College wrestling has essentially seven divisions of wrestling. NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, NJCAA, CCC and NCWA. I think it would be fun if the top wrestlers in each division came together for tournament each year. I think a good name for this tournament would be "The All Inclusive Collegiate Divisional Invitational." Wrestlers who would be invited include.
The Top 12 NCAA Division I wrestlers per weight class at the NCAA DI tournament
The Top 4 NCAA Division II wrestlers per weight class at the NCAA DII tournament
The Top 4 NCAA Division III wrestlers per weight class at the NCAA DIII tournament
The Top 4 NAIA Wrestlers per weight class at the NAIA tournament
The Top 3 NJCAA wrestlers per weight class at the NJCAA tournament
The Top 3 CCC wrestlers per weight class at the CCC tournament
The Top 3 NCWA wrestlers per weight class at the NCWA tournament.
When would this tournament be? I don't know. Even if there were funds and interest in having such a tournament when exactly to hold it would be a tough choice. It's not really fair to hold it shortly after the Division I tournament (the last collegiate tournament of the year) because all of the other Divisions have had time to rest and heal up, where the Division I wrestlers have just got through wrestling an excruciatingly tough three days. They're worn out and beat up. On the same hand, you don't want to wait too long after the NCAA Division I tournament either. Waiting too long could be just as detrimental as could be having it too soon.
There's also the idea, again if funds permitted and enough people were interested that such a tournament could replace the current format of the Midlands or another in season tournament. It seems better suited as an end of the year, finale but this could work as well. The main problem I would see with this, is that it'd be unfair to seniors who graduated. Any senior who made All American status and gets invited to the All Inclusive Collegiate Divisional tournament would have to find a means of training and staying in shape for the event. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors wouldn't have this problem as they'd still be official members of their respective teams and would be training with them.
In all sense of reality this is a very fun idea, that unfortunately doesn't seem feasible.
The idea stimulates from individuals who want to include Division II and Division II top three place winners into the Division I tournament. I do not like this idea, as I want the Division I tournament to be for Division I wrestlers. However, I do like the idea of seeing the best DII and DIII have to offer, as well as the best that NAIA, NJCAA, CCC and NCWA have to offer up against DI talent as well.
There have been many smaller division wrestlers in past years that have shown how good they are by competing with and beating Division I talent.
DII produced talent such as Cole Province, Kourtney Lake, Shawn Silvis, Donald Lockett, Jake Dieffenbach, Ryan Lewis and many more.
DIII produced talent such as Akeem Carter, Marcus LeVausser, Quincy Osborne, Ricky LaForge and many more.
NAIA has produced talent such as Bobby Lashley, Terrance Almond, Emmett Wilson, and many more.
NJCAA often produces many great wrestlers who go on to do things in the higher divisions. T.J. Williams, C.B. Dalloway, Cain Velasquez, Pat Williams, Chris Weidman and many others wrestled NJCAA before moving on to have successful careers in Division I. I'm sure there have been CCC wrestlers who have done the same.
NCWA recently produced Santiago Martinez, who transferred to Lehigh his senior year to not only compete but earn a seed at the NCAA DI tournament. I imagine he can't be the only wrestler of top quality that the NCWA has produced.
These smaller divisions produce a lot of great wrestling as well. I'd like to see if such a 33 man bracket existed, how many of the Division I wrestlers would place and how many of the smaller Division wrestlers would place.
Another important question to ask, is how would one go about seeding such a tournament? Agree or disagree here is what I would do.
Round One
NAIA 2nd Vs Division II 4th (Pig Tail) Winner Vs Division I champion
Division III 3rd Vs NAIA Champion
Division I 9th Vs NCWA 2nd
Division I 8th Vs NCWA 3rd
Division I 5th Vs NJCAA 3rd
Division I 12th vs NAIA 3rd
Division II 2nd Vs Division III 3rd
Division I 4th Vs CCC Champion
Division I 3rd Vs CCC 2nd
Division II Champion Vs Division III 4th
Division I 11th Vs NAIA 4th
Division I 6th Vs NJCAA 2nd
Division I 7th Vs NJCAA champion
Division I 10th Vs NCWA Champion
Division III Champion Vs Division III 2nd
Division I 2nd Vs CCC 3rd
Round 2 (If of course everything goes accordingly on the mat as it does on paper...which it often doesn't)
Division I Champion Vs NAIA Champion
Division I 9th Vs Division I 8th
Division I 5th Vs Division I 12th
Division II 2nd Vs Division I 4th
Division I 3rd Vs Division II Champion
Division I 11th Vs Division I 6th
Division I 7th Vs Division I 10th
Division II 2nd Vs Division I 2nd
Quarterfinals
Division I Champion Vs Division I 8th
Division I 5th Vs Division I 4th
Division I 3rd Vs Division I 6th
Division I 7th Vs Division I 2nd
Semi-Finals
Division I champion vs Division I 4th
Division I 3rd Vs Division I 2nd
Finals
Division I champion Vs Division I 2nd
As you can see any upsets would give wrestlers from smaller schools opportunity to shine at the All Inclusive Collegiate Divisional Tournament. Imagine if you will the NCWA champion upsetting a Division I wrestler that made the R12 or the NJCAA champion upsetting the Division I 7th place finisher. It could theoretically happen.
With a tournament like this, I'd be anxious to see who all placed. I'd be outright shocked if any CCC wrestlers made it onto the award stand at the end.
What non-DI wrestlers do you think would win the tournament if we held it this year in 2015?
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