Rutgers Wrestling Dominates Wisconsin in 31-7 Win at Jersey Mike's Arena

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 14 Rutgers wrestling delivered an impressive 31-7 victory over Wisconsin on Sunday at Jersey Mike's Arena, with 3,668 fans witnessing a dominant performance. The Scarlet Knights won eight out of 10 matches, including bonus-point victories from Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT), Joseph Olivieri (141), John Poznanski (197), Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184), and Andrew Clark (149).

This win marked the 10th dual victory of the season for Rutgers, securing their place in the Top 15 and ensuring a spot in the record books with 16 dual wins in 18 seasons under head coach Scott Goodale. It also represented their third victory over the Badgers in the last four meetings.

Match Recap

The dual kicked off with a nontraditional start at 184 pounds, where Shane Cartagena-Walsh set the tone for Rutgers with a 14-5 major decision over Wisconsin's Dylan Russo. Up 3-2 heading into the third period, Cartagena-Walsh put on an offensive clinic, securing three takedowns to grab the bonus points and give the Scarlet Knights a 4-0 lead.

The momentum continued in the upperweights, with John Poznanski taking on Niccolo Colucci in a thrilling matchup. Poznanski dominated the bout, racking up five takedowns in the first three minutes and securing a 20-5 tech fall. Yaraslau Slavikouski followed with his own 14-3 major decision over Gannon Rosenfeld, putting Rutgers up 13-0 early in the dual.

Despite a tough 4-1 loss from Dean Peterson (125) to Wisconsin's Nicolás Rivera, the Scarlet Knights rallied with five consecutive victories from 133 through 165 pounds. Dylan Shawver (133) defeated Zan Fugitt in a close 7-5 decision, followed by Joseph Olivieri (141) who earned a 15-0 tech fall over Brock Bobzien.

The Scarlet Knights continued to dominate, with Andrew Clark (149) securing a 16-2 major decision over Elliott Biba, extending the lead to 25-3. In 157 pounds, Conner Harer (32/NR) finished the dual in thrilling fashion, earning a 4-1 sudden victory over Luke Mechler, while Anthony White (165) sealed the victory with a 5-0 decision over Cale Anderson.

The only blemish came in 174 pounds, where Wisconsin’s Lucas Condon handed Al DeSantis a 14-4 major decision. However, the Scarlet Knights had already locked up the dual win, securing a 31-7 victory.

Key Performances

• Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184) opened the dual with a dominant 14-5 major decision.

• John Poznanski (197) showcased his skills with a 20-5 tech fall in under three minutes.

• Joseph Olivieri (141) continued his impressive season with a 15-0 tech fall.

• Andrew Clark (149) put the match out of reach for Wisconsin with a commanding 16-2 major decision.

  
  

Up Next

Rutgers continues its three-match homestand with a highly anticipated clash against No. 1 Penn State on Friday, Jan. 24, at Jersey Mike's Arena. The dual will be broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network at 8 p.m.. The Scarlet Knights then host No. 9 Illinois on Sunday, Jan. 26, for a 1 p.m. dual in Piscataway.

Box Score:

No. 14 Rutgers 31, Wisconsin 7

• 184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (RU) over Dylan Russo (UW) by MD, 14-5

• 197: John Poznanski (RU) over Niccolo Colucci (UW) by TF, 20-5 (3:16)

• HWT: Yaraslau Slavikouski (RU) over Gannon Rosenfeld (UW) by MD, 14-3

• 125: Nicolás Rivera (UW) over Dean Peterson (RU) by Dec., 4-1

• 133: Dylan Shawver (RU) over Zan Fugitt (UW) by Dec., 7-5

• 141: Joseph Olivieri (RU) over Brock Bobzien (UW) by TF, 15-0 (7:00)

• 149: Andrew Clark (RU) over Elliott Biba (UW) by MD, 16-2

• 157: Conner Harer (RU) over Luke Mechler (UW) by SV1, 4-1

• 165: Anthony White (RU) over Cale Anderson (UW) by Dec., 5-0

• 174: Lucas Condon (UW) over Al DeSantis (RU) by MD, 14-4

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Rutgers Wrestling Record: 10-3, 2-1 Big Ten

Wisconsin Wrestling Record: 4-7, 0-3 Big Ten