2023-2024 NCAA Division I The Season: Top Returnees HWT

 Gable Steveson isn' t back this season....yet....but even if he doesn't return at all, I still say that HWT is an extremely tough weight class.  Not only do we return six of last year's eight All Americans, three of those six will be going for their fourth All American honor! If that doesn't tell you how hard it'll be to crack the top 8 by season's end, little else will. 

Greg Kerkvliet
Penn State 

Only a junior & already a three time All American with finishes of 7th-4th-2nd. Last year's NCAA DI finalist was also a BIG 10 finalist as he heads into '23-'24 having posted a 19-3 record last year.  His only losses last year were to NCAA DI champ Mason Parris who has since graduated or better put, ran out of eligibility. Of the many golds Penn State is likely to collect this season, many of them could be at HWT. 

Wyatt Hendrickson
Air Force

The Falcons haven't had an NCAA finalist since 2003. They haven't had an NCAA champion since 1967.  These aren't the only accomplishments Wyatt Hendrickson will be looking to achieve either. He became the Falcon's first BIG 12 champion as a sophomore in '22 & this year he has the opportunity to become a three time BIG 12 champion.  To my sources, this would make him the first three time conference champion at Air Force since Scott Frohardt.  Frohardt won a WAC title in 1999 as a redshirt freshman & then won two back to back Western Regional titles in 2001 & 2002.  So it's been a minute since Air Force had this kind of success.  3rd in the DI nation last year, Hendrickson was also a Southern Scuffle champion on a 31-2 record. 

Tony Cassioppi
Iowa 

If pride is still in the back stretch.....Tony Cassioppi enters his final season of eligibility a three time All American posting finishes of 3rd-7th-4th.  3rd in the BIG 10, he was a Solider Salute champion.  25-5 on the season, he may not be the clear favorite, but he's still a contender for the NCAA DI championship. 

Lucas Davison
Michigan 

If I had to guess the physically strongest wrestler in NCAA DI wrestling, or maybe in collegiate wrestling altogether, I'd put my $$ on Lucas Davison.  He still looks like a 197, but he goes out and picks up opponents that are all of 285 lbs & throws them around as if they were 118 lbs'ers.  A wrestler that improves leaps & bounds each season, I wouldn't at all be surprised if he doesn't soon cement himself as an NCAA DI title contender.  27-6 last year, he earned his fourth NCAA DI qualification & his second All American honor (6th in '22 & 5th last season).  A CKLV runner-up, he won the Midlands. 

Zach Elam 
Missouri

R12 in both 2019 & 2022, Zach Elam finally earned his first All American honor this past season with a 6th place finish.  22-6 on the year he was 3rd at the BIG 12's, winning a Southern Scuffle title. 

Cohlton Schultz
Arizona State 

Another junior who is already a three time All American, Cohlton Schultz heads into the '23-'24 season having posted finishes of 4th-2nd-7th. Not only that, but he's also already a three time PAC-12 champion, who could very well end his career a five time champ! 3rd at the Midlands, he was 8th at CKLV.  

Yaraslau Slavikouski
Rutgers

I've made it more than clear about how I feel about the resurgence of Harvard wrestling. So I won't lie & I'll admit that my heart sank a little when I saw that Yaraslau Slavikouski would no longer be competing for the Crimson. Nevertheless happy to see the huge gain for Rutgers & I do believe that Slavikouski will earn that long awaited All American honor competing for the Scarlet Knights.  Thus far in his career he's had EIWA finishes of 2nd & 3rd & among the vast competition of the BIG 10, it'll be fun to see where he places in his new conference. A two time Midlands place-winner with two 4th place finishes, he was 30-6 on the season, also placing 3rd at CKLV. 

Grady Griess
Navy

Among the All American hopefuls this season, add Grady Griess to the list. The guy knows how to win. 35-7 on the season, he won championships at the EIWA, the Clarion Open & the Lehman Open. One match shy of a top 8 showing at CKLV. 

