Pitt
NCAA Wrestling Championships
Eight Pitt Wrestlers Learn Seeds, Matchups for NCAA Championships
3/12/2025 8:52:00 PM | Wrestling
Mac Stout (197), Reece Heller (184) and Dayton Pitzer (285) All Earn Top 10 Seeds
PITTSBURGH – Eight members of the Pitt wrestling program learned their seeding and opening round matchups for the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships, during the NCAA selection show Wednesday night.
Pitt's three ACC Champions all earned top 10 seeds with Mac Stout earning the highest seed at No. 6 at 197 pounds. Reece Heller earned the No. 9 seed at 184 pounds and Dayton Pitzer is seeded No. 10 at heavyweight.
The Panthers will take eight individuals, including seven automatic qualifiers, to the national tournament at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia from March 20-22. The eight qualifiers are the most under head coach Keith Gavin and the most since also having eight qualifiers in 2014.
Stout automatically booked his trip to his second NCAA tournament after winning the ACC title at 197-pounds. Stout has won 20 consecutive matches and will begin his quest for All-American status as he will meet No. 27 Michael Dellagatta of Cornell in the opening round.
Three-time NCAA qualifier Reece Heller earned the No. 9 seed at 184-pounds and will face No. 24 Devan Hendricks (Bellarmine) in the first round. Dayton Pitzer earned the No. 10 seed at heavyweight in his second NCAA appearance and will meet No. 23 Daniel Bucknavich of Cleveland State in the first round.
Junior Luca Augustine made it three-for-three in his career with NCAA appearances, earning the No. 15 seed at 174. Augustine will face No. 18 Gaven Sax of Oklahoma in the opening match.
Graduate transfer Nick Babin will make his second NCAA appearance after qualifying in 2023 while at Columbia. Babin is seeded No. 24 at 125 and will face No. 9 Caleb Smith of Nebraska in the opening match.
Dylan Evans (157), Jared Keslar (165) and Briar Priest (141) will all make their first NCAA appearance in Philadelphia. Evans earned the sole at-large bid for the Panthers after placing fourth at 157 during the ACC Championships. Priest impressed at the ACC Championships, securing an automatic berth to the tournament after finishing fourth overall at 141. Keslar finished fifth at ACCs to secure the last automatic bid at 165.
Redshirt-sophomore Finn Solomon was made an alternate at 149-pounds and could take the mat in Philadelphia if one of the 33 competitors in his weight class are unable to participate.
2025 NCAA Qualifiers First Round Match Ups:
125: No. 24 Nick Babin (Pitt) vs. No. 9 Caleb Smith (Nebraska)
141: No. 30 Briar Priest (Pitt) vs. No. 3 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State)
157: No. 24 Dylan Evans (Pitt) vs. No. 9 Tommy Askey (Minnesota)
165: No. 32 Jared Keslar (Pitt) vs. No. 33 Chandler Amaker (Central Michigan)
174: No. 15 Luca Augustine (Pitt) vs. No. 18 Gaven Sax (Oklahoma)
184: No. 9 Reece Heller (Pitt) vs. No. 24 Devan Hendricks (Bellarmine)
197: No. 6 Mac Stout (Pitt) vs. No. 27 Michael Dellagatta (Cornell)
285: No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) vs. No. 23 Daniel Bucknavich (Cleveland State)
149: Finn Solomon, Alternate
Players Mentioned
