T.R. Foley
125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) over No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State)
Nato found his way past Nico in a hard-fought match this February. Not much has seemed to change since then. More importantly Nato seems to know the way to reduce the success rate of Nico's scramble-to-scoring ratio.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over No. 3 Zane Richards (Illinois)
Undefeated and largely unchallenged, Garrett is about as sure a bet as you get in 2016. On his feet he is better than 99 percent of college wrestling, but his real skill comes in maintaining an active ride and accruing quick and dirty back points.
141: No. 3 Kevin Jack (NC State) over No. 1 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State)
While Dean Heil earned the top seed, Kevin Jack has the right skill set to make it comfortably through the bottom side of the 141 bracket. His ability to stay active on top and the frustration of his unique style should be enough to get him past Heil in the rematch.
149: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) over No. 2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
Retherford hasn't been stopped this season and though he faces a tough matchup in Sorensen, there is no reason to think Retherford's intensity will be outdone -- even by the Hawkeye.
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) over No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
Martinez took a bad loss to Nolf during the dual meet season, but was able to hold on and find the slimmest of victories at Big Tens. With that confidence and the bump in energy from a (much) early weigh-in, I think Martinez has the edge.
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over No. 2 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
Dieringer has dominated for two years in a row and he's won everything he's laid eyes on this season. There is nothing to imply anything has changed. The Cowboy wrestler will go down as one of the best, and likely least-heralded three-time NCAA champion in history.
174: No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) over No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell)
Nickal is wrestling as well as any of the top seeds in the country. The Texas native not only is winning, but wrestling a more aggressive style each week. Save the over-aggressive mistake against Indiana earlier in the season, Nickal has been nails. Realbuto is my emotional choice, having decided to not cut weight this season.
184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) over No. 2 Sammy Brooks (Iowa)
I want to see ZZ earn the title in his first season, and if he were facing someone less experienced I'd take the odds, but Dean is just too strong this season. Their semifinal match should be a showstopper, though!
197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) over No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)
Cox looks to repeat after earning his first title as a freshman in 2014. That'll be difficult against a game McIntosh, but the Mizzou wrestler's creative defense and high-and-hard finishes will be the difference.
285: No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State) over No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State)
Not only will Nick win the title, but in beating Snyder he'll be besting a possible 2016 Olympic teammate.
Top Five Teams:
1. Penn State
2. NC State
3. Iowa
4. Virginia Tech
5. Oklahoma State
Andrew Hipps
125: No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State) over No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)
If Nico doesn't finish on top in NYC he will go down as one of the best to never win a title. He has two NCAA runner-up finishes and an NCAA third-place finish. I think he gets it done this season. I look for him to avenge his loss to Dance in the semifinals on Friday night, and then beat Tomasello on Saturday night. The top four seeds (Tomasello, Dance, Megaludis, Gilman) are very evenly matched and all are capable of finishing on top. I just think it's Nico's time.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over No. 2 Cory Clark (Iowa)
Garrett, like Megaludis, is looking to becoming a four-time All-American and cap his collegiate wrestling career with an NCAA title. The Cornell wrestler has jumped levels this season and enters the tournament undefeated and the clear favorite. Garrett hasn't had too many competitive matches this season, and already owns a 14-9 victory over returning NCAA champ Cody Brewer of Oklahoma, who he will likely see in the semifinals. I like Clark coming out of the bottom side, beating fellow Big Ten wrestlers in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
141: No. 2 Joey McKenna (Stanford) over No. 4 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
Don't expect the freshman McKenna to be intimidated by the big stage and big crowd at Madison Square Garden. He has wrestled in major events and tough environments throughout his young career. McKenna's only blemishes this season have come against No. 1 Dean Heil of Oklahoma State. I like Ashnault to come out of the top side and give Rutgers coach Scott Goodale his first NCAA finalist. McKenna beats Ashnault on Saturday night in a battle of New Jersey natives.
149: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) over No. 6 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern)
Retherford has been the most dominant wrestler in the NCAA this season. He is 29-0 with 12 pins, seven technical falls and six pins. He has put the only blemish on Brandon Sorensen's record this season, beating him in the Big Ten finals 4-0 in match that wasn't as competitive as the score indicates. Tsirtsis has had a disappointing season, losing seven times. Call it a hunch, but I see Tsirtsis putting it together at the right time, beating Sorensen in the semifinals to reach the finals against. Retherford then handles Tsrirtsis in the finals to claim his first NCAA title.
