InterMat Staff

3x NCAA qualifier Justin Staudenmayer (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our "Ten Years of…" feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Brown! For past teams: Air Force American Appalachian State Arizona State Army West Point Binghamton Bloomsburg 2019 (15) 157 - Christian LaBrie (#30); 165 - Jon Viruet (#17); 184 - CJ LaFragola (#27); 285 - Ian Butterbrodt (#26) 2018 157 - Justin Staudenmayer; 165 - Jon Viruet; 184 - CJ LaFragola 2017 184 - CJ LaFragola 2016 149 - Steven Galiardo; 157 - Justin Staudenmayer 2015 157 - Justin Staudenmayer (#15); 184 - Ophir Bernstein 2014 184 - Ophir Bernstein (#12) 2013 125 - Billy Watterson; 184 - Ophir Bernstein NCAA Champions None NCAA All-American's Ophir Bernstein (2014 - 8th) NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Ian Butterbrodt: 285 (2019) EIWA Champions None EIWA Runner's-Up 2019: Ian Butterbrodt (285) Dual Record 2021-22: 4-9 2021: No Season 2019-20: 4-9 2018-19: 8-6 2017-18: 6-7 2016-17: 8-7 2015-16: 5-10 2014-15: 4-10 2013-14: 3-11 2012-13: 8-10 EIWA Tournament Placement 2021-22: 14th 2021: No Season 2019-20: 14th 2018-19: 8th 2017-18: 10th 2016-17: 13th 2015-16: 15th 2014-15: 12th 2013-14: 16th 2012-13: 11th NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: No Qualifiers 2021: No Season 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: 44th (4 points) 2017-18: 50th-tie (2 points) 2016-17: 66th-tie (0 points) 2015-16: 65th-tie (.5 point) 2014-15: 46th-tie (3 points) 2013-14: 46th (5.5 points) 2012-13: 51st-tie (2.5 points) Head Coaching History Todd Beckerman (2013-21) Dave Amato (1983-2013) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - Billy Watterson: 2013 NCAA Qualifier 133 - Hunter Kosco: 2019 EIWA 8th 141 - Zeke Salvo: 2019 EIWA 6th 149 - Steven Galiardo: 2016 NCAA Qualifier 157 - Justin Staudenmayer: 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2015 NCAA #15 seed 165 - Jon Viruet: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2019 NCAA #17 seed 174 - Ricky McDonald: 2x EIWA placer (8th, 8th) 184 - Ophir Bernstein: 4x NCAA Qualifier; 2014 NCAA All-American (8th); 2014 NCAA #12 seed 197 - Tucker Ziegler: 2x EIWA placer (8th, 8th) 285 - Ian Butterbrodt: 2019 NCAA Qualifier, 2019 NCAA Round of 12 Finisher; 2019 EIWA Runner-Up Recruiting Big Boarder's Per Year 2022: #115 Antwaun Burns (OH); #230 Jacob Gonzales (MI); #244 Jon Conrad (FL) 2021: #112 AJ Corrado (PA); #162 Drew Clearie (PA); #230 James Araneo (NY); #263 Tony Pray (MN); #271 Ian Oswalt (PA) 2020: #149 Blake Saito (OH) 2019: #63 Ricky Cabanillas (NJ) 2017: #49 Bryce Rogers (FL); #77 AJ Pedro (MA); #98 Hunter Kosco (OH) 2015: #143 Jon Viruet (MA)

2022 NCAA Round of 12 finisher Justin McCoy (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Virginia put together a strong season last year, but ended on a tough note with three wrestlers, Brian Courtney, Justin McCoy, and Jay Aiello, falling in the bloodround at the NCAA tournament. The NCAA tournament had some brutal ups and downs for the Hoos, but the wrestlers and coaches handled the adversity with the class and aplomb we've come to expect from the Steve Garland-led program. It was an especially difficult ending for sixth-year team leader Jay Aiello, as he fell to eventual National Champion Max Dean in an incredibly controversial match (#AielloHadBackpoints). Aiello bounced back to knock off two top-15 wrestlers before falling to the three-seed Eric Schultz 4-2. In the 2022-2023 season will see a good mix of veterans and new faces in the lineup for the Cavaliers. Garland and crew are bringing in a top-10 recruiting class that they are very excited about--the class includes eight top-250 wrestlers and four in the top-100. About this class, Garland said, “This class is incredible. Our staff did a tremendous job bringing in great kids who are not just ranked highly, but more importantly are bought into what we want to build here. They believe in the staff and they believe in the vision for the University of Virginia family.” They covered the entire country signing wrestlers from: California--#30 Michael and #62 Jack Gioffre Iowa--Robert Avila, #154 Griffin Gammell Ohio--Peyton Fenton Nebraska--#53 Garrett Grice, #104 Nick Hamilton North Carolina--#90 Kyle Montaperto Tennessee--#167 Keyveon Roller New York--#210 Nick Sanko Virginia--Cooper Rudolph, RJ May There are a lot of good things happening in Charlottesville, and I expect to see a competitive team for the Hoos next year. Here is a look at how I see the lineup shaking out; there are a few weight changes and potential for a couple transfers to make their way into the lineup. 125: Patrick McCormick Poquoson native McCormick has been a consistent presence for the Cavaliers since taking over the 125 spot after the graduation of NCAA finalist Jack Mueller. McCormick now gets to work daily with Mueller since he joined the Hoos staff last year. McCormick is a two-time NCAA qualifier and has some solid regular-season wins over NCAA qualifiers. He has struggled in the postseason, but is poised to make a breakthrough in March. 133: Erik Roggie or Garrett Grice Another Virginia native, Roggie is a two-time Prep National Finalist and was a solid recruit coming into Charlottesville. He was 12-6 last year in his redshirt season, including a sudden-victory win over NCAA qualifier Joe Heilmann (UNC, now Rutgers). Roggie is quick on his feet and sneaky good on top; four of his wins last year were by fall. Grice is a four-time Nebraska state champ and a Fargo All-American as a Cadet and a Junior. He will make a big impact on the lineup at some point, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him use a redshirt to get accustomed to the college grind. 141: Dylan Cedeno Cedeno had a strong redshirt year and there were high expectations for his first year in the starting lineup last year. He battled injuries throughout the year and didn't get a consistent run until the end of the season, but he made the most of the time that he was on the mat. Cedeno had three close losses in ACC duals but was able to avenge those, including an upset win over eventual NCAA finalist Kizhan Clarke, in the ACC tournament and qualify for the NCAA Championships. Cedeno has a huge upside and I think we will see big things from him in the coming years. 149: Jarod Verkleeren Verkleeren will be back for another year for the Hoos and is looking to improve on his performance in what was one of the toughest weights in the ACC last year. Verk had a streaky year in his first year in Charlottesville that had some solid wins before entering the meat grinder of a weight in ACC. He was 15-4 to start the year before ACC competition where he had losses to 2022 All-Americans Bryce Andonian, Tariq Wilson, 2021 All-American Zach Sherman, and 4x NCAA qualifier Josh Finesilver. Verkleeren is coming back with a focus on getting on the podium in March, and he has shown the potential to make that happen. 157: Jake Keating Keating was out the first half of the season with injuries but made an impressive run in the back half of the year to finish at 17-7 in the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. Keating had some solid wins last year, Kendall Coleman, Ed Scott, and was in close matches in the majority of his losses. If Keating is able to stay healthy and has a full year of working out with Justin McCoy in the room, I expect big things from both of them. 165: Justin McCoy McCoy will be returning to the mat with a lot of expectations on his shoulders. He had a fantastic season last year, entering the postseason with a 15-1 record before losing in the ACC Championship match to Jake Wentzel. McCoy picked up three wins in Detroit before falling in the bloodround. McCoy will return as one of the team leaders on and off the mat. He knows the path to getting onto the podium in March, and I for one, expect to see him there next year. 174: Vic Marcelli or Justin Phillips Phillips held down the starting spot for most of last season as Marcelli was out for the year with injuries. He had a decent season and was in the match in several of his losses--he definitely showed a competitive fire and a lot of potential. Phillips was 15-11 on the year; Marcelli held the spot in the 2021 season and ended the shortened year as an NCAA qualifier. This will be a weight to watch for the Hoos. 184: Wide Open With the graduation of Jay Aiello and Michael Battista moving up to 197, the Hoos are wide open for competition at 184. There will be a battle between some veterans who are looking to crack the lineup on a full-time basis. Hudson Stewart, Robby Patrick and Hadyn Danals will be competing along with first-year Griffin Gammell for the slot at 184. I think Stewart (20-8 last season) and Hadyn Danals (11-3 last season) will be the frontrunners and could be competitive in the lineup on day one. Gammell is one of the big recruits coming to Grounds this season; he has improved every year and ended this season atop the podium in Iowa. There is a lot of potential from Gammell, but I would expect him to take a redshirt year to acclimate to college. Keep your eyes on the transfer portal for the Hoos here as well… 197: Michael Battista Battista is a large human and will be moving up to 197 next year after the departure of Jay Aiello. I think this move will be great for Battista and will allow him to focus more on the mat and less on weight. Battista has continued to improve and at points last season showed that he can hang with almost anyone in the country. He started last season on an 11-1 run before ACC competition and ended the season as an NCAA qualifier with a 15-8 record. Battista is best when he is attacking and dictating the match. I think the move to 197 will allow for him to be in this position more. 285: Gabe Christensen Christensen was a mid-season transfer last season from Iowa and had limited mat time as a redshirt. He was 10-6 last season at 197 and will be making the move up to 285 for next year. Christensen will be taking over after the graduation of three-time NCAA Quinn Miller. Time will tell if Gabe can replicate the mustache success of Quinn.

2022 SoCon champion Shannon Hanna (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 6. Davidson Wrestling Centennial Celebration, Wrestling Facility Updates Revealed Davidson College Wrestling hosted a Centennial Celebration this season, honoring alumni from 1966 up to the class of 2021 for their contributions to the program. The celebration weekend included an open practice, social events, and the unveiling of Davidson's locker room and team facility renovations. The match-day brunch also bolstered support from the Davidson administration, setting a precedent for other athletic departments and administrations to be more supportive towards their wrestling programs. To end the season on a high note, the Wildcats defeated Presbyterian College 26-11. Seniors Kyle Gorant (133), Finlay Holston (197), and Mitchell Trigg (285) posted wins to cap off their careers in Belk Arena. 5. Bellarmine Beats Southern Illinois Edwardsville, 19-18 The Bellarmine Knights have now completed five seasons, recording two seasons as a Division I program, and one season being under the direction of Head Coach Ned Shuck. Coach Shuck and company started the season off strong, with a huge win over MAC opponent Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. It was a thrilling 18-18 match, coming down to tiebreaker criteria. Bellarmine was declared the winner after tallying up the total match points scored: 57-53. To make this victory even sweeter: this bout was battled at Knights Hall, where the Bellarmine fans came out to show their support for the Knights. Another cool stat about this dual? It's the first dual in Bellarmine's DI tenure that didn't include a forfeit. 4. Brayden Palmer's Third Place Comeback at the Southern Scuffle A fresh face on the lineup for the Chattanooga Mocs, Brayden Palmer (133) made an amazing comeback at the Southern Scuffle to take third place. After dropping a first-round loss to Cornell's Dom LaJoie, Palmer battled back to face off against conference foe Codi Russell (Appalachian State) in the consolation semifinals, posting a 9-5 win. For third, Palmer won in a heated 4-2 sudden victory overtime bout over an unattached Cullan Schriever (Iowa). 3. Campbell Wins Fourth Straight SoCon Tournament Championship Seasoned by a second season under Scotti Sentes (please enjoy the alliteration), the Camels swept a fourth-straight Southern Conference Tournament title. Nine wrestlers placed, five qualified for the NCAA Championships, four took home first place finishes, four more were conference runners-up, and there were three additional placewinners. The top performances of the tournament came from conference champions Shannon Hanna (141), Caleb Hopkins (184), and Taye Ghadiali (285). Levi Hopkins (197) was named the recipient of the Pinnacle Award, an accolade reserved for the student-athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team. Josh Heil (149) and Korbin Meink (125) earned automatic bids at the tournament, while Domenic Zaccone (133) received an at-large bid to the Big Dance in Detroit. 2. Dazjon Casto's NCAA Tournament Run A senior for The Citadel, Casto (157) had an impressive NCAA tournament. His first-round matchup against returning national champion Austin O'Connor (UNC) resulted in a nail-biting sudden-victory overtime match, when Casto took O'Connor down and was able to score some backpoints, coming out on top with an 8-2 win. This was a huge first-round upset for not only the SoCon but the entire tournament, as we saw many All-Americans face defeat. In his second bout of the day, Casto had a tough 3-2 loss against North Dakota State's #6-seeded Jared Franek, leaving him the last Bulldog standings for The Citadel. Friday morning was another large day for Dazjon, as he pushed forward with back-to-back victories over Virginia Tech's Connor Brady (3-1, SV-1) and UVA's #14 Jake Keating (FALL 4:18). Casto's season came to an end with his final match on Friday evening in the bloodround, taking a tough 7-6 loss to Hunter Willits (Oregon State). Casto will be using his final year of eligibility at Pitt, where he recently announced his transfer. 1. Jonathan Millner Becomes a Two-Time All-American and Announces His Return to Appalachian State Millner, a North Carolina native, became a two-time All-American for the Mountaineers this past March in Detroit. Not only did Jonathan earn the sixth-place finish at 149, but he also became the 20th overall All-American for Appalachian and the second two-time NCAA All-American in App State Wrestling history. This season most of us wondered if Millner would use his last year of eligibility. The question was raised time and time again, with Millner answering "We'll see," or "Y'all will know soon." The decision day came, and on April 8th, Jonathan Millner and Cody Bond (157) announced their return to use their final years of eligibility with the Mountaineers. The announcement of Millner's return bolstered quite the buzz on social media, garnering support from our own Willie Saylor and The Grind's JB - offering NIL partnerships with Millner. Next season the Mountaineers might see their first three-time All-American…or quite possibly their first NCAA champion.

2022 NCAA qualifier Josh Mason (photo courtesy of Rider Sports Information) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our "Ten Years of…" feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Bloomsburg! For past teams: Air Force American Appalachian State Arizona State Army West Point Binghamton NCAA Qualifiers (17) 2022 141 - Josh Mason (#32) 2021 133 - Cole Rhone (#32) 2020 157 - Alex Carida (#33); 184 - Trevor Allard (#25) 2019 125 - Willy Gerard (#32) 2014 133 - Nick Wilcox; 149 - Bryce Busler; 165 - Josh Veltre; 174 - Mike Dessino; 197 - Richard Perry (#6); 285 - Justin Grant 2013 133 - Nick Wilcox; 149 - Josh Roosa; 157 - Frank Hickman (#9); 165 - Josh Veltre (#9); 197 - Richard Perry; 285 - Justin Grant NCAA Champions None NCAA All-Americans None NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Josh Veltre: 165 (2014) Conference Champions EWL 2019: Willy Gerard (125) 2014: Richard Perry (197) 2013: Frank Hickman (157: Josh Velte (165) Dual Record 2021-22: 9-6 2021: 0-2 2019-20: 3-10 2018-19: 3-13 2017-18: 6-9 2016-17: 4-17 2015-16: 1-18 2014-15: 0-12 2013-14: 9-8 2012-13: 17-3 Conference Tournament Placement MAC 2021-22: 12th 2021: 13th 2019-20: 14th EWL 2018-19: 5th 2017-18: 5th 2016-17: 7th 2015-16: 7th 2014-15: 7th 2013-14: 2nd 2012-13: 3rd NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: 46th-tie (3 points) 2021: 54th-tie (1 point) 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: No Team Score 2017-18: No Qualifiers 2016-17: No Qualifiers 2015-16: No Qualifiers 2014-15: No Qualifiers 2013-14: 38th (8 points) 2012-13: 37th (6 points) Head Coaching History Marcus Gordon (2016-present) Jason Mester (2013-16) John Stutzman (2005-13) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - Willy Gerard: 2019 NCAA Qualifier; 2019 EWL Champion 133 - Nick Wilcox: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2014 EWL Runner-Up 141 - Josh Mason: 2022 NCAA Qualifier, 2022 MAC Runner-Up 149 - Josh Roosa: 2013 NCAA Qualifier; 2013 EWL 3rd 157 - Frank Hickman: 3x NCAA Qualifier: 3x EWL finalist, 2013 EWL Champion; 2012 NCAA Round of 12 finisher 165 - Josh Velte: 2x NCAA Qualifier: 2014 NCAA Round of 12 finisher; 2013 EWL Champion; 2013 NCAA #9 seed 174 - Mike Dessino: 3x NCAA Qualifier: 3x EWL finalist, 2011 EWL Champion 184 - Trevor Allard: 2020 NCAA Qualifier 197 - Richard Perry: 3x NCAA Qualifier, 2x EWL finalist, 2014 EWL Champion, 2014 NCAA #6 seed 285 - Justin Grant: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2x EWL runner-up Recruiting Big Boarder's Per Year 2014: #95 Chase Zemenak (PA) 2013: #96 Colt Cotton (PA); #121 David Williams (NJ)

Jenna Burkert (left) and Jacarra Winchester at the 2021 World Team Trials (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Final X Stillwater: June 3rd Session One: 2pm (central) Session Two: 7pm (central) Greco-Roman 63 kg: Sam Jones vs. Jesse Thielke Women's Freestyle 76 kg: Dymond Guilford vs. Yelena Makoyed Greco-Roman 130 kg: Cohlton Schultz vs. Tanner Farmer Men's Freestyle 70 kg: Zain Retherford vs. Jordan Oliver Greco-Roman 72 kg: Patrick Smith vs. Benji Peak Women's Freestyle 59 kg: Lexie Basham vs. Abby Nette Greco-Roman 82 kg: Ben Provisor vs. Spencer Woods Men's Freestyle 57 kg: Thomas Gilman vs. Vito Arujau Greco-Roman 55 kg: Max Nowry vs. Brady Koontz Men's Freestyle 61 kg: Daton Fix vs. Seth Gross Women's Freestyle 55 kg: Jenna Burkert vs. Jacarra Winchester Men's Freestyle 92 kg: J'den Cox vs. Nate Jackson Women's Freestyle 65 kg: Forrest Molinari vs. Mallory Velte Men's Freestyle 97 kg: Kyle Snyder vs. Kollin Moore Women's Freestyle 68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock vs. Sienna Ramirez Final X New York: June 8th Session One: 2pm (eastern) Session Two: 6pm (eastern) Greco-Roman 77 kg: Kamal Bey vs. Britton Holmes Women's Freestyle 72 kg: Skylar Grote vs. Amit Elor Men's Freestyle 65 kg: Yianni Diakomihalis vs. Evan Henderson Greco-Roman 87 kg: Alan Vera vs. Timothy Young Men's Freestyle 125 kg: Hayden Zillmer vs. Nick Gwiazdowski Greco-Roman 67 kg: Alex Sancho vs. Alston Nutter Women's Freestyle 53 kg: Felicity Taylor vs. Dom Parrish Greco-Roman 60 kg: Dalton Roberts vs. Ildar Hafizov Women's Freestyle 62 kg: Kayla Miracle vs. Jennifer Rogers Greco-Roman 97 kg: G'Angelo Hancock vs. Braxton Amos Women's Freestyle 50 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Alyssa Lampe Men's Freestyle 74 kg: Kyle Dake vs. Jason Nolf Women's Freestyle 57kg: Helen Maroulis vs. Alex Hedrick Men's Freestyle 79 kg: Jordan Burroughs vs. Chance Marsteller Men's Freestyle 86 kg: David Taylor vs. Zahid Valencia

