Ohio State Wrestlers Shine at Las Vegas and Cleveland Opens
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jesse Mendez continued his winning streak by capturing the title at the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday, fortifying his status as the top wrestler in the nation. Mendez, also the reigning NCAA and Big Ten Champion, went undefeated (4-0) as the No. 1 seed in Vegas. Meanwhile, Rocco Welsh emerged victoriously at the 2024 Cleveland State Open, clinching the 184-pound title with an impressive 5-0 record while wrestling unattached.
In addition to Mendez and Welsh’s successes, Brandon Cannon secured the championship in the 157-pound bracket at Cleveland State with a perfect 5-0 performance. The Buckeyes had a commendable showing across various weight classes during the two-day Las Vegas event. Notable finishes included Nic Bouzakis, who fought hard for a third-place finish at 133 pounds with a 5-1 record, and Paddy Gallagher, who placed fourth at 157 pounds with a 4-1 showing.
Seth Shumate also demonstrated resilience, battling from the consolation bracket to finish fourth at 184 pounds, while teammate Brendan McCrone grabbed fifth place at 125 pounds. Nick Feldman rounded out the solid team performance, placing sixth in the heavyweight division.
At the Cleveland State Open, Andre Gonzales earned a second-place finish in the 141-pound bracket with a record of 3-1.
With these impressive accolades, Ohio State wrestlers are gearing up to resume dual competition against Pittsburgh on December 13, looking to maintain their momentum into the upcoming season.
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Photo credit ohiostatebuckeyes.com