KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Michael Caliendo is now a two-time All-American. The 165-pounder defeated No. 3 Julian Ramirez of Cornell, 9-4, to advance to Friday night’s NCAA semifinals. Drake Ayala was the only other Hawkeye to advance to the semis.

In 2023 with North Dakota State, Caliendo lost in the second round and wrestled back to place seventh. The Hawkeye said he feels the improvements he’s made over the last year. Caliendo added he feels less pressure right now because he isn’t competing in the consolation bracket and “it’s not a life or death situation out there.” But the 165-pounder knows he can’t “let any opportunity slip through [his] fingers.”

“In the room, we’re always talking about scoring as many points as you can and always being ready to score when an opportunity arises. And that’s what I did every opportunity I got it. I took my points … and I’ve got some of the best coaches in the world behind me,” Caliendo said after advancing to the semis.

Caliendo will face Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink tonight with a finals berth on the line. Mesenbrink dominated Caliendo in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, ending the match 13 seconds early with a 23-7 technical fall. In the regular season, Mesenbrink won, 12-6. Iowa State’s David Carr and Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole are on the other side of the bracket and will match up in the semis. Caliendo lost to Carr, 16-4, earlier this season.

“I mean, I know I’m up there with [Mesenbrink and Carr] even though maybe some of my matches got taken away from me and the point differential was a little bit bigger,” Caliendo said. “But I can hang with anybody, and that [quarterfinals] match proves that.”