The Most Unfortunate Ranking of 2023-24: #2 at 125 lbs

One of the ongoing themes of the 2023-24 DI season has been the chaos at 125 lbs. It is like nothing we’ve seen before. Plenty has been made about the different number of wrestlers who have held the top ranking at the weight during the year (Four from InterMat; other outlets had more). 

Maybe even more remarkable is the number of wrestlers who have held the number two ranking at the weight. During the 17 weeks of competition and one week of preseason, nine different wrestlers have been ranked number two. Four of them only held it for a single week. There was a five-week stretch during January and into February where a new wrestler had the number two ranking every week. Only once during that span did the wrestler lose the ranking because he actually moved up. 

At one point fans were semi-seriously asking if the number two ranking was cursed. Some asked me not to rank their guy second. 

Here is a week-by-week look at the wrestlers who have held the #2 ranking, why they earned it, and how they moved from it. 

October 31st

#2 Anthony Noto (Lock Haven)

A fourth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships allowed Anthony Noto to start the year ranked second at this weight class. Noto captured a second consecutive MAC title and went 33-4 overall. 

How his #2 ranking ended:

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