Seven wrestlers will represent Maryland wrestling in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this weekend.
The Terps are sending King Sandoval, Kal and Ethen Miller, Gaven Bell, Chase Mielnik, Jaxon Smith and Seth Nevills to the invitational tournament, which will last from Friday to Saturday.
Notably absent from the list of wrestlers fighting in Las Vegas is redshirt sophomore Braxton Brown. Brown unexpectedly weighed in at 133 pounds ahead of Maryland’s dual meet against Pittsburgh after starting in the 125 pound bout of every dual meet during the 2022-2023 season. It is unclear whether Brown will resume wrestling at 125 pounds at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas tournament or if he will once again fight at 133 pounds.
Coach Alex Clemsen did not directly comment on the weight change, but suggested he had planned to have Brown wrestle at a higher weight class.
“He wouldn’t have weighed in at 133 if I didn’t intend it,” Clemsen said.
Sandoval will fight in the 133 pound bracket in place of Brown. Clemsen had previously hinted at Sandoval having a reduced role on the team after Brown moved up to 133 pounds, saying Sandoval’s job was to “be a good teammate” and “be ready to wrestle when called upon.”
141-pound sophomore Kal Miller is undefeated in the 2023-2024 season, most recently upsetting Pittsburgh redshirt senior Cole Matthews and earning a 12-4 major decision. At the Tiger Style tournament, Miller defeated Missouri redshirt sophomore Josh Edmond to secure first place in the 141-pound bracket.
“I think Kal Miller is finding out he’s Kal Miller,” Clemsen said. “We’ve seen some big grow-up moments.”
Miller will be the sixth seed in the 141-pound bracket of the Las Vegas tournament.
149-pound redshirt sophomore Ethen Miller is similarly riding a wave of success heading into the tournament. He did not fight in Tiger Style, but Miller has two wins and no losses in dual meet bouts. His most recent win came in the dual meet against Pittsburgh, in which he won a 7-3 decision over redshirt freshman Finn Solomon.
With regular 165-pound starter John Martin Best still out with an injury, Bell will represent Maryland in Las Vegas. Bell lost by technical fall to redshirt fifth-year senior Holden Heller in the dual meet against Pittsburgh and placed fourth in the 165-pound bracket in the Tiger Style tournament.
Mielnik is another Terp going to Vegas following a technical fall loss against Pittsburgh and a fourth place finish in the Tiger Style tournament. Clemsen has stuck with Mielnik over redshirt senior Kevin Makosey as he recovers from an elbow injury sustained last year.
Smith will come into the Vegas tournament as the fifth seed in his bracket. His last fight ended in victory over Pittsburgh redshirt freshman Max Stout, giving the Terps a chance for a comeback victory they ultimately could not capitalize on. Smith placed second in the Tiger Style 197-pound bracket, and his loss in the final round of that bracket remains his only one of the season.
Nevills has been going through an up-and-down season for the Terps. He has one win and one loss in dual meet fights, and he secured second place in the Tiger Style Invite tournament. Had he won his fight against Pittsburgh redshirt freshman Dayton Pitzer, it would have completed the comeback victory the Terps were hoping for over the Panthers.