79 kg World Team Trials Champ Chance Marsteller (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) The World Team Trials have wrapped up from Coralville and Final X has been set! The afternoon session from the Xtream Arena saw the finals of the challenge tournament take place. Wrestlers who were victorious in this round will meet a returning world medalist in either Final X Stillwater or New York. In the coming days, InterMat will post videos with wrestlers headed to Final X, as well as have more coverage from the events that took place this weekend. Here are results from Sunday's morning session Men's Freestyle Round One 57 kg - Vito Arujau over Jakob Camacho 10-0 61 kg - Seth Gross over Daniel DeShazer 6-2 74 kg - Jason Nolf over Joey Lavallee 12-1 79 kg - Chance Marsteller over Vincenzo Joseph 4-0 86 kg - Zahid Valencia over Mark Hall 6-0 92 kg - Nate Jackson over Isaac Trumble 10-0 97 kg - Kollin Moore over Mike Macchiavello 10-0 Round Two 57 kg - Vito Arujau over Jakob Camacho 13-0 61 kg - Seth Gross over Daniel DeShazer 9-8 74 kg - Jason Nolf over Joey Lavallee 14-3 79 kg - Vincenzo Joseph over Chance Marsteller 6-2 86 kg - Zahid Valencia over Mark Hall 10-0 92 kg - Nate Jackson over Isaac Trumble 8-0 97 kg - Kollin Moore over Mike Macchiavello 6-0 Round Three 79 kg - Chance Marsteller over Vincenzo Joseph 7-2 Women's Freestyle Round One 50 kg - Alyssa Lampe over Erin Golston 10-9 55 kg - Jacarra Winchester over Lauren Mason 10-0 57 kg - Alex Hedrick over Cameron Guerin 2-1 62 kg - Jennifer Rogers over Macey Kilty Injury Default 65 kg - Mallory Velte over Emma Bruntil 5-2 68 kg - Sienna Ramirez over Solin Piearcy 6-6 Round Two 50 kg - Alyssa Lampe over Erin Golston Fall 1:07 55 kg - Jacarra Winchester over Lauren Mason 10-6 57 kg - Alex Hedrick over Cameron Guerin 7-5 62 kg - Jennifer Rogers over Macey Kilty Medical Forfeit 65 kg - Emma Bruntil over Mallory Velte 3-2 68 kg - Solin Piearcy over Sienna Ramirez 2-2 Round Three 65 kg - Mallory Velte over Emma Bruntil 6-0 68 kg - Sienna Ramirez over Solin Piearcy 6-6 Greco-Roman Round One 97 kg - Braxton Amos over Haydn Maley 10-1 97 kg - Braxton Amos over Haydn Maley 11-2

65kg men's freestyle semifinal winner Evan Henderson (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) These were the matches held on Sunday morning at weights without a returning world medalist. Both semifinal winners advance to Final X and do not compete further today. World Team Trials Semifinals Results Men's Freestyle 65 kg - Evan Henderson over Nick Lee 12-11 65 kg - Yianni Diakomihalis over Ian Parker 10-0 70 kg - Zain Retherford over Alec Pantaleo 5-2 70 kg - Jordan Oliver over Ryan Deakin 7-4 125 kg - Hayden Zillmer over Dom Bradley 3-1 125 kg - Nick Gwiazdowski over Tony Cassioppi 10-0 Women's Freestyle 53 kg - Felicity Taylor over Hailey Franich Fall :51 53 kg - Dom Parrish over Ronna Heaton 6-0 59 kg - Lexie Basham over Nanea Estrella 5-3 59 kg - Abby Nette over Michaela Beck 5-1 72 kg - Skylar Grote over Marilyn Garcia 10-0 72 kg - Amit Elor over Marlynne Deede 12-2 76 kg - Dymond Guilford over Victoria Francis 10-0 76 kg - Yelena Makoyed over Olivia Robinson 10-0 Greco-Roman 55 kg - Max Nowry over Drew West Fall 1:30 55 kg - Brady Koontz over Dalton Duffield Fall 2:00 60 kg - Dalton Roberts over Randon Miranda Fall 2:40 60 kg - Ildar Hafizov over Dylan Koontz Fall 1:54 63 kg - Sam Jones over David Stepanian Fall 1:51 63 kg - Jesse Thielke over Aidan Nutter Fall :41 67 kg - Alex Sancho over Peyton Omania 5-1 67 kg - Alston Nutter over Lenny Merkin 16-5 72 kg - Patrick Smith over Jamel Johnson Fall 3:55 72 kg - Benji Peak over Michael Hooker 15-4 77 kg - Britton Holmes over RaVaughn Perkins 4-3 77 kg - Kamal Bey over Jesse Porter 6-3 82 kg - Ben Provisor over Ryan Epps 3-1 82 kg - Spencer Woods over Tyler Cunningham 8-0 87 kg - Alan Vera over Christian DuLaney 10-0 87 kg - Timothy Young over George Sikes Fall 6:00 130 kg - Cohlton Schultz over Tate Orndorff Fall 5:28 130 kg - Tanner Farmer over West Cathcart Fall 1:47

79 kg finalist Vincenzo Joseph (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Action concluded on day one of the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament from Coralville, Iowa. During the first session, the men's freestyle tournament showed signs of chaos, with Evan Henderson knocking off top-seeded Kendric Maple. There was much more than that in the semifinals this evening. These were all weights with a returning world medalist awaiting in Final X. The evening with upset started off with NC State's Jakob Camacho getting some semblance of payback against Matthew Ramos for a loss in the US Open finals at 57 kg. Camacho will square off with Cornell All-American and Olympic Trials runner-up Vito Arujau. It'll be a five versus six matchup at 61 kg as both underdogs prevailed. Seth Gross locked up a cradle and pinned US Open champion Nico Megaludis. Earlier in the day, Gross and high school senior, Jesse Mendez, engaged in the match of the tournament, a 13-12 barnburner. Megaludis' US Open finals opponent Josh Rodriguez did not advance either. He was stunned by Daniel DeShazer, early and often, in a 10-0 tech. After top-seeded Jason Nolf took care of business at 74 kg, Joey Lavallee shocked Tommy Gantt with a winning takedown in the final second of their bout. 79 kg featured a minor upset as Chance Marsteller used a late takedown to ice the match against David McFadden, who seemed to be ready to rally, like his run through the US Open. The other half of the bracket saw Vincenzo Joseph beat the buzzer and shock Alex Dieringer, 3-2. It'll be a rivalry renewed at 86 kg as longtime rivals Mark Hall and Zahid Valencia do battle tomorrow at 86 kg. The pair met in two NCAA finals, both of which were won by Valencia. The former ASU Sun Devil picked apart Trent Hidlay 9-4 for his place in the final. Hall stuck 2019 national champion Drew Foster with a cement mixer to hold up his end of the bargain. In the last two weights, the only upset came from Isaac Trumble who flipped a result from the US Open finals when he dominated Cam Caffey, 11-0. He'll face Nate Jackson for the opportunity to wrestle in Final X. At 97 kg, the top seeds both advanced as Mike Macchiavello and Kollin Moore are on a collision course. The opposite was the case in the women's semifinals. In four of the six weights contested, the number one and number two seeds held up and will meet tomorrow. The most notable upset(s) came at 68 kg as the sixth seed, Solin Piearcy, advanced to the finals. In her first bout, she downed #3, Alara Boyd, on criteria. The semifinals saw Piearcy control the home crowd-favorite, Rachel Watters, 6-2. Lauren Mason at 55 kg was the only other non-one or two seed to make the finals. She got by #2 Marissa Gallegos 6-3 for the chance to take on 2019 world champion, Jacarra Winchester. Before these wrestlers meet in the best-of-three finals, the semifinals will be contested at the remaining weight classes with the winners advancing to Final X. Men's Freestyle Semifinals 57 kg - Jakob Camacho over Matthew Ramos 11-7 57 kg - Vito Arujau over Zane Richards 7-0 61 kg - Seth Gross fall Nico Megaludis 4:00 61 kg - Daniel DeShazer over Josh Rodriguez 10-0 74 kg - Jason Nolf fall David Carr 2:30 74 kg - Joey Lavallee over Tommy Gantt 5-4 79 kg - Chance Marsteller over David McFadden 5-2 79 kg - Vincenzo Joseph over Alex Dieringer 3-2 86 kg - Mark Hall fall Drew Foster 1:12 86 kg - Zahid Valencia over Trent Hidlay 9-4 92 kg - Isaac Trumble over Cam Caffey 11-0 92 kg - Nate Jackson over Jay Aiello 11-0 97 kg - Mike Macchiavello over Ethan Laird 8-2 97 kg - Kollin Moore over TJ Dudley 7-4 Women's Freestyle Semifinals 50 kg - Erin Golston over Emily Shilson 4-3 50 kg - Alyssa Lampe over Sage Mortimer 10-0 55 kg - Jacarra Winchester over Alisha Howk 11-0 55 kg - Lauren Mason over Marissa Gallegos 6-3 57 kg - Cameron Guerin over Ngao Shoua Whitethorn 10-0 57 kg - Alex Hedrick over Amanda Martinez 6-4 62 kg - Jennifer Rogers over Emmily Patneaud 10-0 62 kg - Macey Kilty over Andrea Schlabach 12-2 65 kg - Emma Bruntil over Ashlynn Ortega 10-0 65 kg - Mallory Velte over Maya Letona 10-0 68 kg - Sienna Ramirez over Ana Luciano 11-4 68 kg - Solin Piearcy over Rachel Watters 6-2 Greco Roman Semifinal 97 kg - Haydn Maley over Nicholas Boykin 11-7 97 kg - Braxton Amos over Lucas Sheridan 7-4

61 kg quarterfinal bout won 13-12 by Seth Gross over Jesse Mendez (photo courtesy of Mark Lundy; LutteLens.com) The first session at the World Team Trials in Coralville, Iowa has been completed and semifinalists in all three styles have been determined. We've already seen top seeds go down and others get pushed before prevailing. Past world team members and Final X participants have suffered losses. The immediate goal for all of these competitors is Final X. How one may earn a spot in Final X is a bit different than in past years. With world medalists returning at seven men's freestyle weights, six women's freestyle weights, and one in Greco-Roman, the winners of their brackets will move into Final X. Weights that do not have returning world medalists will take both of tomorrow's semifinal winners to Final X. Session two (5:30 eastern) will feature the semifinals at those weights with a world medalist. They are: Men's freestyle: 57, 61, 74, 79, 86, 92, 97 Women's freestyle: 50, 55, 57, 62, 65, 68 Greco-Roman: 97 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament Quarterfinal Results Greco-Roman 55 kg Max Nowry fall Cole Smith :58 Drew West fall Jacob Cochran 2:06 Dalton Duffield over Camden Russell 12-2 Brady Koontz fall Jakason Burks 2:30 60 kg Dalton Roberts - bye Randon Miranda over Max Black 5-2 Dylan Koontz over Mitchell Brown 5-2 Ildar Hafizov fall Phillip Moomey :51 63 kg Sam Jones fall Ty Lydic :44 David Stepanian over Corbin Nirschl 4-0 Aidan Nutter over Mason Carzino-Hartshorn 5-1 Jesse Thielke fall Logan Savvy 1:28 67 kg Alejandro Sancho fall We Rachal 1:31 Peyton Omania fall Nathan Moore :48 Lenny Merkin over Morgan Flaherty 8-6 Alston Nutter over Jessy Williams 10-0 72 kg Patrick Smith fall Noah Wachsmuth 5:21 Jamel Johnson over Brody Olson 4-4 Michael Hooker over Eddie Smith 6-1 Benji Peak fall Ryan Wheeler :48 77 kg RaVaughn Perkins over Fritz Schierl 9-1 Britton Holmes over Alec Ortiz 8-0 Kamal Bey over Payton Jacobson 7-2 Jesse Porter over Chad Walsh 10-4 82 kg Ben Provisor - bye Ryan Epps over Tommy Brackett 5-1 Tyler Cunningham fall Ben Lee :24 Spencer Woods - by 87 kg Alan Vera - bye Chrisitan DuLaney over Tyler Hannah 3-1 George Sikes over Austin Craig 4-0 Timothy Young - bye 97 kg Nicholas Boykin fall Timothy Eubanks 1:03 Haydn Maley fall Guy Patron 1:36 Lucas Sheridan fall Brady Vogel 1:28 Braxton Amos fall Chad Porter 1:34 130 kg Cohlton Schultz fall Malcolm Allen 1:52 Tate Orndorff fall Courtney Freeman 5:45 West Cathcart fall Richard Dombkowski 1:33 Tanner Farmer fall Tom Foote 2:01 Men's Freestyle 57 kg Matt Ramos over Aden Reeves 12-7 Jakob Camacho over Anthony Molton 9-4 Zane Richards over Timothy Levine 10-0 Vito Arujau MedFFT Greg Diakomihalis 61 kg Nico Megaludis over Shelton Mack 10-0 Seth Gross over Jesse Mendez 13-12 Daniel DeShazer over Tyler Graff 3-2 Josh Rodriguez over Josh Kramer 4-0 65 kg Evan Henderson over Kendric Maple 5-2 Nick Lee over Matt Kolodzik 12-2 Ian Parker over Joey McKenna 8-5 Yianni Diakomihalis over Luke Pletcher 10-0 70 kg Alec Pantaleo over Tyler Berger 3-2 Zain Retherford over Doug Zapf 4-1 Jordan Oliver over Michael Blockhus 4-2 Ryan Deakin over Sammy Sasso 10-0 74 kg Jason Nolf - bye David Carr over Collin Purinton 15-6 Tommy Gantt over Peter Pappas 10-0 Joey Lavallee over Josh Shields 11-7 79 kg David McFadden over Brayden Thompson 10-0 Chance Marsteller over Carter Starocci 5-4 Alex Dieringer over Isaiah Martinez 14-3 Vincenzo Joseph over Taylor Lujan 10-0 86 kg Mark Hall over Caleb Hopkins 10-0 Drew Foster over Marcus Coleman 12-2 Trent Hidlay over Owen Webster 7-0 Zahid Valencia over Andrew Morgan 10-0 92 kg Cam Caffey over Levi Hopkins 5-3 Isaac Trumble fall Patrick Downey 3:33 Jay Aiello over Max Shaw 10-0 Nate Jackson over Michael Battista 11-0 97 kg Michael Macchiavello - bye Ethan Laird over Sam Mitchell 10-0 TJ Dudley over Duncan Lee 10-0 Kollin Moore over Jason Carter 10-0 125 kg Hayden Zillmer over Jordan Wood 4-1 Dom Bradley over Ty Walz 1-1 Tony Cassioppi over Derek White 11-0 Nick Gwiazdowski over Christian Lance 10-0

2021 NCAA All-American Louie DePrez (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our "Ten Years of…" feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Binghamton! For past teams: Air Force American Appalachian State Arizona State Army West Point NCAA Qualifiers (28) 2022 165 - Brevin Cassella (#25); 174 - Jacob Nolan (#30); 197 - Louie DePrez (#8); 285 - Joe Doyle (#20) 2021 125 - Micah Roes (#30); 174 - Jacob Nolan (#33); 184 - Louie DePrez (#3); 285 - Joe Doyle (#30) 2020 133 - Zack Trampe (#26); 184 - Louie DePrez (#4) 2019 133 - Zack Trampe (#33); 141 - Anthony Sparacio (#27); 174 - Vincent DePrez (#27); 184 - Louie DePrez (#11); 2018 149 - Frankie Garcia; 184 - Steve Schneider (#13) 2017 141 - Dylan Caruana; 184 - Steve Schneider (#15) 2016 174 - Jack McKeever; 184 - Steve Schneider 2015 184 - Jack McKeever; 285 - Tyler Deuel 2014 125 - David White; 197 - Cody Reed 2013 133 - Derek Steeley; 149 - Donnie Vinson (#3); 184 - Cody Reed; 197 - Nate Schiedel (#7) NCAA Champions None NCAA All-Americans Louie DePrez (2021 - 8th) NWCA All-Americans Louie DePrez (184 - 1st Team) NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Louie DePrez 184/197 (2019, 2022) Cody Reed 197 (2014) Donnie Vinson 149 (2013) Conference Champions EIWA 2022: Louie DePrez (197) 2021: Louie DePrez (184) 2020: Louie DePrez (184) 2015: Tyler Deuel (285) CAA 2013: Donnie Vinson (149); Cody Reed (197) Dual Record 2021-22: 7-11 2021: 3-1 2019-20: 3-12 2018-19: 10-3 2017-18: 12-5 2016-17: 9-7 2015-16: 11-7 2014-15: 9-10 2013-14: 5-13 2012-13: 5-13 Conference Tournament Placement EIWA 2021-22: 6th 2021: 7th 2019-20: 6th 2018-19: 6th 2017-18: 7th 2016-17: 8th 2015-16: 16th 2014-15: 9th 2013-14: 7th CAA 2012-13: 2nd NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: 36th-tie (5 points) 2021: 38th-tie (6.5 points) 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: 41st-tie (5 points) 2017-18: 62nd-tie (.5 point) 2016-17: 57th-tie (1 point) 2015-16: 65th-tie (.5 point) 2014-15: 58th-tie (1 point) 2013-14: 49th (4.5 points) 2012-13: 32nd (10 points) Head Coaching History Kyle Borshoff (2017-present) Matt Dernlan (2012-17) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - David White: 2014 NCAA Qualifier 133 - Zack Trampe: 2x NCAA Qualifier 141 - Anthony Sparacio: 2019 NCAA Qualifier (#27), 2019 EIWA 3rd 149 - Donnie Vinson: 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2012 NCAA 3rd place, 2013 NCAA Round of 12, 2x CAA champion 157 - Vincent DePrez: 2019 NCAA Qualifier (@ 174; #27 seed) 165 - Brevin Casella: 2022 NCAA Qualifier (#25) 174 - Jacob Nolan: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#30 and #33) 184 - Louie DePrez: 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2021 NCAA 8th Place, 2x NCAA Round of 12, 3x EIWA Champion 197 - Nate Schiedel: 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2010 CAA Champion, 2013 #7 seed 285 - Tyler Deuel: 2015 NCAA Qualifier, 2015 EIWA Champion Recruiting Big Boarder's Per Year 2022: #60 Will Ebert (CT); #109 Carter Baer (NY); #148 Fin Nadeau (MT) 2021: #150 Nathan Lucier (PA) 2017: #8 Louie DePrez (NY); #94 Zack Trampe (PA) 2015: #133 Tristan Rifenburg (NY) 2014: #126 Connor Calkins (NY) 2013: #67 Zach Zupan (NY); #87 Nick Kelley (NY); #149 Nick Tighe (NY); #175 Dave Almaviva (NY) International Accolades (Active team members and alums) Louie DePrez - 2018 Junior World Team member

