By: Brook Weber
PHILADELPHIA — Purdue Wrestling closed its breakthrough season with a 13th-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships and two All-Americans on the national podium inside Wells Fargo Center.
With five NCAA qualifiers, the Boilermakers' mark in the field of 66 universities is their highest team finish at the national tournament of head coach Tony Ersland's tenure (2014-present) and Purdue's highest placement since 1992 (12th).
With a total of 34.5 team points, it's the Boilers' largest tally since 2003 (38).
Sophomore Joey Blaze (157 pounds) and redshirt-senior Matt Ramos (125) became Purdue's 62nd and 63rd All-Americans, respectively, with two remarkable tournament runs.
Blaze became Purdue's youngest national finalist in at least 75 years. Ramos tied the program record of 14 career NCAA tournament wins, held by the school's only two-time national champion Arnold Plaza (1947-1950).
Blaze, the lowest-seeded wrestler (No. 8) to make it to the 2025 Finals, competed for the 157-pound NCAA title in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,826 on Saturday night, live on ESPN.
He faced Nebraska's No. 3-seeded Antrell Taylor for the fourth time in the span of a month.
Same as the previous three showdowns, it was a defensive slugfest in which neither wrestler scored more than four points. Taylor landed the only takedown in the last three seconds of the first period.
Blaze then tried to battle back, chasing Taylor around the mat as the aggressor for almost the entirety of the second and third frames.
Multiple stalling warnings were called on Taylor, but the Husker survived and escaped with a 4-2 win.
Blaze's incredible second venture at the NCAA tournament closed with a runner-up finish.
He is Purdue's first true-sophomore national finalist since Charles Moreno in 1950. Additionally, Blaze is the 10th NCAA runner-up in school history.
Blaze blitzed his way through the first four rounds, highlighted by a stunning upset over Penn State's No. 1-seeded Tyler Kasak in the quarterfinal. Read more about his day two dominance here.
In other big news, one of the most decorated careers in recent program history came to an end with a fourth-place All-American finish for Ramos.
He lost for just the second time all season in Friday afternoon's quarterfinal to send him to the consolation ladder. But the four-time NCAA qualifier responded well with three straight wins and clawed all the way back to the bronze medal match.
He earned ranked victories over No. 22 Trever Anderson (UNI, D 8-2), No. 9 Caleb Smith (NEB, D 5-4) and No. 8 Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh, D 9-2) to earn a spot in the bout for third place, the best possible outcome for those who lose once in the double-elimination bracket.
In his final college match, Ramos scrapped in a Big Ten Championships rematch with Penn State's No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, taking the Nittany Lion down first before getting caught and pinned in the third period.
The loss sent him to fourth place on the national podium.
Ramos is Purdue's first two-time All-American since Ben Wissel (2005-06) and just the 12th multiple-time All-American in school history.
He came up one win short of setting Purdue's all-time record for national tournament victories, but he is in elite company with Plaza, owner of two of Purdue's four NCAA crowns.
