pin2win
@hagertony
BY MATT PFIFFNER
All eyes in the college wrestling world will be on the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. this week, which serves as host to the 2011 NCAA Div. I National Championships. The action gets underway Thursday morning at 10 a.m. (CST time) and concludes Saturday night at 6 p.m. with the title bouts.
Iowa is going after its fourth straight NCAA team title, but aren't seen as the favorites going in. That distinction goes to a pair of east coast teams - Penn State and Cornell University. The Hawkeyes qualified nine out of 10 wrestlers, but several will be making their first NCAA Tournament appearances.
Iowa State, led by top-ranked and undefeated Jon Reader at 174, sends five wrestlers to the tourney. Northern Iowa qualified three.
Along with those 17 in-state wrestlers, there are also five former Iowa high school stars competing for out-of-state schools, for a total of 22 to keep a watch on.
Here is a look at each weight class for the upcoming 2011 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, including a peak at the draws for the wrestlers from the three Iowa schools and the other native Iowans.
The numbers in front of wrestlers are the seeds, not any particular publication's rankings, since there are so many of them anymore.
After each weight class preview, The Predicament's Matt Pfiffner (MP), Jim Thompson (JT) and Wyatt Schultz (WS) give their picks for the semifinals (the predicted finalists are in bold).
125
Who's No. 1? - Anthony Robles, Arizona State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Anthony Robles, Arizona State (4th 2009, 7th 2010); No. 2 Matt McDonough, Iowa (1st 2010); No. 4 James Nicholson, Old Dominion (8th 2008); No. 5 Zachary Sanders, Minnesota (6th 2009, 5th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 2 Matt McDonough, Iowa; No. 4 James Nicholson, Old Dominion (former Des Moines Roosevelt).
Random Thoughts: One of the most talked-about weight classes when the seeds were announced. Many people were stunned when returning champion Matt McDonough of Iowa, who has lost twice in his career, was seeded second instead of first. That honor goes to undefeated Anthony Robles of Arizona State, who has placed fourth and seventh the past two seasons. Former Des Moines Roosevelt star James Nicholson also comes in unbeaten and is seeded fourth.
Top Half: Nicholson starts his tournament against Tyler Iwamura of Cal State-Bakersfield. The former all-American looks to avoid a stunning loss like he suffered in the first round last year. If Nicholson gets through that bout, he will meet Ben Kjar of Utah Valley or Steve Bonanno of Hofstra. A possible quarterfinal bout looms with two-time all-American Zachary Sanders of Minnesota, with Robles possibly waiting in the semifinals.
Bottom Half: McDonough can't be pleased with the No. 2 seed and Manuel Ramirez of UNC-Greensboro may take the brunt of that anger in the first round. McDonough would then meet Big 12 champion David Klingsheim of Nebraska or Big 10 rival Sean Boyle of Michigan in the second round. Waiting in the quarterfinals could be No. 7 Ryan Mango of Stanford or solid freshman and No. 10 seed Alan Waters of Missouri. In the semifinals, most fans are expecting a fourth bout this season between McDonough and No. 3 Brandon Precin of Northwestern. Precin won round one at the Midlands, but McDonough won the past two meetings, including in the Big 10 finals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Anthony Robles (Arizona State) vs. James Nicholson (Old Dominion); Matt McDonough (Iowa) vs. Brandon Precin (Northwestern).
JT - Robles vs. Zachary Sanders (Minnesota); McDonough vs. Precin.
WS - Robles vs. Sanders; McDonough vs. Precin.
133
Who's No. 1? - Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State (4th 2010); No. 2 Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise State (4th 2009); No. 3 Andrew Long, Penn State (2nd at 125 2010 for Iowa State); No. 4 Tyler Graff, Wisconsin (5th 2010); No. 8 Mike Grey, Cornell (6th 2008); No. 11 Scotti Sentes, Central Michigan (7th at 125 2009).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 3 Andrew Long, Penn State (Former Creston/O-M and Iowa State); No. 6 Tony Ramos, Iowa; Ridge Kiley, Nebraska (Former Eagle Grove, Iowa City West).
Random Thoughts: A loaded weight class with several former All-Americans and some young talent. Oliver has been dominant all season, while Hochstrasser is back in top form after an injury cut last year short. Long was rusty when he entered the lineup in the second semester, but has been on a roll the past month and recently claimed a Big 10 championship. Can Long make another run at the finals in a different weight class? The only wrestler to pin a loss on him this season may have something to say about that.
Top Half: Kiley receives a rough draw in his first NCAA Tournament appearance, as he faces No. 4 Tyler Graff of Wisconsin, the Big 10 runner-up in overtime to Long. Kiley may be fighting back from the back side right away. Top-ranked Oliver is the big favorite on this side and is wrestling the way Oklahoma State fans expected when he was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, recruit a few years ago.
Bottom Half: Ramos of Iowa meets Frank Cagnina of Lehigh in a pigtail bout to open the freshman's first NCAA Tournament. If the sixth-seeded Hawkeye gets through that match, Jordan Keller of Oklahoma will be waiting in the first round. Ramos could face former All-American Scotti Sentes of Central Michigan in the second round. If Ramos can reach the quarterfinals, his likely opponent would be Penn state's Long, who Ramos defeated in the dual meet. Long faces Casey Cruz of Northern Colorado in the opening round and shouldn't have a lot of trouble reaching the quarterfinals. Hochstrasser's lone loss this year was a 5-2 decision against top seed Oliver.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) vs. Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra); Andrew Hochstrasser (Boise State) vs. Andrew Long (Penn State).
JT - Oliver vs. Tyler Graff (Wisconsin); Hochstrasser vs. Long.
WS - Oliver vs. Graff; Hochstrasser vs. Long.
