Michigan
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Wolverines to Head to Las Vegas for Annual Cliff Keen Invitational
12/3/2024 4:08:00 PM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team (3-0) will take its annual trip out west this weekend, heading to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the 42nd annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 6-7) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Action will begin at 9 a.m. PST on Friday and 10 a.m. PST on Saturday, with the championship round slated for 3 p.m. PST. All matches will be streamed live on FloWrestling.
This year's field at the Cliff Keen Invitational will feature 30 teams, including 14 teams ranked in the most recent NWCA poll. In addition to the Maize and Blue, headlining the participating teams are No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Nebraska, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 North Carolina State, No. 7 Virginia Tech and No. 10 Northern Iowa -- seven of the nation's top 10 teams.
Notes
• Michigan has competed in the annual tournament 41 times dating back to 1983, missing only the first year of the tournament in 1982. Formerly known as the Las Vegas Classic, the tournament was renamed the Cliff Keen Invitational in 1993 to honor former Michigan wrestling coach and collegiate wrestling icon Cliff Keen. The tournament was created by three-time NCAA champion Mark Churella Sr. (1976-79) while he served as UNLV head coach and is still run by him and his sons and fellow Wolverine alums Mark Jr. (2001) and Ryan (2003-06).
• Michigan has placed top 10 at the annual tournament in 18 of the last 21 appearances, with 11 top-five finishes over the stretch and first-place showings in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2007. The Wolverines took eighth place at last season's event with five total placewinners, including heavyweight runner-up Lucas Davison.
• The Wolverines have boasted at least one CKLV champion in five of the last six tournaments. Mason Parris captured two heavyweight titles over that stretch (2019, '22), while Dylan Ragusin (133, 2021), Myles Amine (174, 2018), Alec Pantaleo (157, 2017), Adam Coon (Hwt, 2017) and Logan Massa (165, 2016) all claimed one title. Coon was also a two-time heavyweight champion, claiming the top spot as a freshman (like Massa) in 2013.
• Michigan announced the addition of graduate transfer Josh Heindselman on Monday (Dec. 2). A four-time NCAA qualifier at Oklahoma, Heindselman comes to U-M with an 82-46 career record to date, including a 49-20 mark over the last two seasons. He was one match away from placing at NCAAs last season, dropping an overtime decision in the bloodround after reaching the Round of 16 in 2023. He will be eligible to compete next semester.
• The Wolverines have nine wrestlers ranked nationally at their respective weight classes, including five in the top 15 according to InterMat: No. 4 Ragusin (133 pounds), No. 7 Sergio Lemley (141), No. 33 Dylan Gilcher (149), No. 12 Chase Saldate (157), No. 12 Brock Mantanona (165), No. 27 Joseph Walker (174), No. 18 Jaden Bullock (184), No. 3 Jacob Cardenas (197) and No. 12 Heindselman (Hwt).
• Nine wrestlers have made their debuts in the Michigan starting lineup over the first three duals of the season, including five who have earned their first varsity win in a U-M singlet: grad transfers Cardenas and Saldate, senior/junior Dzhabrail Khurshidov, junior/sophomore Codei Khawaja and freshman Brock Mantanona. Senior/junior Christian Tanefeu also earned his first varsity win -- though not in his debut -- in the dual opener.
• Michigan is 3-0 in dual meetings with wins over Columbia (28-9, Nov. 17), Duke (35-11, Nov. 22) and Virginia (29-12, Nov. 24), claiming seven matches in each dual and earning 18 total bonus wins, including seven against the Blue Devils.
• Fifth-year senior Walker is undefeated with a 7-0 record, claiming the 174-pound title at the Clarion Open (Nov. 3) and all three dual-meet appearances. He has five bonus wins with two pins and three major decisions. Graduate students Ragusin (133 pounds) and Cardenas (197) are both 3-0 on the season with three bonus wins, including three technical falls for the latter, while freshman Cameron Catrabone (149) is 4-0 with four bonus wins, including three pins, after claiming the freshman/sophomore-division title at the MSU Open (Nov. 9).
• Mantanona was named the most recent Big Ten Freshman Wrestler of the Week after earning an 11-3 major decision over Virginia's No. 12 Nick Hamilton with three takedowns and 1:11 in riding time. He has defeated ranked opponents in both of his dual appearances at 165 pounds, adding to an 18-3 technical fall against Columbia's 25th-ranked Cesar Alvan. Mantanona is 6-1 with six bonus wins this season. He is also Michigan's second weekly award honor, joining Joseph Walker, who earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Week accolades on Nov. 7.
Players Mentioned
