Three things stick out when looking over 165 lbs. One of the toughest weight classes to win with an assortment of eligible title contenders. A weight class that was full of upsets, particularly end of the year upsets last season. While tough to win, not as tough to qualify in. One of the toughest weight classes to call yourself #1 but a little easier than other weight classes to call yourself somewhere above #34.
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MEKHI LEWIS
sophomore
VIRGINIA TECH
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He shocked the nation last year winning the NCAA title as a freshman. Only two losses last season, one of which was in the CKLV finals. Will have to fight through an assortment of talent in order to defend his title.
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VINCENZO JOSEPH
Senior
Penn State |
After winning two titles as a freshman and sophomore, Joseph was upset in his quest for a third last year. In comparison to most Nittany Lion grapplers, it is never wise to bet against him. What will be most interesting, is to see if he can finally win a BIG 10 title. Ironically enough, that has been one of his biggest challenges thus far in his career.
Back up Mason Manville actually had a losing 7-9 record last season,but still pulled off a few noteworthy moments He defeated EIWA champion Tanner Skidgel twice and managed to place seventh at the Southern Scuffle.
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EVAN WICK
Junior
WISCONSIN |
Another title contender is Evan Wick of Wisconsin. A methodical wrestler who tries to make every movement on the mat count. He was second at last year's Midlands, fourth at the BIG 10 and fourth at the NCAA's.
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ALEX MARINELLI
Junior
IOWA |
After winning a Midland's Title and a BIG 10 title, Iowa's Alex Marinelli experienced first hand how the NCAA tournament can be a different world, when he slipped and fell to a seventh place finish. Now with that out of the way, he should bounce back tougher and even more determined this season.
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JOSH SHIELDS
Senior
ARIZONA STATE |
Maybe not everyone would, but I will. I think Shields deserves mention as a plausible title contender. He's tough on top, difficult to get away from and all of the matches he lost last season were relatively close. He looks to join the short list of four time PAC-12 champions, and thus far has been 3rd-2nd-3rd at the Midlands. Josh Shields adds yet another name to the list of title contenders.
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LOGAN MASSA
Senior
MICHIGAN |
After placing third as a freshman it is difficult for me to believe that as good as Logan Massa is that he hasn't made it back to the award stand yet. Health can explain some of it away, but even though Massa hasn't been able to recapture All American status the past two seasons, I still consider him to be a legitimate threat to the title. He looked like his old self again at the BIG 10 championships defeating both Isaiah White of Nebraska and Wick in route to a third place finish. He's still "right there" he just needs to make it happen at the NCAA's.
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ISAIAH WHITE
Senior
NEBRASKA |
One of two to defeat champion Lewis last season, White isn't as consistent as some of the other names already mentioned but he still poses a threat. Champion at CKLV, he placed fifth at the NCAA's last season.
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BRYCE STEIERT
Senior
NORTHERN IOWA |
Had a very good season last year that included sixth at CKLV, fourth at Midlands and a breakout NCAA tournament full of upsets to capture an eighth place finish. Will need to wrestle as well again in order to secure another medal this season.
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JOE SMITH
Senior
OKLAHOMA STATE |
After placing seventh and fourth as a freshman and sophomore respectively, went 2-2 at last year's NCAA championships as a junior. I blame this in partial to wrestling nearly all of the season at 174 and then dropping down to 165 right before the BIG 12's. I think the cut was too much too soon, and Smith didn't have the proper time he needed to adjust to weight class. Now that he'll most likely be at 165 the whole season, he should fare at lot better. Want to see him compete against the likes of Joseph, Wick & Marinelli before deciding how much better.
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SHANE GRIFFITH
Freshman
STANFORD |
The talent continues to pour in at Stanford University as head coach Jason Borrelli adds yet another sensational freshman to the line up. As a redshirt last season Griffith defeated EIWA champ Skidgel 2-0, three time NCAA qualifier Andrew Fogarty of North Dakota State 8-1, NCAA qualifier Jesse Dellavecchia 7-2 and he wrestled Joseph to a 6-4 loss. He also placed third at the Southern Scuffle.
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DEMETRIUS ROMERO
Senior
UTAH VALLEY |
Making perhaps the best case for best senior yet to AA, is Utah Valley's Demetrius Romero. Third in Vegas, he was the BIG 12 champ that finished one match shy of All American. He's wrestled Smith twice and beat him twice. He's 3-0 against Steiert. A wrestler of true grit and tenacity he lost 18-0 technical fall to Massa and then came back and beat Massa 9-6 at the same tournament.
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TANNER SKIDGEL
Junior
NAVY |
While not as celebrated as Lewis' NCAA title it is safe to say that Navy's Tanner Skidgel came out of nowhere last season to win the EIWA title. Especially considering that he had lost in not such close matches 10-6 to Lehigh's Gordon Wolf, 9-4 to Drexel's Ebed Jarrell and 14-0 to Brown's Jonathan Viruet. Just goes to show what can happen and how it can truly be anyone's day at any given time. Skidgel also placed eighth at the Southern Scuffle.
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TROY KELLER
Senior
BUFFALO |
Winner of last year's MAC tournament, Keller looks to become a two time champion.
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EBED JARRELL
Senior
DREXEL |
As noted prior Jarrell did defeat Skidgel last season 9-4 and should be a contender for this year's EIWA title. Most impressive last year, was Jarrell's 6-3 upset of White.
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CAEL MCCORMICK
Senior
ARMY |
In a weight class full of as many title contenders as 165 lbs is, it is easy to be overlooked and forgotten about. In terms of being under-ranked Cael McCormick of Army pleads an interesting case. Pinned Wyoming's Branson Ashworth at 4:02, defeated Wolf twice 7-4 & 16-13, Jarrell 11-8 and pinned Romero at 2:28. Last year's EIWA runner-up, he'll make a run for this year's title.