141
Who's No. 1? -
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Kellen Russell, Michigan (7th 2009); No. 2 Michael Thorn, Minnesota (7th 2010); No. 3 Borislav Novachkov, Cal Poly (7th 133 2010); No. 4 James Kennedy, Illinois (4th 133 2008, 5th 133 2009); No. 5 Montell Marion, Iowa (2nd 2010); No. 7 Tyler Nauman, Pittsburgh (5th 2010); No. 8 Zach Bailey, Oklahoma (4th 2010); Chris Drouin, Iowa State (6th 2009 for Arizona State); Cody Cleveland, UT-Chattanooga (8th 2008); Christopher Diaz, Virginia Tech (8th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Montell Marion, Iowa; Chris Drouin, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: Maybe the toughest weight of the tournament. There are 10 former All-Americans in the field, including seven on the top side alone. Whoever makes the finals out of that group may have to beat as many as four former All-Americans to get there. Marion of Iowa is capable of beating anyone at this weight, but can he put together an outstanding run like last year when he reached the finals?
Top Half: Iowa's No. 5 Montell Marion and Chris Drouin of Iowa State are both on this very difficult side of the draw. Marion, last year's runner-up as a sophomore, meets Stephen Dutton of Lehigh in the opening round. If he gets past him, Marion could meet No. 12 Zack Kemmerer of Penn in the second round. No. 4 James Kennedy of Illinois could be waiting in the quarterfinals. Drouin of ISU meets No. 9 Cole VonOhlen of Air Force in the opening round. If he could get past that match, Drouin would face a fellow former All-American in the second round. No. 8 Zack Bailey of Oklahoma and Cody Cleveland of UTC meet in a great opener in Drouin's foursome.
Bottom Half: No. 2 Michael Thorn of Minnesota shouldn't have much trouble reaching the quarterfinals, where fellow returning All-American Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh could be waiting. No. 3 Borislav Novachkov of Cal Poly is favored in the other quarter and appears to be handling the move up in weight class very well. The wildcard on this side of the draw is explosive true freshman Andrew Alton of Penn State. He has the skills to beat anyone on a given day.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Kellen Russell (Michigan) vs. James Kennedy (Illinois); Andrew Alton (Penn State) vs. Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh).
JT - Russell vs. Montell Marion (Iowa); Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) vs. Michael Thorn (Minnesota).
WS - Russell vs. Marion; Novachkov vs. Thorn.
149
Who's No. 1? - Darrion Caldwell, North Carolina State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Darrion Caldwell, NC State (1st 2009, 5th 2008); No. 2 Frank Molinaro, Penn State (8th at 141 2009, 5th at 149 2010); No. 3 Kevin LeValley, Bucknell (7th 2010); No. 4 Kyle Dake, Cornell (1st 141 2010); Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro (6th 2010); Justin Gaethje, Northern Colorado (7th at 157).
Iowa-related qualifiers - None.
Random Thoughts: The only bracket of the NCAA championships without anyone with an Iowa connection to follow. Hawkeye fans can at least root against Darrion Caldwell, who beat Hawkeye Brent Metcalf in the finals two years ago, or Kyle Dake of Cornell, who defeated Montell Marion in the finals at 141 last season. Unfortunately, they will likely meet in the semifinals, so pick the lesser of two evils there.
Top Half: It will be surprising if two former NCAA champions, Caldwell and Dake, don't meet in the semifinals here. Dake could be tested in the second round with a possible showdown with returning All-American Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro. Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State is a possible semifinal foe for Dake, while Caldwell could meet a tough Ganbayar Sanjaa of American in the quarters. But Sanjaa has a tough opener against Justin Gaethje of Northern Colorado, who was an All-American at 157 last season.
Bottom Half: No. 2 seed Frank Molinaro of Penn State was given a big favor when Caldwell and Dake were both placed on the other side of the draw. That could open the door for a run at the finals, which could be big in the team race. Returning All-American and No. 3 seed Kevin LeValley of Bucknell is a possible tough semifinal opponent. Don't sleep on No. 6 Jason Chamberlain of Boise State or No. 7 Mario Mason of Rutgers, who both have had outstanding seasons and have notched some impressive wins over other top wrestlers in the field.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Darrion Caldwell (NC State) vs. Kyle Dake (Cornell); Jason Chamberlain (Boise State) vs. Mario Mason (Rutgers).
JT - Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) vs. Dake; Kevin LeValley (Bucknell) vs. Mason.
WS - Caldwell vs. Dake; LeValley vs. Frank Molinaro (Penn State).
157
Who's No. 1? - Adam Hall, Boise State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Adam Hall, Boise State (3rd 2010); No. 2 Steve Fittery, American (5th 2010); No. 4 Bubba Jenkins, Arizona State (2nd at 149 in 2008 for Penn State); No. 7 Bryce Saddoris, Navy (6th at 149 2009).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Derek St. John, Iowa; David Bonin, Northern Iowa.
Random Thoughts: The hot newcomer this season is undefeated Penn State freshman David Taylor, who has only been held to a regular decision win a few times this year. Coached by Cael Sanderson, the way he wrestles reminds many of the former Cyclone great. Can he complete the perfect first year and keep the hype machine in full swing? Northern Iowa makes it's first appearance in the tournament here. Bubba Jenkins returns to the big stage after taking last year off.
Top Half: Could be some very interesting quarterfinal bouts here if the seeds hold true to form. Top-ranked Adam Hall of Boise State could meet No. 8 Jason Welch of Northwestern in one quarter, while No. 4 Bubba Jenkins of Arizona State - who finished second as a sophomore at Penn State, went 0-2 at Nationals as a junior and redshirted last year before transferring - could meet No. 5 Jesse Dong of Virginia Tech.