#WrestlingShirtADayInMay founder Jim Dutrow (photo courtesy of Jim Dutrow) "If this is something small that can help, I'm obviously happy to do it." If you've been on the wrestling side of Twitter sometime in May over the last three years, you've probably seen #WrestlingShirtADayInMay at least once. This hashtag has given wrestling fans a chance to support their favorite programs, athletes, and events. Even some of the biggest names in wrestling have hopped on the trend like Dan Gable, Jenna Burkert, and the Dan Gable Museum, but the team probably having the most fun with it is Cal State Bakersfield. While a fun way to share your teams and favorite wrestlers with the community, the meaning behind the hashtag goes deeper than many people realize. When Jim Dutrow learned that Old Dominion's Athletic Director was adding their program to the running list of cut Division I wrestling teams in the midst of a battle to save Stanford's team, he decided that the wrestling community needed to come together. Dutrow was on James Madison University's team when the administration first proposed its termination in 2000 and watched as it was finally eliminated in 2007. He couldn't sit idly by and watch this happen to more and more programs so he went to work to start a movement. #WrestlingShirtADayInMay was created to appreciate the schools with wrestling and show the administration that the wrestling community is a loyal one. In 2021, #WrestlingShirtADayInMay was flooded with "Save Stanford Wrestling" t-shirts with a favorable decision coming from Stanford's administration in mid-May, which may or may not be credited to the pictures of t-shirts on Twitter. Wrestling fans have also gotten behind some new programs, especially Roanoke College's new team, making it #5 in the final 2021 rankings and the team has already had an impressive showing this year. As a program that just got their go-ahead in April of 2020, they have had a huge support system largely due to their involvement in #WrestlingShirtADayInMay by offering shirts to anyone who made a donation. This got their name and logo out there so wrestling fans can already support them. This isn't to say that #WrestlingShirtADayInMay is immune from the team rivalries these fans know and love so much. In fact, Dutrow tried to use this to his advantage by leaning into those and asking in the days leading up to May questions like "Which Ivy League is going to have the most impressive showing?" One of the more competitive teams in college wrestling caught wind in 2020 that Virginia Tech was in the lead, which led to a flood of Hawkeye fans advertising their shirts using the hashtag to take the lead. Based solely on the main colors in the stands at NCAAs, it would be easy to assume that schools like Iowa, Penn State, or Oklahoma State are the clearcut winners every year but this isn't the case. In 2021, the winning college was The Citadel. Arguably, they're also one of the teams that has the most fun with it. Tournament season is such an emotional time and #WrestlingShirtADayInMay gives wrestlers, fans, and teams a chance to have fun with some lighthearted competition. If you look closely at numbers and Twitter presence, those who support #WrestlingShirtADayInMay, usually do better in its rankings. Jenna Burkert is an active athlete who is a huge supporter of the trend and she took first in the individual rankings last year and is leading again this year. Gardner-Webb coach, Daniel Elliot, is another big supporter and last year, Gardner-Webb offered free shirts to the first five people to make donations to their program during their annual day of giving and they have had an impressive showing along with the rest of the SoCon. Basically, if you want to win, you should support the movement. Even high school teams have gotten in on the competition. Hillcrest High School came in first last year, which was closely followed by Bellevue High School and Greenville High School. This aspect of #WrestlingShirtADayInMay is part of what makes this trend and this sport so special. There is room for everybody. Any college or community that supports wrestling deserves to be celebrated. This social media movement has only been active for a short time but has grown to include other smaller trends such as #BloodroundPoundDown, a hashtag promoting a healthy lifestyle and losing weight during the month. This partnership with #WrestlingShirtADayInMay is all about donating money to a program in need. In #BloodroundPoundDown, teams or individuals pledge to donate $1 for every pound lost as well as a $5 buy-in, and the team with the highest percentage of weight lost wins. Most wrestling fans are content with the satisfaction of winning and the bragging rights, but the winners also get to choose what program receives the money generated through #BloodroundPoundDown and the proceeds of the new #WrestlingShirtADayInMay shirts. While Dutrow had high hopes for the movement, he didn't know exactly where he wanted it to go, only that it continued and grew. This hashtag has brought so many different fans together and has really helped people look at and support schools in other conferences. You can simultaneously be a Penn State fan but also be a part of the #SchwabMob, the most important aspect is that you support wrestling and loudly at that. If you want to add to your wrestling t-shirt collection but don't know where to start, you can visit #WrestlingShirtADayInMay's growing database

2x NCAA qualifier Ben Pasiuk (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our "Ten Years of…" feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Army West Point! For past teams: Air Force American Appalachian State Arizona State NCAA Qualifiers (48) 2022 149 - PJ Ogunsanya (#24); 157 - Markus Hartman (#23); 174 - Ben Pasiuk (#28); 197 - JT Brown (#31) 2021 141 - Lane Peters (#19); 149 - PJ Ogunsanya (#16); 157 - Markus Hartman (#30); 174 - Ben Pasiuk (#17); 184 - Taylor Brown (#27); 197 - JT Brown (#17); 285 - Bobby Heald 2020 125 - Trey Chalifoux (#19); 157 - Markus Hartman (#12); 165 - Cael McCormick (#21); 174 - Ben Harvey (#18); 184 - Noah Stewart (#17); 197 - JT Brown (#20); 285 - Ben Sullivan (#24) 2019 125 - Trey Chalifoux (#33); 141 - Corey Shie (#29); 157 - Lucas Weiland (#20); 165 - Cael McCormick (#24); 174 - Ben Harvey (#22); 184 - Noah Stewart (#28); 197 - Rocco Caywood (#12) 2018 157 - Lucas Weiland; 174 - Ben Harvey; 197 - Rocco Caywood 2017 141 - Logan Everett; 157 - Russell Parsons; 165 - Andrew Mendel; 184 - Samson Imonode 2016 141 - Logan Everett; 157 - Russell Parsons; 174 - Brian Harvey; 184 - Samson Imonode; 197 - Bryce Barnes 2015 157 - Russell Parsons; 165 - Cole Gracey; 174 - Brian Harvey; 197 - Bryce Barnes 2014 157 - Paul Hancock; 174 - Brian Harvey; 197 - Bryce Barnes 2013 141 - Connor Hanafee; 149 - Daniel Young; 165 - Paul Hancock; 197 - Bryce Barnes NCAA Champions None NCAA All-Americans None NWCA All-Americans Markus Hartman (157 - 2nd Team) NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Ben Harvey - 174 (2018, 2019) EIWA Champions 2021: PJ Ogunsanya (149); Ben Pasiuk (174) EIWA Runner's Up 2021: Lane Peters (141); JT Brown (197); Bobby Heald (285) 2019: Cael McCormick (165) 2017: Russell Parsons (157) 2016: Brian Harvey (174); Bryce Barnes (197) 2013: Daniel Young (149) Dual Record: 2021-22: 2-7 2021: 2-3 2019-20: 10-3 2018-19: 8-3 2017-18: 3-6 2016-17: 7-5 2015-16: 3-7 2014-15: 3-6 2013-14: 8-4 2012-13: 7-7 EIWA Tournament Placement 2021-22: 8th 2021: 3rd 2019-20: 3rd 2018-19: 4th 2017-18: 8th 2016-17: 4th 2015-16: 4th 2014-15: 10th 2013-14: 14th 2012-13: 6th NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: 48th (4 points) 2021: 41st-tie (6 points) 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: 36th (7.5 points) 2017-18: 42nd (4.5 points) 2016-17: 53rd-tie (1.5 points) 2015-16: 58th-tie (2.5 points) 2014-15: 50th-tie (2.5 points) 2013-14: 50th (4 points) 2012-13: - (0 points) Head Coaching History Kevin Ward (2014-present) Joe Heskett (2010-2014) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - Trey Chalifoux: 2x NCAA Qualifier 133 - Lane Peters: 2021 NCAA Qualifier; 2021 EIWA runner-up 141 - Logan Everett: 2x NCAA Qualifier 149 - PJ Ogunsanya: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2021 EIWA champion (#16th and 24th seed) 157 - Markus Hartman; 3x NCAA Qualifier; (#12th, 23rd, 30th seed) 165 - Cole McCormick: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2019 EIWA runner-up (#21st and 24th seed) 174 - Ben Harvey: 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA Round of 12 Finisher; 2016 EIWA runner-up (#15th, 18th and 22nd seed) 184 - Samson Imonode: 2x NCAA Qualifier 197 - Bryce Barnes: 4x NCAA Qualifier 285 - Bobby Heald: 2021 NCAA Qualifier, 2021 EIWA runner-up Recruiting Big Board'ers Per Year 2022: #80 Austin Kolhofer (OH); #89 Braden Basile (FL); #125 Dakota Morris (NJ); #143 Gunner Filipowicz (GA); #155 Evan Anderson (OH); #193 Jaime Rivera (AZ); #212 Ben Rogers (NY); #213 Oscar Aranda (CA) 2021: #101 Raymond Lopez (CA); #110 Isaiah Vance (PA); #119 Eddie Hummel (NJ); #183 Shane Percelay (NJ); #197 Richard Treanor (NC); #246 Ryan Franco (CA); #248 Trae McDaniel (TN); #259 Bailey Flanagan (FL); #273 Ethan Berginc (PA) 2020: #78 Dalton Harkins (PA); #179 Kenny Kiser (PA) 2018: #47 Markus Hartman (IL) 2017: #64 Casey Cornett (KY); #83 Brad Laughlin (IN) 2016: #118 Jimmy Saylor (PA); #141 Beau Guffey (OK) 2015: #43 Kenneth Brinson (GA); #99 Wyatt Wyckoff (CA); #105 Jake Adcock (GA) 2014: #115 PJ Klee (CA); #122 Rocco Caywood (OH) 2013: #28 Russell Parsons (NJ); #117 Mark Marchetti (TN)

Yianni Diakomihalis (left) and Joey McKenna at the 2022 World Team Trials (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) This weekend the Senior World Team Trials take place in Coralville, Iowa. Wrestlers competing in this event had to qualify from various domestic and international tournaments over the past year. The stakes are a berth in Final X and these athletes will move one step closer to a berth on the world team. Normally, at an event like this, the stakes are “win and you're in.” But that's not always the case. Fans will have to pay attention to each weight class. If there's a returning world medalist competing at Final X at the same weight, they have automatically advanced to Final X. If the US did not medal at a particular weight, or the medalist is not returning, then the World Team Trials semifinalists move on to Final X. In men's freestyle, all but three (65, 70, 125) weights will have their winners move to Final X. In women's freestyle, all but four (53, 59, 72, 76) weights will have winners move to Final X. Conversely, in Greco-Roman, all semifinalists will advance to Final X except at 97 kg, where only the winner goes. Before the action starts Saturday, here are ten weight classes, across all three styles, to focus on. 65 kg Men's Freestyle This weight has been a thorn in the side for the US for a few quads now. There have been some extremely talented competitors, but no world/Olympic medals since 2006. This bracket is extremely deep and has a number of wrestlers who could compete for world medals. The top seed belongs to Kendric Maple who came out of retirement to win the open. That puts two of the perceived favorites, Yianni Diakomihalis and Joey McKenna, on the other half of the bracket. The pair wrestled for a spot on the world team last year. Possibly stopping Maple from a finals appearance could be a combination of Nick Lee, Matt Kolodzik, or even Evan Henderson. The finalists here will move to Final X. 70 kg Men's Freestyle Since the retirement of James Green, there has been plenty of speculation about who succeeds Green as the dominant figure atop the weight. In reality, any number of entrants could earn the world team berth. The top half of the bracket could feature US Open champion Alec Pantaleo taking on two-time world team rep, Zain Retherford. The bottom half has Ryan Deakin and Jordan Oliver as the second and third seeds. Deakin made Final X in 2018 and Oliver was the Olympic Trials winner at 65 kg. The finalists here move to Final X. 79 kg Men's Freestyle At the Open, we were treated to perhaps the best match of the tournament in the 79 kg finals between David McFadden and Vincenzo Joseph. Will it happen again? With Alex Dieringer, Carter Starocci, Isaiah Martinez, and more in the field, there are plenty of potential roadblocks. Action here will be even more intense, as only the winner moves on to Final X to meet Jordan Burroughs. Could it be a Penn RTC battle between Burroughs/McFadden? Another matchup with Burroughs/IMar? A battle of Hodge Trophy winners with Burroughs/Dieringer? There are so many great possibilities. 125 kg Men's Freestyle Like the other weights, the Open winner, Hayden Zillmer, assumes the top seed. He'll have his new rival, Dom Bradley, along with veteran Ty Walz in his way blocking a possible finals appearance. An imposing 2 vs. 3 bout on the bottom half of the bracket features two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski and 2021 U23 World champion Tony Cassioppi. Also of note, long-time 97 kg contender Kyven Gadson is entered here and seeded sixth. If the weight is not a factor, he could make a finals run. The finalists here move to Final X. 53 kg Women's Freestyle At the Open, we saw Felicity Taylor turn in one of the best performances of her career, as she teched World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe in the championship bout. She'll have the top seed here. Will she make the finals and earn her place at Final X? She has quite the road to the finals with Dom Parrish and Alisha Howk assuming the fourth and fifth seeds, respectively. Parrish is competing at 53 kg for the first time and is fresh off a title at the Pan-American championships. She is a three-time U23 World Team member, while Howk has wrestled for a medal at Junior Worlds. Ronna Heaton would be the favorite on the bottom half of the bracket. The former Cadet World Champion, Heaton, is seeking to make her first Senior-level world team, just a year after losing in the finals of the Olympic Trials and 2021 WTT's. The finalists here move to Final X. 59 kg Women's Freestyle 59 kg is another weight where we have a US Open winner, Nanea Estrella, as the top seed; however, she may not be the favorite. The future Hawkeye, Estrella, will be competing right down the road from Carver-Hawkeye Arena and should have some fans on her side. To get to the finals, Estrella will need to get past Lexie Basham, the opponent who defeated her in the NAIA national finals this year. On the other half of the bracket, you have two-time U23 World Team member Abby Nette as the two and Michaela Beck as the three. Beck has made a U23 and Junior team. The finalists here move to Final X. 72 kg Women's Freestyle This weight class isn't particularly large or deep, but it'll be interesting to see how Amit Elor fares on the Senior level. To earn a spot in Final X, Elor will likely have to go through 2022 US Open runner-up Marlynne Deede. The finalists here move to Final X. 76 kg Women's Freestyle With Adeline Gray out of the picture, this weight class is wide open and deep. For top-seeded Dymond Guilford to make it into the finals, and clinch a spot in Final X, she'll have to go through two-time World Team member Victoria Francis. Francis now trains locally out of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. The other half of the bracket features Guilford's longtime friend and occasional opponent, Precious Bell, as the second seed. She'll likely have to face Yelena Makoyed in the semis. The finalists here move to Final X. 77 kg Men's Greco-Roman Most of the top Greco-Roman matchups we won't see this weekend because they'll end up happening at Final X. 77 is different though because it features four interesting contenders. 2022 Pan-American bronze medalist RaVaughn Perkins gets the top seed. For him to make the final, he'll have to get through US Open champion Britton Holmes. On the bottom portion of the bracket, Olympic Trials winner Jesse Porter probably advances to face 2018 World Team member Kamal Bey. The finalists here move to Final X. 97 kg Men's Greco-Roman With G'Angelo Hancock sitting in Final X, 97 kg is the only Greco weight where the champion will advance. This bracket looks pretty good, but when you consider that only one of these top-notch competitors will move on, the stakes are even higher. A Pan-American bronze medal a few weeks ago, gives Nicholas Boykin the top seed. That sets up a semifinal bout with him and either Khymba Johnson or Haydn Maley. The pair finished second and third, respectively, at the Open. The Open champion, Lucas Sheridan, checks in as the third seed, behind Olympic Trials finalist Braxton Amos. That sets the stage for an excellent showdown between Amos and Sheridan.

