton Ulrey (13-10)
Round 1 - Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 won by injury default over Drake Rhodes (South Dakota State) 19-5 (Inj. 6:14)
Quarterfinal - Cam Steed (Missouri) 14-4 won by major decision over Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 (MD 12-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 won by decision over Logan Fowler (Air Force) 8-8 (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 3 - Aiden Riggins (Iowa State) 10-16 won by major decision over Clayton Ulrey (UNC) 13-10 (MD 11-3)
174 | Aydin Rix-McElhinney (4-12)
Round 1 - Jared Simma (Northern Iowa) 22-11 won by tech fall over Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 (TF-1.5 7:00 (18-3))
Cons. Round 1 - Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 won by injury default over Brody Conley (West Virginia) 13-8 (Inj. 0:02)
Cons. Round 3 - MJ Gaitan (Iowa State) 10-9 won by decision over Aydin Rix-McElhinney (UNC) 4-12 (Dec 15-9)
184 | AJ Heeg (14-15)
Round 1 - Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) 23-0 won by tech fall over AJ Heeg (Northern Color) 14-15 (TF-1.5 6:21 (20-4))
Cons. Round 1 - Colton Hawks (Missouri) 10-6 won by decision over AJ Heeg (Northern Colorado) 14-15 (Dec 2-0)
197 | Andrew Donahue (9-13)
Round 1 - Brian Burburija (Air Force) 22-10 won by decision over Andrew Donahue (UNC) 9-13 (Dec 5-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Eli Sheeren (California Baptist) 14-16 won by major decision over Andrew Donahue (UNC) 9-13 (MD 11-2)
285 | Jose Valdez (1-8)
Champ. Round 1 - Lance Runyon (Northern Iowa) 17-7 won by decision over Jose Valdez (UNC) 1-8 (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 1 - Andrew Blackburn-Forst (North Dakota State) 13-18 won by a fall over Jose Valdez (UNC) 1-8 (Fall 1:18)
Players Mentioned
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