Bottom Half: No. 6 seed freshman Derek St. John of Iowa opens his first NCAA Tournament against Frank Hickman of Bloomsburg. If he advances, the Hawkeye could meet No. 11 Walter Peppelman of Harvard in the second round. If St. John makes the quarterfinals, likely waiting will be undefeated freshman David Taylor of Penn State. St. John is one of the few wrestlers to actually have a lead on Taylor this season, but no one has been able to figure him out for a win. David Bonin of UNI also makes his first NCAA appearance and faces Matt Kaylor of Binghampton in the first round. Waiting for the winner in the second round should be No. 3 Taylor. Everyone is expecting a Taylor vs. No. 2 Steve Fittery of American semifinal, but Fittery could be pushed in the quarters by former All-American Bryce Saddoris of Navy in the quarters.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Adam Hall (Boise State) vs. Jesse Dong (Virginia Tech); Steve Fittery (American) vs. David Taylor (Penn State).
JT - Hall vs. Bubba Jenkins (Arizona State); Fittery vs. Taylor.
WS - Hall vs. Jenkins; Fittery vs. Taylor.
165
Who's No. 1? - Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska (1st at 157 in 2009, 3rd at 149 in 2008); No. 2 Andrew Howe, Wisconsin (2nd 2009, 1st 2010); No. 3 Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma (5th 2010); Justin Lister, Binghamton (4th at 157).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 9 Justin Kerber, Cornell (former Emmetsburg); No. 11 Aaron Janssen, Iowa.
Random Thoughts: A pair of former champions and a pair of former Emmetsburg/A-R grapplers are among the favorites to earn All-American honors at this weight class. After having his season cut short by injury last year, Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska returns in search of another title and a third All-American honor in a third different weight class. Andrew Howe of Wisconsin has also won an NCAA title and this could be the final everyone has been waiting for.
Top Half: Former Emmetsburg/A-R two-time State champ and four-time finalist Justin Kerber is seeded ninth and meets Bekzod Abdurakhmonov of Clarion in the opening round, A possible second-round bout with a tough Scott Winston of Rutgers looms. The winner there would probably meet top-ranked Burroughs in the quarterfinals.
Bottom Half: Iowa's Aaron Janssen comes in as the No. 11 seed and meets Peter Yates of Virginia Tech in the first round. The winner there could meet No. 6 seed Dallas Bailey of Oklahoma State in the second round. Janssen lost 8-7 and 6-2 to the Cowboy earlier this season and could provide the Hawkeyes a big lift if he could turn that around. If they do meet, the winner probably gets No. 3 Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. Caldwell was the Big 12 runner-up and gave Burroughs all he wanted in the league finals. Returning champ Andrew Howe of Wisconsin should be waiting in the semifinals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) vs. Colt Sponseller (Ohio State); Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) vs. Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma).
JT - Burroughs vs. Sponseller; Howe vs. Caldwell.
WS - Burroughs vs. Sponseller; Howe vs. Caldwell.
174
Who's No. 1? - Jonathan Reader, Iowa State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jonathan Reader, Iowa State (4th at 165 in 2009, 7th at 165 in 2008); No. 3 Mack Lewnes, Cornell (4th at 165 2008, 2nd at 174 2010); No. 5 Christopher Henrich, Virginia (7th 2009, 3rd 2010); No. 6 Ben Bennett, Central Michigan (6th 2010); No. 7 Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford (4th 2010); Scott Giffin, Pennslyvania (7th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 1 Jonathan Reader, Iowa State; No. 9 Ethan Lofthouse, Iowa.
Random Thoughts: The only top seed from the state is Reader, who has been more than impressive in his senior season after bumping up a weight class. He has taken on all-comers and knocked them all down. Lofthouse of Iowa has been wrestling very well of late, but may have trouble getting any further than the quarters with Reader in the way.
Top Half: The top-ranked Reader was upset in the first round last year and failed to earn All-American honors for the first time in his career. He's back at a new weight class with a focused mind and healthy body. He should have no trouble reaching the quarterfinals. Lofthouse of Iowa doesn't know who his first-round opponent is, as he faces the winner of a pigtail match between Rob Morrison of Rider and Dorian Henderson of Missouri. If he wins that bout, Lofthouse would meet No. 8 Mike Letts of Maryland or returning All-American Scott Giffin of Pennsylvania. The winner of that section should meet up with Reader in the quarterfinals. Former Iowa Central national champion and University of Iowa wrestler Colby Covington of Oregon State is seeded fourth and looks to earn All-American honors after finishing one match away last year for head coach Jim Zalesky. Christopher Henrich of Virginia, who many fans will remember from the thrilling semifinal match with Iowa's Jay Borschel last season, is also on this tough half of the draw.
Bottom Half: There could be a great semifinal bout here, between senior two-time All-American Mack Lewnes of Cornell and hotshot freshman Ed Ruth of Penn State. Ruth defeated Lewnes earlier in the season, but the Cornell grappler may have an edge in experience if they do face off in the semifinals. Returning All-American Nick Amuchastegui of Stanford could be a tough test for Ruth in the quarterfinals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jonathan Reader (Iowa State) vs. Christopher Henrich (Virginia); Mack Lewnes (Cornell) vs. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford).
JT - Reader vs. Colby Covington (Oregon State); Lewnes vs. Amuchastegui.
WS - Reader vs. Covington; Lewnes vs. Ed Ruth (Penn State).
