This is a topic that has been talked to death. Yet, it's usually discussed from an overall standpoint. I don't know if it's ever been discussed weight by weight. So as a result, I'm going to do that. I took a look at all 10 weight classes in Division I and I put together who I thought the top five best wrestlers at each weight class were that never made All American status during their career.
I realize that most likely I'm going to get a lot of feedback about the guys I overlooked or the guys I forgot. Trust me, I most likely already know. It was very difficult narrowing it down to five guys per weight.
I write this because I feel that we as a whole, we as a wrestling community tend to put too much emphasis on the NCAA tournament alone. There have been wrestlers in our past and their will be wrestlers in our future who achieve an assortment of credentials, but fall short of All American status. I personally feel that these wrestlers should still be celebrated. Still be remembered. And this is my way of doing it.
Here are who I consider to be the top Five at 157 lbs.
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#5
Jeremiah Jarvis
UC Davis |
He was the first Aggie to win a PAC-12 title, and he also had finishes of second and third during his career as well. A Reno champion, Jarvis also had victories over NCAA champion Matt Gentry of Stan
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#4
Tony Hook
Oregon State |
I wasn't able to find much on statistics or credentials of Tony Hook of Oregon State, so I had to put Tony Hook in the #4 spot based on memory. I remember a guy that seemed to upset a lot of wrestlers and a guy that I know made the PAC-12 finals at least once in his career. I didn't start keeping my own records of NCAA Division I wrestling until the 2008-2009 season which was after Hook had already graduated. His senior year he went into the NCAA tournament and had his way with three time All American Dustin Manotti of Cornell in a 13-5 annihilation. He'd then lose a tiebreaker to eventual NCAA finalist Brian Stith of Arizona State. In the consolations Hook would knock off #2 seed C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota before losing out in the bloodround to eventual NCAA Champion Trent Paulson of Iowa State in a wild 10-6 match.
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#3
Jonny Bonilla Bowman
Hofstra |
It's heartbreaking and rather depressing to think of how Jonny Bonilla Bowman's career came to an end. After winning an ACC title as a freshman for Virginia Tech, Bonilla Bowman would win two CAA titles for Hofstra in his sophomore and junior years. As a senior he was upset by Drexel's Joe Booth in the semi-finals and came back to finish in third place. He was unable to compete in the NCAA tournament and that might have been a good thing for Boise State's Adam Hall who otherwise would have faced him in the first round. Bonilla-Bowman was known for knocking guys out of the championship bracket and into the consolations. As a sophomore Bonilla-Bowman knocked #4 seed Brandon Becker of Indiana into the consolations with a 5-3 loss (Becker would come back to finish fourth.) As a junior Bonilla-Bowman knocked eventual three time All American Jason Welch of Northwestern out of the tournament with a 12-3 major decision. Twice in the blood round, Bonilla Bowman would lose out on All American status both times by a riding time point.
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#2
Rocky Smart
Arizona State |
It's often said that you need to have a little bit of luck and a good draw at the NCAA tournament. Neither of which former Sun Devil Rocky Smart had during his career. A two time third place finisher at the PAC-12 championships, Smart also had a runner-up Reno finish and a fourth place finish at the CKLV invitational in his resume. In both his junior and senior seasons, he would lose first round at the NCAA tournament and work his way back through the consolation only to lose in the match to place. Among notable wins in Smart's career, he defeated NCAA champion Matt Gentry on more than one occasion.
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#1
Cole Sanderson
Iowa State |
His younger brother Cael at 159-0 and four NCAA titles is who many consider to be the greatest NCAA Division I wrestler of all time. His older brother Cody, a two time NCAA runner-up, some argue is one of the best lightweights to never win a title. His baby brother Cyler, a BIG 10 champion and a two time All American in his own right. Where does that leave Cole? The best 157 lbs wrestler to never make All American status. Taking third at the BIG 12 tournament his first three seasons, Sanderson would finally make the finals as a senior. Twice making the round of twelve, Sanderson earned seeds in his final three NCAA tournaments coming in at #10 as a sophomore and #7 as a junior and senior.
Who would you have added that I didn't?
Jim Medeiros of Fresno State?
Kurt Kinser of Indiana?
Let me know!
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