Michigan
NCAA Championships
Cardenas, Heindselman Close NCAAs on Podium, U-M Places 12th
3/22/2025 10:38:00 PM | Wrestling
» Michigan claimed two wins in the morning medal round, as Jacob Cardenas (197 pounds) took fourth place and Josh Heindselman (Hwt) placed seventh.
» Heindselman avenged his medal-round loss from Big Tens with a 2-1 decision over Iowa's Ben Kueter in his seventh-place bout.
» U-M finished in 12th place (35.5 points) in the final team standings.
Site: Philadelphia, Pa. (Wells Fargo Center)
Event: NCAA Championships (Day 3 of 3)
U-M Standing: 12th Place of 66 Teams (35.5 points)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- University of Michigan wrestling graduate students Jacob Cardenas and Josh Heindselman closed out the 2025 NCAA Championships in the morning medal round, placing fourth at 197 pounds and seventh at heavyweight on Saturday (March 22) at Wells Fargo Center. The Wolverines took 12th place with 35.5 points.
Cardenas took fourth place for the second straight year after splitting his final two matches at 197 pounds. He defeated Arkansas Little Rock's 12th-seeded Stephen Little 5-2 in the consolation semifinals. He sacrificed the third-period escape with 56 seconds of riding time but almost immediately shot in on a single leg, converting it for the go-ahead takedown in the final 30 seconds to finish with 1:19 advantage time. He dropped a frustrating 2-0 match for third place against CSU Bakersfield's third-seeded A.J. Ferrari, who escaped in the second and then rode out the third. Cardenas drew one stall warning in the final period but not a second.
Cardenas completes his collegiate career as a three-time All-American, placing eighth, fourth and fourth over the last three seasons. He compiled a 95-25 career record, including a 24-3 mark this season at Michigan.
Heindselman avenged his medal-match loss from the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago with a 2-1 decision against Iowa's fifth-seeded Ben Kueter in the seventh-place bout at heavyweight. Heindselman benefited from stalling calls he did not get in the earlier bout, drawing a warning late in the first and earning two points in the second as Kueter continued to disengage.
Heindselman, a first-time All-American in his fifth and final appearance at the NCAA Championships, is the fourth straight Wolverine heavyweight to reach the NCAA podium and the second straight graduate transfer at the weight to post his best NCAA finish at Michigan after Lucas Davison reached the NCAA finals last season. Heindselman finished his collegiate career with a 108-52 record, including a 26-6 mark this season.
The duo represents Michigan's 213th and 214th All-America citations in program history and increased head coach Sean Bormet's total to 22 since 2019. U-M has produced at least one All-American in 28 of the last 30 seasons.
Team Standings (Top 15)
1. Penn State     177
2. Nebraska            117
3. Oklahoma State      102.5
4. Iowa                 81
5. Minnesota            51.5
Ohio State          51.5
7. Cornell             50
8. NC State            46.5
9. Northern Iowa       45.5
10. Illinois            44.5
11. Virginia Tech      41.0
12. MICHIGANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 35.5
13. Purdue              34.5
14. Missouri            32
15. Lehigh              29
Michigan Results (Day 3)
Numbers listed are tournament seeds
197 Pounds -- #1 Jacob Cardenas
Consolations - dec. #12 Stephen Little (Arkansas Little Rock), 5-2
Third Place - dec. by #3 A.J. Ferrari (CSU Bakersfield), 2-0
Finished in fourth place with a 4-2 record
Heavyweight -- #6 Josh Heindselman
Seventh Place - dec. #5 Ben Kueter (Iowa), 2-1
Finished in seventh place with a 4-2 record
• Day 1 Results | Day 2 Results