184
Who's No. 1? - Christopher Honeycutt, Edinboro
Returning All-Americans - No. 5 Joe LeBlanc, Wyoming (5th 2009, 4th 2010); No. 9 Quentin Wright, Penn State (6th at 174 in 2009); No. 11 Kirk Smith, Boise State (8th 2008, 2nd 2010);
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Ryan Loder, Northern Iowa; No. 10 Josh Ihnen, Nebraska (former Sheldon-South O'Brien); No. 12 Grant Gambrall, Iowa; Richard Shafer, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: The most wide-open weight class of the tournament. No huge favorite here, with Boise State's Kirk Smith battling injury. UNI's Ryan Loder has been as hot as anyone at this weight, winning 20 of his last 23 matches. Quentin Wright of Penn State appeared out of the picture before a stunning run to the title at the Big 10 Tournament. Iowa's Grant Gambrall may have received the toughest draw for any Hawkeye wrestler. Former Iowa high school star Josh Ihnen of Nebraska fell one win shy of placing as a freshman last season and will make another run at the podium this week.
Top Half: Gambrall of Iowa begins his first NCAA Tournament with a pigtail match against Corey Peltier of Maryland. If he gets through that, the Hawkeye would meet Austin Trotman of Appalachian State in the first round. The winner there would likely meet two-time All-American Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming in the second round, who may very well be the favorite on this half of a draw, despite his No. 5 seed.
Bottom Half: UNI's Ryan Loder has been on fire the last half of the season and was rewarded with the No. 6 seed. The Panther meets Ben Clymer of Hofstra in the opening round and then could meet No. 11 seed and returning NCAA runner-up Kirk Smith of Boise State in the second round. Smith has been injured and appears to be a shell of the wrestler who was seeded first here a year ago. Former Sheldon/SO State champ Josh Ihnen of Nebraska is seeded 10th after a Big 12 runner-up finish and takes on Matt Ryan of West Virginia in the opening round. If Ihnen wins there, he could meet the man who defeated him in the conference finals, freshman Chris Perry of Oklahoma State. Richard Shafer of Iowa State meets Jake Meredith of Arizona State in the opening round. If the Cyclone wins there, No. 3 Steve Bosack of Cornell would likely be next.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) vs. Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming); Steve Bosak (Cornell) vs. Robert Hamlin (Lehigh).
JT - Honeycutt vs. LeBlanc; Bosak vs. Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa).
WS - Quentin Wright (Penn State) vs. Travis Rutt (Wisconsin); Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) vs. Kirk Smith (Boise State).
197
Who's No. 1? - Cam Simaz, Cornell
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Cam Simaz, Cornell (8th 2009, 3rd 2010); No. 2 Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State (6th at 184 in 2010); No. 3 Trevor Brandvold, Wisconsin (6th in 2010); No. 4 Dustin Kilgore, Kent State (7th at 184 in 2010); No. 9 Sonny Yohn, Minnesota (8th in 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 5 Luke Lofthouse, Iowa; No. 11 Jerome Ward, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: A pair of wrestlers from Iowa schools take a shot at All-American glory. Luke Lofthouse of Iowa appears to have a favorable draw and will wrestle hard for seven minutes or more every match. Jerome Ward of Iowa State has the talent to wrestle with anyone in the nation, but he has never put it all together at Nationals for the Cyclones.
Top Half: The No. 5 seeded Lofthouse meets Riley Orozco of Cal State-Bakersfield in the opening round. If he gets past him, the Hawk could meet No. 12 Zack Glesen of Stanford in the second round. A possible quarterfinal bout with No. 4 Dustin Kilgore of Kent State, an All-American at 184 last season, looms.
Bottom Half: Iowa State's Ward is seeded 11th and meets Erik Schuth of Ohio in the first round. If Ward can win his opening-round match for the first time in his career, he could meet No. 6 seed Micah Burak of Pennsylvania in the second round. Returning All-American and No. 3 seed Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin could be waiting for that winner in the quarters. Clayton Foster of Oklahoma State has a perfect record heading into Nationals and is a slight favorite on this half of the draw.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Cam Simaz (Cornell) vs. Luke Lofthouse (Iowa); Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) vs. Clayton Foster (Oklahoma State).
JT - Simaz vs. Lofthouse; Brandvold vs. Foster.
WS - Simaz vs. Lofthouse; Brandvold vs. Foster.
285
Who's No. 1? - Zachery Rey, Lehigh
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Zachery Rey, Lehigh (3rd 2010); No. 2 Jerod Trice, Central Michigan (8th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 7 Blake Rasing, Iowa; Kyle Simonson, Iowa State; Christian Brantley, Northern Iowa.
Random Thoughts: It seems like every year a wrestler from Iowa either meets an Iowa State or UNI wrestler in the first round and that is the case here. Other than the top two seeds, no one else in the bracket has ever earned a medal...which should make this a very wide open race for All-American honors.
Top Half: Christian Brantley of UNI makes his third straight trip to the NCAA Championships. The Panther has yet to make the podium and has a tough test right away here, with No. 8 seed Anthony Nelson of Minnesota. The winner could meet No. 9 Cameron Wade of Penn State in the second round. Top seed Zachery Rey of Lehigh is a big (no pun intended) favorite on this half of the draw. But Wade is a pinner and could pose problems for anyone.
Bottom Half: No. 7 Blake Rasing of Iowa is fresh off a Big 10 Tournament championship and faces a familiar foe in the opening round in Iowa State's Kyle Simonson. The Hawkeye claimed a tight 2-0 decision over the Cyclone in the early December dual. The winner there could meet No. 10 Nathan Fernandez of Oklahoma in the second round, with a quarterfinal match against No. 2 Jarod Trice of Central Michigan on the horizon.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Zachery Rey (Lehigh) vs. Dominique Bradley (Missouri); Ryan Tomei (Pittsburgh) vs. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan).
JT - Rey vs. Bradley; Ryan Flores (American) vs. Trice.
WS - Rey vs. Bradley; Flores vs. Trice.
All eyes in the college wrestling world will be on the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. this week, which serves as host to the 2011 NCAA Div. I National Championships. The action gets underway Thursday morning at 10 a.m. (CST time) and concludes Saturday night at 6 p.m. with the title bouts.
