2022 NCAA Champion Ryan Deakin (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)The Stanford Cardinal solidified their coaching staff today with the addition of 2022 NCAA champion Ryan Deakin. Deakin is expected to assume the position left by Vincenzo Joseph, who has long been rumored to be leaving to pursue a competitive career on the Senior level.
Deakin just completed a collegiate career that left him among the finest wrestlers ever to don a Northwestern singlet. Over five years, Deakin amassed a 114-15 record with three NCAA All-American finishes and a berth on the 2020 NWCA All-American first team. In both 2019-20 and 2021-22, Deakin ended the season unbeaten. He was the top seed in the ill-fated 2020 NCAA Tournament at 157 lbs. This year, Deakin became only the third Northwestern wrestler to claim three Big Ten titles.
Deakin won his elusive NCAA title this year after a 9-2 decision over Quincy Monday of Princeton. In 2021-22, Deakin put up an 18-0 record win bonus points in half of those contests. During the regular season, Deakin picked up three titles at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and another at the Midlands.
Success for Deakin isn't just limited to the collegiate mats. During his redshirt year at Northwestern, Ryan earned a spot on the Junior World Team, in freestyle, and earned a silver medal at the World Championships. In 2019, Deakin downed 70 kg mainstay James Green in the US Open finals to lock up a spot at Final X. Last year, Deakin was fourth at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament.
There will be plenty of talented middleweights for Deakin to work with in the Cardinal wrestling room. First and foremost is two-time NCAA finalist and 2021 champion Shane Griffith at 165. Stanford is also bringing in a pair of top-ten recruits in the Class of 2022 in #2 Daniel Cardenas (149/157) and #9 Hunter Garvin (157/165).
Stanford wrapped up their first year under legendary head coach Rob Koll with a 5-4 dual record and a top-20 finish (19th) at the 2022 NCAA Championships. In InterMat's summer rankings, the Cardinal came in at #21 in tournament projections.
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