Isaac Reid
 Lock Haven 

Injury got the best of Isaac Reid last season as he had to medical forfeit to 6th place at the MAC championships. However, keep in mind that Reid was an MAC runner-up in 2022 & that a healthy Reid has the capability to do some big things for the bald eagles this season. He was 13-4 overall last year. 

Taye Ghadiali 
Campbell 

27-5 on the season Taye Ghadiali looks to become a three time SOCON champion this season. 

Owen Trephan                  Chase Horne
North Carolina State

Owen Trephan has had to fight tooth & nail for his spot ever since he arrived in Raleigh. This season will be no different.  Establishing himself as the man at HWT last year, he was 7th at CKLV, as he won an ACC title.  Challenging him for varsity this season will be Chase Horne. The redshirt freshman was 17-5 on the season last year. An 11-2 major decision over Ryan Catka, he was 3rd at the Lehman Open. 

Tyrell Gordon
Northern Iowa

Tyrell Gordon enters his final season of competition a two time NCAA DI qualifier. 20-13 on the season last year he was 5th at CKLV & 4th in the BIG 12. 

Nathan Taylor
Lehigh

17 wins on the season for Nathan Taylor last year, who's freshman campaign saw an EIWA runner-up finish & a 3rd place showing at the Lehman Open. 

Owen Pentz
Nebraska

Here's something I'm eager to see this season.  It's so strange looking at Owen Pentz in a Cornhusker singlet. It'll take take time to get used to the North Dakota State transfer in red & white. The other thing that peaks my interest here, is how will be wrestle at 285 lbs? A three time NCAA qualifier who was 4th in the BIG 12 last year, he's wrestled his career up to this point at 197. There he was a thrower & he was a pinner. Seemed to be able to put people on their backs from about any position. Will he be able to do that with guys up to 88 lbs heavier than what he's used to dealing with?  Time will tell. 

  Josh Heindselman               Juan Mora
         Oklahoma

26 wins on the season last year, Josh Heindselman, a three time NCAA DI qualifier heads into his junior season looking like he's dropped some fat & put on some muscle. 7th in the BIG 12's, he was runner-up at the Michigan State Open.  He will be challenged for his spot this season by Juan Mora. 14 wins on the year, he was 4th at the Southern Scuffle. In an official meeting, Heindselman defeated Mora 4-2 tiebreaker. 

Cory Day
 Binghamton

18 wins on the season last year, Cory Day was 5th in the EIWA & 2nd at the Southern Scuffle. 

Dorian Crosby
Bucknell 

20 wins on the season, Dorian Crosby was 6th in the EIWA. 

Trevor Tinker
Cal Poly 

Of the many good things that is going on at Cal Poly, one of them is certainly Trevor Tinker. 15 wins on the season, a PAC-12 finalist last year. 

Lewis Fernandes
Cornell 

As we examine the HWT weight class to try and decipher who will be top 8 by season's end, don't dare overlook Lewis Fernandes who returns to varsity competition coming off a redshirt last year.  One match shy of All American honors in 2022, he'll also contend for this year's EIWA crown. 

Konner Doucet
Oklahoma State

19 wins on the season, Konner Doucet was 5th in the BIG 12 & 3rd at the Southern Scuffle. 

Michael Wolfgram
West Virginia 

Every now and again you see a wrestler you know has it in them to do some great things in their career, but something, not sure what, is holding them back. That's how I feel when I watch Michael Wolfgram wrestle. 8th in the BIG 12, he was one match shy of a top 8 showing at the Midlands. 21 wins on the season he was 2nd at the Southeast Open. I feel he very well could be top 8 in the country if he'd open up more, or in the least close to it. 

Hunter Catka
Virginia Tech

3rd in the ACC, a Southeast Open Champ & 2nd at the Keystone Classic, Hunter Catka heads into his sophomore season already a two time NCAA DI qualifier. He won 19 matches last year. 