Iowa is going after its fourth straight NCAA team title, but aren't seen as the favorites going in. That distinction goes to a pair of east coast teams - Penn State and Cornell University. The Hawkeyes qualified nine out of 10 wrestlers, but several will be making their first NCAA Tournament appearances.
Iowa State, led by top-ranked and undefeated Jon Reader at 174, sends five wrestlers to the tourney. Northern Iowa qualified three.
Along with those 17 in-state wrestlers, there are also five former Iowa high school stars competing for out-of-state schools, for a total of 22 to keep a watch on.
Here is a look at each weight class for the upcoming 2011 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championships, including a peak at the draws for the wrestlers from the three Iowa schools and the other native Iowans.
The numbers in front of wrestlers are the seeds, not any particular publication's rankings, since there are so many of them anymore.
After each weight class preview, The Predicament's Matt Pfiffner (MP), Jim Thompson (JT) and Wyatt Schultz (WS) give their picks for the semifinals (the predicted finalists are in bold).
125
Who's No. 1? - Anthony Robles, Arizona State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Anthony Robles, Arizona State (4th 2009, 7th 2010); No. 2 Matt McDonough, Iowa (1st 2010); No. 4 James Nicholson, Old Dominion (8th 2008); No. 5 Zachary Sanders, Minnesota (6th 2009, 5th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 2 Matt McDonough, Iowa; No. 4 James Nicholson, Old Dominion (former Des Moines Roosevelt).
Random Thoughts: One of the most talked-about weight classes when the seeds were announced. Many people were stunned when returning champion Matt McDonough of Iowa, who has lost twice in his career, was seeded second instead of first. That honor goes to undefeated Anthony Robles of Arizona State, who has placed fourth and seventh the past two seasons. Former Des Moines Roosevelt star James Nicholson also comes in unbeaten and is seeded fourth.
Top Half: Nicholson starts his tournament against Tyler Iwamura of Cal State-Bakersfield. The former all-American looks to avoid a stunning loss like he suffered in the first round last year. If Nicholson gets through that bout, he will meet Ben Kjar of Utah Valley or Steve Bonanno of Hofstra. A possible quarterfinal bout looms with two-time all-American Zachary Sanders of Minnesota, with Robles possibly waiting in the semifinals.
Bottom Half: McDonough can't be pleased with the No. 2 seed and Manuel Ramirez of UNC-Greensboro may take the brunt of that anger in the first round. McDonough would then meet Big 12 champion David Klingsheim of Nebraska or Big 10 rival Sean Boyle of Michigan in the second round. Waiting in the quarterfinals could be No. 7 Ryan Mango of Stanford or solid freshman and No. 10 seed Alan Waters of Missouri. In the semifinals, most fans are expecting a fourth bout this season between McDonough and No. 3 Brandon Precin of Northwestern. Precin won round one at the Midlands, but McDonough won the past two meetings, including in the Big 10 finals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Anthony Robles (Arizona State) vs. James Nicholson (Old Dominion); Matt McDonough (Iowa) vs. Brandon Precin (Northwestern).
JT - Robles vs. Zachary Sanders (Minnesota); McDonough vs. Precin.
WS - Robles vs. Sanders; McDonough vs. Precin.
133
Who's No. 1? - Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State (4th 2010); No. 2 Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise State (4th 2009); No. 3 Andrew Long, Penn State (2nd at 125 2010 for Iowa State); No. 4 Tyler Graff, Wisconsin (5th 2010); No. 8 Mike Grey, Cornell (6th 2008); No. 11 Scotti Sentes, Central Michigan (7th at 125 2009).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 3 Andrew Long, Penn State (Former Creston/O-M and Iowa State); No. 6 Tony Ramos, Iowa; Ridge Kiley, Nebraska (Former Eagle Grove, Iowa City West).
Random Thoughts: A loaded weight class with several former All-Americans and some young talent. Oliver has been dominant all season, while Hochstrasser is back in top form after an injury cut last year short. Long was rusty when he entered the lineup in the second semester, but has been on a roll the past month and recently claimed a Big 10 championship. Can Long make another run at the finals in a different weight class? The only wrestler to pin a loss on him this season may have something to say about that.
Top Half: Kiley receives a rough draw in his first NCAA Tournament appearance, as he faces No. 4 Tyler Graff of Wisconsin, the Big 10 runner-up in overtime to Long. Kiley may be fighting back from the back side right away. Top-ranked Oliver is the big favorite on this side and is wrestling the way Oklahoma State fans expected when he was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, recruit a few years ago.
Bottom Half: Ramos of Iowa meets Frank Cagnina of Lehigh in a pigtail bout to open the freshman's first NCAA Tournament. If the sixth-seeded Hawkeye gets through that match, Jordan Keller of Oklahoma will be waiting in the first round. Ramos could face former All-American Scotti Sentes of Central Michigan in the second round. If Ramos can reach the quarterfinals, his likely opponent would be Penn state's Long, who Ramos defeated in the dual meet. Long faces Casey Cruz of Northern Colorado in the opening round and shouldn't have a lot of trouble reaching the quarterfinals. Hochstrasser's lone loss this year was a 5-2 decision against top seed Oliver.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) vs. Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra); Andrew Hochstrasser (Boise State) vs. Andrew Long (Penn State).
JT - Oliver vs. Tyler Graff (Wisconsin); Hochstrasser vs. Long.
WS - Oliver vs. Graff; Hochstrasser vs. Long.