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) over No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
Martinez and Nolf will be on a collision course to meet in the finals in a rubber match on Saturday night. Both should cruse through their competition on Friday and Saturday. Imar made adjustments after the first loss, wrestling a more tactical match the second time around. It will be interesting to see what adjustments the wrestlers make in their third meeting. Martinez has been on the big stage before, which should give him a slight advantage in the finals. I like Imar to make it two titles in two seasons.
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over No. 2 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
Dieringer is the arguably the nation's top pound-for-pound wrestler and will be looking for his third straight NCAA title. He takes a 77-match streak and perfect 28-0 season record to the Big Apple. His finals opponent will likely be either Isaac Jordan or Bo Jordan. It seems as though it's a big brother syndrome (cousins, I know) with Isaac and Bo, with the Badger junior winning all three of their meetings over the past two seasons. I'll take Dieringer to claim his third straight title and finish his career on an 82-match win streak.
174: No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) over No. 6 Bryce Hammond (CSU Bakersfield)
The freshman Nickal has been a breath of fresh air in college wrestling … A wrestler who is not afraid to take risks, can score with big moves and scramble. He started the season ranked No. 14, beat returning All-American Zach Epperly of Virginia Tech in his second match and has never looked back. At the Big Tens he scored bonus points in all three of his matches, and put up nearly 20 points in his finals match against Zac Brunson of Illinois. There are several wrestlers on the bottom side of the bracket who could reach the finals. I'm taking Bryce Hammond to come through as the No. 6 seed and face Nickal for the second time this season. Nickal pinned him early in the season. This time I see Nickal not pinning, but winning comfortably.
184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) over No. 3 Vic Avery (Edinboro)
The top half of the bracket has the nation's No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 wrestlers in the latest InterMat rankings. Dean is the most accomplished wrestler in the weight class, and I like him to repeat as champion, although his potential quarterfinal matchup against Oklahoma State's Nolan Boyd scares me. Boyd is the only wrestler to beat Dean this season, and did so just over a month ago. I'm picking Avery to come out of the bottom side. He missed over half the season with an injury, but since returning he has been impressive, going 13-1, which includes a victory over Arizona State's Blake Stauffer.
197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) over No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)
Cox and McIntosh have separated themselves from the competition in this weight class. Cox leads the all-time series between the two wrestlers, but McIntosh won the most recent meeting. This is a tossup match. I'm taking Cox to win his second title, while McIntosh finishes his career as a four-time All-American.
285: No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) over No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State)
Two-time NCAA champion Gwiazdowski vs. World champion Snyder is the most-anticipated match of the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Snyder is coming off a Big Ten title over Michigan's Adam Coon, but enters the tournament with just six matches under his belt at heavyweight. Gwiazdowski brings an NCAA-best 84-match winning streak to Madison Square Garden. Flip a coin … I'm picking Snyder over Gwiazdowski (maybe against my better judgment).
Top Five Teams:
1. Penn State
2. Oklahoma State
3. Iowa
4. Virginia Tech
5. Cornell
Josh Lowe
125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) over No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State)
Tomasello is the defending champion in this weight class, having won the title last year as a redshirt freshman. He is on a 41 match winning streak entering the NCAA tournament, and is likely to face the last opponent to beat him in the national semifinal; Thomas Gilman (Iowa) beat him in an early January dual meet, but Tomasello avenged that loss in the Big Ten tournament. In the other half-bracket, look for Megaludis to avenge his early season loss to Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) in the semifinal, and advance to his third national final. Tomasello has two wins over Megaludis this season, and should make it three on Saturday night.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over No. 2 Cory Clark (Iowa)
In what is basically a four-person weight class, the two most talented wrestlers happen to be in the top half of the bracket. Three-time All-American Garrett is the favorite, and has beaten defending champion Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) already this season; Garrett did so 14-9 in December, and should replicate that in the semifinal. From the lower half-bracket, look for returning runner-up Clark to replicate his Big Ten finals victory over Zane Richards (Illinois) in the semifinal, for what is a rubber match of this season. Garrett then gets his elusive title on Saturday night.
141: No. 1 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) over No. 2 Joey McKenna (Stanford)
This is an extremely wide open weight class with no returning top three finisher in the bracket. Heil is the highest returning placer, fourth, and has had the best overall season. However, the road to the final will not be easy; it most likely involves a quarterfinal against Joey Ward (North Carolina), the one opponent to beat him this season, and then a semifinal against Big Ten champion Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers). From the lower half-bracket, the pick is McKenna, who arguably is the most talented wrestler in the weight class, but has lost twice to Heil this season (his only two losses).