Hayden Copass
Purdue

Hayden Copass may have ended his freshman season with a losing record, but at the end of the day he came on strong to qualify for the NCAA DI championships. He was also 2nd at the Clarion Open. 

Yonger Bastida
Iowa State

Despite the disappointing ending to last year's season, I still came into this year thinking that Yonger Bastida was an NCAA DI champion material at 197.  Albeit, perhaps a darkhorse, but still somewhere in the conversation. He was after all 5th in the DI nation in 2022. Now he's up at HWT & I guess I don't know what to think. I'm gonna have to see him compete before I make up my mind. 

Jacob Bullock
Indiana

From 1-3 as a freshman, to 11-11 as a sophomore, to 22-8 last year as a junior, Jacob Bullock has made leaps & bounds in his career this far as a Hoosier.  A wildcard/at large entry into last year's NCAA DI championships, he was also a RENO champion. 

Garrett Joles
Minnesota

Garrett Joles is another among our BIG 10 HWTs who punched his ticket to the NCAA DI tournament on an at large/wildcard selection. 16 wins on the season, he was also 6th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Boon McDermott
Oregon State

An NCAA DI  qualifier for Rutgers last season, Boone McDermott will spend his final year of collegiate wrestling at Oregon State. 8th in the BIG 10, he was also 8th at the Midlands. 

Luke Luffman 
Illinois

Luke Luffman returns off of a redshirt to do battle in both the BIG 10 & the NCAA.  He's a two time NCAA DI qualifier having made trips in both '21 & '22. 

Ryan Catka
Virginia

A transfer from Navy, Ryan Catka will compete for the Cavaliers of Virginia this season.  Taking a 2nd place finish at the Soldier Salute, he was 6th at the Lehman Open. 

Bryan Caves 
Central Michigan 

25 wins for the sophomore last season, as he placed 3rd at the MAC championships. 

Aydin Guttridge
North Carolina

The ACC will be quite competitive this year & we can add in Aydin Guttridge. 13 wins on the season, he was one match short of a top 8 finish at the Midlands. 

Daniel Bucknavich
Cleveland State

He's a guy I can see pulling off a few notable upsets this season & being in contention for a top 33 showing by year's end. Daniel Bucknavich with a record of 21-9, was 4th in the MAC. 

Seth Nevills
Maryland 

We all have varying opinions on the whole transfer situation, but I tell you I was thrilled when it was announced that Seth Nevills was transferring to Maryland. I think this is a good situation all the way around. For Nevills, it means not having to sit behind someone at Penn State & getting to compete a full year of varsity. It's also a huge win for Coach Clemsen & the Terps.  Having a good solid HWT will only help to grow the program in the direction that Clemsen is working so diligently for it to go. This is something to be happy about. 

David Szuba
Rider

5th in the MAC & 4th at the Keystone Classic, David Szuba won 21 matches last season. 

Josiah Hill
Little Rock

Duking it out with Trevor Tinker & Peter Ming for a spot in the PAC-12 finals this season will be Josiah Hill. 17 wins on the season, he was 8th in the Southern Scuffle. 

Peter Ming
Stanford

Take what I just said about Josiah Hill & apply it to Peter Ming. 14 wins on the season he was 8th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Dayton Pitzer
Pittsburgh

If you enjoy reading my stuff & following me, may I suggest also giving Aaron "Swayz" Sweazy a follow as well. He's constantly wondering when Pittsburgh is gonna be a top 10 program again & I tell you they get more recruits like Dayton Pitzer it won't be long before they are. This kid is good. Damn good. Might even contend for the NCAA DI title this year as a freshman. Last year he not only majored EIWA runner up Nathan Taylor 10-1, he also majored Michael Wolfgram 10-0.  He stuck three time All American Trent Hillger in 6:57 & he defeated three time All American/NCAA DI finalist Cohlton Schultz 4-0.  We're gonna see a lot of great freshmen this season, no doubt, but Pitzer will be one of the best.