141
Who's No. 1? -
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Kellen Russell, Michigan (7th 2009); No. 2 Michael Thorn, Minnesota (7th 2010); No. 3 Borislav Novachkov, Cal Poly (7th 133 2010); No. 4 James Kennedy, Illinois (4th 133 2008, 5th 133 2009); No. 5 Montell Marion, Iowa (2nd 2010); No. 7 Tyler Nauman, Pittsburgh (5th 2010); No. 8 Zach Bailey, Oklahoma (4th 2010); Chris Drouin, Iowa State (6th 2009 for Arizona State); Cody Cleveland, UT-Chattanooga (8th 2008); Christopher Diaz, Virginia Tech (8th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Montell Marion, Iowa; Chris Drouin, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: Maybe the toughest weight of the tournament. There are 10 former All-Americans in the field, including seven on the top side alone. Whoever makes the finals out of that group may have to beat as many as four former All-Americans to get there. Marion of Iowa is capable of beating anyone at this weight, but can he put together an outstanding run like last year when he reached the finals?
Top Half: Iowa's No. 5 Montell Marion and Chris Drouin of Iowa State are both on this very difficult side of the draw. Marion, last year's runner-up as a sophomore, meets Stephen Dutton of Lehigh in the opening round. If he gets past him, Marion could meet No. 12 Zack Kemmerer of Penn in the second round. No. 4 James Kennedy of Illinois could be waiting in the quarterfinals. Drouin of ISU meets No. 9 Cole VonOhlen of Air Force in the opening round. If he could get past that match, Drouin would face a fellow former All-American in the second round. No. 8 Zack Bailey of Oklahoma and Cody Cleveland of UTC meet in a great opener in Drouin's foursome.
Bottom Half: No. 2 Michael Thorn of Minnesota shouldn't have much trouble reaching the quarterfinals, where fellow returning All-American Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh could be waiting. No. 3 Borislav Novachkov of Cal Poly is favored in the other quarter and appears to be handling the move up in weight class very well. The wildcard on this side of the draw is explosive true freshman Andrew Alton of Penn State. He has the skills to beat anyone on a given day.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Kellen Russell (Michigan) vs. James Kennedy (Illinois); Andrew Alton (Penn State) vs. Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh).
JT - Russell vs. Montell Marion (Iowa); Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) vs. Michael Thorn (Minnesota).
WS - Russell vs. Marion; Novachkov vs. Thorn.
149
Who's No. 1? - Darrion Caldwell, North Carolina State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Darrion Caldwell, NC State (1st 2009, 5th 2008); No. 2 Frank Molinaro, Penn State (8th at 141 2009, 5th at 149 2010); No. 3 Kevin LeValley, Bucknell (7th 2010); No. 4 Kyle Dake, Cornell (1st 141 2010); Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro (6th 2010); Justin Gaethje, Northern Colorado (7th at 157).
Iowa-related qualifiers - None.
Random Thoughts: The only bracket of the NCAA championships without anyone with an Iowa connection to follow. Hawkeye fans can at least root against Darrion Caldwell, who beat Hawkeye Brent Metcalf in the finals two years ago, or Kyle Dake of Cornell, who defeated Montell Marion in the finals at 141 last season. Unfortunately, they will likely meet in the semifinals, so pick the lesser of two evils there.
Top Half: It will be surprising if two former NCAA champions, Caldwell and Dake, don't meet in the semifinals here. Dake could be tested in the second round with a possible showdown with returning All-American Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro. Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State is a possible semifinal foe for Dake, while Caldwell could meet a tough Ganbayar Sanjaa of American in the quarters. But Sanjaa has a tough opener against Justin Gaethje of Northern Colorado, who was an All-American at 157 last season.
Bottom Half: No. 2 seed Frank Molinaro of Penn State was given a big favor when Caldwell and Dake were both placed on the other side of the draw. That could open the door for a run at the finals, which could be big in the team race. Returning All-American and No. 3 seed Kevin LeValley of Bucknell is a possible tough semifinal opponent. Don't sleep on No. 6 Jason Chamberlain of Boise State or No. 7 Mario Mason of Rutgers, who both have had outstanding seasons and have notched some impressive wins over other top wrestlers in the field.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Darrion Caldwell (NC State) vs. Kyle Dake (Cornell); Jason Chamberlain (Boise State) vs. Mario Mason (Rutgers).
JT - Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) vs. Dake; Kevin LeValley (Bucknell) vs. Mason.
WS - Caldwell vs. Dake; LeValley vs. Frank Molinaro (Penn State).
157
Who's No. 1? - Adam Hall, Boise State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Adam Hall, Boise State (3rd 2010); No. 2 Steve Fittery, American (5th 2010); No. 4 Bubba Jenkins, Arizona State (2nd at 149 in 2008 for Penn State); No. 7 Bryce Saddoris, Navy (6th at 149 2009).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Derek St. John, Iowa; David Bonin, Northern Iowa.
Random Thoughts: The hot newcomer this season is undefeated Penn State freshman David Taylor, who has only been held to a regular decision win a few times this year. Coached by Cael Sanderson, the way he wrestles reminds many of the former Cyclone great. Can he complete the perfect first year and keep the hype machine in full swing? Northern Iowa makes it's first appearance in the tournament here. Bubba Jenkins returns to the big stage after taking last year off.
Top Half: Could be some very interesting quarterfinal bouts here if the seeds hold true to form. Top-ranked Adam Hall of Boise State could meet No. 8 Jason Welch of Northwestern in one quarter, while No. 4 Bubba Jenkins of Arizona State - who finished second as a sophomore at Penn State, went 0-2 at Nationals as a junior and redshirted last year before transferring - could meet No. 5 Jesse Dong of Virginia Tech.
