Last season, Missouri's Ben Askren won the Rev Wrestler of the Year award, tallying seven of the eight first-place votes.
Now it's time to handicap the field for this year's Rev Wrestler of the Year award. In inverse order, below are the top 10 candidates:
*Please note: The NWCA All-Star Classic held at the Dallas Convention Center Arena on Nov. 20 was not included as a key date for any of the wrestlers.
10. Roger Kish (Minnesota, Junior, 184)
Why he has a shot: Kish remains one of the most gifted wrestlers in the country. After a disappointing freshman season in 2004-05 (by many people's standards, considering his hype coming out of high school), he came back to finish as the NCAA runner-up last season at 184. The fact that he wrestles for the preseason No. 1-ranked Gophers helps his chances because of the national exposure he'll get.
What hurts him: His weight class, 184, isn't recognized as one of the toughest weight classes nationally. Kish has battled some inconsistency and injuries throughout his young career. And while he'll certainly gets exposure wrestling for the Gophers, he also gets overshadowed by NCAA champion teammates Dustin Schlatter and Cole Konrad.
Roger KishOdds: 25-1. For Kish to even be mentioned as a contender for the Rev Wrestler of the Year award, he must go undefeated, beat Herbert, and completely dominate his competition this season.
9. Matt Valenti (Penn, Senior, 133)
Why he has a shot: He's the defending NCAA champion at 133 and a two-time All-American. Last season as the No. 6 seed at the NCAA Championships, Valenti defeated the No. 3 seed (Tom Clum of Wisconsin) in the quarterfinals, the No. 2 seed (Nathan Morgan of Oklahoma State) in the semifinals, and the No. 5 seed (Chris Fleeger of Purdue) in the finals. He also has arguably the best lightweight coach in the country in Olympic silver medalist Zeke Jones.
What hurts him: Not wrestling in the Big Ten or Big 12 conferences. East coast and Ivy League wrestling fans are well aware of Valenti's talents. He was a two-time New Jersey state champion and Junior Nationals Freestyle champion. He has dominated Ivy League competition since he stepped foot on the Penn campus. But consider this: The top 10 teams in the preseason Rev All-Division Collegiate Team Rankings come from either the Big Ten or Big 12. So, no matter how great Valenti performs this season, Big Ten and Big 12 wrestling fans will point out the fact that he doesn't see the best competition. Jake Strayer of Penn State, who is currently ranked No. 7, gave Valenti one of his two losses last season.
Key dates: The only top 20 teams that Penn duals this season are No. 11 Cornell (Feb. 9), No. 15 Hofstra (Jan. 26), and No. 24 Nebraska (Feb. 17). However, Penn does travel to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 1-2 and the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 13-14. Last season, Valenti was runner-up in Las Vegas to Shawn Bunch of Edinboro. There's a chance Valenti could meet No. 4 Tyler McCormick of Missouri, No. 5 Matt Keller of Tennessee Chattanooga, No. 6 Darrell Vasquez of Cal Poly, or No. 8 Drew Headlee of Pittsburgh in Las Vegas. Valenti will surely see some stiff competition at the NWCA National Duals, too.
Odds: 20-1. A perfect season capped off with his second straight NCAA title will put him in the discussion, but a single loss will immediately take him out of consideration for the award.
8. Mark Perry (Iowa, Junior, 165)
Why he has a shot: He's moving down to 165 and most importantly away from the best wrestler in the country, Ben Askren of Missouri. Perry is a go-for-broke wrestler who excites wrestling fans because of his wide open style. He's comfortable on his feet, tough on top, and loves to scramble. He's a pinner, too. He led the Hawkeyes with 13 last season … and also picked up the award at the NCAA Championships for most falls in least amount of time.
What hurts him: The 165-pound weight class is considered by many to be on the deepest nationally as it occupies eight All-Americans and a two-time NCAA champion in Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State. Iowa wrestles a tough schedule and Perry will see the nation's top wrestlers week in and week out, which increases the likelihood that he'll slip up and lose a match or two. Perry was also banged up last season. He missed eight duals and often times wrestled hurt. One of Perry's main workout partners, Tim Hartung, is gone … having joined Cael Sanderson's staff at Iowa State.
Mark Perry (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Odds: 15-1. If Perry goes undefeated, beats Hendricks, and wins the 165-pound title, he has to be considered one of the leading candidates for the Rev Wrestler of the Year award. But those are some mighty big ifs.
