Below is a weight-by-weight preview of this year's event.
125:
Ranked Wrestlers (8): No. 3 Nic Bedelyon (Kent State), No. 6 Frank Perrelli (Cornell), No. 7 Trent Sprenkle (North Dakota State), No. 12 Michael Martinez (Wyoming), No. 13 Steve Bonanno (Hofstra), No. 16 Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh), No. 18 Shane Young (West Virginia), No. 20 Tyler Iwamura (CSU Bakersfield)
Synopsis: Kent State's Nick Bedelyon, an All-American in 2009, is off to a strong start this season. He is 11-0 with two pins, three technical falls, and a major decision. Bedelyon's most notable victory this season came over Oklahoma's Jarrod Patterson at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Cornell's Frank Perrelli was fifth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational a year ago, and will be one of the favorites to reach the finals this year. He fell to Bedelyon 9-4 in the finals of the Body Bar Invitational on Nov. 19. North Dakota State's Trent Sprenkle has been wrestling well, with his only two losses coming to No. 2 Zach Sanders of Minnesota. Wyoming's Michael Martinez has been fourth at this event, and has to be considered a threat.
133:
Ranked Wrestlers (10): No. 4 Logan Stieber (Ohio State), No. 5 Ryan Mango (Stanford), No. 10 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro), No. 11 Zac Stevens (Michigan), No. 15 Colin Johnston (West Virginia), No. 16 Aaron Kalil (Navy), No. 17 Ridge Kiley (Nebraska), No. 18 Steven Keith (Harvard), No. 19 James Roberts (Oregon State), No. 20 Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh)
Synopsis: Ohio State's Logan Stieber and Stanford's Ryan Mango are the two most accomplished wrestlers in this weight class. Stieber, a Junior World silver medalist, battled injuries last season, which contributed to his sixth-place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational a year ago. He is now healthy and wrestling as well as any wrestler in the country. Mango, an All-American last season at 125 pounds, moved up to 133 pounds this year and has started the season 7-0. Edinboro's A.J. Schopp is a tough freshman who enters the tournament with a 10-0 record. Michigan's Zac Stevens is 5-1, with his only loss coming to Schopp.
141:
Ranked Wrestlers (9): No. 1 Kellen Russell (Michigan), No. 2 Boris Novachkov (Cal Poly), No. 5 Michael Mangrum (Oregon State), No. 10 Tyler Small (Kent State), No. 12 Mike Nevinger (Cornell), No. 14 Evan Henderson (North Carolina), No. 15 Hunter Stieber (Ohio State), No. 17 Mitchell Port (Edinboro), No. 20 Nathan Pennesi (West Virginia)
Synopsis: This weight class features perhaps the most anticipated potential matchup of this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational: Top-ranked Kellen Russell of Michigan versus No. 2 Boris Novachkov of Cal Poly. The two met in both the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, and the NCAA finals last season, with Russell winning both meetings by the identical score of 3-2. Russell is 5-0 this season, while Novachkov is 7-0. Oregon State's Michael Mangrum, a two-time NCAA qualifier, will be looking to play spoiler. He has started his season 8-0. Kent State's Tyler Small, who is ranked 10th, has a 12-1 season record with wins over the No. 11, No. 12, and No. 17 wrestlers. North Carolina's Evan Henderson, Ohio State's Hunter Stieber, and Edinboro's Mitchell Port are three freshmen to watch.
149:
Ranked Wrestlers (9): No. 3 Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh), No. 5 Cole Von Ohlen (Air Force), No. 6 Eric Grajales (Michigan), No. 7 Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon State), No. 11 Cole Schmitt (Wisconsin), No. 12 Craig Eifert (Cornell), No. 15 Cam Tessari (Ohio State), No. 17 Taylor Walsh (Indiana), No. 19 Ian Miller (Kent State)
Synopsis: This is one of the most wide open weight classes at this year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Pitt's Tyler Nauman is the lone All-American at this weight class, but four of the nation's top 10 wrestlers are expected to compete, plus three nationally ranked freshmen. Nauman, a senior, enters the event with a 7-0 record. One of his wins came against Michigan's Eric Grajales, a Big Ten runner-up and top contender in this weight class. Oregon State's Scott Sakaguchi has started his sophomore season 8-0 after winning 26 matches as a freshman. Wisconsin's Cole Schmitt placed seventh at this event last year, and comes in with a 5-0 record. Cornell's Craig Eifert is 8-1 this season with a win over Minnesota's Dylan Ness. Three nationally ranked freshmen who could be bracket busters in this weight class are Ohio State's Cam Tessari, Indiana's Taylor Walsh, and Kent State's Ian Miller.
157:
Ranked Wrestlers (5): No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell), No. 7 Walter Peppelman (Harvard), No. 14 Josh Demas (Ohio State), No. 17 Steven Monk (North Dakota State), No. 18 George Ivanov (Boise State)
Synopsis: Cornell's Kyle Dake, a two-time NCAA champion, is the prohibitive favorite to win this weight class. Dake has started the season 10-0, which includes tournament titles at the Binghamton Open and the Body Bar Invitational. Interestingly, Dake has yet to win a title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He was fourth as a freshman and did not compete last season. One of Dake's top challengers is returning All-American Walter Peppelman of Harvard, who is 7-1 in this season. Ohio State freshman Josh Demas is 7-1,with his only loss coming to No. 5 Jesse Dong of Virginia Tech. North Dakota State's Steven Monk has started the season 8-1, with his lone blemish coming to 2008 Olympian Jake Deitchler of Minnesota in sudden victory. Boise State's George Ivanov, a two-time Division II All-American who transferred from Nebraska-Omaha, is also a top challenger in this weight class.
