Andrew Barbosa, the No. 7 seed at 165 pounds for Rutgers wrestling, advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Championships after defeating previously unbeaten No. 2 seed Joey Blaze of Purdue during Session I on Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.
Barbosa’s victory is significant as he overcame an opponent who entered the tournament with an 18-0 record and was ranked second nationally. The win positions Barbosa just one match away from becoming only the fourth Big Ten finalist in Rutgers program history.
In his quarterfinal bout, Barbosa trailed Blaze 2-0 with just 12 seconds remaining when he countered a reattack and scored a takedown. Initially not awarded on the mat, head coach Scott Goodale challenged the call, which was then reversed to confirm Barbosa’s takedown and secure a 3-2 decision over last year’s NCAA runner-up.
Barbosa will face No. 3 seed Michael Caliendo of Iowa in tonight’s semifinal round at 7 p.m., broadcast on Big Ten Network. All ten Rutgers starters remain active in the tournament and will compete in Session II beginning at 5 p.m.
Other Scarlet Knights advancing include Dylan Shawver (133), Joseph Olivieri (141), Lenny Pinto (174), Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184), Remy Cotton (197), and Hunter Catka (heavyweight). Several wrestlers rebounded from opening-round losses to continue competing through consolation brackets.
With a win tonight, Barbosa would join Anthony Ashnault, Dylan Shawver, and Nick Suriano as Rutgers’ only Big Ten finalists. The team looks ahead to further competition as they seek more semifinal berths and potential finals appearances.