Michigan
Virginia Military Institute
Bonus Points Abound in Wolverines' Blanking of VMI
11/9/2025 5:42:00 PM | Wrestling
» No. 11 Michigan posted eight bonus wins, including seven tech falls, to defeat VMI 45-0 in its season dual opener at Cliff Keen Arena.
» Gauge Botero (133 pounds) and Eren Sement (141) won in their collegiate debuts, while Diego Sotelo (125), Lachlan McNeil (149) and Taye Ghadiali (Hwt) won in their Michigan debuts, and Hayden Walters (197) claimed his varsity debut.
» It was Michigan's first shutout win in two seasons and most lopsided victory since 2017.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team earned eight bonus wins, including seven technical falls, to cruise to a 45-0 win against Virginia Military Institute in its 2025-26 dual-meet opener Sunday afternoon (Nov. 9) at Cliff Keen Arena.
It was the Wolverines' first shutout victory since a 39-0 win at Central Michigan in 2023-24 and their most lopsided win since defeating Oregon State 48-0 at home in 2017-18.
Six different Wolverines made a debut of sorts. Freshmen Gauge Botero and Eren Sement earned victories in their collegiate debuts at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, while graduate students Diego Sotelo (125 pounds), Lachlan McNeil (149) and Taye Ghadiali (Hwt) all won in their first official matches in a Michigan singlet. Redshirt freshman Hayden Walters also claimed victory in his long-awaited varsity debut at 197 pounds after back-to-back redshirt seasons.
Sotelo, ranked 21st in the latest InterMat rankings at 125 pounds, set the tone for Michigan with a double leg off the opening whistle and a dominant 18-0 first-period technical fall against VMI's Malachi Ortiz. He posted two takedowns and 11 back points off three separate tilts in just 2:33.
Botero and Sement were the fourth and fifth Wolverines to win their collegiate duals this weekend, joining three teammates from Saturday's Michigan State Open. Botero earned a 15-0 tech fall against Declan Strait in the 133-pound match, scoring two takedowns and a pair of four-point turns before a stall point ended it at 4:32. Sement defeated Dyson Dunham, 9-2, at 141 pounds with takedowns in the first and second periods, a reversal in the latter, and 1:47 in riding-time advantage.
McNeil, ranked third at 149 pounds, scored two first-period takedowns to secure a 7-2 decision against Patrick Jordon, and redshirt freshman Cameron Catrabone followed with another 15-0 technical fall over Ray Cmil heading into intermission. Catrabone, ranked 33rd at 157 pounds, struck quickly with a single leg, then turned Cmil three times with an arm bar to end the match at the 2:48 mark.
Michigan had three straight returners at new weights coming out of the break, and all three earned dominant tech fall victories. Redshirt sophomore Dylan Gilcher, up two weight classes at 165 pounds, cruised to an 18-2 win against JT Bowers in 6:21. He scored two takedowns in the first, a reversal in the second, and broke it open with two feet-to-back takedowns in the third -- the first for seven points and the second to end the match.
Redshirt sophomore Beau Mantanona and redshirt freshman Brock Mantanona made their second appearance together in the Wolverine lineup, shifted up to 174 and 184 pounds, respectively. Beau, ranked 12th nationally, earned a 16-1 first-period tech fall against VMI's Beau Lewis with two takedowns and 10 back points in 2:04. Brock, ranked 15th, surged away from Gideon Gerber, 24-9, in 6:52 after trading early takedowns. The score was 5-5 late in the first when Mantanona scored on a single leg in the final 10 seconds, then tacked on five more takedowns, including three in the final frame.
Walters, ranked 21st at 197 pounds, posted a workmanlike 9-1 major decision against Toby Schoffstall in his first dual appearance at Michigan. He scored on a takedown in the first period, countered Schoffstall's throw attempt to put the Keydet on his back for a reversal and two near fall points in the second, and rode out the third to finish with 2:17 in advantage time.
Ghadiali, ranked fourth at heavyweight, closed out the dual with a 21-6 technical fall over Cole Will in the final bout, scoring seven takedowns -- three in the first period and four in the second -- off a combination of go-behind and leg attacks. His final snap and go-behind ended the match at the 4:51 mark late in the second period.
The Wolverines (1-0) will next compete in the inaugural National Duals Invitational, slated for next Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 15-16) at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. Michigan will open against Arizona State at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday. All duals will stream live on FloWrestling, while the finals will air on ESPN2.
No. 11 Michigan 27, Virginia Military Institute 0
Individual rankings by InterMat
125 -- #21 Diego Sotelo (U-M) tech. fall Malachi Ortiz, 18-0 (2:33) -- U-M, 5-0
133 -- Gauge Botero (U-M) tech. fall Declan Strait, 15-0 (4:32) -- U-M, 10-0
141 -- Eren Sement (U-M) dec. Dyson Dunham, 9-2 -- U-M, 13-0
149 -- #3 Lachlan McNeil (U-M) dec. Patrick Jordon, 7-2 -- U-M, 16-0
157 -- #33 Cameron Catrabone (U-M) tech. fall Ray Cmil, 15-0 (2:48) -- U-M, 21-0
165 -- Dylan Gilcher (U-M) tech. fall JT Bowers, 18-2 (6:21) -- U-M, 26-0
174 -- #12 Beau Mantanona (U-M) tech. fall Beau Lewis, 16-1 (2:04) -- U-M, 31-0
184 -- #15 Brock Mantanona (U-M) tech. fall Gideon Gerber, 24-9 (6:52) -- U-M, 36-0
197 -- #21 Hayden Walters (U-M) major dec. Toby Schoffstall, 9-1 -- U-M, 40-0
Hwt -- #4 Taye Ghadiali (U-M) tech. fall Cole Will, 21-6 (4:51) -- U-M, 45-0
Players Mentioned
