Drexler, Brenot Lead NDSU Wrestling on Day One at NCAA Championships

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – North Dakota State wrestling’s Gavin Drexler and Aidan Brenot led the way for the Bison on the first day of the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.
 
Drexler picked up a win in the first consolation round to advance to the second day, scoring a major decision over No. 27 Kaden Cassidy of George Mason, winning 13-1. Aidan Brenot also advanced through the first consolation round with a 13-7 win over No. 26 Ryder Rogotzke of Ohio State.
 
After a 4-2 loss to No. 11 Sammy Alvarez of Rider in the first round, Drexler responded with a takedown in the first period of his second match and never trailed against Cassidy. He would add a reversal in the second, before a takedown and four-point nearfall in the third, along with the riding time point.
 
Drexler will face Iowa’s No. 5 Kyle Parco in the second consolation round on Friday.
 
Brenot suffered a 10-2 loss to All-American Edmund Ruth of Illinois in his first match of the day. He responded with the first two takedowns of the match against Rogotzke and added a reversal for an 8-6 lead after one period. Heading to the third, Brenot added an escape and a takedown, along with a riding time point to secure a spot in the third session.
 
Brenot will face Pittsburgh’s No. 9 Reece Heller in the second consolation round on Friday.
 
NDSU’s Tristan Daugherty and Kyle Burwick also wrestled on Thursday, but were eliminated from the NCAA Championships with a pair of losses. Daugherty fell to West Virginia’s No. 6 Jett Strickenberger 7-2 in the first round and then dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 22 Trever Anderson of Northern Iowa.
 
Burwick fell in a pair of 1-point decisions, first to No. 9 Braxton Brown of Maryland by a 3-2 score in the first round. Burwick was then was looking for nearfall points as time expired in a 6-5 loss to No. 25 Kurt Phipps of Bucknell.
 
The third session of the NCAA Championships will begin at 11 a.m. CT from the Wells Fargo Center. With a pair of wins in the third session, Drexler and Brenot would advance to session four Friday evening, which is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT.
 
NDSU Results
149 | Gavin Drexler | 1-1 | 1.5 pts
L to #11 Sammy Alvarez (Rider); Dec 4-2
W over #27 Kaden Cassidy (George Mason); MD 13-1
 
184 | Aidan Brenot | 1-1 | .5 pts
L to #10 Edmund Ruth (Illinois); MD 10-2
W over Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State); Dec 13-7
 
125 | Tristan Daugherty | 0-2
L to #6 Jett Strickenberger (West Virginia); Dec 7-2
L to #22 Trever Anderson (Northern Iowa); Dec 2-0
 
133 | Kyle Burwick | 0-2
L to #9 Braxton Brown (Maryland); Dec 3-2
L to #25 Kurt Phipps (Bucknell); Dec 6-5