OSU Wrestling: Landon Robideau Wins U20 U.S. Open

Landon Robideau’s fantastic year continues.

A month after winning an NCAA title as a true freshman, Robideau won the U20 U.S. Open on Sunday at 70 kg. He beat Seth Mendoza 8-2 in the final. Mendoza redshirted at Missouri this past college season.

Outside of that final, Robideau won with five techs and a medical forfeit.

The win means Robideau advances to the U20 World Team Trials finals, which is a best-of-three series against the winner of the U20 World Team Trials bracket next month. If he wins that series, he earns the spot on the United States’ U20 World Team.

Incoming OSU freshman heavyweight Dreshaun Ross was in the 125 kg final but dropped the bout to Coby Merrill, OSU wrestler Cody Merrill’s younger brother, 8-6. The younger Merrill will be a freshman at Iowa State next season.

Merrill won the bout by repeatedly pushing Ross out of the circle, which is worth a point in freestyle. Ross got a few takedowns late in the bout but couldn’t quite get the one more that would’ve given him the result.

Merrill moves to the World Trials finals, but Ross will be the favorite to get to him through the bracket. And you feel good about how Ross finished that match as he tried to figure out how to avoid all the pushouts.

Two other Cowboys placed at the event, with Ronnie Ramirez taking fourth at 61 kg and Kody Routledge taking fifth at 74 kg. Both of those guys took a redshirt this past season.

OSU commits Ladd Holman (third at 92 kg) and Tanner Hodgins (eighth at 92 kg) also placed. Those two wrestled each other on the backside of the bracket, with Holman winning 12-0.