7. Troy Nickerson (Cornell, Sophomore, 125)
Why he has a shot: Nickerson, a five-time New York state champion, lived up to his billing last season as a true freshman going 32-2 en route to an NCAA runner-up finish at 125.
What hurts him: Like Valenti, Nickerson wrestles in the Ivy League, so he doesn't get the exposure of the top Big Ten and Big 12 wrestlers. He also lost a great coach, mentor, and workout partner in Steve Garland, who was hired as Virginia new head coach in April. Former Lehigh star Cory Cooperman was added to the Cornell staff, though.
Key dates: Make no mistake about it, even though Nickerson doesn't wrestle in the Big Ten or Big 12, his schedule is anything but soft. He'll compete in three of collegiate wrestling's most prestigious events: Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 1-2), Southern Scuffle (Dec. 29-30), and the NWCA National Duals (Jan. 13-14). Cornell also duals No. 9 Penn State (Jan. 7), No. 10 Ohio State (Nov. 26), No. 12 Penn (Feb. 9), No. 13 Harvard (Feb. 16), No. 15 Hofstra (Feb.3), and No. 23 Arizona State (Jan. 21).
Odds: 12-1. The 125-pound weight class appears to be a three-wrestler race between Nickerson, Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma, and Nick Simmons of Michigan State. If Nickerson can win the NCAA title and go undefeated, he should at least be in the mix.
6. Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma, Senior, 125)
Why he has a shot: Hazewinkel is one of the nation's top collegiate wrestlers, even though he has yet to reach the top of the podium at the NCAA Championships. He has placed third the past three seasons, losing close matches in the semifinals to the eventual NCAA champion in each of those seasons. The two-time Big 12 champion has suffered only nine losses in his entire collegiate career. Last season, he defeated Nickerson at the NWCA National Duals, handing the Cornell standout his first and only regular season defeat. Hazewinkel is also an Olympic hopeful in Greco-Roman.
What hurts him: As previously mentioned, Hazewinkel has yet to get through the semifinal roadblock at the NCAA Championships. Until he reaches the NCAA finals and gets that elusive title, he'll just be thought of as a very good collegiate wrestler and a Greco-Roman specialist.
Sam Hazewinkel (Photo/John Sachs)Odds: 11-1. If Hazewinkel goes undefeated and wins his first NCAA title, he'll be mentioned in the Rev Wrestler of the Year conversation. But in order for him to have any chance at winning the award, he'll need a few of the top contenders to falter.
5. Jake Herbert (Northwestern, Junior, 184)
Why he has a shot: Like Mark Perry of Iowa, Herbert is wisely moving away from Ben Askren of Missouri. Perry is moving down to 165, while Herbert is moving up to 184. You could make a pretty strong case that Herbert was one of the top two or three wrestlers in the entire country regardless of weight class last season. Unfortunately for Herbert, he was in the same weight class as Askren, who gave him his only blemish last season in the NCAA finals. Herbert posted a 36-1 record last season, including a perfect 14-0 dual and 8-0 Big Ten mark. He also had two convincing wins over Perry.
What hurts him: Herbert is a strong, physical wrestler who shouldn't have any problems moving up in weight. But there's always some uncertainty when wrestlers move into new weight classes and face a new opponents. If Herbert would have stayed at 174 and avenged his loss to Askren en route to an NCAA title this season, it would have likely propelled him into the top spot for the Rev Wrestler of the Year.
Key dates: Herbert will compete in three premier collegiate events: Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 20), Midlands (Dec. 29-30), and the Nationals Duals (Jan. 13-14). He has won Midlands titles the past two seasons in his home arena … and last season he was named Midlands Champion of Champions, an award voted on by all the tournament champions. He will not meet Kish in a regular season dual meet (since Northwestern and Minnesota do not dual each other), but could potentially face him at the NWCA National Duals or Big Ten Championships. Herbert defeated Kish, 4-0, 5-1, in freestyle at the University Nationals in late April.
Odds: 10-1. If Herbert and Askren both win titles and go undefeated, it will be extremely difficult for Herbert to win the Rev Wrestler of the Year award … because the memory of Askren's convincing 14-2 major decision victory is still etched in many people's minds.
4. Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State, Senior, 165)
Why he has a shot: Hendricks is the defending two-time NCAA champion at 165 who knows how to win when it matters most. He's the leader of the four-time defending champion Cowboys. Love him or hate him, he puts on a great show every single time he steps on a wrestling mat. He's an aggressive wrestler who is solid in every position.
Johny Hendricks (Photo/John Sachs)Key dates: Hendricks will compete at the Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 20) and the NWCA National Duals (Jan. 13-14), but the date that everyone in the wrestling world is circling on their calendars is Jan. 19, when Hendricks faces Perry in Stillwater.
Odds: 8-1. Hendricks has a chance to become the Cowboys 15th three-time NCAA champion. But he's a bit too controversial to garner enough votes from the writers and fans to win the award.
3. Cole Konrad (Minnesota, Senior, Hwt)
Why he has a shot: Konrad was an undefeated NCAA champion last season at heavyweight for Minnesota. He's big, strong, and extremely athletic for a big man. He toppled his nemesis, Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State, four times last season.
What hurts him: The heavyweight division graduated five of the eight All-Americans from last season, including four of the top five. Konrad no longer has to worry about Mocco, which is a good thing for him, but many believe that he won't have anyone to challenge him this season.
Key dates: Konrad needs just 18 wins to break Tim Hartung's school record of 58 consecutive wins. He should surpass that mark at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 13-14 … or shortly after.
Odds: 7-1. Konrad would be a front-runner to win this award in past season, but he faces some stiff competition this season. Unless teammate Dustin Schlatter loses … or Askren gets injured, it will be difficult for Konrad to win the award.
2. Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota, Sophomore, 149)
Why he has a shot: Schlatter, a sophomore, is on track to become one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of all time. Last season as a true freshman, Schlatter won an NCAA title in arguably the toughest weight class in the country (149). He defeated 2005 NCAA champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State twice, including an 11-2 thumping in a February dual meet in Oklahoma City. Schlatter finished with a 42-1 record (his only loss occurred in November, which he later avenged) and became Minnesota's first freshman NCAA champion ever. He also became just the ninth Golden Gopher wrestler to win a Big Ten title and NCAA title in the same season.
What hurts him: The fact that Ben Askren is back for one more season is the only thing standing in the way of Schlatter and the Rev Wrestler of the Year award. Esposito and NCAA runner-up Ty Eustice of Iowa have graduated, so many wonder if there is anyone in the country who can challenge Schlatter. Some might argue that Konrad, a senior, is the top wrestler on the team, which could take votes away from Schlatter.
Key dates: On Dec. 8, Schlatter will take on highly touted freshman Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. On Dec. 29-30, Schlatter and the Gophers will wrestle in the Southern Scuttle … where he could potentially meet returning sophomore All-American Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro. In addition to competing in the NWCA Nationals Duals (Jan. 13-14), Schlatter will also see three of the top 10 149-pounders in dual meets this season.
Odds: 6-1. Schlatter should be the clear front-runner to win the Rev Wrestler of the Year award next season as a junior (and again as a senior), but with Askren back, it's going to be difficult to win this season.
1. Ben Askren (Missouri, Senior, 174)
Why he has a shot: Askren is the reigning Rev Wrestler of the Year, winning the award with seven of the eight first-place votes. Last season, he finished with a perfect 45-0 record, which is the only undefeated season in the history of the Missouri program. He also set Missouri season records for pins (25), consecutive wins (45), and he currently owns the record for most career pins at Missouri (61). He dominated everyone who stepped on the mat with him last season, including Herbert, who he dominated in the NCAA finals by a score of 14-2.
What hurts him: Lack of competition. Some wonder if Askren has simply gotten bored with collegiate wrestling because of his domination. There are times when it looks like he's merely toying with his opponent before racking up another pin. Of last season's top 174-pounders, Herbert (runner-up), Perry (third place), and Hoftra's Mike Patrovich (fourth place), have all wisely moved out of the weight class. The chances of Askren losing a match this season are about as great as Bucknell (no offense intended) winning the team title at the NCAA Championships.
Ben Askren (Photo/John Sachs)Odds: 6-5. It's hard to imagine Askren being any more dominant than he was last season. But with Herbert, Perry, and Patrovich all moving into different weight classes, Askren has a legitimate chance to put together the most dominant single season in the history of collegiate wrestling.
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