NC State signee Dylan Fishback (left), Ohio State's Nick Feldman (center), and Iowa State's Casey Swiderski (right) (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) The 2021 recruiting class rankings were as difficult as any I've ever done. No one team jumped out from the pack and solidified themselves as the no-brainer pick. Fast forward a year to the 2022 class and the top spot was relatively easy to figure out. One team stood head and shoulders above the other signing classes. After that, there was plenty of chaos! We ranked out to the top-25; however, you could make the case for ten to twelve other programs belonging in the rankings. Recruiting rankings mark the end of the respective class and put a bow on the hard work of coaching staffs around the nation. The question you ask is, how are these rankings tabulated? First, we have used the big board rankings courtesy of our sister-site MatScouts. Willie Saylor has taken the arduous task of projecting the top-300 wrestlers in the Class of 2022, making calculating these rankings slightly easier. Some of the factors that are taken into account when putting these rankings together include: - Numbers: Where were the signees ranked? How many top-ten, top-50, top-100, top-250, etc., does a school have? - Fit: After years of following these programs and their coaching staffs, does a particular recruit fit the "type" of kid that has success at their respective team. Or maybe a style of wrestling. - Filling a need: In years past, I have weighed this very heavily. Signing two highly ranked 184 lb prospects doesn't appear to fit a need when you have a stud junior returning at the same weight. However, after coming off a "free year" in 2021, that throws a loop into everything. At this time, we don't know whether everyone will actually use that extra year of eligibility. Compared to years past, this category doesn't factor in, as much, unless it's very evident that a team has a glaring logjam at a particular weight or weight range. - Impact on a program: This is subjective, but tends to favor teams that aren't consistent NCAA trophy contenders. If Iowa or Penn State sign the #80 overall recruit and he turns out to AA twice, taking seventh and eighth for them, it has a particular impact. But if Little Rock or Wyoming sign the same prospect and he has the same career, it will have a much more significant impact on those two programs. Both Little Rock and Wyoming may have benefitted from this criteria in 2022. So, with that out of the way, enjoy InterMat's 2022 Team Recruiting Rankings. For Part One of our recruiting class rankings featuring teams #13-25 12) Rutgers 2022 Class: #12 Brian Soldano: 174/184 lbs (High Point, NJ), #43 PJ Casale: 197 lbs (Passaic Valley, NJ), #59 Luke Gayer: 165 lbs (Calvary Chapel, CA), #71 Joe Fongaro: 149 lbs (Boonton, NJ), #236 Brandan Chletsos: 141 lbs (Notre Dame-Green Pond, PA), NR Eric Freeman: 165 lbs (Paramus, NJ) Key Transfer: Joe Heilmann: 133 lbs (North Carolina) The Rutgers staff did what they've been accustomed to doing on the recruiting front and that was keeping some of their home state's best at home with the signing of Brian Soldano, PJ Casale, and Joe Fongaro. The high-scoring Soldano captured a New Jersey state title in each of his final three years of high school. He also was a Fargo Junior finalist in 2021 and finished in the top three at the Super 32 three times. In 2020, Soldano won the Super 32 belt. Casale was a state champ, as a sophomore, and eschewed the opportunity to win a second in 2021, when he entered UWW Cadet's instead and finished as a runner-up. Fongaro made the leap from sixth as a junior to a NJ state title in 2022. From the out-of-state ranks, Scott Goodale's staff signed California state runner-up Luke Gayer. Prior to his senior year, Gayer finished fourth at the Super 32. That set the tone for his senior campaign, one that ended with a loss in tiebreakers in the state final. The Rutgers coaching staff did a good job at filling potential long-term holes in the lineup with 165 and 197 (Gayer and Casale), while getting a high-ceiling "must-sign" prospect like Soldano at 174/184. 2021 Ranking: #17 11) Iowa 2022 Class: #38 Aiden Riggins: 165 lbs (Waverly-Shell Rock, IA), #48 Kolby Franklin: 197 lbs (Wyoming Seminary, PA), #112 Bradley Hill: 285 lbs (Bettendorf, IA), #124 Mickey Griffith: 184 lbs (Des Moines Lincoln, IA), #215 Easton Fleshman: 285 lbs (West Lyon, IA), #242 Joel Jesuroga: 149 lbs (Southeast Polk, IA), NR Jace Rhodes: 141/149 lbs (Mason City, IA), NR Drake Rhodes: 157 lbs (Billings West, MT), NR Cade Siebrecht: 141 lbs (Lisbon, IA), NR Carter Martinson: 141/149 lbs (Southeast Polk, IA), NR Carson Martinson: 149/157 lbs (Southeast Polk, IA), NR Gage Marty; 285 lbs (Solon, IA) Key Transfer: Real Woods: 141 lbs (Stanford) It was a crazy week or so in October as this class and the Hawkeyes Class of 2023 came together. Every day, sometimes multiple times per day, new Iowa commitments popped up. Now looking at this extensive list, there will be a handful of wrestlers that probably have a minimal impact in on-the-mat results during their career at Iowa. Between this large group and existing team members, there aren't enough spots in the lineup for everyone. All of that being said, the Iowa staff did well at addressing potential problem weights, in the future. 2019 Fargo 16U double finalist, Kolby Franklin, could be the successor to NCAA finalist Jacob Warner at 197. Franklin wrestled a tough schedule at Wyoming Seminary and placed highly at nearly every notable high school event. The trio of Bradley Hill, Easton Fleshman, and Gage Marty could eventually replace Tony Cassioppi. Two-time state champion Aiden Riggins may be the answer right away for a potential hole at 157 lbs and could be the man at 165 if Patrick Kennedy eventually goes up to 174. Immediately, Iowa will get help at 141 from 2022 All-American Real Woods. Real has two years of eligibility remaining and has to be considered a title favorite, in a weight that graduated its top three finishers. 2021 Ranking: #4 10) Arizona State 2022 Class: #33 Emilio Ysaguirre: 149 lbs (Valiant Prep, AZ), #57 Kaleb Larkin: 141 lbs (Valiant Prep, AZ), #64 Michael Kilic: 141 lbs (Woodward Academy, GA), #136 Jacob Meissner: 184/197 lbs (Osseo, MN), #185 Tyler Antoniak: 157 lbs (Millard South, NE), NR Damion Schunke: 197 lbs (Brandon Valley, SD), NR Diego Chavez: 197 lbs (Santa Cruz, AZ), NR Caleb Vanbuskirk: 197/285 lbs (Palm Desert, CA), NR Corey Camden: 141 lbs (College Park, TX), NR Shay Addison: 184 lbs (Rumson Fair Haven, NJ) Key Transfer: Anthony Montalvo: 184 lbs (Oklahoma State) It's back-to-back top-ten recruiting classes for Arizona State, who coincidentally finished with an NCAA trophy for a second straight year. 2003 Hodge Trophy winner and Sun Devil great Eric Larkin started the Valiant Prep wrestling program in Arizona and his alma mater is starting to reap the rewards. ASU signed two of Larkin's wrestlers, both of which are top 60 recruits. Emilio Ysaguirre was a Fargo Junior freestyle runner-up and a UWW Cadet third-place finisher, all within a few months of each other in 2021. Larkin's son, Kaleb, is aboard, as well. The younger Larkin was seventh at the Super 32 prior to last season. The Sun Devil staff was also able to grab a pair of wrestlers from outside of their normal reach at power programs with Michael Kilic and Tyler Antoniak. Kilic is a two-time Super 32 placer that tends to have his best results in Greco. The same goes for Antoniak, who was a Junior champion last summer in Fargo and was sixth at UWW Cadet Nationals in 2021. In addition to a large recruiting class, ASU will also get a boost from transfer Anthony Montalvo. Montalvo was the ninth seed at nationals in 2020, as a freshman, after finishing third in the Big 12 for Oklahoma State. He'll solidify one of the three weights the Sun Devils didn't qualify last year. 2021 Ranking: #2 9) Virginia 2022 Class: #30 Michael Gioffre: 141 lbs (Buchanan, CA), #53 Garrett Grice: 133 lbs (Bellevue East, NE), #62 Jack Gioffre: 133 lbs (Buchanan, CA), #90 Kyle Montapero: 125/133 lbs (Central Academy, NC), #104 Nick Hamilton: 157 lbs (Papillion La Vista, NE), #154 Griffin Gammel: 184 lbs (Waukee NW, IA), #167 Keyveon Roller: 133/141 lbs (Lakeway Christian, TN), #210 Nick Sanko: 165 lbs (Pittsford, NY), NR RJ May: 184 lbs (Maggie Walker, VA); NR Cooper Rudolph: 285 lbs (Robinson, VA) What a recruiting class for the University of Virginia! Unranked last year, the Cavaliers jumped all the way into the top ten with four top-100 recruits and eight of the top-250. The UVA staff went out to California to pull in a pair of state champions in Michael and Jack Gioffre. Michael captured his title with a win over Cadet World team member Beau Mantanona and finished the year ranked second in the nation. That reversed a result from the Doc Buchanan where Michael fell in the finals to Mantanona. Jack was victorious at 132 lbs. Virginia also went out of their normal recruiting radius to pick up a pair of studs from Nebraska with Garrett Grice and Nick Hamilton. Grice was sixth in Fargo as a Junior and Cadet in freestyle during his past two appearances. Hamilton was Junior national champion in Greco and placed top-five in both styles in 2019. Also in that general area is Iowa state champion, Griffin Gammel. Closer to home are Kyle Montapero and Keyveon Roller, both top-six placers at the Super 32. Virginia will get help up-and-down their lineup, possibly in year one, from this group. Having a class like this is essential as the rest of the ACC continues to recruit well. 2021 Ranking: NR 8) Nebraska 2022 Class: #17 Harley Andrews: 285 lbs (Tuttle, OK), #25 Antrell Taylor: 165 lbs (Millard South, NE), #84 Jacob Van Dee: 125 lbs (Cathedral Prep, PA), #130 Reese Davis: 149 lbs (Tuttle, OK), NR Dez Gartrell: 165 lbs (Dublin Coffman, OH) Nebraska is a mainstay in the recruiting rankings and checks in with a very strong eighth-ranked recruiting class. Their home state doesn't regularly produce top-25 type recruits every year, so it was imperative to keep a prospect like Antrell Taylor at home. Last year, Taylor was fifth at both, UWW Cadet freestyle and Fargo Juniors. In 2019, Taylor made the Fargo 16U freestyle finals. The Husker staff also nabbed one of the top heavyweights in the class with three-time Oklahoma state champion Harley Andrews. Last year, Andrews was eighth in Junior freestyle in Fargo. In 2019, he also placed in the 16U division; however, it was down at 182 lbs! Andrews' high school teammate, Reese Davis, is also aboard. Davis is a multiple-time state champion and a 2020 winner at Preseason Nationals. One of the more difficult weights for Nebraska to find a superstar has been 125 lbs. They haven't had a leadoff hitter on the NCAA podium since 2008. Two-time Pennsylvania state finalist and 2021 champion Jacob Van Dee hopes to change that. Van Dee has placed in Fargo three times in his career. The possible diamond in the round is Daz Gartrell, a seventh-place finisher at the Walsh Ironman, who was injured and unable to compete at the Ohio state tournament. Not only does this group feature high-level competitors, but they also represent an upgrade in talent at their respective projected weights. 2021 Ranking: #13 7) Virginia Tech 2022 Class: #8 TJ Stewart: 184/197 lbs (Blair Academy, NJ), #16 Caleb Henson: 149/157 lbs (Woodland Cartersville, GA), #81 Tom Crook: 149 lbs (Tampa Jesuit, FL), #204 Aiden Lacoma: 285 lbs (Christiansburg, VA), NR Evan Holloway: 149 lbs (New Kent, VA), NR Luke Robie: 149/157 lbs (Christiansburg, VA) Key Transfer: Drew Nicholson: 165 lbs (Chattanooga) A pair of top-25 signees and three in the top-100 is good enough for Virginia Tech to jump back into the top ten this year. Though he wrestled for Blair Academy, TJ Stewart is from Virginia and one of the state's highest-ranked recruits of the last decade. Keeping him home was imperative for Tony Robie's team. The 16U and Junior freestyle national champion had tournament wins at the Ironman and the Beast of the East during his senior season. He is the long-term answer at 184 or 197, both of which could be issues for the Hokies in the future. Caleb Henson probably ends up at 157 lbs eventually; however, he may be the starter in year one at 149 as Bryce Andonian is slated to move up to 157 next year. Henson is a two-time placer at the Super 32 and Fargo Junior freestyle, winning each once. Both Henson and Stewart were victorious last fall at Who's #1. Super 32 and Ironman placer Tom Crook will lend depth to the middleweights. Crook was a four-time state champion that helped lead Jesuit to the school's first team title in 2022. The remainder of the class consists of in-state products, two of which hail from local Christiansburg. Aiden Lacoma is a two-time state champion that finished on the podium at the Super 32, the Ironman, and Beast during his senior season. Teammate Luke Robie, son of head coach Tony, finally broke through and won a state crown as a senior. Someone that held him back in the past was four-time champion, Evan Holloway, also a Hokie-signee. Holloway was fourth at the Beast in 2021. 2021 Ranking: #22 6) Oklahoma State 2022 Class: #10 Jordan Williams: 165 lbs (Collinsville, OK), #23 Anthony Ferrari: 157 lbs (Stillwater, OK), #34 Zach Blankenship: 133 lbs (Bixby, OK), NR Cutter Sheets (Stilwell, OK) It's a small, but star-studded weight class for Oklahoma State in 2022. The big names for the Cowboys all are from in-state as John Smith's squad inked three of the top-34 wrestlers in the nation. The centerpiece is Jordan Williams, who has won three stop signs (all in freestyle) during his career in Fargo. Williams also has a Super 32 belt to his name and has participated in the Who's #1 dual twice in his career. A familiar name for Cowboy fans comes in as the #23 recruit in this country, Anthony Ferrari. Though he's been hampered recently due to injuries, Ferrari could be a solution in year one for Oklahoma State at 157 lbs. He may be more suited to competing immediately than the talented Williams. Like his older brother and Cowboy national champion, AJ, Anthony will be able to handle the physicality of college wrestling sooner than most. Ferrari was a Super 32 runner-up at 152 lbs, prior to his junior year. Three-time Oklahoma champion Zach Blankenship could be the eventual successor to Daton Fix at 133 lbs. Blankenship is a multi-sport athlete with a high ceiling. Rounding out the class is state runner-up, Cutter Sheets. Sheets is the younger brother of Cowboy All-American, Wyatt, and son of OSU legend Mike. 2021 Ranking: #6 5) Stanford 2022 Class: #2 Daniel Cardenas: 149/157 lbs (Pomona, CO), #9 Hunter Garvin: 165 lbs (Iowa City West, IA); #82 (Class of 2021) Nico Provo: 125/133 lbs (Green Farms, CT), #108 Brooks Byers: 184 lbs (Sprague, OR), #117 Jack Darrah: 197 lbs (Wyoming Seminary, PA), #199 (Class of 2021) Luke Duthie: 184/197 lbs (Wyoming Seminary, PA), NR Wyatt Richter (St. Edward, OH), NR Xander Galli 149/157 lbs (Phillips Exeter, NH), NR Chayse LaJoie 141 lbs (Yorkville, MI) Almost a year ago, to the day, Stanford wrestling was saved. Shortly thereafter, the school stunned the wrestling community by hiring Rob Koll from Cornell. In his first recruiting class with the Cardinal, Koll has certainly left an imprint. Two of the nation's top-ten prospects are heading west in Daniel Cardenas and Hunter Garvin. Cardenas was a two-time 16U national finalist in freestyle and was victorious at the Ironman and Doc Buchanan as a senior. He and Garvin should benefit from training with NCAA champion Shane Griffith and assistant coach Vincenzo Joseph, both around their weights. Garvin is a three-time Iowa state champion and four-time finalist who competed in Who's #1 last fall. Three-time Fargo placer Jack Darrah and Oregon state champion Brook Byers are two upperweights who come from the high school class of 2022 and will solidify the back of the Cardinal lineup. Stanford also benefits from having a handful of wrestlers who initially committed to Koll at Cornell from the Class of 2021. Most notable is Nico Provo, an NHSCA Senior National champion, a year ago. Provo looked impressive in limited action, in 2021-22, competing unattached. He could start at 125 right away. Signing a class like this was important for Koll as he looks to establish a strong foundation and let the wrestling world know that Stanford can be a consistent powerhouse in the Pac-12 and beyond. 2021 Ranking: NR 4) Missouri 2022 Class: #21 Zeke Seltzer: 133 lbs (Cathedral, IN), #35 Clayton Whiting: 184 lbs (Oconto Falls, WI), #67 Ryan Boersma: 285 lbs (Mt. Carmel, IL), #107 Cameron Steed: 141 lbs (Collinsville, OK), #129 Kade Moore: 141 lbs (Allen, TX), #164 J Conway: 165 lbs (Floyd, IN), #221 Owen Uhls: 133/141 (Fulton, MO), #229 Jerrod Fisher: 165 lbs (Goddard, KS), NR Easton Hilton: 125/133 lbs (Liberty, MO), NR Peyton Moore: 125/133 lbs (Nixa, MO), NR Preston Spray: 125 lbs (Wisconsin Rapids, WI) It seems like every even year Missouri loads up with a huge recruiting class. Since it's 2022, the Tigers have eight Big Board'ers coming in, including three in the top 100. Three-time Indiana state champion Zeke Seltzer is the highest-ranked of the bunch. He is a three-time Fargo freestyle placer and posted top-five finishes at each of the last two Super 32's. Clayton Whiting has already shown flashes of what he can do at the collegiate level by downing Iowa's national qualifier Abe Assad in an open tournament. Whiting was a finalist at the 2021 Super 32 and, a few months earlier, finished top-five in both styles at the Junior level in Fargo. The final top-100 recruit is Illinois state champ Ryan Boersma. A few weeks ago, at UWW Junior Nationals, Boersma downed top-50 recruit Chase Horne and Virginia Tech's national qualifier, Hunter Catka, to earn a place in the finals. While most school's on this list were content to "call it a year" for their Class of 2022, Brian Smith got spring commitments from a pair of ranked recruits with Cameron Steed and Jerrod Fisher. Steed claimed Oklahoma state titles in all four years, while Fisher was a three-time Kansas champ. This will certainly be a recruiting class to revisit later. Coach Smith's staff has a knack for taking moderately ranked recruits and having them become more productive collegiate wrestlers. That could happen with this group, as well. 2021 Ranking: NR 3) NC State 2022 Class: #6 Dylan Fishback: 197 lbs (Aurora, OH), #13 Matthew Singleton: 174/184 lbs (Woodward Academy, GA), #28 Jackson Arrington: 149 lbs (Forest Hills, PA), #39 Chase Horne: 285 lbs (West Laurens, GA), #111 Finn Solomon: 141 lbs (Franklin Regional, PA), #172 Troy Hohman: 125 lbs (Penn Trafford, PA), #186 Tommy Curran: 149 lbs (Dekalb, IL), NR Danny Curran: 141 lbs (Dekalb, IL), NR Jacob Cox: 141 lbs (South Rowan, NC), NR Aaron Faison: 157/165 lbs (Union Pines, NC), NR Andrew Macchiavello: 285 lbs (Sun Valley, NC) For the third straight year, NC State finishes the year with a top-five recruiting ranking. They're the only school in the nation that can claim that designation. The Wolfpack have signed four top-40 recruits and have seven members of the 2022 Big Board headed to Raleigh. Leading the way is Dylan Fishback, the top 197 lb prospect in the class. Fishback was a Junior freestyle champion in Fargo, before staking a claim to the top spot in the nation with a win at Who's #1, and a title at the Ironman. Four-time Georgia state champion and Junior Greco world team member Matthew Singleton is right behind Fishback. Singleton was a two-time Super 32 finalist and one-time champ. The remaining two top-40 recruits in this mix, Jackson Arrington and Chase Horne, have both been selected and won at Who's #1. Arrington is a three-time Pennsylvania state champion, while Horne has made the Fargo podium on four occasions and made the Super 32 finals three times (winning in 2021). The other two PA wrestlers in this class are multiple-time placers, Finn Solomon and Troy Hohman. Solomon missed a year due to injury, but made the state finals every year he competed. Hohman was a 2021 champion at the Powerade. We've already mentioned four other ACC schools in the recruiting rankings. Competition for the league crown and national accolades will be at a premium. For NC State to continue leading the pack in the ACC and pushing for more team trophies, they'll need to have classes like this. 2021 Ranking: #5 2) Iowa State 2022 Class: #3 Casey Swiderski: 141/149 lbs (Dundee, MI), #14 MJ Gaitan: 165/174 lbs (Temecula Valley, CA), #19 Manny Rojas: 174/184 lbs (Detroit Central Catholic, MI), #77 Connor Euton: 157/165 lbs (Westerville, OH), #85 Ethan Perryman: 133 lbs (Temecula Valley, CA), #206 Evan Frost: 133/141 (Dowling Catholic, IA), #224 Jacob Frost: 133/141 lbs (Dowling Catholic, IA); NR Carter Fousek: 125/133 (Crestwood, IA), NR Cayden Miller: 197 lbs (Midland, IA), NR Cole Carlucci: 184/197 lbs (Monarch, CO) What a difference six weeks make! In late April, Iowa State was probably pushing for a spot in the top ten with an impressive class. Then #14 MJ Gaitan flipped from Cal Baptist to the Cyclones, which gave Kevin Dresser's team a significant nudge. They locked up the spot last week after getting another pair of big board prospects, the Frost twins from Iowa via Louisiana, to agree to state in-state. Those late additions, combined with an already stellar class, lands Iowa State squarely in the #2 spot. Within the past two years, Casey Swiderski has risen sharply up the weight class and big board rankings. He finishes his high school career ranked #3 overall amongst seniors. An appearance in the Fargo Junior freestyle finals, followed by a win over then-number one Jesse Mendez, at Who's #1, completed Swiderski's ascend to the top spot at 138 lbs. Also from Michigan is #17 Manny Rojas, who placed third at the MatMen Open, with a win over NCAA qualifier Gerrit Nijenhuis. Rojas has won a Junior freestyle title in Fargo and made the 16U finals twice. Along with 2022 California state champion, MJ Gaitan is his high school teammate, Ethan Perryman, who won the 120 lb weight class. Both also won the Doc Buchanan this year, while Gaitan was also victorious at the Super 32. The Frost twins, originally committed to Columbia, were both Iowa state finalists this year with Evan winning and Jacob finishing as a runner-up. Iowa State had a breakthrough year on the dual front, winning 15 of 16 meets. Now, with this class, they have even more high-end star power, the type needed to make a serious run at the Big 12 and NCAA Championships. 2021 Ranking: #16 1) Ohio State 2022 Class: #1 Nick Feldman: 285 lbs (Malvern Prep, PA), #4 Jesse Mendez: 141 lbs (Crown Point, IN), #5 Nic Bouzakis: 133 lbs (Wyoming Seminary, PA), #22 Luke Geog: 184 lbs (St. Edward, OH), #55 Seth Shumate: 197 lbs (Dublin Coffman, OH), #131 Gavin Brown: 149 lbs (Legacy Christian Academy, OH); NR Brendan McCrone: 125 lbs (Lake Catholic, OH), NR Carter Chase: 165 lbs (Marian Pleasant, OH) The least surprising ranking of the year goes to Ohio State, who just ran away with the top spot after getting three of the top-five wrestlers in the nation to sign. The unanimous #1 amongst all seniors is Nick Feldman. Recently, Feldman dominated the field at UWW Junior Nationals to capture the title at 125 kg. As a senior, Feldman won the Ironman, Beast, and Powerade, before claiming his second National Prep title. He also grabbed a win at Who's #1 for a second consecutive year. The other two blue-chippers in the group, Jesse Mendez and Nic Bouzakis spent parts of their careers ranked #1 in the Class of 2022. Mendez has already appeared on the Cadet and Junior World team for freestyle and won his fourth Indiana state title. Later this week, he'll compete at the Senior World Team Trials, as he has earned the fourth seed at 61 kg. Bouzakis also has been on a Junior World team, for Greco-Roman, and was a Super 32 winner on three occasions. His first placement there came as an eighth-grader when he was fifth at 106 lbs. A pair of upperweights from in-state hold down the next tier of recruits. Luke Geog was third in Junior freestyle last summer and had the same placement at the Ironman. Seth Shumate has made the Fargo finals three times, winning a double title at the 16U level in 2019. He was the first member of this group to commit. Although Geog and Shumate are pegged at 184/197 for now, they could end up flipping based on body type. The final member of this ranked portion of the class is Gavin Brown, who made the podium at the Super 32 and Ironman this season. Also coming in from Ohio are state champions Brendan McCrone and Carter Chase. A few years from now, if Ohio State is able to get back into consistent national title discussion, it will largely be because of this class. In today's era of college wrestling, wrestlers are more advanced coming out of high school and there are fewer "diamonds in the rough" that develop into NCAA title threats. That's why you have to get the horses. Tom Ryan and his staff did that with the Class of 2023. Not that they needed an extra push, but it's extremely helpful that they got top-notch talent at some of the hardest to fill weight classes (197/285), both of which could be a need down the road. Please pay attention to InterMat's Rokfin channel. After we release the recruiting rankings, we'll post an interview with the Buckeye's Director of Recruiting and Operations to talk in more detail about the members of this class, how it was assembled, and recruiting philosophies. 2021 Ranking: #9

