College Wrestling : 2023-2024 NJCAA The Season: Top Returnees HWT

Made a promise at the beginning of last year that in the '23-'24 season JT#1 would start doing coverage of NJCAA wrestling! Seems fairly straightforward. Two year programs. If you were a freshman last season, then you're a sophomore this season. If you were a sophomore last season, you are moving on to a four year school to finish up your last two years of eligibility. Unfortunately, it isn't that simple.

Some of last year's freshmen will be redshirting this season. Then with the whole COVID-19 ordeal, some of last year's 'sophomores' will still be back.

So with that said, take it easy on me if some of these guys listed are redshirting or have already moved on to a four year school!

And of course, unintentionally I'll probably leave off a few names that belong on the list. If so, mention their names. The more the merrier.

Now....

The top returnees in NJCAA wrestling '23-'24 HWT

NOTES

NJCAA Champ Kyle Schrader of NEO is going to Newberry
NJCAA Runner-up Kawaun Deboe of Indian Hills is going to CSU-Pueblo
NJCAA 3rd place Devon Dawson of Pratt is going to North Dakota State
NJCAA 4th place Shane Whitman of Camden County is going to Drexel
NJCAA 6th place Micah Lieberman of Labette is going to Doane

Cody Pinkerton
Northwest CC

5th in the NJCAA last season, look for Cody Pinkerton to be one of the top ranked at HWT this season.

Hugo Harp
Iowa Central

I was just talking to someone the other day about top wrestlers out of the state of Delaware & Hugo Harp is among them. 6th in the NJCAA nation last season.

Geoff Freeman
NEO

When we think of the viciousness of bears, Pandas aren't usually the first that come to mind. However, despite their often docile nature, they are extremely strong & can do polarizing damage when need be. Geoff Freeman resembles that remark. 3rd in the District & R12 at the NJCAA last season, look for the Golden Norseman to earn All American honors this season.

Gavin Dodge
Northwest Kansas Tech

Another wrestler looking to earn NJCAA All American honors this season after finishing one match shy last year is Gavin Dodge who was 5th in the South Central District.

Myles Norris
Clackamas

HWT NJCAA is full of wrestlers who finished one match shy of All American honors last season & Myles Norris is one of them. The New Yorker was a Western Regional champion last season.

Nate Beberg
Rochester Tech

An NJCAA 8th place All American for the Yellow Jackets last season, Nate Beberg is a wrestler you do NOT want to pick down against.

Austin Schlangen
Ridgewater

I said NJCAA HWT was full of R12 wrestlers from last season & I meant it. Another looking to earn that bloodround W this season, Austin Schlangen.

David Herring
Snow

Herring was an NJCAA qualifier for the Badgers last season.

Connor Bleymeyer
Itasca

Bleymeyer was an NJCAA qualifier for the Vikings last season.

Shannon Core
Lackawanna

2nd in the Gulf Atlantic District, Shannon Core was an NJCAA qualifier last season.

Shane Edwards
Southwestern Michigan

Edwards was an NJCAA qualifier for the Roadrunners last season.

Jacob Rahn
Iowa Lakes

An NJCAA qualifier last year for the Lakers, Jacob Rahn was 3rd at both the North Central District & the York Open.

Trey Hudgens
Carl Albert State

Behind NJCAA qualifier Emmett Bivens last year, I believe that Trey Hudgens will be an NJCAA qualifier himself this season. He was runner-up at the Falcon Invite.

Josh Gaye
Indian Hills

With NJCAA runner-up Kawaun Deboe graduated, look for Josh Gaye to fill in the starting spot for the Warriors this season. He was 4th at Luther Hill last season.