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THOMAS BULLARD
Junior
NORTH CAROLINA STATE |
A two-time NCAA qualifier who will look for a third qualification this season.
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QUENTIN PEREZ
Senior
CAMPBELL |
Living, breathing proof of what perseverance and hard work can over come. A 6-20 record as a freshman was turned into two twenty plus win seasons and two NCAA qualifications. Look for a third qualification this season as well as a Southern Conference championship.
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DREW HUGHES
Junior
MICHIGAN STATE |
A two time NCAA qualifier at 174 lbs, Hughes moves down to test his luck at 165 this season. Anxious to see how he does at the new weight. I can see him pulling off an upset or two during the season.
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KENNEDY MONDAY
Junior
NORTH CAROLINA |
I'm not exactly sure what happened to Monday last season but before disappearing had a victory over All American Christian Pagdilao & then a close loss to NCAA runner-up Tyler Berger of Nebraska at 157. His last match last season was a close loss to White at 165. He should prove himself All American worthy soon, if he hasn't already.
It's also important to point out that Josh McClure, a two time NCAA qualifier in his own right is also at 165 for the Tarheels. I think Monday wins this wrestle-off but throwing it out there just in case.
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JAKE WENTZEL
Junior
PITTSBURGH |
One match shy of placing at CKLV last season, Wentzel should capture a medal this year. Had a 9-2 win over EIWA champ Skidgel.
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CHASE STRAW
Senior
IOWA STATE |
Even more shocking that Skidgel's EIWA championship was Chase Straw of Iowa State winning the BIG 12 last season. I think he finds 165 lbs to be a bit more of a challenge. With Smith and Romero among others in the bracket, he wins it this year, it'll be even more shocking.
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COLT YINGER
Sophomore
OHIO |
His upset over Connor Flynn of Missouri at last year's MAC championships sticks out the most but Yinger had some other highlights that point towards plausible NCAA qualification this season. He finished one match shy of a medal at the Southern Scuffle.
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EMIL SOEHNLEN
Freshman
PURDUE |
A great recruit for head coach Tony Ersland, Soehnlen had a fairly solid redshirt last season that included being one match shy of placing at the Midlands and a 3-2 win over McCormick. He also took Illinois' Joey Gunther into the tiebreakers.
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JOEY GUNTHER
Senior
ILLINOIS |
Never has all that impressive of a record as each season his wins barely outnumber his losses, but when it comes down to do or die time, Illinois' Joey Gunther always "do". I think it is his gas tank that wins him matches. He had five matches last season that went into overtime or tiebreakers and he won every one of them. He's like the energizer bunny, he doesn't wear out and that has lead him to three NCAA qualifications. A place-winner at both CKLV and the Midlands last season, Gunther should again medal at both.
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CAM COY
Sophomore
VIRGINIA |
Had two wins over Duke's Zach Finesilver last season and had a win over Bullard as well. Is in a rather tough ACC conference but should wrestle well enough to qualify for the 2020 NCAA tournament.
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NICK KIUSSIS
Junior
WEST VIRGINIA |
A wildcard entry to last year's NCAA tournament Kiussis defeated Fogarty 13-3 major decision and Gardner Webb SoCon champ Tyler Marinelli 3-1 sudden victory.
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AUSTIN MATTHEWS
Senior
NORTHERN COLORADO |
It's not often you see someone compete at three different schools during their collegiate careers, but the list does grow by one this season. Austin Matthews who qualified once for Clarion and twice for Edinboro, looks to qualify for his final NCAA championship appearance this time wrestling for Northern Colorado.
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CADEN McWHIRTER
Senior
NORTHERN ILLINOIS |
McWhirter has yet to make the NCAA tournament but there is reason to think that he will break through and go to the dance in his final year of eligibility. He placed sixth at last years Midlands and owns a 9-6 victory over Perez.
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DAZJON CASTO
Sophomore
THE CITADEL |
I'll get a couple of raised eyebrows on this one, but here me out. Casto may have had 19 losses last season but he also had 27 wins. Not many wrestlers had 46 matches last season and I think the willingness to go out and compete that much will pay off for Casto. In my opinion many of his losses last season were due to rookie mistakes. Watching him last year, being a it overaggressive and not setting up opportunities is what cost him the most. I don't see him beating Perez for a SOCON championship, but I do think he makes the finals against him.
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TYLER MORLAND
Sophomore
NORTHWESTERN |
Only a 7-11 record last season, Morland had to upset Gunther in route to an eighth place finish in order to get into the NCAA's. He'll most likely have to upset his way into the tournament again but if he did it once, he can do it again. He also defeated George Mason's Colston DiBlasi 5-1.
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ANDREW FOGARTY
Senior
NORTH DAKOTA STATE |
A three time NCAA qualifier, Fogarty defeated EIWA champion Skidgel 10-7 and most impressively took out Southern Conference champion Marinelli 17-2 technical fall last season.
Insanely tough to win, nearly as equally tough to All American, yet at only 31 names, don't feel as tough to qualify. I'm sure there are names I'm not thinking of right now that I probably should. As I have the past 17 years of writing these, I never include true-freshman in anything pre-season. Maybe some of them will be the answer here. There were a few names like Isaiah Hokit of Fresno State and Dewey Krueger of Wyoming I thought of adding but I didn't. I think Quarter-finals and Semi-finals at this weight will be every bit as competitive and nail-biting as the finals itself.
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