2022 NCAA runner-up Cohlton Schultz (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our “Ten Years of…” feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Arizona State! For past teams: Air Force American Appalachian State NCAA Qualifiers (56) 2022 125 - Brandon Courtney (#4); 133 - Michael McGee (#3); 149 - Kyle Parco (#5); 157 - Jacori Teemer (#3); 165 - Anthony Valencia (#18); 197 - Kordell Norfleet (#16); 285 - Cohlton Schultz (#2) 2021 125 - Brandon Courtney (#3); 133 - Michael McGee (#9); 149 - Cory Crooks (#31); 157 - Jacori Teemer (#11); 165 - Anthony Valencia (#2); 174 - Trey Munoz (#20); 197 - Kordell Norfleet (#3); 285 - Cohlton Schultz (#4) 2020 125 - Brandon Courtney (#9); 157 - Jacori Teemer (#9); 165 - Josh Shields (#6); 174 - Anthony Valencia (#8); 197 - Kordell Norfleet (#9); 285 - Tanner Hall (#4) 2019 125 - Ryan Millhof; 149 - Josh Maruca (#23); 157 - Christian Pagdilao (#9); 165 - Josh Shields (#3); 174 - Zahid Valencia (#3) 2018 125 - Ryan Millhof (#15); 133 - Ali Naser (#15); 149 - Jason Tsirtsis (#10); 157 - Josh Shields (#4); 165 - Anthony Valencia (#15); 174 - Zahid Valencia (#1); 184 - Kordell Norfleet; 285 - Tanner Hall (#8) 2017 149 - Josh Maruca; 157 - Josh Shields (#9); 165 - Anthony Valencia (#7); 174 - Zahid Valencia (#1); 285 - Tanner Hall (#7) 2016 133 - Dalton Brady; 141 - Robbie Mathers; 149 - Matt Kraus (#13); 184 - Blake Stauffer (#6); 197 - Josh DaSilveira (#9); 285 - Tanner Hall 2015 125 - Ares Carpio; 141 - Matt Kraus; 149 - Christian Pagdilao (#10); 157 - Oliver Pierce; 174 - Ray Waters; 184 - Blake Stauffer (#3) 2014 184 - Blake Stauffer 2013 174 - Blake Stauffer (#11); 184 - Kevin Radford; 197 - Jake Meredith (#9); 285 - Levi Cooper NCAA Champions Zahid Valencia: 2018 (184), 2019 (184) NCAA All-Americans Brandon Courtney (2022 - 6th; 2021 - 2nd) Michael McGee (2022 - 4th; 2021 - 6th) Kyle Parco (2022 - 8th) Jacori Teemer (2022 - 6th; 2021 - 4th) Cohlton Schultz (2022 - 2nd; 2021 - 4th) Anthony Valencia (2021 - 8th) Christian Pagdilao (2019 - 7th) Josh Shields (2019 - 6th; 2018 - 7th) Zahid Valencia (2019 - 1st; 2018 - 1st; 2017 - 3rd) Jason Tsirtsis (2018 - 7th) Tanner Hall (2017 - 3rd) Blake Stauffer (2015 - 4th) NWCA All-Americans Brandon Courtney (125 - 2nd Team) Jacori Teemer (157 - 2nd Team) Josh Shields (165 - 1st Team) Anthony Valencia (174 - 1st Team) Kordell Norfleet (197 - 2nd Team) Tanner Hall (285 - 1st Team) NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Kordell Norfleet - 197 (2021) Anthony Valencia - 165 (2017) Blake Stauffer - 184 (2014, 2016) Tanner Hall - 285 (2016) Pac-12 Champions 2022: Brandon Courtney (125); Michael McGee (133); Kyle Parco (149); Jacori Teemer (157); Kordell Norfleet (197); Cohlton Schultz (285) 2021: Brandon Courtney (125); Jacori Teemer (157); Anthony Valencia (165); Kordell Norfleet (197); Cohlton Schultz (285) 2020: Brandon Courtney (125); Jacori Teemer (157); Anthony Valencia (174); Kordell Norfleet (197); Tanner Hall (285) 2019: Christian Pagdilao (157); Josh Shields (165); Zahid Valencia (174) 2018: Ali Naser (133); Jason Tsirtsis (149); Josh Shields (157); Anthony Valencia (165); Zahid Valencia (174); Kordell Norfleet (197) 2017: Josh Maruca (149); Josh Shields (157); Anthony Valencia (165); Zahid Valencia (174); Tanner Hall (285) 2016: Dalton Brady (133); Blake Stauffer (184); Josh DaSilveira (197) 2015: Christian Pagdilao (149); Blake Stauffer (184) Dual Record: 2021-22: 9-4 2021: 7-0 2019-20: 15-2 2018-19: 6-10 2017-18: 11-3 2016-17: 10-4 2015-16: 12-7 2014-15: 8-7 2013-14: 9-8 2012-13: 8-11 Pac-12 Tournament Placement 2021-22: 1st 2021: 1st 2019-20: 1st 2018-19: 2nd 2017-18: 1st 2016-17: 1st 2015-16: 2nd 2014-15: 2nd 2013-14: 4th 2012-13: 3rd NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: 4th (66.5 points) 2021: 4th (74 points) 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: 12th (42 points) 2017-18: 10th (43 points) 2016-17: 14th (39 points) 2015-16: 33rd (9.5 points) 2014-15: 29th (12.5 points) 2013-14: 58th (2 points) 2012-13: 41st (4 points) Head Coaching History Zeke Jones (2014-present) Shawn Charles (2009-14) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - Brandon Courtney: 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA All-American (6th, 2nd); 3x Pac-12 champion 133 - Michael McGee: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA All-American (4th, 6th); 2022 Pac-12 champion, 2x NCAA Qualifier for Old Dominion 141 - Matt Kraus: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2016 NCAA #13th seed 149 - Jason Tsirtsis: 2018 NCAA All-American (7th); 2018 Pac-12 champion; 2x NCAA All-American (3rd, 1st) for Northwestern 157 - Jacori Teemer: 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA All-American (4th, 6th); 3x Pac-12 champion 165 - Josh Shields: 4x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA All-American (6th, 7th); 3x Pac-12 champion 174 - Zahid Valencia: 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA Champion; 3x NCAA All-American (1st, 1st, 3rd); 3x Pac-12 champion 184 - Blake Stauffer: 4x NCAA Qualifier; 2015 NCAA All-American (4th); 2x Pac-12 champion 197 - Kordell Norfleet: 4x NCAA Qualifier; 2021 NCAA Round of 12; 4x Pac-12 champion 285 - Cohlton Schultz: 2x NCAA Qualifier, 2x NCAA All-American (2nd, 4th); 2x Pac-12 champion Recruiting Big Board'ers Per Year 2022: #33 Emilio Ysaguirre (AZ); #57 Kaleb Larkin (AZ); #64 Michael Kilic (GA); #136 Jacob Meissner (MN); #185 Tyler Antoniak (NE) 2021: #3 Richie Figueroa (CA); #13 Cael Valencia (CA); #60 Mykey Ramos (AZ); #88 Carter Dibert (PA); #146 Max Wilner (CA) 2020: #16 Jesse Vasquez (CA) 2019: #4 Cohlton Schultz (CO); #12 Julian Chlebove (PA); #23 Nick Raimo (NJ); #24 Adam Busiello (NY); #69 Trey Munoz (CA); #96 Cleveland Belton (CA) 2018: #8 Jacori Teemer (NY) 2017: #46 Kordell Norfleet (IL); #60 Navonte Demison (CA); #76 Brandon Courtney (AZ) 2016: #139 Gabriel Beyer (FL) 2015: #1 Anthony Valencia (CA); #3 Zahid Valencia (CA); #10 Lance Benick (MN); #13 Josh Shields (PA); #55 Josh Maruca (PA) 2014: #55 Nikko Villarreal (CA); #124 Hayden Lee (OH) 2013: #82 Mech Spraggins (IL); #88 Kaleb Baker (TN); #94 DeShaun Brown (NM); #125 Lawrence Otero (NM) International Accolades (Active team members and alums) Chad Porter - 2018 Junior Greco Roman World Team member, 2019 U23 Greco-Roman World Team member Cohlton Schultz - 2019 Junior Greco-Roman World silver medalist; 2021 Senior Greco-Roman World team member Zahid Valencia - 3x Junior freestyle World Team member; 2017 Junior World silver medalist

Cal Poly's two-time All-American Bernie Truax (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Last season, Bernie Truax lived up to expectations, earning All-American status for the second time in his collegiate career. However, Truax was not always a favorite for a national title. In 2018, Cal Poly's head coach Jon Sioredas struck gold in the small-named wrestler. "The term hidden gem doesn't happen a lot, but this is one of those scenarios where it did happen," Sioredas said. "I just got the job here and I got a call from one of our major donors. He said, 'Hey, I'm friends with this kid's dad. His name is Bernie.' I said, 'I remember Bernie. He's that super skinny dude, right?' Truax struggled at the state championships at the beginning of his high school career, finishing 0-2 in his sophomore season. As an upperclassman, Truax returned with the mindset to reach college radars. Although he never won state, he received interest from a few schools, including Cal Poly. When Truax first arrived at Cal Poly, he faced many challenges. "When I first arrived in the summer, I hurt my hips during one of the runs," Truax said. It looked like I'm a soft kid who was already hurt. Some of my teammates let me know to stop being soft and quit making excuses." Once Truax returned to the mat, the results failed to fall in his favor. As a redshirt, he won 14 of 21 matches in smaller tournaments. Plus, he failed to capture any gold in his first season. Besides struggling in matches, Truax could not compete with his teammates. "When I first got here. I was ticked off because I'm getting beat up in the practice room," Truax said. Since Truax failed to win early and often, he began questioning his future in the wrestling world. The training was extremely hard and the team had little success. During the season, Truax would call his father and discuss his future within the sport. After considering all options, Truax returned for his second season and improved tremendously. Although Truax improved at practice, his results did not show. Truax discussed how his mindset was not ready for the limelight. "I was growing pretty fast in the practice room, but couldn't make the flip when it was time to compete," Truax said. "When it's time to compete, I would just crumble, I would freeze out there." What went into Truax's mindset before matchday? "I made wrestling everything," Truax said. It was like seven days a week, and I did 4 hours of film a day. But, I learned that wrestling is just a part of my life, it's not my entire life. Whether I win or lose, my family is still going to love me, my friends are still going to love me. It doesn't matter. That has allowed me to just like perform really free." Once Truax freed his mindset, the success began to shine. Sioredas recalls when Truax defeated a nationally ranked opponent easily, he saw Truax smile for the first time after a match. When Truax began to move up the national rankings, the world stopped. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic set several wrestlers and coaches back, it was the perfect step to get Truax ready for the aftermath. "The Covid stoppage was the best thing that has ever happened wrestling-wise," Truax said. "I was still struggling mentally with wrestling and putting too much pressure on myself. So, I got a break and started lifting a lot of weights. When I came back from that break, I was extremely excited to start getting out there again." After losing his first match in the 2021 season, Truax won every match before the NCAA Championships. When Truax traveled to the 2021 NCAAs, he was the 12th seed. After winning his first three matches, Truax earned All-American honors for the first time. "When I won my quarterfinals match and I knew I was an All-American, the amount of love I felt and gratitude for being in that moment, it was just amazing," Truax said. When he became an All-American, he fulfilled a once-in-a-lifetime offer. "During my recruiting trip, [my father, Sioredas, and I] sat down in the office. Coach said, 'If you All-American, it's a full ride.' When he said that, I knew that was happening." Last season, Truax added to his accomplishments, becoming a two-time All-American. Plus, Truax became one of the largest factors in Cal Poly's rise to notoriety. According to Sioredas, one of the main reasons Evan Wick chose Cal Poly was because Truax can be a perfect leader and workout partner. In addition, Truax's early beliefs in the program led to larger recruits, larger transfers, and an RTC program in San Luis Obispo. With Cal Poly rising in the ranks, Sioredas recognizes Truax as a potential legend. "We got a diamond in the rough," Sioredas said. "Bernie's in the conversation with being one of the greatest ever to put on a Cal Poly singlet." Cal Poly's two-time All-American Bernie Truax (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