149: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) over No. 2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
Retherford has been absolutely dominant this season, 25 wins by bonus point margins, just four by decision. He was fifth as a true freshman in 2013-14 losing to four-time national champion Logan Steiber in the semifinal and then in the consolation semifinal to three-time All-American Mitchell Port. Look for the absolute dominance to continue, and yield a first national title for the Nittany Lion star. From the lower half-bracket, returning All-American Sorensen is the best bet, as he won all matches this season up to the Big Ten final against Retherford; he lost that one by a very one-sided 4-0 decision.
157: Jason Nolf (Penn State) over Isaiah Martinez (Illinois)
The most anticipated match of the Big Ten finals certainly did not disappoint, as Nolf took it to the returning national champion Martinez at every turn; however, Martinez was able to fend off each and every attack to muster a victory based on greater riding time in the tiebreaker periods. Remember that Nolf was dominant against Martinez one month ago in earning a pin during the dual meet, which is the only loss for Martinez in his two-year to-date career. The fact that Nolf has been the dominant wrestler in both bouts is enough for me to conclude he wins on Saturday night in the rubber match of the season. Respective semifinals should be but nominal challenges for each: Nolf against undefeated Thomas Gantt (North Carolina State), the second seed; and Martinez against two-time All-American Ian Miller (Kent State).
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over No. 2 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
The superlative ability of Dieringer has been lost in the midst of the Kyle Dake, David Taylor, and Logan Stieber types in college wrestling the last few years. He is a two-time national champion and three-time All-American. Should Dieringer win on Saturday night, he would end his career with a 133-4 record. On the season, Dieringer has 28 wins so far, only four not via bonus points. A possible challenge would be a semifinal against Daniel Lewis (Missouri), whom he only beat 4-3 mid-season. From the lower bracket, look for the undefeated Isaac Jordan to clear, beating cousin Bo Jordan (Ohio State) in the semifinal; Isaac has beaten Bo three times against no defeats the last two seasons.
174: No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) over No. 6 Blaise Butler (Missouri)
Outside of one bizarre match in early January, the redshirt freshman Nickal has dominated all comers. Look for that pattern to continue, as he grows into being a lynchpin of the absolutely dominant Penn State squad. The path won't be easy, as both the quarterfinal and semifinal matches could be against returning All-Americans; Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) in the quarter and Ethan Ramos (North Carolina) in the semi, though Big Ten runner-up Zach Brunson (Illinois) could knock off Ramos in the quarterfinal round. Last year's national runner-up at 157 pounds Brian Realbuto (Cornell) is the highest seed in the bottom half-bracket; in what is a total crap shoot, my pick to face Nickal in the final is the senior Butler.
184: No. 4 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) over No. 3 Vic Avery (Edinboro)
Though Gabe Dean (Cornell) is the defending champion and the odds on favorite in this weight class, there is something about his path that makes me uneasy. It starts with a potential opening match against 2014 All-American Jack Dechow (Old Dominion), and continues with a quarterfinal against Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma State), who has a victory over Dean this season. Though Abounader has not earned All-American honors yet in his career, he has shown the potential to be in the title hunt. Going by the InterMat rankings, the top four kids are in the top half, with the next four in the lower half; returning All-American Avery is my pick to clear that group.
197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) over No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)
Outside of an illegal slam disqualification, the top two wrestlers in this weight have extremely separated from this field in not losing a match this season. Though McIntosh beat Cox 3-1 last year in the consolation semifinals, my pick is for Cox to win a second national title in three seasons in this weight class. The potential for McIntosh to face Conner Hartmann (Duke), who beat him in last year's quarterfinal, in the national semifinal is something interesting to note; however, McIntosh's form and talent should prevail. In terms of Cox, if he's not a finalist, I'm shocked.
285: No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) over No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (North Carolina State)
In transitioning to heavyweight from 197, the primary concern for Snyder was how he would deal with bigger body mass opposition that was also athletic. The match against Adam Coon (Michigan) in the Big Ten final demonstrated that it was a non-issue. From a path standpoint, the potential quarter with Amarveer Dhesi (Oregon State) is interesting because both have strong Olympic styles resumes; while Snyder's likely semifinal with Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) should be a very similar match to his against Coon. Looking at Gwiazdowski, picking against a two-time national champion that is on an 84 match win streak could lead me to being put into an asylum. His record these last three seasons is 106-2. A Gwiazdowski vs. Coon semifinal would be a rematch of last year's national final.
Top Five Teams:
1. Penn State
2. Oklahoma State
3. Iowa
4. Ohio State
5. Cornell
Penn State wins its fifth title in six seasons and continues their assault on college wrestling. One that is going away no time soon with three projected national champions all returning to State College next year plus the injection of a No. 1 recruiting class this spring/fall.