Bottom Half: No. 6 seed freshman Derek St. John of Iowa opens his first NCAA Tournament against Frank Hickman of Bloomsburg. If he advances, the Hawkeye could meet No. 11 Walter Peppelman of Harvard in the second round. If St. John makes the quarterfinals, likely waiting will be undefeated freshman David Taylor of Penn State. St. John is one of the few wrestlers to actually have a lead on Taylor this season, but no one has been able to figure him out for a win. David Bonin of UNI also makes his first NCAA appearance and faces Matt Kaylor of Binghampton in the first round. Waiting for the winner in the second round should be No. 3 Taylor. Everyone is expecting a Taylor vs. No. 2 Steve Fittery of American semifinal, but Fittery could be pushed in the quarters by former All-American Bryce Saddoris of Navy in the quarters.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Adam Hall (Boise State) vs. Jesse Dong (Virginia Tech); Steve Fittery (American) vs. David Taylor (Penn State).
JT - Hall vs. Bubba Jenkins (Arizona State); Fittery vs. Taylor.
WS - Hall vs. Jenkins; Fittery vs. Taylor.
165
Who's No. 1? - Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska (1st at 157 in 2009, 3rd at 149 in 2008); No. 2 Andrew Howe, Wisconsin (2nd 2009, 1st 2010); No. 3 Tyler Caldwell, Oklahoma (5th 2010); Justin Lister, Binghamton (4th at 157).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 9 Justin Kerber, Cornell (former Emmetsburg); No. 11 Aaron Janssen, Iowa.
Random Thoughts: A pair of former champions and a pair of former Emmetsburg/A-R grapplers are among the favorites to earn All-American honors at this weight class. After having his season cut short by injury last year, Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska returns in search of another title and a third All-American honor in a third different weight class. Andrew Howe of Wisconsin has also won an NCAA title and this could be the final everyone has been waiting for.
Top Half: Former Emmetsburg/A-R two-time State champ and four-time finalist Justin Kerber is seeded ninth and meets Bekzod Abdurakhmonov of Clarion in the opening round, A possible second-round bout with a tough Scott Winston of Rutgers looms. The winner there would probably meet top-ranked Burroughs in the quarterfinals.
Bottom Half: Iowa's Aaron Janssen comes in as the No. 11 seed and meets Peter Yates of Virginia Tech in the first round. The winner there could meet No. 6 seed Dallas Bailey of Oklahoma State in the second round. Janssen lost 8-7 and 6-2 to the Cowboy earlier this season and could provide the Hawkeyes a big lift if he could turn that around. If they do meet, the winner probably gets No. 3 Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. Caldwell was the Big 12 runner-up and gave Burroughs all he wanted in the league finals. Returning champ Andrew Howe of Wisconsin should be waiting in the semifinals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) vs. Colt Sponseller (Ohio State); Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) vs. Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma).
JT - Burroughs vs. Sponseller; Howe vs. Caldwell.
WS - Burroughs vs. Sponseller; Howe vs. Caldwell.
174
Who's No. 1? - Jonathan Reader, Iowa State
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Jonathan Reader, Iowa State (4th at 165 in 2009, 7th at 165 in 2008); No. 3 Mack Lewnes, Cornell (4th at 165 2008, 2nd at 174 2010); No. 5 Christopher Henrich, Virginia (7th 2009, 3rd 2010); No. 6 Ben Bennett, Central Michigan (6th 2010); No. 7 Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford (4th 2010); Scott Giffin, Pennslyvania (7th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 1 Jonathan Reader, Iowa State; No. 9 Ethan Lofthouse, Iowa.
Random Thoughts: The only top seed from the state is Reader, who has been more than impressive in his senior season after bumping up a weight class. He has taken on all-comers and knocked them all down. Lofthouse of Iowa has been wrestling very well of late, but may have trouble getting any further than the quarters with Reader in the way.
Top Half: The top-ranked Reader was upset in the first round last year and failed to earn All-American honors for the first time in his career. He's back at a new weight class with a focused mind and healthy body. He should have no trouble reaching the quarterfinals. Lofthouse of Iowa doesn't know who his first-round opponent is, as he faces the winner of a pigtail match between Rob Morrison of Rider and Dorian Henderson of Missouri. If he wins that bout, Lofthouse would meet No. 8 Mike Letts of Maryland or returning All-American Scott Giffin of Pennsylvania. The winner of that section should meet up with Reader in the quarterfinals. Former Iowa Central national champion and University of Iowa wrestler Colby Covington of Oregon State is seeded fourth and looks to earn All-American honors after finishing one match away last year for head coach Jim Zalesky. Christopher Henrich of Virginia, who many fans will remember from the thrilling semifinal match with Iowa's Jay Borschel last season, is also on this tough half of the draw.
Bottom Half: There could be a great semifinal bout here, between senior two-time All-American Mack Lewnes of Cornell and hotshot freshman Ed Ruth of Penn State. Ruth defeated Lewnes earlier in the season, but the Cornell grappler may have an edge in experience if they do face off in the semifinals. Returning All-American Nick Amuchastegui of Stanford could be a tough test for Ruth in the quarterfinals.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Jonathan Reader (Iowa State) vs. Christopher Henrich (Virginia); Mack Lewnes (Cornell) vs. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford).
JT - Reader vs. Colby Covington (Oregon State); Lewnes vs. Amuchastegui.
WS - Reader vs. Covington; Lewnes vs. Ed Ruth (Penn State).