165:
Ranked Wrestlers (7): No. 3 Shane Onufer (Wyoming), No. 4 P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra), No. 10 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska), No. 12 Gabe Burak (Northern Colorado), No. 16 Ben Jordan (Wisconsin), No. 17 Joe Booth (Drexel), No. 18 Dan Yates (Michigan)
Synopsis: Two returning All-Americans, Wyoming's Shane Onufer and Hofstra's P.J. Gillespie, headline this weight class. Onufer is 6-0 this season, but dropped an unofficial match to Maryland's Josh Asper at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Onufer was a runner-up at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational two seasons ago. Gillespie, like Onufer, comes in with a 6-0 season mark. Onufer edged Gillespie, 7-6, at the NCAAs last season. Nebraska's Robert Kokesh has followed up a 34-1 redshirt season by winning six of his first seven matches as a starter for the Huskers. His lone loss came to Onufer, 6-2. Northern Colorado's Gabe Burak, a transfer from Penn, has looked strong in the early part of the season. Burak went 3-2 at the NCAAs last season, losing in the round of 12 to Gillespie.
174:
Ranked Wrestlers (6): No. 1 Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford), No. 4 Nick Heflin (Ohio State), No. 7 Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly), No. 11 Justin Zeerip (Michigan), No. 18 Oscar Huntley (Navy), No. 19 Ethan Headlee (Pittsburgh)
Synopsis: Stanford's Nick Amuchastegui, an NCAA runner-up last season who is undefeated this season, will be the odds on favorite to win a title in Las Vegas at this weight class. Ohio State's Nick Heflin, an NCAA qualifier last season as a freshman, is off to an 8-0 start this season. Heflin fell to Amuchastegui, 6-1, at the NCAAs last season. Cal Poly's Ryan DesRoches, a two-time NCAA qualifier, is 6-0 this season and will be looking to improve upon on his third-place finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last year. Michigan's Justin Zeerip is undefeated this season with his most recent win coming against Pitt's Ethan Headlee, another wrestler expected to contend in this weight class in Las Vegas.
184:
Ranked Wrestlers (7): No. 3 Steve Bosak (Cornell), No. 4 Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming), No. 10 Josh Ihnen (Nebraska), No. 12 Jake Swartz (Boise State), No. 13 Luke Rebertus (Navy), No. 16 Matt Ryan (West Virginia), No. 18 Ben Clymer (Hofstra)
Synopsis: Cornell's Steve Bosak, a returning All-American, will be looking for his second straight Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational title. The third-ranked Bosak has looked sharp over the first month of the season. He dominated returning All-American Kevin Steinahus, 8-2, in Cornell's first dual meet of the season. A day later, he cruised to a title at the Body Bar Invitational. One wrestler standing in Bosak's way this weekend is Wyoming's Joe LeBlanc, a two-time All-American who is ranked fourth nationally, one spot below Bosak. LeBlanc picked up a win at this year's NWCA All-Star Classic over Central Michigan's Ben Bennett. LeBlanc was third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational two seasons ago. Nebraska's Josh Ihnen, an NCAA round of 12 finisher the past two seasons, has proven that he can wrestle with the best and should not be counted out. He lost to LeBlanc, 6-4, early last season. Boise State's Jake Swartz and Navy's Luke Rebertus are both NCAA qualifiers who placed at this event a year ago.
197:
Ranked Wrestlers (6): No. 4 Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro), No. 5 Matt Powless (Indiana), No. 7 Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh), No. 12 Taylor Meeks (Oregon State), No. 17 Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State), No. 19 Ryan Smith (Cal Poly)
Synopsis: This weight class is intriguing because of the mix of proven upperclassmen and young talent. Edinboro's Chris Honeycutt and Indiana's Matt Powless are returning All-Americans and NCAA title contenders. Honeycutt was an NCAA fifth-place finisher last season at 184 pounds, but moved up this season and been impressive in going 10-0. Powless placed third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last year, losing only to eventual champion Cam Simaz of Cornell, who will not be competing at this year's event. Powless is currently 10-0. Pitt's Matt Wilps, an NCAA qualifier in 2010, is coming off a redshirt season in which he went 18-2. He has started this season 7-1, with his only loss coming to Honeycutt. Oregon State's Taylor Meeks and Ohio Stat's Andrew Campolattano are impressive freshmen who should figure into the mix.
285:
Ranked Wrestlers (9): No. 6 Levi Cooper (Arizona State), No. 8 Clayton Jack (Oregon State), No. 11 Tucker Lane (Nebraska), No. 13 Zac Thomusseit (Pittsburgh), No. 14 Ben Apland (Michigan), No. 15 Ernest James (Edinboro), No. 16 Brendan Barlow (Kent State), No. 18 Kyle Frey (Drexel), No. 20 J.T. Felix (Boise State)
Synopsis: This is truly a wide open weight class. Nine of the nation's top 20 heavyweights are expected to be in Las Vegas, but only two of the nine are ranked in the top 10. Arizona State's Levi Cooper, a returning All-American, defeated NCAA champion Zack Rey of Lehigh last weekend at the Journeymen/ASICS Northeast Duals. Oregon State's Clayton and Nebraska's Tucker Lane are both three-time NCAA qualifiers looking to finish on the NCAA podium in March. Jack reached the semifinals of last year's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Pitt's Zac Thomusseit is a two-time NCAA qualifier who moved up from 197 pounds. Michigan's Ben Apland was a finalist at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational a year ago.
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