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 174 lbs.
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#5
Rashad Evans
Michigan State |
After winning an NJCAA title, Evans only wrestled two seasons for the Spartans but never the less he made quite the impact during his time at Michigan State. Earning a third place finish at the BIG 10 tournament, Evans would be the last loss three time NCAA champion Greg Jones of West Virginia would ever face. Evans finished one match shy of All American status in the same tournament.
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#4
Ken Cook
UC Davis |
Ken Cook makes the second wrestler from the now defunct UC Davis wrestling program to make the list of best wrestlers to never AA. A two time PAC-12 champion, Cook received seeds of #7 and #6 in his final two NCAA appearances.
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#3
Luke Manuel
Purdue |
I don't care who is making the list. If you talk about the best 174 lbs wrestlers of all time to never make All American staus, you have to include Purdue's Luke Manuel. How can you not? Round of 12 finish as a freshman and as a senior. Had he faced anyone other than Ed Ruth in his final match, he probably would have won. With that said, he gave Ruth one of the best matches of his career in a 7-6 loss. Three time CKLV place-winner , Manuel had victories over NCAA Champ Jarrod King of Edinboro, three time NCAA All American Mack Lewnes of Cornell and Hofstra's Ryan Patrovich.
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#2
Andy Roy
Rutgers |
I really hate it when I can't find a picture to use of someone, but I couldn't find a picture to use of Rutger's Andy Roy, my #2 pick for the best 174 lbs wrestler to never make All American Status. I put Roy in this spot for a few different reasons. First, he was good enough to earn two seeds at the NCAA tournament his junior and senior seasons of #8 and #7 respectively. He also finished one match shy of All American status both years as well. His Midland's performances, including making the finals against Midland's God Joe Williams himself also give reason as well.
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#1
Noel Thompson
Hofstra |
A Dr.Jekyll/Mr. Hyde personality, Noel Thompson is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet off the mat and one of the meanest people you'll ever see on it. 130 career wins, Thompson earned the #8 seed at the 2003 NCAA tournament as a junior and the #10 seed at the 2004 tournament as a senior. He finished one match shy of All American status three times during his career. Most fans will always remember him as being the guy that almost (in the minds of some the guy that should've) knocked Joe Heskett of Iowa State into the consolation bracket at the 2001 NCAA's.
So who would you have on here that I don't?
Dan Yates of Michigan?
Gabe Dretsch of Minnesota?
Scott Glasser of Minnesota?
Justin Zeerip of Michigan?
Lots of greats at 174 lbs over the years that never made the award stand. Tell me what you think!
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