Division III wrestling is arguably the most challenging of all the divisions to rank. With smaller schools and budgets, interstate travel makes match-ups from afar rarer. Not only this, but every year there is a spate of wrestlers who don't wrestle the first semester, only to show up after the Christmas break. This year is no different in this regard, and includes a very notable athlete indeed (up a weight!).
Last week, we looked at the first five weight classes (125-157). Now let's now take a peek at the final five weight classes (165-285) …
165 Pounds:
Marcus LeVesseur, Senior, Augsburg
Marcus LeVesseur (Photo/The Guillotine)Although he did pin his way to the Sunshine Open title before the New Year, he beat Aaron Haddorf of DII Augustana, 6-3, in the teams' dual … and beat Wartburg's Jason Knipp (an Iowa State transfer), 5-1, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. It should be said that he dealt No. 3-ranked Steve Martell (Johnson and Wales) an 8-0 loss at those same Duals.
The biggest question for fans of DIII wrestling might be: Will he reach the coveted 159-0 mark set by Cael Sanderson? Due to his sitting out the first semester -- probably not. It can be reasonably said, however, that he will end up a four-time NCAA champion, though. Not bad.
Others on the Radar:
Scott Dorn, Senior, UW-La Crosse
Dorn might be voted "Least happy to see LeVesseur" in 2007. He has looked extremely tough this season. His 2-2 record at Midlands shows he is a top-level college wrestler. And, apart from a 5-3 loss to a tough Jake Dieffenbach of NAIA Lindenwood in the Wisconsin Open final, he has been on a mission.
Steve Martell, Junior, Johnson & Wales
Last season's fourth-place national finisher will be looking to get to the finals in 2007. Currently 18-3, Martell had a fair showing at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. He will look to close the gap between him and the likes of LeVesseur, however, as he lost their Duals match 8-0.
Jason Knipp, Senior, Wartburg
After failing to make Iowa State's varsity lineup this season at 149 pounds (losing out to Cyler Sanderson, Knipp transferred to Wartburg. Knipp had a solid NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, losing only to LeVesseur, 5-1. He defeated Bryon Grothus of Coe, 5-0, in their dual. A darkhorse pick come March.
174 Pounds:
Josh Chelf, Junior, UW-La Crosse
One of the premier current DIII wrestlers, Chelf has shown himself to be a top 174-pounder at any weight thus far this season. He won both the Husky and Wisconsin Opens (in the latter he was 5-0 with four pins). Most impressive, however, is his fifth place finish at Midlands. His most notable defeat at Midlands was a victory over highly touted Michigan State wrestler Rocky Cozart, 7-3. A returning AA, Chelf appears to be well on his way to bettering his third place finish in 2006.
Others on the Radar:
Kyle Vanderhyde, Sophomore, Olivet
Vanderhyde, who was named OW of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, is 15-3 on the season. During the Duals he sent the 174 class a message by handing Dan Jonhenry of Heidelberg an 11-3 major defeat. He also won a pair of matches at the Duals up at 184.
John Dolan, Senior, Williams
A sixth-place finisher last year, Dolan would like nothing more than to cap off his senior season with a high-AA finish. He could very well end up a finalist if the brackets are good to him.
184 Pounds:
Jason Lulloff, Senior, UW-La Crosse
Jason Lulloff (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Others on the Radar:
Romeo Djoumessi, Sophomore, Wartburg
Don't let the sweet name fool you: Djoumessi is one tough dude. Last year he split time with two-time NCAA champion Akeem Carter and this year, with Carter gone, the weight is all his. He could've started at 99% of DIII schools, but he waited for his turn and is taking full opportunity. His recent results have been dotted with majors, pins and tech falls. In fact, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, the sophomore went 4-0, with a pin, a technical fall, a major and one decision (8-5 over Augsburg's George Lynaugh). A good bet for finalist at the NCAA Championships.
Nick Calandrino, Senior, Ithaca
At 20-4 this season, and 78-32 in his career, Calandrino is the Bombers' biggest hope to erase the memory last season's disappointing National tournament, where the team did not have an All-American. A 2006 qualifier at 197, the senior is looking tough and looking forward to getting himself to the finals in March.
197 Pounds:
Brandon Kelly, Senior, Wilkes
Kelly, who is currently injured, placed third at last season's NCAA Championships. At 6-1 this season, he has seen limited time, but has solid results, winning the RIT Invitational early on. His lone loss thus far came via a 5-3 shocker to Lycoming's Matt Miller. Kelly has not wrestled competitively since that defeat.
Kelly beat No. 2-ranked TJ Miller of Wartburg twice in last year's NCAA's. He missed the opportunity to face-off against Miller again in Wilkes' dual meet loss to the Knights earlier in the season. If he can recover successfully, look for him to butt heads with the Wartburg junior again in March.
Others on the Radar:
TJ Miller, Junior, Wartburg
Although he did finish fourth in the nation last season, there are no doubts that Miller was not satisfied with the result. He went into the NCAA's as the No. 1 seed, but the two aforementioned losses to Kelly laid his title hopes to rest. While he hasn't had the dominating results during the dual season from last year -- surely he's no mystery anymore, the coach's son is finals material.
Alex Bonander, Sophomore, Luther
Having just missed AA honors last season (he was one match shy), Bonander looks well on his way to avoiding anything resembling a sophomore jinx. With a 21-4 record, which includes a 3-2 record at Midlands, Bonander appears to be in the right gear headed into conference and national time.
285 Pounds:
Blake Gillis, Senior, Wartburg
This has got to be the year. Bridesmaid twice to Ryan Allen, Gillis is the prohibitive favorite to come away victorious at the National Championships. He has dominating victories so far this season against his major competition. At the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals he handed Augsburg's Andrew Neumann a major defeat, beating him 11-2. Then, in the Knights' dual against Luther, Gillis humbled John Miller (then ranked No. 2), embarrassing the Norse sophomore, 15-0, in 3:54.
The biggest question at this point of the season isn't whether Gillis will be a finalist for the third time, but who will have to face him in Dubuque.
Others on the Radar:
John Miller, Sophomore, Luther
Well, if a technical fall loss to the No. 1 guy in the country doesn't get you motivated for the latter part of the season, nothing will. This is what is facing the prodigious Norse heavy. Miller ended his freshman season with All-American honors in New Jersey, where he lost a wild 22-13 decision to Mike Blair for seventh-eighth place. Miller is 11-3 on the season (with an impressive nine falls out of those 11 victories), but has a long way to go if he wants to take out the likes of Gillis.
Arkadiy Levitin, Junior, Hunter
A recent 8-7 loss, at New York States, to Kevin Lester of Columbia leaves Levitin with a 24-1 record on the season. The junior heavy, who was a national qualifier in 2004, also has 16 pins. Earlier this campaign, Levitin won the Ithaca and Oneonta tournaments.
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