Logan Massa at the 2022 NCAA Champions (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)This most recent collegiate season was one that we've never seen before. Because of the “Covid year,†active wrestlers were granted an extra year of eligibility. That resulted in a bunch of sixth and seventh year seniors taking the mat, along with incoming freshmen and other underclassmen. It gave us some of the deepest weight classes we've ever seen.
But, did having that many sixth (and beyond) year seniors work to their benefit? In some cases yes, and in others, no. Another year of wear and tear from a DI wrestling room rendered some of these veterans less impactful than expected, while some others had better achievements than any previous season.
Here are the wrestlers who made it to Detroit and were in their sixth (or greater) year of competition in college. Their season record is listed first, followed by their NCAA performance and their conference placement. As you'll notice, the results vary greatly from each.
125 lbs
#1 Nick Suriano (Michigan) - 16-0; NCAA Champion, Big Ten Champion
#9 Devin Schroder (Purdue) - 19-6; 0-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 6th
#16 Drew Hildebrandt (Penn State) - 10-5; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 10th
#19 Joey Prata (Oklahoma) - 19-9; NCAA Bloodround, Big 12 4th
#20 Fabian Gutierrez (Chattanooga) - 21-7; 1-2 @ NCAA's, SoCon Champion
#21 Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) - 12-6; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 5th
133 lbs
#4 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech) - 22-4; NCAA 6th, ACC Champion
#11 Devan Turner (Oregon State) - 25-9; NCAA 8th; Pac-12 3rd
#12 Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh) - 18-8; NCAA Bloodround; ACC Runner-Up
#13 Brock Hudkins (Indiana) - 14-6; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 10th
141 lbs
#2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) - 19-3; 2-2 @ NCAA's Big Ten Runner-Up
#3 Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers) - 30-1; NCAA 3rd; Big Ten 6th
#13 Ian Parker (Iowa State) - 13-5; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 5th
#14 Dresden Simon (Central Michigan) - 20-7; 2-2 @ NCAA's, MAC At-Large
#15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina) - 21-4; NCAA Runner-Up, ACC At-Large
#19 Chad Red Jr. (Nebraska) - 15-8; NCAA Bloodround, Big Ten At-Large
#24 Stevan Micic (Michigan) - 13-8; NCAA Bloodround; Big Ten 4th
149 lbs
#2 Tariq Wilson (NC State) - 19-2; NCAA 7th; ACC Champion
#7 Josh Heil (Campbell) - 12-4; 1-2 @ NCAA's, SoCon Runner-Up
#12 Mike Van Brill (Rutgers) - 21-6; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 6th
#14 Josh Finesilver (Duke) - 28-7; 1-2 @ NCAA's, ACC 4th
#17 Jarrett Degen (Iowa State) - 18-7; 0-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 4th
#27 Cory Crooks (Oregon State) - 17-11; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Pac-12 3rd
#29 John Arceri (Buffalo) - 22-12; 0-2 @ NCAA's, MAC 4th
157 lbs
#2 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) - 18-0; NCAA Champion, Big Ten Champion
#9 Kaleb Young (Iowa) - 19-9; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 4th
#13 Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) - 21-9; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 4th
#20 Elijah Cleary (Pittsburgh) - 14-10; 1-2 @ NCAA's, ACC 5th
#30 Ben Barton (Lock Haven) - 25-9; 0-2 @ NCAA's, MAC Champion
#31 Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) - 11-10; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 At-Large
165 lbs
#1 Evan Wick (Cal Poly) - 23-1; NCAA 3rd; Pac-12 Champion
#3 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) - 26-3; NCAA 5th; Big Ten Champion
#10 Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh) - 19-7; NCAA Bloodround; ACC Champion
#16 Luke Weber (North Dakota State) - 22-9; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 4th
#18 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) - 18-8; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Pac-12 At-Large
#21 Thomas Bullard (NC State) - 20-8; 1-2 @ NCAA's, ACC 3rd
174 lbs
#3 Logan Massa (Michigan) 20-4; NCAA 5th; Big Ten Runner-UP
#4 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) - 19-3; NCAA 3rd; ACC Runner-Up
#5 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) - 14-4; NCAA 4th; Big Ten 6th
#13 Matt Finesilver (Duke) - 29-9; 2-2 @ NCAA's, ACC 4th
#19 Thomas Flitz (Appalachian State) - 17-8; 1-2 @ NCAA's, SoCon Champ
184 lbs
#1 Myles Amine (Michigan) - 21-2; NCAA 2nd; Big Ten Champion
#10 Taylor Venz (Nebraska) - 19-10; NCAA Bloodround, Big Ten 5th
#16 Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State) - 17-8; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 At-Large
#27 Keegan Moore (Oklahoma) - 10-6; 2-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 4th
#28 Gregg Harvey (Pittsburgh) - 10-12; 0-2 @ NCAA's, ACC 4th
#29 Chris Weiler (Wisconsin) - 11-15; 0-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten 12th
#30 Max Lyon (Purdue) - 16-15; NCAA Bloodround, Big Ten At-Large
197 lbs
#1 Max Dean (Penn State) - 23-1; NCAA Champion, Big Ten Champion
#3 Eric Schultz (Nebraska) - 20-4; NCAA 7th, Big Ten Runner-Up
#14 Greg Bulsak (Rutgers) - 26-8; NCAA 8th, Big Ten 7th
#17 Jay Aiello (Virginia) - 16-5; NCAA Bloodround, ACC 3rd
#25 Jaron Smith (Maryland) - 20-15; 1-2 @ NCAA's, Big Ten At-Large
#27 Alan Clothier (Northern Colorado) - 14-14; 0-2 @ NCAA's, Big 12 At-Large
285 lbs
#7 Jordan Wood ( Lehigh) - 27-3; NCAA 3rd, EIWA Champion
#8 Matt Stencel (Central Michigan) - 20-6; 2-2 @ NCAA's, MAC Champion
#10 Nathan Traxler (Virginia Tech) - 21-4; 1-2 @ NCAA's, ACC Champion
#11 Gary Traub (Oregon State) - 23-7; NCAA Bloodround; Pac-12 Runner-Up
#12 Christian Lance (Nebraska) - 19-11; NCAA 8th; Big Ten 7th
#28 Michael McAleavey (The Citadel) - 24-12; 0-2 @ NCAA's, SoCon Runner-Up
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