Wyoming head coach Mark Branch (right) and assistant coach Teyon Ware (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The 2021 recruiting class rankings were as difficult as any I've ever done. No one team jumped out from the pack and solidified themselves as the no-brainer pick. Fast forward a year to the 2022 class and the top spot was relatively easy to figure out. One team stood head and shoulders above the other signing classes. After that, there was plenty of chaos! We ranked out to the top-25; however, you could make the case for ten to twelve other programs belonging in the rankings. Recruiting rankings mark the end of the respective class and put a bow on the hard work of coaching staffs around the nation. The question you ask is, how are these rankings tabulated? First, we have used the big board rankings courtesy of our sister-site MatScouts. Willie Saylor has taken the arduous task of projecting the top-300 wrestlers in the Class of 2022, making calculating these rankings slightly easier. Some of the factors that are taken into account when putting these rankings together include: - Numbers: Where were the signees ranked? How many top-ten, top-50, top-100, top-250, etc., does a school have? - Fit: After years of following these programs and their coaching staffs, does a particular recruit fit the "type" of kid that has success at their respective team. Or maybe a style of wrestling. - Filling a need: In years past, I have weighed this very heavily. Signing two highly ranked 184 lb prospects doesn't appear to fit a need when you have a stud junior returning at the same weight. However, after coming off a "free year" in 2021, that throws a loop into everything. At this time, we don't know whether everyone will actually use that extra year of eligibility. Compared to years past, this category doesn't factor in, as much, unless it's very evident that a team has a glaring logjam at a particular weight or weight range. - Impact on a program: This is subjective, but tends to favor teams that aren't consistent NCAA trophy contenders. If Iowa or Penn State sign the #80 overall recruit and he turns out to AA twice, taking seventh and eighth for them, it has a particular impact. But if Little Rock or Wyoming sign the same prospect and he has the same career, it will have a much more significant impact on those two programs. Both Little Rock and Wyoming may have benefitted from this criteria in 2022. So, with that out of the way, enjoy InterMat's 2022 Team Recruiting Rankings. 13) Wyoming 2022 Class: #63 Jore Volk: 125/133 lbs (Lakeville North, MN), #73 Garrison Dendy: 149 lbs (Baylor School, TN), #74 Logan Ours: 157 lbs (Beaver Local, OH), #78 Kevin Zimmer: 285 lbs (Carl Sandburg, IL), #93 David Harper: 197 lbs (Baylor School, TN) Key Transfers: Tyce Raddon: 184 lbs (Western Wyoming), Garrett Ricks: 125 lbs (Western Wyoming) This group is easily the best recruiting class for Wyoming in at least a decade. For a program that typically develops overlooked gems, the Cowboy staff has a lot to work with. Not only is their incoming class more highly ranked than usual, but Mark Branch and crew have ventured out to some uncharted territory for Wyoming recruiting. Garrison Dendy and David Harper are the first big-time recruits from the southeast to venture out the Laramie. Ohio and Illinois haven't been frequent stops either. Five-time Fargo placer, Jore Volk heads up the class. He'll contribute at one of the first two weights. Ohio's Logan Ours was a big riser this year, whose stock went up after an appearance in the Ironman finals. The duo of Dendy and Harper have both placed in Fargo too. Add in the transfers, both of whom come at weighs of need and could see action right away. This group could spell trouble for the rest of the Big 12. 2021 Ranking: NR 14) Wisconsin 2022 Class: #31 Nicolar Rivera: 125/133 lbs (Stoughton, WI), #32 James Rowley: 174 lbs (Crescent Valley, OR), #72 Brock Bobzien: 133 lbs (Poway, CA), #166 Mikey Tal-Shahar: 197 lbs (American Heritage, FL), #233 Felix Lettini: 149 lbs (St. Peter's, NJ), NR Ismael Ayoub: 149 lbs (Dublin Coffman, OH) Chris Bono's team comes in right where they landed in 2021 in 14th. The Badgers continue to stockpile talent each year during the current coaching staff's tenure. The 2022 class is led by the top in-state recruit, Nicolar Rivera. Rivera happens to be one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch in this senior class. He'll get to learn from a connoisseur of big moves in two-time All-American Eric Barnett. Cadet World silver medalist James Rowley is probably the most “college-ready” of the group and could be thrust into action immediately. The Oregon native is one of two top-100 recruits from the west coast coming aboard, joining California state third-place finisher Brock Bobzien. Brock joined Rowley on the Cadet World team, as he competed in Greco. Mikey Tal-Shahar and Felix Lettini both broke into the top eight at the Super 32 in 2021. Overall, this is another solid class for Bono and company. 2021 Ranking: #14 15) Pittsburgh 2022 Class: #37 Mac Stout: 197 lbs (Mt. Lebanon, PA), #40 Dayton Pitzer: 285 lbs (Mount Pleasant, PA), #94 Jared Keslar: 157 lbs (Connellsville, PA), #137 Codie Cuerbo: 125 lbs (Aurora, OH), #150 Briar Priest: 149 lbs (Hempfield, PA), #231 Kelin Laffey: 174 lbs (Pine-Richland, PA) Key Transfers: Dazjon Casto: 157 lbs (The Citadel), Holden Heller: 165 lbs (Hofstra), Reece Heller: 174 lbs (Hofstra) Before Keith Gavin's arrival, the question surrounding Pitt was “How good could they be if they keep local kids home.” Those efforts have increased under the leadership of the Panthers most recent national champion and this class features three top-100 recruits from Western Pennsylvania. Though he wasn't able to capture a PA title, Mac Stout heads up this impressive group based on a 16U freestyle finals appearance in Fargo, along with a Powerade title this year. The other two top-100 recruits, Dayton Pitzer and Jared Keslar, were state champs in 2022. Keslar finally ascended to the top step, while Pitzer grabbed his third state crown. Ohio's Codie Cuerbo is a two-time Fargo All-American, while Briar Priest made a pair of PA state finals (winning as a junior). Finally, Kelin Laffey came on strong as a senior, finishing sixth at the state tournament and third at the Powerade. He could be a prospect with a lot of upside. The Panthers will get some immediate help from the transfer portal as they could solidify 157-174 with transfers. Dazjon Casto was one of the stories of Thursday from the NCAA Tournament as he stunned returning national champion, Austin O'Connor, in the first round. Holden Heller was a 2021 EIWA champion, who redshirted last season. His brother, Reece, redshirted as well and put up a 12-4 record. 2021 Ranking: NR 16) North Carolina 2022 Class: #41 Danny Nini: 141 lbs (Lake Highland Prep, FL), #49 Jayden Scott: 157 lbs (Rush-Henrietta, NY), #52 Cole Hunt: 125 lbs (Dalton, GA), #65 Noah Pettigrew: 197 lbs (Valdosta, GA), #165 Nick Fea: 165 lbs (Bergen Catholic, NJ), NR Max Martin: 125 lbs (Great Bridge, VA), NR Cade Tenold: 174/184 lbs (Don Bosco, IA), NR Carson Tenold: 165/174 lbs (Don Bosco, IA) You've got to love the recruiting strategy from the UNC staff. They have been “in” on the burgeoning Georgia wrestling scene for a while and continue to get top-100 talent with Cole Hunt and Noah Pettigrew. Hunter, along with Max Martin, lends depth at a weight class North Carolina hasn't qualified for nationals since 2014 and only twice since 2006. Hunt and Pettigrew were both Junior Freestyle AA's last summer in Fargo. The Tar Heels also hit up a couple of consistent power programs in Lake Highland Prep and Bergen Catholic, for Danny Nini and Nick Fea. Nini was third at the Super 32 and Ironman, while Fea made the state finals during his only year wrestling in New Jersey. Top-50 prospect Jayden Scott was a three-time New York state finalist and a champion as a senior. He may get overlooked, a bit, but has placed at the Super 32 in 2020. Finally, the UNC coaches broke through in Iowa and signed the Tenold twins, Cade and Carson. Each was a state champion in 2022 and combined they appeared in five Iowa 1A state title bouts. Their commitment could lead to more Iowa kids in the future. 2021 Ranking: #21 17) Lehigh 2022 Class: #20 Ryan Crookham: 133/141 lbs (Saucon Valley, PA), #68 Caden Rogers: 197 lbs (Malvern Prep, PA), #103 Kimo Leia: 149 lbs (Selma, CA), #133 Kelvin Griffin: 149 lbs (The Hill School, PA), NR Remy Brancato: 285 lbs (Bergen Catholic, NJ), NR Enzo Morlacci: 174 lbs (Kiski Area, PA), NR Owen Quinn: 165/174 lbs (Malvern Prep, PA), NR Owen Reinsel: 133/141 lbs (Brookville, PA) Key Transfer: Michael Beard: 197 lbs (Penn State) Lehigh won big with the signing of local star Ryan Crookham. Once regarded as possibly the best wrestler in the Class of 2022, Crookham battled through some injuries during the second half of his high school career. He's still managed to win three Pennsylvania state titles, though he doesn't have much in the way of recent national credentials. As an eighth-grader, in 2017, Crookham was the first middle schooler to win the high school division at the Super 32. Depending on health/weight of some Lehigh returners, Crookham could go right away. The other top-100 recruit for Lehigh is three-time National Prep top-three finisher Caden Rogers. Rogers was top-five in both styles at the Junior division last year in Fargo. We'll see where he fits in as 2021 All-American Michael Beard is transferring in from Penn State. Beard has three years of eligibility remaining and will be a national title threat immediately. Remember the rest of the names from Lehigh's class as the staff has done a remarkable job at developing under-the-radar talent. There's a good likelihood that one of two of them could emerge to outwrestle their pre-collegiate ranking. 2021 Ranking: NR 18) Penn 2021 Class: #26 Martin Cosgrove: 197 lbs (Camden Catholic, NJ), #61 Andrew Troczynski: 149/157 lbs (Delbarton, NJ), #120 Evan Mougalian: 125/133 lbs (Kinnelon, NJ), #146 Jackson Polo: 141 lbs (Cold Spring Harbor, NY), #192 Alex Almeyda: 141/149 lbs (St. Joseph's, NJ), #202 Brady Pruett: 125 lbs (Archbishop Spalding, MD), #218 Jude Swisher: 149/157 lbs (Bellefonte, PA), NR Andrew Connelly: 184 lbs (Malvern Prep, PA), NR Evan Bennett: 174 lbs (St. Edward, OH), NR Louis Colaiocco: 157/165 lbs (Blair Academy, NJ), NR Matthew Cruise: 285 lbs (Easton, PA), NR Adam Thompson: 157/165 lbs (Bishop Carroll, Alberta) The great classes continue to roll in for Roger Reina and the Penn staff. Like others in past few years, this group features a little bit of home state flavor (Swisher, Connelly, Cruise), combined with national power programs (Bennett, Colaiocco), and a lot of NJSIAA stars (Cosgrove, Troczynski, Mougalian, Almeyda). Cosgrove, Troczynski, and Mougalian were two-time state champions, while Almeyda placed four times (three times at fourth or above). Two of the fast risers in this group are Jackson Polo and Evan Bennett, both of whom finished their senior campaign's with a state title. With NCAA qualifiers returning at nine of the ten weights, it may be a year or two before some of these recruits make an impact collegiately for Penn. No matter how it shakes out, there will be plenty of great options for the Penn coaching staff in the near future, in large part because of the 2022 class. 2021 Ranking: #23 19) Little Rock 2022 Class: #45 Kyle Dutton: 149 lbs (Liberty, MO), #54 Brennan Van Hoecke: 149 lbs (Palmetto Ridge, FL), #95 Brendon Abdon: 157 lbs (Lake Gibson, FL), #118 Keith Miley: 285 lbs (Whitfield, MO), #144 Kodiak Cannedy: 165 lbs (Greenville, TN), #161 Stephen Little: 184 lbs (Union County, KY), #222 Chance Davis: 174 lbs (Enid, OK), NR Cael Keck: 125 lbs (Park Hill, MO) Little Rock is still very much in the building phase as the 2022-23 season will be their fourth of actual DI competition. This large, talented class should continue to lay the foundation for future generations of Trojan wrestlers. With three top-100 recruits and six from the top-200, there are plenty of possible year-one starters for Neil Erisman's team, if that is in the plans. Little Rock's recruiting class left an impression on the latest Walsh Ironman tournament, as four future Trojans (Dutton, Van Hoecke, Abdon, Little) placed amongst the top eight at the national best regular-season event. Brennan Van Hoecke also finished his high school season with a title at NHSCA Senior Nationals. Big man Keith Miley placed at the Super 32 on three occasions, the most recent of which included a trip to the finals. The Little Rock staff has stuck to some of their hot spots with this class, going heavy on states like Missouri and Florida, while mixing in Oklahoma, too. 2021 Ranking: NR 20) Princeton 2022 Class: #42 Ty Whalen: 149 lbs (Clearview Regional, NJ), #75 Rocco Camillaci: 149 lbs (Hilton, NY), #76 Kole Mulhauser: 184 lbs (Central Square, NY), #226 Chris Martino: 141 lbs (Bishop Kelley, ID) Compared to some others, Princeton's recruiting class may be small in numbers, but there's plenty of talent. The Tigers sweet spot for recruiting tends to be New Jersey/New York and they hit up that area and returned with three top-100 recruits. Two-time state finalist Ty Whalen has finished third at the Super 32, the Beast and Fargo Junior freestyle, within the last year. Rocco Camillaci won a state title after finishing third in two prior attempts. He also made the Junior freestyle podium in Fargo with a seventh-place showing. The second New York state champion on board is Kole Mulhauser, who has undergone a big growth spurt during high school. He started at 120 lbs, as a freshman, and finished at 182 lbs. His best national-level finish is a sixth-place mark at the Super 32 last fall. Speaking of recruits filling out, Chris Martino placed in both styles in Fargo at the 16U level at 88 and 94 lbs. This year Martino was sixth at the Ironman. Based on how they handle the first couple of months on campus, a few of these freshmen could see the lineup next year for Princeton as they seek Ivy and EIWA titles. 2021 Ranking: NR 21) Navy 2022 Class: #18 Danny Wask: 165/174 lbs (Blair Academy, NJ), #86 Jonathan Ley: 157 lbs (Lake Highland Prep, FL), #113 Evan Tallmadge: 125 lbs (Brick Memorial, NJ), #132 Brennen Cernus: 133 lbs (Pickerington, OH), #188 Jamier Ferere: 285 lbs (High Point, NC), #223 Nick Vafiadis: 157 lbs (New Kent, VA), #249 James Latona: 149 lbs (Thompson, AL), NR Matt Colajezzi: 165/174 lbs (Council Rock South, PA), NR Devon Deem: 157 lbs (Montgomery, PA), NR Brian Gordon: 174 lbs (South County, VA), NR Zyan Hall: 174 lbs (Wheeler, GA) The Naval Academy's recruiting efforts have continued to shine under the leadership of third-year head coach Cary Kolat. Though his reputation is legendary in Pennsylvania, Kolat has a household name, which is beneficial as the Academy recruits on a national basis. Their top prospect is one that has risen sharply up the recruiting rankings within the last year in Danny Wask. Even though Wask moved up a couple of weights last year, it didn't stop him from making the Fargo Junior finals in freestyle and taking seventh in Greco. Wask continued growing, going from 152 over the summer to the 170 range during the regular high school season. That didn't limit his effectiveness, as he was a Beast champion and a finalist at the Powerade. The second top-100 recruit in this class is Jonathan Ley. Also a Beast winner, Ley placed top-four at the Super 32 twice. The future teammates, Wask and Ley, met in the 2022 National Prep finals and it was Wask, who came out on top, 5-1. Outside of the top-100 recruits, there's plenty of potential for this class. Evan Tallmadge is a two-time New Jersey state champ, Brennen Cernus is a former Super 32 placer, Jamier Ferere made the finals of NHSCA Seniors, Nick Vafiadis was a Fargo Cadet finalist, and James Latona won NHSCA Seniors. 2022 marks back-to-back strong recruiting classes for Kolat and staff, which will only help Navy in an ever-improving EIWA. 2021 Ranking: #18 22) Oregon State 2022 Class: #44 Gabe Whisenhunt: 133 lbs (Crescent Valley, OR), #88 CJ Hamblin: 174 lbs (Seton Catholic, WA), #101 Noah Tolentino: 149 lbs (Poway, CA), #105 Nash Singleton: 141 lbs (Roseburg, OR), #114 Isaiah Anderson: 197 lbs (Chiawana, WA), #151 Ayden Garver: 141 lbs (Newburg, OR), #173 Damion Elliott: 133 lbs (Del Oro, CA), #225 Chase DeBlaere: 141/149 lbs (Simley, MN), NR Austin Scott: 157 lbs (Mountain View, AZ) Key Transfer: Tristan Lara: 149 lbs (Northern Iowa) Oregon State is another program that has seen a sharp uptick in its recruiting results with a relatively new coaching staff. Chris Pendleton's team has made keeping Oregon's stud home a priority and the results are evident with three of the top 151 hailing from Oregon and choosing to stay in-state. Not only that, but the OSU staff has also staked their claim on the Pacific Northwest, with two big boarder's from Washington, along with making inroads at talent-rich California. Three-time Fargo All-American Gabe Whisenhunt leads the Oregon State Class of 2022. Not only was keeping Whisenhunt home important, but he attends powerful, local, Crescent Valley, a school the Beaver staff will need to hit up time and time again. Whisenhunt and Ayden Garver finished as four-time Oregon state champions, while Nash Singleton won three. The other top-100 recruit in the class was CJ Hamblin, a double 16U All-American in Fargo that initially verballed to Northern Colorado. The California contingent includes UWW Cadet freestyle AA Noah Tolentino and Damion Elliott, both top-six finishers at the state tournament this year. This class should continue the momentum established in Detroit as the Beavers left with four All-Americans. 2021 Ranking: NR 23) Army West Point 2022 Class: #80 Austin Kohlhofer: 285 lbs (Delta, OH), #89 Braden Basile: 133/141 lbs (Tampa Jesuit, FL), #125 Dakota Morris: 165/174 lbs (Kingsway, NJ), #143 Gunner Filipowicz: 174 lbs (Woodward Academy, GA), #155 Evan Anderson: 285 lbs (Aurora, OH), #212 Ben Rogers: 149 lbs (Wantagh, NY), #213 Oscar Aranda: 157/165 lbs (St. John Bosco, CA), NR Gage Cook: 197/285 lbs (Granger, WA), NR Nick Corday: 125 lbs (Baylor School, TN), NR Cole Karpinski: 184/197 lbs (Greenville, PA), Tommy Link: 125 lbs (Malvern Prep, PA), NR Kent McCombs: 157 lbs (Clinton, MI), Jaime Rivera: 141 lbs (Sunnyside, AZ) Even after losing their primary recruiting specialist, Ned Shuck, to the Bellarmine head coaching position, Army West Point hasn't missed a beat on the recruiting trail. It helps that head coach Kevin Ward brought in Scott Green, who had previously led National Prep power Wyoming Seminary for the past decade. The top-ranked recruit for the Black Knights is two-time Ohio champion Austin Kohlhofer. Austin had a breakout year in 2021-22 and rose into the top-80 nationally. Right behind him is #89 Braden Basile, a third-place finisher at the Ironman, who was sixth in Junior freestyle last summer in Fargo. This group is likely to cover just about every weight class once they make their way to West Point. A large class such as this one isn't necessarily about “need-filling,” but rather just getting as much talent in the room and letting the cream rise to the top. 2021 Ranking: #24 24) Oklahoma 2022 Class: #36 John Wiley: 165 lbs (Mustang, OK), #51 Joey Cruz: 125 lbs (Bullard, CA), #227 Christian Forbes: 125 lbs (Broken Arrow, OK) Key Transfers: Wyatt Henson: 133/141 lbs (Iowa), Gerrit Nijenhuis: 174 lbs (Purdue), Jack Wagner: 133 lbs (Northern Iowa) The Sooners Class of 2022 is quite small compared to some others, but is unique and will be helpful in its own way. Getting a top-50 in-state recruit like John Wiley is always a win for the Sooners. The 2019 double Fargo champion won two Oklahoma titles, but was a part of some incredibly brutal weight classes in 2021 and 2022. Wiley appears to fill a big long-term need for the Sooners at 165. With Joey Prata coming back for another year at 125, it gives his possible successors, Joey Cruz and Christian Forbes, an opportunity to adjust to DI wrestling. Cruz was a three-time top-three finisher in California and a state champion as a senior. In the fall, Cruz was selected to wrestle in the Who's #1 dual meet. Forbes placed in Fargo five times during his high school career. Oklahoma will also get a boost from transfers. Typically, you don't give transfers the same potential impact as incoming freshmen, since they may have limited eligibility. However, Wyatt Henson was the #16 overall recruit last year and has four years of eligibility after going 18-2 competing unattached for Iowa. Henson may be the answer at 133 or 141. Though he's already participated in two NCAA Championship events, Gerrit Nijenhuis has three years of eligibility remaining and fits in well at 174 lbs. Graduate transfer, Jack Wagner, had a winner year for Northern Iowa in 2021-22 and could be in the mix to start next season. 2021 Ranking: #11 25) Northern Iowa 2021 Class: #29 Cory Land: 125 lbs (Moody, AL), #70 Wyatt Voelker: 197 lbs (West Delaware, IA), #119 Chet Buss: 285 lbs (North Butler-Clarksville, IA), NR Trever Anderson: 125/133 (Ankeny, IA), NR Ryder Downey: 149 lbs (Indianola, IA), NR Garrett Funk: 125/133 lbs (Don Bosco, IA) Since his arrival in Cedar Falls, Doug Schwab has made it a priority to retain Iowa high schoolers. He's continued the trend by getting a pair of top 150 recruits in Wyatt Voelker and Chet Buss. The two could develop into the anchors at the end of the Panthers lineup. Though those weights don't appear to be pressing needs, it's always good to have a pair of recruits of that caliber sign on. Both were two-time state champions. Schwab and his staff ventured outside to the state borders and Landed a huge signee in Cory Land. The 2021 Cadet Greco world silver medalist made the Super 32 finals on two occasions and placed top-three at the event three times. He also was dominant in his home state with four Alabama state titles. 2021 Ranking: NR Next Five: Cal Poly, Columbia, North Dakota State, Minnesota, South Dakota State

Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena as the Hawkeyes host Penn State (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) New Brighton, Minnesota - The National Wrestling Media Association released its annual numbers for Division I wrestling dual meet attendance on Friday. The COVID-19 global pandemic caused sports around the world to be forever impacted. For college wrestling in the United States, this created a system of uncertainty when it came time to return to campus to watch events in person. Even with each school seemingly having its own set of regulations and stipulations, the 2021-22 attendance numbers came back favorably as wrestling fans were in large, quick to return to their favorite venues. Attendance wasn't tracked in 2020-21 due to most venues having no-spectator policies during that season. The University of Iowa's fanbase, leaders in Division I attendance since 2007, set a new record for home average of 14,905, selling out the entire season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes drew a total of 89,430, the second-highest home total since attendance figures started being tracked by members of the wrestling media in 2002. The numbers are based on home dual meet events, such as single duals, double duals, tri-meets or quad-meets. In 2015-16, Iowa drew a record 97,325 fans, which was aided by the 42,287 at Kinnick Stadium in November of 2015 against Oklahoma State. Iowa has led the nation in home attendance in 19 of the 20 seasons it's been tracked. For the 11th straight season, Penn State ranked second in attendance with the Nittany Lions drawing an average of 7,776 fans per home dual across seven home events, selling out all home events between Rec Hall and the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions' top crowd was 15,991 at the Bryce Jordan Center against Ohio State on February 2. That dual ranked sixth highest on the all-time list of most-attended duals and fourth among indoor crowds. Penn State has also sold out 61 straight home duals at Rec Hall and seven of nine at the Bryce Jordan Center. Iowa and Penn State accounted for all seven duals during the 2021-22 season that had 10,000 fans or more. There have been 98 duals in Division I history that have broken the 10,000-fan mark. Oklahoma State ranked third, averaging 4,631 in eight dates at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater. The Cowboys top draw was against Oklahoma to close the home schedule. The event brought in 7,918 fans. Oklahoma State was also the top road draw, with the Cowboys making up the top event for six schools. Iowa was the top road draw at five schools, while Penn State accounted for four opponents' top home crowds. Iowa State, Rutgers, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, Utah Valley and Virginia Tech rounded out the Top 10. Iowa, Penn State, Oklahoma State and Iowa State have been in the nation's top seven every year, while Rutgers has been a top-five squad with home attendance for six straight years. Minnesota's been among the nation's top 10 in attendance every year since 2002, while Ohio State's been represented in 19 of the 20 seasons, with the Buckeyes sitting in the top six every year since 2012. Despite averaging over 1,000 fans for 11 straight seasons, this past season is only the third time ever Michigan's been in the top 10, while another wrestling set of Wolverines, Utah Valley, is in the top 10 for the fourth straight year. Virginia Tech is a top-10 draw for the fourth time. Overall, 22 schools averaged over 1,000 fans per home dual or dual event, down from 24 in the last two trackable seasons (2019 and 2020). Twelve schools drew over 1,000 fans for each of their home dual events and 117 duals drew at least four figures during the 2021-22 season. In 2019-20, 166 duals drew over 1,000, showing the impact of COVID-19-related issues with home attendance this season. In 2021-22, 33 schools reported at least one home dual event drawing over 1,000 fans. In 2019-20, 44 schools reported crowds over 1,000. Additional Information Asterisks & Caveats: Some schools didn't allow fans for certain events. We didn't include those individual events into their totals. Some schools also ticketed for some events and not for others. Stanford, for example, ticketed just one home event and didn't track the others. Cornell had attendance capped for most events this past season. Some schools provided incomplete information. Some provided numbers of counting fans despite not being ticketed. Only duals with numbers they were able to provide were included. Indoor dominance: Eight of the top 10 all-time single dual crowds have come at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center, and eight of the top 10 all-time indoor crowds have also come at the venue. Methodology: Tracking the attendance figures varies by school and some schools opt to ticket for some events and not ticket for others, making the numbers an imperfect science. This is for dual meet events only, not tournaments hosted by schools. Nothing to see here: Appalachian State, Army West Point, Bellarmine, Bloomsburg, Bucknell, California Baptist, Campbell, Davidson, Duke, Gardner-Webb, George Mason, Harvard, Hofstra, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Ohio and VMI reported they didn't track wrestling attendance, didn't track it this season, or the sport was a non-ticketed event, so there were no numbers to report. Brown, Columbia, LIU, Presbyterian, SIUE and The Citadel didn't respond to numerous requests for information. Showing your work: Of the 79 schools surveyed, 55 schools responded with figured with 52 of them showing individual home match figures. Three provided number of dates and an average. There were 17 schools that reported they don't track attendance, while six schools didn't reply to numerous requests for information at all. Background: The National Wrestling Media Association assumed the role of collection of the attendance figures in 2017. Denny Diehl of the Lehigh University Wrestling News began tracking in 2002. TheOpenMat.com's Alex Steen handled the compilation from 2015-2016.

2x All-American Jonathan Millner (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our “Ten Years of…” feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…Appalachian State! For past teams: Air Force American NCAA Qualifiers (41) 2022 125 - Caleb Smith (#25); 133 - Codi Russell (#21); 149 - Jonathan Millner (#6); 165 - Will Formato (#20); 174 - Thomas Flitz (#19) 2021 125 - Codi Russell (#16); 133 - Sean Carter (#31); 141 - Anthony Brito (#22); 149 - Jonathan Millner (#7); 157 - Cody Bond (#20); 165 - Will Formato (#16); 174 - Thomas Flitz (#15) 2020 133 - Codi Russell (#29); 149 - Jonathan Millner (#18); 157 - Matt Zovistoski (#24); 174 - Thomas Flitz (#26); 197 - Demazio Samuel (#32); 285 - Cary Miller (#17) 2019 133 - Codi Russell (#26); 149 - Matt Zovistoski (#29); 197 - Randall Diabe (#15); 285 - Cary Miller (#27) 2018 141 - Irvin Enriquez; 174 - Forrest Przybysz (#12); 184 - Alan Clothier; 197 - Randall Diabe 2017 125 - Vito Pasone; 133 - Colby Smith; 149 - Matt Zovistoski; 285 - Denzel Dejournette (#9) 2016 141 - Mike Longo; 165 - Forrest Przybysz; 174 - Nick Kee (#14); 285 - Denzel Dejournette (#6) 2015 125 - Dominic Parisi; 141 - Mike Longo; 285 - Denzel Dejournette (#12) 2014 125 - Dominic Parisi; 149 - Dylan Cottrell (#12) 2013 125 - Dominic Parisi; 165 - Zach Strickland NCAA Champions None NCAA All-Americans Jonathan Millner (2022 - 6th; 2021 - 8th) Denzel Dejournette (2017 - 8th) NCAA Round of 12 Finishers Dominic Parisi - 125 (2013) SoCon Champions 2022: Codi Russell (133); Jonathan Millner (149); Thomas Flitz (174) 2021: Codi Russell (125); Sean Carter (133); Anthony Brito (141); Jonathan Millner (149); Cody Bond (157) 2020: Jonathan Millner (149); Matt Zovistoski (157); Demazio Samuel (197); Cary Miller (285) 2019: Codi Russell (133); Randall Diabe (197); Cary Miller (285) 2018: Irvin Enriquez (141); Forrest Przybysz (174) 2017: Matt Zovistoski (149); Denzel Dejournette (285) 2016: Mike Longo (141); Nick Kee (174); Denzel Dejournette (285) 2015: Mike Longo (141); Denzel Dejournette (285) 2014: Dominic Parisi (125); Dylan Cottrell (149) Dual Record 2021-22: 9-2 2021: 7-2 2019-20: 9-3 2018-19: 9-7 2017-18: 9-4 2016-17: 13-3 2015-16: 12-4 2014-15: 9-8 2013-14: 7-8 2012-13: 8-6 SoCon Tournament Placement 2021-22: 2nd 2021: 2nd 2019-20: 2nd 2018-19: 2nd 2017-18: 1st 2016-17: 2nd 2015-16: 1st 2014-15: 2nd 2013-14: 4th 2012-13: 6th NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2021-22: 28th (13.5 points) 2021: 38th-tie (6.5 points) 2019-20: No Tournament 2018-19: 47th (3 points) 2017-18: 50th-tie (2 points) 2016-17: 26th-tie (13.5 points) 2015-16: 41st-tie (6.5 points) 2014-15: 43rd-tie (4 points) 2013-14: 0 points 2012-13: 49th-tie (3 points) Head Coaching History JohnMark Bentley (2009-present) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - Dominic Parisi: 3x NCAA Qualifier (2013 NCAA Round of 12); 2014 SoCon champion 133 - Codi Russell: 4x NCAA Qualifier (#16, #21, #26, and #29 seeds); 3x SoCon champion 141 - Mike Longo; 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2x SoCon champion 149 - Jonathan Millner; 3x NCAA Qualifier; 2x NCAA All-American (2021 NCAA 8th; 2022 NCAA 6th); 3x SoCon champion 157 - Matt Zovistoski: 3x NCAA Qualifier (#24 and 29th seeds); 2x SoCon champion 165 - Will Formato; 2x NCAA Qualifier (#16 and 20th seeds) 174 - Forrest Przybysz: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#12 seed); 2018 SoCon champion 184 - Alan Clothier: 2018 NCAA Qualifier; 4x NCAA Qualifier for Northern Colorado 197 - Randall Diabe: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#15 seed); 2019 SoCon champion 285 - Denzel Dejournette: 3x NCAA Qualifier (2017 NCAA 8th); 3x SoCon champion Recruiting Big Board'ers Per Year 2022: #102 Braden Welch (OH); #156 Drake Acklin (OK); #165 Carson Floyd (NC); #184 Levi Andrews (NC); #240 Kaden Keiser (SD) 2021: #180 Triston Norris (NC); #185 Chad Bellis (IA); #227 Landon Foor (NC); #276 Wyatt Miller (OH) 2020: #135 Francis Morrissey (GA); #141 Tommy Askey (NY) 2016: #82 Colby Smith (MO) 2014: #96 Mike Longo (CA) 2013: #65 Nick Kee (NC); #158 Nick Hall (AL)

Patrick McKee (center) cheering on Minnesota teammates during their dual with Michigan (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) The year is 2002 and the Ann Arbor Pioneer Pioneers were in a close dual meet against conference rival, the Hornets of Saline. The two teams had battled once earlier in the year as well, with Ann Arbor Pioneer getting the win. That didn't matter today though. This was the District finals, so throw the records out the window. This was the only one that mattered. This dual was back and forth, headed into 215 pounds, where the Pioneers sent out first-year wrestler J.D. German. J.D. was a senior who made up for any lack of experience with the ferocity of a barracuda. He knew a couple of moves, but the only one of any consequence was his headlock. Saline had a state finalist heavyweight, so we knew that for all intents and purposes, we needed to win at 215 to capture the district championship. I don't recall J.D. being an impatient man, but that night, he didn't display any level of patience. He went right out there, pummeled for maybe 10 seconds, before throwing out a huge headlock, ending with a pin which cemented the dual meet championship for the Pioneer Pioneers (the world's most redundant school name). I know this story, because I was there. I was lucky enough to be on that team, and together we celebrated the first District title that Ann Arbor Pioneer wrestling had won in years. Little things stick out to me about that year. It had finally occurred to me how the little things make such a dramatic impact on the results of a dual. You always did your best to win, but on occasion, the best thing you could do was to lose by less. 6 is greater than 5, which is greater than 4, which is greater than 3. I used to be good at math, so this logic tracks with me. All at once, it became about trying to win a match, but also trying to win a dual meet. With my limited ability at that time, I knew that I could have an impact on the result of the team's success. This mentality is something I've always valued and appreciated in college wrestling, but not something that you really see as often. That's why it was so awesome to see Patrick McKee cheering on his teammate as he competed on the backside of the bracket at NCAA's. I was down on the floor watching the quarterfinals and happened to be sitting across the aisle from McKee. He didn't know I was there. I mean he was aware of people around him, of course, but who any of them were, was of no consequence. All he cared about was that Michael Blockhus was either going to win his match, or his tournament was over. The enthusiasm and passion that he put into his voice as he cheered on Blockhus brought me back to 2002, and the team element of this sport. That's why I wanted to talk with Patrick about teamwork, leadership, and the future of Minnesota Golden Gopher wrestling. Patrick McKee (left) with volunteer assistant Zach Sanders (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Kevin Claunch: Watching you cheer on Blockhus at NCAAs left such a lasting and encouraging feeling about the team aspect of college wrestling. Is this how you've always been as a teammate, or did this develop in you at some point? Patrick McKee: I was naturally always like this. The match and setting are a big part of it, though. We spend so much time focusing on ourselves during the week, and preparing for competition is a self-motivated piece, but duals or tournaments, I'm really into it. Zach Sanders has had to tell me to calm down or not to waste my energy at times when they start the dual at a weight other than 125. Sometimes I have to walk away. I think I get a lot of this from dual teams I've been on that traveled. You get into it and support your teammates. It also helps that I often go first and notice people cheering me on. Guys like Michael Blockhus and Brayton Lee are just as enthusiastic, so I am happy to cheer for the rest of the guys. Do you think you were that enthusiastic and tenacious due to your knowledge of what it takes to survive and advance on the backside of the bracket? Definitely! It's tough. I wish I could give them some of my energy. If I could at that moment, I would. Owen Webster last year, I remember watching when he lost and how tough that was. He worked so hard to get to that point, and it was tough to see him go out. I wanted anything for those wins. Where did you develop the mentality that it takes to battle that hard on the backside? I've been in situations earlier in my career going 0-2 in tournaments, or 0-4 in some national tournaments even. It's rough to be in that situation and you remember that feeling. Even seeing friends or my brother place and for me to not place, it's just something you develop where you say to yourself, “it's not happening again." Wasn't there a story after your loss in the first round of NCAAs where you said to your brother, “I guess I'm taking third”? Yeah, something like that. I know he had said to me “Always get the next best thing.” After each match, he'd tell me, “it's not enough, keep going. You have one job to do and that's to get 3rd.” I wanted to ask about the “Post Gable” era at Minnesota. Obviously having someone that talented and with so much attention is generally a positive for the team, but having him leave I'm sure has an impact on the program. This is a two-part question. Part one, what did you learn from him as a teammate? Part two, What do you want to impart as one of the leaders of the Golden Gophers moving forward? The main thing I've learned from him, as a competitor, is the mentality to never let up. Try to beat these guys as badly as possible. He can score from anywhere, and at times earlier in his career, mostly when he was a freshman, he wouldn't. Then his sophomore year, he went out there and didn't care and just beat people as bad as he could. I know I can do it also, and just to remind myself “why can't I keep scoring” and have that mentality to break people and destroy their dreams - respectfully. He also stepped up as a vocal leader and expected greatness in all of us. I would think to myself that I need to do better because Gable and our teammates expect greatness. I remember hearing stories about the 10 All American team (2001) that won a national title, and how they held each other accountable and pushed each other to expect greatness. That's what I would like to bring. Yeah, so elaborate on that. How do you think you could have the best impact on this team as a leader next season and moving forward? I would like to be more of a vocal leader. Everyone knows the work that needs to be done, but it's important to call people out when they need to improve. The accountability that is instilled into each other. Continuing to be a vocal leader and push for those results is what I want to do, and what you can look for from me. Teams don't have success without leaders. Leaders that focus on the team's success. It's completely reasonable in a sport like wrestling to have a mindset that focuses on individual success, and that your success will feed into the teams. It makes logical sense, but I just don't believe that it leads to team success. Iron sharpens iron, I don't disagree with that, and competition brings out the best in people. That's undeniable. However, you'll never convince me that the adrenaline dump you get when your team is on their feet and cheering you on in a pivotal moment of a big dual isn't significant. A wrestling match can take a lot out of you physically and mentally, and sometimes it takes an individual who has been in the trenches with you to pull you out. Patrick is one of those guys you want to have in the trenches. He'll be right there beside you and holding you accountable to reach your full potential. Trust me, I saw it happen.

2016 NCAA All-American David Terao (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Welcome to a new, regular feature for InterMat! Every day, for the next few months, we'll look into the recent history of a DI wrestling program with our “Ten Years of…” feature. Even if you're a die-hard supporter of a particular school, there will be good information you may have forgotten. For others, it's a quick way to learn about a program you may not be familiar with. We're going in alphabetical order for this one, so next up is…American! For past teams: Air Force NCAA Qualifiers (29) 2021 125 - Gage Curry (#27); 174 - Tim Fitzpatrick (#28) 2020 125 - Gage Curry (#20); 141 - Sal Profaci (#26); 149 - Kizhan Clarke (#15); 184 - Tanner Harvey (#16) 2019 125 - Gage Curry (#28); 133 - Josh Terao (#19); 149 - Michael Sprague (#28); 184 - Tanner Harvey (#24) 2018 125 - Gage Curry; 133 - Josh Terao (#12); 149 - Michael Sprague; 197 - Jeric Kasunic (#13); 285 - Brett Dempsey 2017 125 - Josh Terao (#11); 184 - Jason Grimes; 197 - Jeric Kasunic 2016 125 - David Terao (#15); 157 - John Boyle (#10); 165 - Mitchell Wightman 2015 125 - David Terao; 157 - John Boyle (#8) 2014 125 - David Terao (#10); 197 - Dan Mitchell (#13); 285 - Blake Herrin 2013 125 - David Terao; 149 - Kevin Tao; 285 - Blake Herrin NCAA Champions None NCAA All-Americans David Terao - 2016: 4th at 125 lbs NWCA All-Americans Honorable Mention: Kizhan Clarke - 2020: 149 lbs, Tanner Harvey - 2020: 184 lbs NCAA Round of 12 Finishers David Terao - 125 (2014, 2015) Kevin Tao - 149 (2013) EIWA Champions None EIWA Runner's Up Josh Terao - 125 (2017, 2019) John Boyle - 157 (2015, 2016) David Terao - 125 (2014, 2015) Blake Herrin - 285 (2013) Dual Record 2021-22: 1-12 2020-21: 0 duals 2019-20: 4-8 2018-19: 7-4 2017-18: 8-6 2016-17: 6-8 2015-16: 6-9 2014-15: 8-12 2013-14: 6-10 2012-13: 7-7 EIWA Tournament Placement 2022: 15th 2021: 9th 2020: 9th 2019: 7th 2018: 6th 2017: 7th 2016: 7th 2015: 11th 2014: 7th (tie) 2013: 9th NCAA Tournament Team Placement 2022: None 2021: 60th-tie (0 points) 2020: No Tournament 2019: 49th-tie (1.5 points) 2018: 56th-tie (1 point) 2017: 41st-tie (4.5 points) 2016: 27th (16 points) 2015: 46th-tie (3 points) 2014: 56th-tie (2.5 points) 2013: 51st-tie (2.5 points) Head Coaching History Jason Borrelli (2021-present) Jason Grimes (2021) - Interim Teague Moore (2011-2021) Best Lineup (Comprised of wrestlers from 2013-22) 125 - David Terao: 4x NCAA Qualifier (2016 All-American; 2x NCAA Round of 12); #10 and #15 seed; 2x EIWA runner-up 133 - Josh Terao: 3x NCAA Qualifier; (#11, #12, #19 seed); 2x EIWA runner-up 141 - Sal Profaci: 2020 NCAA Qualifier (#26 seed) 149 - Kizhan Clarke: 2020 NCAA Qualifier (#15 seed)/ NWCA HM All-American; - NCAA runner-up for North Carolina 157 - John Boyle: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#8 and #10 seed); 2x EIWA runner-up 165 - Mitchell Wightman: 2016 NCAA Qualifier 174 - Tim Fitzpatrick: 2021 NCAA Qualifier (#28 seed) 184 - Tanner Harvey: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#16 and #24 seed); NWCA HM All-American 197 - Jeric Kasunic: 2x NCAA Qualifier (#13 seed); 2x EIWA 4th place 285 - Blake Herrin: 2x NCAA Qualifier; 2013 EIWA runner-up Recruiting Big Board'ers per year 2021: #120 Max Leete (MA); #158 William White (MO) 2020: #110 Isaac Righter (MD) 2017: #61 Eric Hong (PA) 2016: #111 Gage Curry (PA) 2014: #76 Josh Terao (HI); #140 Jack Mutchnik (MD) 2013: #78 Jason Grimes (GA)

