The Gophers wrestling team cruised past Purdue, 28-8, and Northwestern, 32-6, on the road this weekend to cap off the dual meet season. While both matches lacked stomach-turning outcomes, they held significance unique to at least one Gophers veteran.
Four-year starting senior Jason Davids earned his 79th career win to clinch the all-time school record for dual meet victories Sunday in the Gophers’ match against Purdue. Davids, a two-time All-American, surpassed Minnesota’s former record holder, 150-pounder Willy Short (1989-1994), with a 6-1 victory over Purdue’s Willie Wineberg in the 142-pound match.
Davids was one of eight straight Minnesota wrestlers to claim victories over their Purdue opponents. Junior 190-pounder Tim Hartung dropped Purdue’s Mark Colegrove in 2:03 to record his 18th pin this season. Junior Troy Marr earned a 15-6 major decision victory over Purdue’s Eric Kerkhof at 134 pounds, while Chad Kraft (150 pounds), Josh Holiday (158 pounds), Zac Taylor (167 pounds), Delaney Berger (177 pounds) and Shelton Benjamin (heavyweight) recorded decision victories.
The ninth-ranked Boilermakers managed to capture the first two victories of the meet, gaining eight quick team points before the Gophers’ raid. Purdue’s Josh Hutchens stole a double-overtime 5-4 victory from Minnesota’s Bart Golyer at 126 pounds.
Boilermakers senior captain Tim Dernlan earned a technical fall victory over Minnesota’s Brett Lawrence at 118 pounds.
Former Olympian Brandon Paulson attended the meets, but he did not wrestle for the Gophers. It is not known yet whether he will wrestle in the Big Ten Championship on March 7-8 at Penn State.
Friday’s match against Northwestern marked similar domination for fourth-ranked Minnesota. Benjamin earned the only pin of the match, flattening Northwestern’s Chris Roberts in 4:14. Davids, Golyer and Hartung each captured major decision victories while Kraft, Holiday and Taylor won by decision.
The Gophers finished the dual meet season at 19-2 overall, 6-2 in the Big Ten. Minnesota will compete next at the Big Ten Championship. The two-day tournament will feature national front-runners Iowa (No. 2) and Penn State (No. 3) as well as fourth-ranked Minnesota.

Sunday’s match summary

No. 4 Minnesota — 28
No. 9 Purdue — 8

118 pounds: Tim Dernalan (PU) tech. fall Brett Lawrence (Minn.) 6:21
126 pounds: Josh Hutchens (PU) dec. Bart Golyer (Minn.) 5-4
134 pounds: Troy Marr (Minn.) maj. dec. Eric Kerkhof (PU) 15-6
142 pounds: Jason Davids (Minn.) dec. Willie Wineberg (PU) 6-1
150 pounds: Chad Kraft (Minn.) dec. Mickey Griffin (PU) 8-1
158 pounds: Josh Holiday (Minn.) dec Eric Douglas (PU) 7-2
167 pounds: Zac Taylor (Minn.) dec James Crnich (PU) 9-3
177 pounds: Delaney Berger (Minn.) dec. Davion Peterson (PU) 13-6
190 pounds: Tim Hartung (Minn.) pinned Mark Colegrove (PU) 2:03
Heavyweight: Shelton Benjamin (Minn.) dec. David Pierce (PU) 7-2

Friday’s match summary

No. 4 Minnesota — 32
No. 24 Northwestern — 6

118 pounds: Brett Lawrence (Minn.) forfeit
126 pounds: Bart Golyer (Minn.) maj. dec. Micah Hey (NU) 8-1
134 pounds: Scott Schatzman (NU) dec. Troy Marr (Minn.) 4-1
142 pounds: Jason Davids (Minn.) maj. dec. Malik Elliott (NU) 16-7
150 pounds: Chad Kraft (Minn.) dec. Drew Pariano (NU) 7-4
158 pounds: Josh Holiday (Minn.) dec. Steve Bucciero (NU) 10-5
167 pounds: Zac Taylor (Minn.) dec. Mark Bybee (NU) 8-7
177 pounds: Joel Goeden (NU) dec. Delaney Berger (Minn.) 8-2
190 pounds: Tim Hartung (Minn.) maj. dec. Sam Neider (NU) 10-2
Heavyweight: Shelton Benjamin (Minn.) pinned Chris Roberts (NU) 4:14