Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State).

2022

NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

By Jim and Tony Nordland

www.thematslap.org


     The 91st annual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will feature an unprecedented 11 returning NCAA champions. The tournament is slated at the newly constructed Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on March 17th-March 19th, 2022.


     Reigning NCAA team champion Iowa won their 24th NCAA crown at the 2021 NCAA meet. They are a formidable squad with ten NCAA qualifiers, but Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan and perennial power Penn State should make it a three-team race. Also in the title mix will be Pac-12 team champion Arizona State and four-time ACC tournament winner NCState.


     The Wolverines added 2019 NCAA titlist Nick Suriano (a Rutgers transfer) with an 11-0 mark at 125 and aged veterans; Stevan Micic (25 years old) at 141, along with Myles Amine (17-1) already a four-time AA (4-3-3-3) who is now 26, and in the 184-pound class. Other Michigan standouts are Cameron Amine (165), Logan Massa (16-1) at 174 and NCAA runner-up Mason Paris (15-4) at 285.


     Iowa has finalists Jaydin Eierman (Missouri transfer) with a17-1 season mark at 141, and veteran Michael Kemerer (9-2) at 174. The Hawkeyes return a boatload of firepower with Austin DeSanto (16-3) at 133, four-time Big Ten champion and three-time AA Alex Marinelli (21-1, 94-11 career) at 165, Jacob Warner (197) and rugged Tony Cassioppi (15-2) at 285 pounds.


      Penn State boasts four defending NCAA titlists: Roman Bravo-Young (17-0) at 133, Nick Lee (17-0) at 141,  Carter Starocci (18-0) at 174 and Aaron Brooks (16-1) in the 184-pound class. The Nittany Lions also added Cornell transfer and All-American Max Dean. Dean (18-1). He won the 197-pound Big Ten crown and his points, along with a podium finish from talented freshman Greg Kervliet (15-2)at 285, could provide the difference in the first place team trophy. 


     Arizona State have six Pac-12 champions including NCAA finalist Brandon Courtney (21-1) at 125, NCAA placers Jacori Teemer (19-0) at 157 and unbeaten Cohlton Schultz (18-0) at 285. The Sun Devils also point to Michael McGee (133), Kyle Parco (149) and tough Kordell Norfleet (14-3) at 197.


     NC State has ten NCAA qualifiers and will be paced by NCAA finalist Trent Hidlay (17-0) at 184 and NCAA placer, slick Tariq Wilson (15-0) at 149. The Wolfpack also look to ACC champs Jacob Camacho (125) and Ed Scott at 157.


     The next tier of top NCAA teams are Cornell (with 9 NCAA qualifiers) ,Ohio State, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa State. All are capable of securing a NCAA team trophy in Detroit. The Big Red's first-year coach, Mike Grey, hopes to add to the strong EIWA showing and bring back a NCAA Award to Ithaca.


     Rounding out the field of returning NCAA kings are two-time winner Yianni Diakomihalis (23-0, 86-1 career mark) at 149, Austin O'Connor (13-0) of North Carolina and David Carr (21-0) of Iowa State, both are at 157 pounds, Shane Griffith (15-4) of Stanford at 165, 2019 champ Mekhi Lewis (20-1) of  Virginia Tech at 174, along with Gable Steveson (13-0, 85-2 career) of Minnesota. Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist and recently signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWE), many are touting him as the greatest college heavyweight of all-time.


     The Empire State returns four All-Americans and has 13 NCAA qualifiers, the aforementioned Diakomihalis, who has won 70 straight matches, teammate EIWA champ and MOW Vito Arujau (14-1,45-5), 4th at 125, Pac-12 titlist Jacori Teemer (4th at 157) and Binghamton's three-time EIWA winner and two-time NCAA placer and #8-seed Lou DePrez (26-3), at 197. He could meet Dean in a quarterfinal skirmish Friday morning.


     Other top NY prospects are freshman Antony Noto (125) of Lock Haven with a 29 wins on the season against only one loss. Oklahoma's Willie McDougald (18-5), John Arceri (22-10) Buffalo and Colin Realbuto (16-10), of Northern Iowa, all at 149. Rounding out the upper weights are; Cornell's Hunter Richard (14-9) at 157, Evan Barczak (23-9) of Drexel at 165, JacobNolan (19-13) of Binghamton at 174, along with EIWA champ, 11th seed  Jonathan Loew (26-5, 52-18) of the Big Red at 184, and Zachary Knighton-Ward (18-7) of Hofstra at 285.


​MAT NOTES:

    Oklahoma State has NCAA finalist, unbeaten Daton Fix (21-0) at 133, along with Kadeen Gfeller (149), Wyatt Sheets (157) and Dustin Plott at 174. The Cowboys have won a NCAA record of 34 team titles, boast 143 NCAA champions and garnered 480 All-Americans in their storied program. Iowa State's David Carr is the son of former Cyclone great Nate Carr, a three-time NCAA champion at Iowa State (1982-83-84), he was basically was unbeatable in NCAA competition and was a former state champion from Erie, PA.


    The winningest wrestler in the tournament is South Dakota State's Clay Carlson with an impressive 30-4 ledger in the 141-pound class. In the loaded 157-pound bracket is reigning champ Carr along with #2 seed and unbeaten Ryan Deakin (13-0) of Northwestern, he is pitted against Wyatt Sheets (Okla State) in a preliminary match. Possible semifinal battle could see Deakin vs 3rd seeded and undefeated Teemer, who has a tough opening bout vs Cornell's Hunter Richard.


     At 165 pounds are a pair of unbeatens; top-seeded Evan Wick (18-0) of Cal Poly and Keegan O'Toole (20-0) of Missouri. This loaded weight class also has; the aforementioned Marinelli, talented Carson Kharchla (Ohio State), Anthony Valencia (Arizona State), along with NCAA runner-up Jake Wentzel (Pitt), true freshman Dean Hamiti (three-time Illinois state champion) of Wisconsin and the Big Red's Julian Ramirez.


     Nassau County has four wrestlers ranked amongst the top in the nation: Vito Arujau  (Syosset) -Cornell-  2nd @ 125, Jacori Teemer  (Long Beach) -Arizona State - 3rd @ 157, Jonathan Loew  (Wantagh) -Cornell- 11th @ 184 and Hofstra's Zachary Knighton-Ward (Uniondale), rated 25th at 285 pounds. That elite group are all former NYS champions and will vie for NCAA medals and titles at the 2022 NCAA meet.


    


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Gable Steveson (Minnesota).

Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell).

Vito Arujau (Cornell).

Four-time Big Ten champion Alex Marinelli (21-1) of Iowa.

2022

​NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLING

CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

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