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 184 lbs.
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#5
David Craig
Lehigh
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After taking Michigan's Tyrell Todd into overtime in the NCAA blood round as a freshman, it was almost a shoe-in that Lehigh's David Craig would be an All American at least once in his career if not multiple times. Yet another round of twelve finish as a junior is as good as it ever got for the former Mountain Hawk. Multiple wins over various All Americans, Craig won an EIWA title during his career and deserves to be remembered as one of the best at 184 lbs to never AA.
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#4
Pat Popolizio
Oklahoma State |
Today we know Pat Popolizio as one of the best coaches in NCAA Division I wrestling. He is living, breathing, walking proof that you don't need to be an NCAA champion or All American to be one Hell of a coach. One would think that along with Stanford's Jason Borelli (who also made this list at 133 lbs) fans would be more accepting of taking risk on others, but "what did he do during his career?" is still often the first and most concerning question that is asked when looking at potential candidates for a coaching position. That's not to say that Popolizio wasn't good, because he was. A second place finish at the BIG 12 championship as a true freshman, Popolizio would again finish in second place at the BIG 12's as a senior, earning the #9 seed at the NCAA's and finishing one match shy of All American honors.
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#3
Ralph DeNisco
Wisconsin
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You'd really have to have had watched Ralph DeNisco's career in its entirety to understand why I place the former Wisconsin Badger so high on the list. His inconsistency and the fact that he never wrestled well at the BIG 10 tournament contradict the feeling. Yet his regular season performances, along with two blood round finishes at the NCAA's, make me quite comfortable in placing him where I do. Jessman Smith of Iowa, Ben Heizer of Northern Illinois, Ryan Lange of Purdue, Ty Baier of Cornell, James Yonushonis of Penn State and Pete Freidle of Illinois are among the many All Americans DeNisco defeated during his career.
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#2
Scott Justus
Virginia Tech |
He earned the #1 seed at the NCAA tournament his junior year in 2003. That alone should be enough of a statement, but I'll add a few more facts for clarification. Justus was a two time EWL champion, and he made the round of 12 both his sophomore and senior seasons. Also notable is that he defeated two time NCAA champion Damion Hahn of Minnesota every time he stepped on the mat with him.
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#1
Nate Patrick
Illinois
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Injuries. Injuries are why former Illini Nate Patrick makes this list. It seems that every time we thought Patrick was 100% healthy and ready to go, he'd get injured again. Taking second at the BIG 10's as a junior and winning a title as a senior, he earned the #5 seed and the #2 seed at the NCAA's respectively. He was also a Midland's finalist.
Brady Reinke of Wisconsin
Gerald Harris of Cleveland State
Those are two names I thought about adding. Who else?
Nick Ciarcia of Brown?
You tell me!
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