2022 Pan-American Champion Sammy Jones (photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 55 kg 1 Max Nowry Army (WCAP) 2 Brady Koontz Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 3 Dalton Duffield Army (WCAP) 4 Drew West Illinois 5 Jacob Cochran NMU-National Training Center 6 Camden Russell MWC Wrestling Academy 7 Jakason Burks MWC Wrestling Academy 8 Cole Smith Army (WCAP) 9 Jonathan Gurule NMU-National Training Center 10 Dominic Robertson All Navy Wrestling 60 kg 1 Dalton Roberts Army (WCAP) 2 Ildar Hafizov Army (WCAP) 3 Dylan Koontz Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 4 Randon Miranda Rise RTC 5 Max Black Colorado 6 Mitchell Brown Air Force Regional Training Center 7 Phillip Moomey Spartan Combat RTC 63 kg 1 Sammy Jones New York Athletic Club 2 Jesse Thielke Army (WCAP) 3 Mason Carzino-Hartshorn West Coast Greco RTC 4 David Stepanian New York Athletic Club 5 Corbin Nirschl MWC Wrestling Academy 6 We Rachal Illinois Regional Training Center/Illini WC 7 Aidan Nutter New York Athletic Club 8 Logan Savvy New York Athletic Club 9 Ty Lydic Knights Wrestling Club 10 Diego Romero Florida 67 kg 1 Alejandro Sancho Army (WCAP) 2 Alston Nutter Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Lenny Merkin New York Athletic Club 4 Peyton Omania New York Athletic Club 5 Nathan Moore Northern Colorado Wrestling Club 6 Morgan Flaharty New York Athletic Club 7 Jessy Williams Spartan Combat RTC 72 kg 1 Patrick Smith Pinnacle Wrestling Club 2 Benjamin Peak Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Michael Hooker Army (WCAP) 4 Jamel Johnson Marines 5 Brody Olson NMU-National Training Center 6 Eddie Smith Pickaxe Wrestling Club 7 Ryan Wheeler Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club 8 Noah Wachsmuth COBRA ALL-STARS / Cobra Wrestling Systems LLC 77 kg 1 RaVaughn Perkins New York Athletic Club 2 Jesse Porter New York Athletic Club 3 Kamal Bey Army (WCAP) 4 Britton Holmes Army (WCAP) 5 Alec Ortiz Minnesota Storm 6 Payton Jacobson Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 7 Tyler Eischens California Regional Training Center (CA RTC) 8 Fritz Schierl Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 9 Jack Ervien, Jr. Viking Wrestling Club (IA) 82 kg 1 Ben Provisor New York Athletic Club 2 Spencer Woods Army (WCAP) 3 Tyler Cunningham MWC Wrestling Academy 4 Ryan Epps Minnesota Storm 5 Tommy Brackett Tennessee 6 Ben Lee Viking Wrestling Club (IA) 87 kg 1 Alan Vera New York Athletic Club 2 Timothy Young Illinois 3 George Sikes New York Athletic Club 4 Tyler Hannah Combat W.C. School of Wrestling 5 Christian DuLaney Minnesota Storm 6 Austin Craig All Navy Wrestling 97 kg 1 Nicholas Boykin Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 2 Braxton Amos Wisconsin Regional Training Center 3 Lucas Sheridan Army (WCAP) 4 Khymba Johnson New York Athletic Club 5 Haydn Maley Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center 6 Guy Patron Dubuque Wrestling Club 7 Brady Vogel Dubuque Wrestling Club 8 Chad Porter Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 9 Timothy Eubanks Nevada 130 kg 1 Cohlton Schultz Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 2 Tanner Farmer New York Athletic Club 3 West Cathcart New York Athletic Club 4 David Tate Orndorff Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 5 Courtney Freeman Marines 6 Kaleb Reeves Iowa 7 Ronald Dombkowski Bad Karma Wrestling Club 8 Tom Foote New York Athletic Club

72 kg US Open champion Skylar Grote (photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 50 kg 1 Erin Golston New York Athletic Club 2 Alyssa Lampe Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Sage Mortimer King/TMWC 4 Nyla Valencia TMWC 5 Emily Shilson Twin Cities RTC/TMWC 6 Nina Pham Texas Wrestling Club 7 Caitlyn Walker New York City RTC 8 Charlotte Fowler River Valley Wrestling Club 9 Arelys Valles Grand View Wrestling Club 10 Danielle Garcia Team Tornado Wrestling Club 11 Mariah Anderson Air Force Regional Training Center 12 Sydney Petzinger Cardinal Wrestling Club 13 Natalie Reyna-Rodriguez McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club 53 kg 1 Felicity Taylor McKendree Bearcat WC/TMWC 2 Ronna Heaton Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Areana Villaescusa Army (WCAP) 4 Dominique Parrish Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 5 Alisha Howk Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 6 Estrella Dorado Marin Army (WCAP) 7 Haley Franich Air Force Regional Training Center 55 kg 1 Jacarra Winchester USOPTC/TMWC 2 Marissa Gallegos Colorado Mesa WC/TMWC 3 Lauren Mason Brunson UVRTC 4 Torieonna Buchanan Red Cobra Wrestling Academy 5 Victoria Smith Grand View Wrestling Club 57 kg 1 Adriana Dorado Marin Army (WCAP) 2 Cameron Guerin McKendree Bearcat WC/TMWC 3 Alexandra Hedrick USOPTC/TMWC 4 Amanda Martinez Cardinal WC/TMWC 5 Ngao Shoua Whitethorn Victory School of Wrestling 6 Tateum Park Twin Cities Regional Training Center 7 Elvie Villa McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club 8 Genesis Ramirez All Navy Wrestling 59 kg 1 Nanea Estrella Titan Mercury Wrestling Club 2 Abigail Nette Army (WCAP) 3 Michaela Beck Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 4 Lexie Basham Spartan Mat Club 5 Niya Teresita Gaines Cardinal Wrestling Club 6 Claire DiCugno Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club 7 Bridgette Duty Army (WCAP) 8 Montana DeLawder Team Tornado Wrestling Club 9 Esther Han Bruin Wrestling Club 10 Hailey Corona Brunson UVRTC 62 kg 1 Jennifer Rogers Nittany Lion WC/TMWC 2 Macey Kilty Sunkist Kids Wrestling Academy 3 Andrea Schlabach Grand View Wrestling Club 4 Cierra Foster Idaho/TMWC 5 Emmily Patneaud McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club 6 Alexandria Liles Army (WCAP) 7 Sierra Brown Ton Twin Cities Regional Training Center 65 kg 1 Emma Bruntil USOPTC/TMWC 2 Mallory Velte Beaver Dam RTC/TMWC 3 Maya Letona New York City RTC 4 Amanda Hendey Colorado Mesa WC/TMWC 5 Ashlynn Ortega New York Athletic Club 6 Emily Se California 7 Rachel Watters Hawkeye WC/TMWC 8 Dalia Garibay Colorado Mesa Wrestling Club 9 Destiny Lyng California 68 kg 1 Sienna Ramirez Southern Oregon Regional Training Center 2 Nahiela Magee Army (WCAP) 3 Alara Boyd McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club 4 Solin Piearcy Menlo Wrestling Club 5 Ana Luciano Team Tornado Wrestling Club 6 Kairah Cantillo Grand View Wrestling Club 7 Aury Naylor Georgia 8 Olivia Pizano Southern Oregon Regional Training Center 72 kg 1 Skylar Grote New York Athletic Club 2 Amit Elor NYC RTC/TMWC 3 Marlynne Deede Twin Cities Regional Training Center 4 Marilyn Garcia California 5 Skie Roulo Cougar Wrestling Club 6 Jessica Kemgne New York City RTC 76 kg 1 Dymond Guilford USOPTC/TMWC 2 Precious Bell Victory School of Wrestling/TMWC 3 Yelena Makoyed Cardinal WC/TMWC 4 Victoria Francis Hawkeye WC/TMWC 5 Tristan Kelly Army (WCAP) 6 Jordan Nelson Hawkeye WC/TMWC 7 Olivia Robinson Peninsula Wrestling Club (PWC) 8 Melissa Jacobs Twin Cities Regional Training Center 9 Joye Levendusky McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club

Army West Point Kevin Ward and his team (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) With an abridged and unusual collegiate season in 2021, it felt great to get back to normal for the 2021-22 season. All DI teams were back in action and generally wrestled full schedules (with a few Covid-related cancellations thrown in). As the season progressed and we saw fun dual events like the Collegiate Duals, I noticed there were some teams with ridiculously loaded schedules. That spurred me to do some sort of an article about which was the toughest. Well, what happened was that the season "happened," and it got lost in the shuffle. Now that there aren't any pesky results or rankings to worry about, we can dig deeper into whose schedule was the toughest. Of course, there are plenty of ways to judge this type of thing and I have a couple of different ways to look for this type of exercise. Below you'll see a chart with seven columns full of numbers. Those columns are from left to right: Opponents winning percentage, Non-Conference opponents winning percentage, # of InterMat's Top-25 Dual teams faced, # of InterMat's Top-10 Dual teams faced, Conference Opponents in IM's Top-25, Non-Conference Opponents in IM's Top-25, and dual record. For this exercise, we looked at those top 25 dual teams, plus six others that had difficult-looking schedules. Here's what each of those columns mean, why they may be important, and why they may be misleading. I think it's important to stress why some of these numbers are misleading and you need to look at all of the information before drawing any larger conclusions. Because of 2021-22 still being under the cloud of Covid, there were plenty of duals that were scheduled, yet never wrestled. We have given schools credit for scheduling a team, even if the dual was not wrestled. The purpose is to find who compiled the toughest schedules, so it's not their fault the dual didn't actually occur. Also, only duals against DI schools were counted in winning percentages. Opponents winning percentage: This is simply the winning percentage of every team on a school's schedule. Pretty straightforward, huh? Here are a few outliers that make this not a perfect metric. Nebraska and Minnesota. The Huskers and Gophers finished the year ranked 13th and 14th, respectively, in InterMat's dual team rankings. Both were pretty strong squads. Well, Nebraska finished the year with a 6-5 record and Minnesota was 4-6. Both teams wrestled brutal schedules, so having either on your schedule made it appear weaker than say, Lock Haven (10-5) or Bucknell (12-6), which obviously wasn't the case. That leads us to Michigan State, who had duals with both Lock Haven and Bucknell. Not coincidentally, the winning percentage of the Spartans opponents may look better than one may initially imagine. Down at the bottom of the winning percentage column is Campbell. They had a solid out-of-conference schedule, but were hurt here by some of their SoCon foes. Which brings us to: Non-Conference winning percentage: Some conferences are too big to wrestle each team; others see their league rivals once a year. Either way, the coaches have full control of their out-of-conference schedule. Some have decided to beef their sched up with a boatload of tough out-of-conference opponents, while others chose to lay low. The "anyone/anytime" mantra from Army West Point is reflected in their absurd 84.33% winning percentage for out-of-conference opponents. Only Minnesota and Lehigh came within ten points of that mark. It's a good thing we mentioned Minnesota. The Gophers only had two out-of-conference duals with DI opponents (Oklahoma State and South Dakota State). Those teams finished with identical 13-4 records, so Minnesota didn't really have as high of a number of duals as others. Now one variable we didn't consider which could have hurt Army in a normal season was "extra-countable matches." They had one of these new-fangled deals including American and Franklin & Marshall. Had these been duals, it probably would have knocked their regular winning percentage, a bit. One other takeaway here is that the Ivy Leagues have a limited number of dates they can schedule. With that in mind, Cornell and Princeton really wanted to challenge themselves with those other dates, as both had percentage's over 72%. # of Dual Against InterMat's top 25: Three teams managed double-digits in duals against top-25 squads. Iowa, Penn State, and Lehigh. Obviously, the Big Ten schedule helps Iowa and Penn State boost their numbers. Lehigh is the surprising one (for some). The Mountain Hawks actually cost some of their opponents as they were besieged by injuries and fell out of the top-25 themselves, late in the year. Big Ten schools like Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin also faced nine of the top-25. Arizona State did as well, and they're the only non-Big Ten squad to have that total. # of Duals Against InterMat's top 10: A disclaimer of this and the top-25. Some of this is luck. Had we tracked these in the middle of the season, some teams would have had more top-10/25 wins than now. Take Oklahoma State for example. Getting Oklahoma State on the schedule had always been imposing for the entire existence of collegiate wrestling. After the AJ Ferrari injury, the Cowboys hit a rough patch and fell to #12. That means that you didn't get credit for having a team like OSU on the schedule (for this component), whereas they are always an excellent program. The only school that faced six of the final top-ten teams in dual competition was Northern Iowa. Now if you cheat ahead and look at the Panthers dual record, they finished at 7-7. So basically, UNI wrestled a tough-as-nails schedule and beat who you'd expect to beat. The weird "only in a Covid-era" (hopefully) outlier from this and other categories is the NC State/Virginia Tech dual debacle. The forfeited win is counted on the Wolfpack's schedule, along with their actual win over the Hokies. That inflates NC State's winning percentage and gives a knock to VT's, while also boosting their number of duals scheduled against elite teams. With that being said, Virginia Tech, along with Arizona State and Iowa, had five duals against top-ten teams. # of Duals Against Conference Teams in the Top-25 vs Non-Conference:This is a good window into dual scheduling strategies. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska all faced seven ranked conference foes, which is a steep number and the highest in the country. Illinois didn't see anyone outside of the conference that was ranked. Minnesota and Nebraska both had one on the schedule, while Iowa had five. On the other end of the spectrum are Campbell and Arizona State. Campbell didn't have anyone in their conference in the top-25 (though Appalachian State was close). They went out and found five ranked opponents. Arizona State only had one in the Pac-12. They ended up with an absurd eight, ranked out-of-conference opponents. The only school that matched eight was Lehigh, which is starting to feel like a trend. What do we make of this? I'll let you decide, as you can interpret these any way you see fit. Arizona State, Army West Point, Lehigh, and Northern Iowa were all non-B1G schools with excellent competition, while Iowa and Penn State represented for the Big Ten. Before you make any rash judgments about scheduling, as a whole, remember that this is focusing solely on dual competition. All schools have open and/or individually bracketed tournaments on their schedules too. Some may have gone "light" dual-wise because their staff knows they've booked some challenging tournaments.

2022 57 kg US Open champion Matthew Ramos (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 57 kg 1 Matthew Ramos Boilermaker RTC 2 Vitali Arujau Spartan Combat RTC 3 Zane Richards Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 4 Jakob Camacho Wolfpack Wrestling Club 5 Anthony Molton Buies Creek Wrestling Club 6 Caleb Smith Boone RTC 7 Gregory Diakomihalis Spartan Combat RTC 8 Gabriel Townsell California Regional Training Center (CA RTC) 9 Aden Reeves Viking Wrestling Club (IA) 10 Michael Tortorice Knights RTC 11 Timothy Levine New England Regional Training Center 61 kg 1 Nico Megaludis Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 2 Joshua Rodriguez Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 3 Tyler Graff New Jersey RTC 4 Jesse Mendez Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 5 Seth Gross Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 6 Daniel DeShazer Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC 7 Josh Kramer Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 8 Shelton Mack New York City RTC 65 kg 1 Kendric Maple Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 2 Yianni Diakomihalis Spartan Combat RTC 3 Joseph McKenna Pennsylvania RTC 4 Nick Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 5 Matthew Kolodzik New York Athletic Club 6 Ian Parker Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC 7 Luke Pletcher Pittsburgh Wrestling Club 8 Evan Henderson Ohio Regional Training Center 9 Patricio Lugo Hawkeye Wrestling Club 10 Dean Heil Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 11 Beau Bartlett Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 12 Carter Young Cowboy RTC 13 Joshua Saunders Spartan Combat RTC 70 kg 1 Alec Pantaleo Cliff Keen Wrestling Club 2 Ryan Deakin Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 3 Jordan Oliver Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 4 Zain Retherford Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 5 Doug Zapf Pennsylvania RTC 6 Michael Blockhus Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC 7 Sam Sasso Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 8 Tyler Berger California Regional Training Center (CA RTC) 9 Anthony Ashnault New York Athletic Club 10 Dayne Morton Wolves Wrestling Club 11 Jarod Verkleeren Cavalier Wrestling Club 74 kg 1 Jason Nolf Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 2 Joshua Shields Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Thomas Gantt Wolfpack Wrestling Club 4 David Carr Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC 5 Collin Purinton Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 6 Peter Pappas Patriot Elite Wrestling Club 7 Joey Lavallee Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club 79 kg 1 David McFadden Pennsylvania RTC 2 Vincenzo Joseph California Regional Training Center (CA RTC) 3 Alex Dieringer Cliff Keen Wrestling Club 4 Carter Starocci Nittany Lion Wrestling Club 5 Chance Marsteller Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 6 Isaiah Martinez Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center 7 Taylor Lujan Panther Wrestling Club RTC 8 Nick Reenan Wolfpack Wrestling Club 9 Brayden Thompson Illinois 86 kg 1 Mark Hall Pennsylvania RTC 2 Zahid Valencia Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 3 Pat Downey Florida 4 Trent Hidlay Wolfpack Wrestling Club 5 Drew Foster Panther Wrestling Club RTC 6 Marcus Coleman Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC 7 Owen Webster Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC 8 Caden Steffen Mustang Wrestling Club 9 Caleb Hopkins Buies Creek Wrestling Club 10 Julien Broderson Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC 11 Andrew Morgan Spartan Combat RTC 92 kg 1 Cameron Caffey Michigan Wrestling Club 2 Nathan Jackson New York Athletic Club 3 Jonathan Aiello Cavalier Wrestling Club 4 Isaac Trumble Wolfpack Wrestling Club 5 Max Shaw Tar Heel Wrestling Club 6 Levi Hopkins Buies Creek Wrestling Club 7 Michael Battista Cavalier Wrestling Club 97 kg 1 Michael Macchiavello Wolfpack Wrestling Club 2 Kollin Moore Ohio Regional Training Center 3 Timothy Dudley Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 4 Samuel Mitchell Bulls Wrestling Club 5 Ethan Laird Broncs Wrestling Club 6 Duncan Lee Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC 7 Jason Carter MontCo Wrestling Club 125 kg 1 Hayden Zillmer Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC 2 Nick Gwiazdowski Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 3 Anthony Cassioppi Hawkeye Wrestling Club 4 Dominique Bradley Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 5 Ty Walz Southeast Regional Training Center, Inc 6 Kyven Gadson Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 7 Demetrius Thomas Pittsburgh Wrestling Club 8 Lucas Davison Wildcat Wrestling Club 9 Jordan Wood Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club 10 Christian Lance Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club 11 Derek White Cliff Keen Wrestling Club 12 Ceron Francisco Nittany Lion Wrestling Club