Tom Franck
125: No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) over No. 2 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech)
Tomasello really turned the corner in the post season last year and avenged losses on his way to his NCAA title as a freshman. This year, he has been more consistent and shown remarkable maturity in going undefeated and winning a second Big Ten title against a talented field.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over No. 3 Zane Richards (Illinois)
Garrett took over the No. 1 ranking in December when he dominated standing NCAA champ Cody Brewer of Oklahoma 14-9 at the Cliff Keen tournament in Las Vegas … and has carried that momentum into March.
141: No. 3 Kevin Jack (NC State) over No. 1 Dean Heil (Oklahoma State)
Heil might be the best strategist of any wrestler competing this weekend, being supremely prepared for all of his opponents and being able to execute smart game plans. However, the competition has gotten their matches in against Heil and could make victory-deciding adjustments of their own. Kevin Jack had a Cinderella run last year to All-American status and might go all the way this year.
149: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) over No. 2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
Somebody's 0 had to go in the Big Ten finals as undefeated Retherford and undefeated Sorensen squared off in the final. Retherford looked sharp in a 4-0 win and should do the same this weekend.
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) over No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
Martinez and Nolf have ruined each other's chances to go undefeated throughout college and have only lost to each other. Nolf dominated and then pinned Martinez in the dual meet when Martinez did not look like himself. After struggling in the opening rounds of the Big Ten tournament, Martinez turned the result around winning in the final tiebreaker against Nolf. The potential rubber match will certainly have a lot riding on it as only the winner will have a shot at joining becoming only the fifth wrestler to win four NCAA titles.
165 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over No. 3 Bo Jordan (Ohio State)
Dieringer has been stellar throughout his college career. The Cowboy will be a heavy favorite to win his third NCAA title.
174: No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State) over No. 3 Blaise Butler (Missouri)
One would think that the wide-open style of Nickal would lead him to get into trouble in his first season of Division 1 college wrestling, but Nickal has been composed even when giving up early points and has dominated his opponents throughout the season. Look for Nickal to be very prepared for the event and put up a lot of bonus points throughout the three days of wrestling.
184: Gabe Dean (Cornell) over No. 3 Vic Avery (Edinboro)
Standing NCAA champ Dean won a tight 4-3 match on the second tiebreaker against Avery in the semifinals last year. Avery came back to take third, but with the two on opposite sides of the bracket this year, should meet in the final.
197: No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri) over No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)
The two haven't met this year, but McIntosh defeated the 2014 NCAA champ 3-1 in the consolation semifinals last year. Both have been stellar throughout the 2015-16 season. Will McIntosh finally get his NCAA title as a senior? Or will Cox get back to the top of the podium?
285: No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) over Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State)
It is surprising that Martinez-Nolf III isn't the most anticipated potential finals match in the tournament, but this is the bout everyone has been talking about. Initially, it was announced that World champion Kyle Snyder would be taking an Olympic redshirt year, but that changed mid-season and he came back to wrestle a limited season for the Ohio State Buckeyes to try and help them defend their title from last year. Competing in both collegiate and international events over the past few months, Snyder has looked amazing. In the way of the talented sophomore stands two-time NCAA champ Gwiazdowski, an equally athletic heavyweight who is 29-0. Snyder has shown amazing leg attacks since his return, the question is will he be able to finish on the likes of Gwiazdowski.
At the beginning of the 2015-16 NCAA Division I wrestling season it appeared that there would be an interesting battle in the team race at the national tournament. As the event finally approaches this weekend, that continues to be true … but for second place.
Cael Sanderson's Nittany Lions have distanced themselves from the field in a surprising fashion. While it was known that two key members, 125-pounder Nico Megaludis and 149-pounder Zain Retherford would be coming off of redshirt seasons and rejoin the lineup, it was impossible to foresee that Retherford would be as dominant all season long after moving up eight pounds to a very deep weight class. More difficult to predict would be that freshmen Jason Nolf at 157 pounds and Bo Nickal at 174 pounds would each rise up to each take over the No. 1 ranking.
With three No. 1 seeds and two No. 3 seeds, Penn State will be very tough to beat at the Big Show.
Steve Elwood
125: No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State) over No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)
After two epic overtime defeats to Tomasello, I think Nico Megaludis gets the job done and finishes his career out with the national title.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) over No. 3 Zane Ricahards (Illinois)
This move up in weight has proven to be the right call for Garrett. He will have to get past the returning champion in the semifinals, but I like his chances.
141: No. 2 Joey McKenna (Stanford) over No. 4 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
This is a wide open weight class and there are several good picks here. This is just a hunch. It's time for Blair Academy to produce another national champion.
