No. 17 Rutgers Upsets No. 6 Minnesota, 23-15, in Piscataway
Rutgers used a string of bonus-point wins and a late pin from No. 16 Remy Cotton to secure its first dual victory over Minnesota since joining the Big Ten.
No. 17 Rutgers edged No. 6 Minnesota 23-15 at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey, a dual decided by timely bonus scoring and a late fall that put the result out of reach.
The Scarlet Knights grabbed early momentum when No. 28 Ayden Smith opened with a 7-2 decision over Minnesota’s Jore Volk at 125 pounds, an upset that set the tone and produced an early team swing.
Rutgers kept pressure through the middle weights. Dylan Shawver pushed the advantage at 133 with a 12-2 major decision, a four-team-point swing that extended Rutgers’ cushion. Andrew Clark’s 5-1 decision at 149 and Anthony White’s 4-1 win at 157 helped Rutgers carry a lead into the later rounds.
Minnesota answered with a couple of emphatic performances. No. 9 Vance VomBaur dominated at 141, earning an 18-3 technical fall, and No. 4 Max McEnelly turned in a major decision at 184. Koy Hopke closed the dual with a 4-2 decision at heavyweight, but those wins were not enough to overcome Rutgers’ bonus scoring.
The decisive moment came at 197 pounds when No. 16 Remy Cotton pinned Gavin Nelson in overtime, a fall that swung the maximum available team points to Rutgers and effectively sealed the upset. The Scarlet Knights’ combination of major decisions and the late pin created the margin in a competitive Big Ten dual.
Beyond the scoreboard, the victory marked a milestone for Rutgers; it was the program’s first dual meet win over Minnesota since the Golden Gophers joined the conference. The result reflected both Rutgers’ ability to generate bonus points and the thin margins that separate Big Ten rivals on most nights.