184
Who's No. 1? - Christopher Honeycutt, Edinboro
Returning All-Americans - No. 5 Joe LeBlanc, Wyoming (5th 2009, 4th 2010); No. 9 Quentin Wright, Penn State (6th at 174 in 2009); No. 11 Kirk Smith, Boise State (8th 2008, 2nd 2010);
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 6 Ryan Loder, Northern Iowa; No. 10 Josh Ihnen, Nebraska (former Sheldon-South O'Brien); No. 12 Grant Gambrall, Iowa; Richard Shafer, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: The most wide-open weight class of the tournament. No huge favorite here, with Boise State's Kirk Smith battling injury. UNI's Ryan Loder has been as hot as anyone at this weight, winning 20 of his last 23 matches. Quentin Wright of Penn State appeared out of the picture before a stunning run to the title at the Big 10 Tournament. Iowa's Grant Gambrall may have received the toughest draw for any Hawkeye wrestler. Former Iowa high school star Josh Ihnen of Nebraska fell one win shy of placing as a freshman last season and will make another run at the podium this week.
Top Half: Gambrall of Iowa begins his first NCAA Tournament with a pigtail match against Corey Peltier of Maryland. If he gets through that, the Hawkeye would meet Austin Trotman of Appalachian State in the first round. The winner there would likely meet two-time All-American Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming in the second round, who may very well be the favorite on this half of a draw, despite his No. 5 seed.
Bottom Half: UNI's Ryan Loder has been on fire the last half of the season and was rewarded with the No. 6 seed. The Panther meets Ben Clymer of Hofstra in the opening round and then could meet No. 11 seed and returning NCAA runner-up Kirk Smith of Boise State in the second round. Smith has been injured and appears to be a shell of the wrestler who was seeded first here a year ago. Former Sheldon/SO State champ Josh Ihnen of Nebraska is seeded 10th after a Big 12 runner-up finish and takes on Matt Ryan of West Virginia in the opening round. If Ihnen wins there, he could meet the man who defeated him in the conference finals, freshman Chris Perry of Oklahoma State. Richard Shafer of Iowa State meets Jake Meredith of Arizona State in the opening round. If the Cyclone wins there, No. 3 Steve Bosack of Cornell would likely be next.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) vs. Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming); Steve Bosak (Cornell) vs. Robert Hamlin (Lehigh).
JT - Honeycutt vs. LeBlanc; Bosak vs. Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa).
WS - Quentin Wright (Penn State) vs. Travis Rutt (Wisconsin); Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) vs. Kirk Smith (Boise State).
197
Who's No. 1? - Cam Simaz, Cornell
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Cam Simaz, Cornell (8th 2009, 3rd 2010); No. 2 Clayton Foster, Oklahoma State (6th at 184 in 2010); No. 3 Trevor Brandvold, Wisconsin (6th in 2010); No. 4 Dustin Kilgore, Kent State (7th at 184 in 2010); No. 9 Sonny Yohn, Minnesota (8th in 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 5 Luke Lofthouse, Iowa; No. 11 Jerome Ward, Iowa State.
Random Thoughts: A pair of wrestlers from Iowa schools take a shot at All-American glory. Luke Lofthouse of Iowa appears to have a favorable draw and will wrestle hard for seven minutes or more every match. Jerome Ward of Iowa State has the talent to wrestle with anyone in the nation, but he has never put it all together at Nationals for the Cyclones.
Top Half: The No. 5 seeded Lofthouse meets Riley Orozco of Cal State-Bakersfield in the opening round. If he gets past him, the Hawk could meet No. 12 Zack Glesen of Stanford in the second round. A possible quarterfinal bout with No. 4 Dustin Kilgore of Kent State, an All-American at 184 last season, looms.
Bottom Half: Iowa State's Ward is seeded 11th and meets Erik Schuth of Ohio in the first round. If Ward can win his opening-round match for the first time in his career, he could meet No. 6 seed Micah Burak of Pennsylvania in the second round. Returning All-American and No. 3 seed Trevor Brandvold of Wisconsin could be waiting for that winner in the quarters. Clayton Foster of Oklahoma State has a perfect record heading into Nationals and is a slight favorite on this half of the draw.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Cam Simaz (Cornell) vs. Luke Lofthouse (Iowa); Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin) vs. Clayton Foster (Oklahoma State).
JT - Simaz vs. Lofthouse; Brandvold vs. Foster.
WS - Simaz vs. Lofthouse; Brandvold vs. Foster.
285
Who's No. 1? - Zachery Rey, Lehigh
Returning All-Americans - No. 1 Zachery Rey, Lehigh (3rd 2010); No. 2 Jerod Trice, Central Michigan (8th 2010).
Iowa-related qualifiers - No. 7 Blake Rasing, Iowa; Kyle Simonson, Iowa State; Christian Brantley, Northern Iowa.
Random Thoughts: It seems like every year a wrestler from Iowa either meets an Iowa State or UNI wrestler in the first round and that is the case here. Other than the top two seeds, no one else in the bracket has ever earned a medal...which should make this a very wide open race for All-American honors.
Top Half: Christian Brantley of UNI makes his third straight trip to the NCAA Championships. The Panther has yet to make the podium and has a tough test right away here, with No. 8 seed Anthony Nelson of Minnesota. The winner could meet No. 9 Cameron Wade of Penn State in the second round. Top seed Zachery Rey of Lehigh is a big (no pun intended) favorite on this half of the draw. But Wade is a pinner and could pose problems for anyone.
Bottom Half: No. 7 Blake Rasing of Iowa is fresh off a Big 10 Tournament championship and faces a familiar foe in the opening round in Iowa State's Kyle Simonson. The Hawkeye claimed a tight 2-0 decision over the Cyclone in the early December dual. The winner there could meet No. 10 Nathan Fernandez of Oklahoma in the second round, with a quarterfinal match against No. 2 Jarod Trice of Central Michigan on the horizon.
Predicament Semifinal Predictions (Finalists in bold):
MP - Zachery Rey (Lehigh) vs. Dominique Bradley (Missouri); Ryan Tomei (Pittsburgh) vs. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan).
JT - Rey vs. Bradley; Ryan Flores (American) vs. Trice.
WS - Rey vs. Bradley; Flores vs. Trice.
