2019 149 lb Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational finals between Brayton Lee and Sammy Sasso (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational is the first of the "big-three" individual bracketed tournaments that currently highlight the first half of the college wrestling season. Every year, the CKLV has an argument that it boasts the best field of any of these three tournaments. This edition of the tournament can also make that case.
In addition to an excellent field, the CKLV is known as a breakout spot for freshmen. With the tournament falling the first week of December, most teams have only wrestled in a few dual meets or an open or two during November. Typically, those events aren't enough to always get matchups that gauge just how good a new face in the lineup can be. That is never a problem in Vegas.
This tournament routinely features returning NCAA champions, multiple All-Americans per weight class, and dozens of ranked wrestlers. With very few exceptions, there are no "weak" brackets at the CKLV. Just placing amongst the top-eight is an excellent feat. Even more so for a freshman. Now finishing among the top-four at your respective weight class; that typically puts a wrestler in an elite category nationally.
Over the years, there have been some memorable performances by freshmen. Hunter Stieber handing Kellen Russell the only loss of his final two collegiate seasons in 2011, Adam Coon winning heavyweight as a true freshman in 2013, and Yianni Diakomihalis and Gable Steveson in recent years. Even at the most recent tournament (2019), Brayton Lee downed Sammy Sasso in the 149 lbs, in a clash between two of the most heralded freshmen in the country.
So it isn't a matter of "will" a freshman stand out Friday and Saturday; it's more of "which one" and "how many."
Here are a few freshmen to watch (defined as not having competed at the 2021 NCAA Championships, not by NCAA eligibility). Ohio State's 165 lber Carson Kharchla (if he counts), Julian Ramirez (Cornell), Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota), Luke Stout (Princeton)
Below are the freshmen who have finished in the top four at the CKLV Invitational every year since 2011. In many instances, you'll see some of the biggest stars of our sport.
2019
125 - Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern): 3rd
133 - Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) 3rd
149 - Brayton Lee (Minnesota) 1st
149 - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) 2nd
157 - David Carr (Iowa State) 3rd
157 - Kendall Coleman (Purdue) 4th
184 - Trent Hidlay (NC State) 2nd
2018
133 - Micky Phillipi (Pittsburgh) 2nd
141 - Dom Demas (Oklahoma) 4th
149 - Austin O'Connor (North Carolina) 3rd
165 - Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) 2nd
174 - Mike Labriola (Nebraska) 4th
285 - Gable Steveson (Minnesota) 1st
285 - Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) 2nd
285 - Zach Elam (Missouri) 3rd
2017
125 - Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) 1st
125 - Drew Mattin (Michigan) 4th
133 - Austin DeSanto (Drexel) 4th
141 - Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) 1st
141 - Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) 4th
165 - Evan Wick (Wisconsin) 2nd
184 - Taylor Venz (Nebraska) 3rd
2016
125 - Jose Rodriguez (Ohio State) 2nd
133 - Stevan Micic (Michigan) 2nd
133 - Mitch McKee (Minnesota) 4th
141 - Cole Martin (Wisconsin) 3rd
141 - Russell Rohlfing (CSU Bakersfield) 4th
165 - Logan Massa (Michigan) 1st
174 - Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) 1st
174 - Myles Amine (Michigan) 3rd
197 - Kollin Moore (Ohio State) 3rd
2015
141 - Micah Jordan (Ohio State) 1st
141 - Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) 3rd
165 - Daniel Lewis (Missouri) 3rd
184 - Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) 3rd
285 - Tanner Hall (Arizona State) 4th
2014
125 - Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) 3rd
141 - Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) 4th
149 - Alec Pantaleo (Michigan) 2nd
197 - Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) 3rd
2013
133 - Mark Grey (Cornell) 4th
157 - Brian Realbuto (Cornell) 2nd
165 - Cooper Moore (Northern Iowa) 4th
184 - Gabe Dean (Cornell) 1st
184 - TJ Dudley (Nebraska) 2nd
285 - Adam Coon (Michigan) 1st
2012
125 - Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) 2nd
125 - Josh Martinez (Air Force) 3rd
133 - Devon Lotito (Cal Poly) 3rd
149 - Cam Tessari (Ohio State) 4th
174 - Blake Stauffer (Arizona State) 3rd
174 - Mathew Miller (Navy) 4th
2011
133 - Logan Stieber (Ohio State) 1st
133 - AJ Schopp (Edinboro) 2nd
141 - Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) 2nd
141 - Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) 4th
149 - David Habat (Edinboro) 3rd
157 - James Green (Nebraska) 3rd
165 - Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) 3rd
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