Once Ramos graduates in May, the Lockport, Illinois, grappler plans to remain in West Lafayette and continue training. His next goal is to compete on the world stage at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Boilermakers carry all kinds of momentum into the 2025-26 season with every starting wrestler aside from Ramos expected to return and compete. RESULTS 125 | #2 Matt Ramos (R-Sr.) – 5-2 - 4TH PLACE
Round 1: vs. #31 Richard Castro-Sandoval (CSUB) – W, MD 11-3
Round 2: vs. #18 Jacob Moran (IU) – W, MD 8-0
Quarterfinal: vs. #7 Troy Spratley (OKST) – L, D 5-2
Blood Round: vs. #22 Trever Anderson (UNI) – W, D 8-2
3rd Place Quarterfinal: vs. #9 Caleb Smith (NEB) – W, D 5-4
3rd Place Semifinal: vs. #8 Sheldon Seymour (LEH) – W, D 9-2
3rd Place Final: vs. #1 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) – L, Fall (6:18)
141 | #27 Greyson Clark (So.) – 1-2
Round 1: vs. #6 Vance VomBaur (MINN) – L, D 2-0
Cons. Round 1: vs. #22 Jordan Soriano (DREXEL) – W, MD 13-3
Cons. Round 2: vs. #21 Dylan Chappell (BUCKNELL) – L, D 8-5
157 | #8 Joey Blaze (So.) – 4-1 - 2ND PLACE
Round 1: vs. #25 Sonny Santiago (UNC) – W, D 7-0
Round 2: vs. #9 Tommy Askey (MINN) – W, D 3-2 (OT)
Quarterfinal: vs. #1 Tyler Kasak (PSU) – W, D 5-4
Semifinal: vs. #20 Trevor Chumbley (NU) – W, D 4-2
Final: vs. #3 Antrell Taylor (NEB) – L, D 4-2
174 | #26 Brody Baumann (R-So.) – 1-2
Round 1: vs. #7 Danny Wask (NAVY) – L, TF 15-0 (6:41)
Cons. Round 1: vs. #10 Alex Cramer (CMU) – W, D 3-2
Cons. Round 2: vs. #25 Dalton Harkins (ARMY) – L, D 6-5
285 | #33 Hayden Filipovich (R-Jr.) – 1-2
Pigtail: vs. #32 Stephan Monchery (APP ST) – W, MD 9-0
Round 1: vs. #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) – L, Fall (1:25)
Cons. Round 1: vs. #17 Jake Andrews (CSUB) – L, D 4-2
PHILADELPHIA — Purdue Wrestling closed its breakthrough season with a 13th-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships and two All-Americans on the national podium inside Wells Fargo Center.
With five NCAA qualifiers, the Boilermakers' mark in the field of 66 universities is their highest team finish at the national tournament of head coach Tony Ersland's tenure (2014-present) and Purdue's highest placement since 1992 (12th).
With a total of 34.5 team points, it's the Boilers' largest tally since 2003 (38).
Sophomore Joey Blaze (157 pounds) and redshirt-senior Matt Ramos (125) became Purdue's 62nd and 63rd All-Americans, respectively, with two remarkable tournament runs.
Blaze became Purdue's youngest national finalist in at least 75 years. Ramos tied the program record of 14 career NCAA tournament wins, held by the school's only two-time national champion Arnold Plaza (1947-1950).
Purdue's first true-sophomore NCAA Finalist since 1950!
— Purdue Wrestling (@PurdueWrestling) March 23, 2025
🥉 at Big Tens. 🥈 at Nationals.@joeyblaze18 will be back for more. pic.twitter.com/bkfYcu1yVD
Purdue's first 2x All-American in 19 years.
— Purdue Wrestling (@PurdueWrestling) March 22, 2025
12th multiple-time All-American in school history.
The legendary career of @Matt_Ramos2 ends on the national podium. 👏 pic.twitter.com/XazhSbvwHB
Blaze, the lowest-seeded wrestler (No. 8) to make it to the 2025 Finals, competed for the 157-pound NCAA title in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,826 on Saturday night, live on ESPN.
He faced Nebraska's No. 3-seeded Antrell Taylor for the fourth time in the span of a month.
Same as the previous three showdowns, it was a defensive slugfest in which neither wrestler scored more than four points. Taylor landed the only takedown in the last three seconds of the first period.
Blaze then tried to battle back, chasing Taylor around the mat as the aggressor for almost the entirety of the second and third frames.
Multiple stalling warnings were called on Taylor, but the Husker survived and escaped with a 4-2 win.
One thing's for certain about Joey Blaze...
— Purdue Wrestling (@PurdueWrestling) March 23, 2025
He's #AlwaysAggressive.
Heck of a run. The Boiler will be back. pic.twitter.com/C4O8Nfr5aC
Blaze's incredible second venture at the NCAA tournament closed with a runner-up finish.