149: No. 1 Zane Retherford (Penn State) over No. 3 Lavion Mayes (Missouri)
The PSU star is my lock of the weekend. He should cruise to the top of the podium
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) over No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
There's a lot of talent in this weight class. These two young guys lead the pack but both can be beaten. I like Martinez in another overtime thriller full of scrambles and probably some crazy antics thrown in.
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
Nothing shows me these two guys shouldn't make the finals. How do you not pick the Oklahoma State stud to get his third title? AD all the way.
174: No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) over No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State)
Nickal and his teammate Nolf are the biggest surprises of the year. Although Nickal probably has the most talent, I'm going with the experience of Realbuto.
184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) over No. 6 Blake Stauffer (Arizona State)
I must be drinking the Red Kool-Aid. This makes three champions for this Ivy school.
197: No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) over No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri)
It feels like MM is on a mission this year. I think it carries him all the way to Saturday night.
285 No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) over No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State)
After watching Snyder roll through the Big Tens, I think he's just too talented to not win. He's a gem to watch. He will have a tall order here.
Top Five Teams:
1. Penn State
2. Oklahoma State
3. Cornell
4. Iowa
5. Virginia Tech
Jim Beezer
Herewith are the premier predictions for the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. You're welcome.
125: No. 4 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) over No. 3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State)
Gilman is fresh off his first loss of the season at the Big Ten tournament and you can bet he has a bad taste in his mouth. That fury will take him through the tournament, where I expect to see him knock off No. 1 seed Tamasello in the semifinals, and avenge his loss to Megaludis in the finals.
133: No. 1 Nahshon Garret (Cornell) over No. 2 Corey Clark (Iowa)
With apologies to a few matches in November in which he was asleep, Garret hasn't had a close match all season. I expect to see that dominance to continue throughout the tournament, culminating in a win over Cory Clark in the finals.
141: No. 2 Joey McKenna (Stanford) over No. 4 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
This weight class is wide open and could play out like any given poker hand. However, I like the relentless style of Ashnault and the balance of power and technique of McKenna. I see McKenna emerging as the champion in a match-up of former teammates at Eclipse Wrestling club in New Jersey.
149: No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) over No. 2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
Retherford beat Logan Stieber two years ago as a true freshman, and (following a redshirt season and up a weight class) has shown that victory was no joke. Sorensen has the moxie to beat serviceable opponents in Sueflohn and Mayes, but won't touch Retherford in the finals.
157: No. 1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) over No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
Undeniable willpower led Martinez through an undefeated freshman season to an NCAA championship last March. A loss in January to Jason Nolf won't erode his confidence; if anything it will relieve some of the pressure that comes with chasing an undefeated career (see Dan Gable, Cael Sanderson, Marcus LeVesseur and Joey Davis for details). Martinez is locked-in once again and should bring home another title after winning another tight one against Nolf in the finals.
165: No. 1 Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) over No. 2 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin)
The winner of the "I get to wrestle Alex Dieringer in the finals" sweepstakes will come down to the better of the two Jordan cousins in Friday's semifinals. I like the Badger to make finals, but fall short against a dominating Dieringer in the finals. The Cowboy wins his third NCAA championship by at least six points.
174: No. 2 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) over No. 1 Bo Nickal (Penn State)
Realbuto had one bad day at the Southern Scuffle. It happens. Blame it on an awesome New Year's Eve party. I can relate. He has found his old form and avenged one of those losses since. I've said it before: Kyle Dake and Jason Tsirtsis are the exception. Max Askren is the norm. Freshman nerves are hard to overcome. I'd be surprised if Nickal makes the finals, let alone wins it. Realbuto takes the title up two weight classes from last year.
184: No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) over No. 3 Vic Avery (Edinboro)
Dean will have his hands full in the quarters against Boyd of Oklahoma State, who represents his only loss of the season. Assuming he can survive that match, I see him taking out the winner of the weaker lower half of the bracket.
197: No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) over No. 2 J'den Cox (Missouri)
This bracket could play out a number of ways, but any way you cut it, McIntosh and Cox seem to be the cream of the crop. I think it's McIntosh's turn to win as he has been battle tested all season.
285: No. 2 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) over No. 1 Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State)
I have a hard time believing that someone who beat Abusalam Gadisov of Russia could lose to someone in a college tournament. But then again, some would argue that freestyle and folkstyle are a different as football and soccer. Other factors include size and conditioning. In any case, this poses an interesting match-up: two very technical and athletic big men. I'll take the World champ Snyder to cover 1.5 points.
Top Five Teams:
1. Penn State
2. Oklahoma State
3. Iowa
4. Cornell
5. Ohio State
5. Oklahoma State
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now