He is Purdue's first true-sophomore national finalist since Charles Moreno in 1950. Additionally, Blaze is the 10th NCAA runner-up in school history.
Blaze blitzed his way through the first four rounds, highlighted by a stunning upset over Penn State's No. 1-seeded Tyler Kasak in the quarterfinal. Read more about his day two dominance here.
In other big news, one of the most decorated careers in recent program history came to an end with a fourth-place All-American finish for Ramos.
He lost for just the second time all season in Friday afternoon's quarterfinal to send him to the consolation ladder. But the four-time NCAA qualifier responded well with three straight wins and clawed all the way back to the bronze medal match.
He earned ranked victories over No. 22 Trever Anderson (UNI, D 8-2), No. 9 Caleb Smith (NEB, D 5-4) and No. 8 Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh, D 9-2) to earn a spot in the bout for third place, the best possible outcome for those who lose once in the double-elimination bracket.
In his final college match, Ramos scrapped in a Big Ten Championships rematch with Penn State's No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, taking the Nittany Lion down first before getting caught and pinned in the third period.
The loss sent him to fourth place on the national podium.
Ramos is Purdue's first two-time All-American since Ben Wissel (2005-06) and just the 12th multiple-time All-American in school history.
He came up one win short of setting Purdue's all-time record for national tournament victories, but he is in elite company with Plaza, owner of two of Purdue's four NCAA crowns.
Once Ramos graduates in May, the Lockport, Illinois, grappler plans to remain in West Lafayette and continue training. His next goal is to compete on the world stage at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Boilermakers carry all kinds of momentum into the 2025-26 season with every starting wrestler aside from Ramos expected to return and compete. RESULTS 125 | #2 Matt Ramos (R-Sr.) – 5-2 - 4TH PLACE
Round 1: vs. #31 Richard Castro-Sandoval (CSUB) – W, MD 11-3
Round 2: vs. #18 Jacob Moran (IU) – W, MD 8-0
Quarterfinal: vs. #7 Troy Spratley (OKST) – L, D 5-2
Blood Round: vs. #22 Trever Anderson (UNI) – W, D 8-2
3rd Place Quarterfinal: vs. #9 Caleb Smith (NEB) – W, D 5-4
3rd Place Semifinal: vs. #8 Sheldon Seymour (LEH) – W, D 9-2
3rd Place Final: vs. #1 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) – L, Fall (6:18)
141 | #27 Greyson Clark (So.) – 1-2
Round 1: vs. #6 Vance VomBaur (MINN) – L, D 2-0
Cons. Round 1: vs. #22 Jordan Soriano (DREXEL) – W, MD 13-3
Cons. Round 2: vs. #21 Dylan Chappell (BUCKNELL) – L, D 8-5
157 | #8 Joey Blaze (So.) – 4-1 - 2ND PLACE
Round 1: vs. #25 Sonny Santiago (UNC) – W, D 7-0
Round 2: vs. #9 Tommy Askey (MINN) – W, D 3-2 (OT)
Quarterfinal: vs. #1 Tyler Kasak (PSU) – W, D 5-4
Semifinal: vs. #20 Trevor Chumbley (NU) – W, D 4-2
Final: vs. #3 Antrell Taylor (NEB) – L, D 4-2
174 | #26 Brody Baumann (R-So.) – 1-2
Round 1: vs. #7 Danny Wask (NAVY) – L, TF 15-0 (6:41)
Cons. Round 1: vs. #10 Alex Cramer (CMU) – W, D 3-2
Cons. Round 2: vs. #25 Dalton Harkins (ARMY) – L, D 6-5
285 | #33 Hayden Filipovich (R-Jr.) – 1-2
Pigtail: vs. #32 Stephan Monchery (APP ST) – W, MD 9-0
Round 1: vs. #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) – L, Fall (1:25)
Cons. Round 1: vs. #17 Jake Andrews (CSUB) – L, D 4-2