Eight returning All Americans from previous seasons. Three of which are in route to becoming four time All Americans and two looking for their third. Add in three more looking for their second and three more who have been the round of twelve twice, you're looking at a weight class where the fight for eighth place will be a knockdown, drag out slobberknocker.
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MARK HALL
Senior
PENN STATE
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After winning a national title as a freshman, Penn State's Mark Hall has had to settle for second place the last two seasons. Some may conclude that this year's path to a title may be a little easier now that Zahid Valencia has moved up to 184 lbs. That may have some truth to it, although Hall will still have to wrestle at his very best to win a second title.
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MYLES AMINE
Senior
MICHIGAN |
He's came close. Gawd has he came close. He lost three times to Mark Hall last season and every match was by one point. We talk about "greatest wrestlers to never win national titles" and the name Mark Hall might be the reason why the name Myles Amine gets added to the list. 4th-3rd-3rd thus far in his career, it's a high probability that he makes this year's finals. It's also safe to wonder if at 3rd-2nd-2nd thus far at the BIG 10's, if he'll also be one of the best of all time to never win a BIG 10 title. Not trying to be pessimistic, not my style, just a realistic question. He hasn't figured out how to beat Hall yet, but that doesn't mean that he can't.
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MIKE KEMERER
Junior
IOWA |
Hawkeye fans are excited to welcome back Mike Kemerer who is back from a season ending injury last season. At 157 lbs, Kemerer placed third as a freshman and fourth as a sophomore at the NCAA's. Now up two weight classes, it'll be interesting to see how he competes against the top dogs at 174.
Freshman Nelson Brands is also at 174 lbs as well. He was 18-0 in his redshirt last season, his most impressive win a 3-1 victory over three time NCAA qualifier Joey Gunther of Illinois.
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DAVID MCFADDEN
Senior
VIRGINIA TECH |
A three time All American at 6th-5th-5th, Virginia Tech's David McFadden has found his way onto the award stand in every trip he has made to the NCAA tournament. A two time ACC champion that will look for his third conference title this season, he like Amine, has to figure out a way to defeat Hall if he wants a shot at the NCAA title.
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JORDAN KUTLER
Senior
LEHIGH |
A two time EIWA champion, who with enough competition within the conference, will have to fight to earn a third. Thus far 6th & 7th in two NCAA appearances, looks to cap his career off as a three time All American.
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TAYLOR LUJAN
Senior
NORTHERN IOWA |
As good as Taylor Lujan is, it's difficult to believe that he hasn't been an All American yet. He's came close finishing one match shy twice, but has yet to make the award stand. Last year he was third in Vegas, runner-up at the Midlands and he defeated All American Mikey LaBriola 10-5. He looks to win a second BIG 12 title and secure his first All American medal this season.
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DEVIN SKATZKA
Senior
MINNESOTA |
The move from Indiana to Minnesota proved to be a wise choice for Skatzka last year as he looked great wrestling for the maroon and gold, especially towards the end of the season. He finished an impressive third at the BIG 10's and then took that momentum into the NCAA's to walk out with an eighth place finish.
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MIKEY LABRIOLA
Sophomore
NEBRASKA |
Head coach Mark Manning has produced his fair share of four time All Americans and if Mikey Labriola keeps wrestling like he did last season, in 2022 he'll be another. Labriola had an outstanding freshman campaign last season placing fourth at CKLV, fourth at the BIG 10's and sixth at the NCAA's. A wrestler that wrestles all seven minutes of the match, you can never count Labriola out, even where there are mere seconds left on the clock. If a way to win can be found, Labriola will find it.
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NEAL RICHARDS
Senior
VMI |
On a team that otherwise has little to look forward to, the one glimmering light for the Keydets this season is Southern Conference champ Neal Richards. A little surprised that he went 0-2 at last year's NCAA championships, he should have a better showing this season.
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ANTHONY VALENCIA
Junior
ARIZONA STATE |
Overshadowed by the massive success of brother Zahid, Anthony Valencia has had a good career thus far at Arizona State, but not near as good as some would have hoped. With a redshirt under his belt and a new weight class, sundevil fans have a right to feel confident that his could be Valencia's year to breakthrough and have the success that he is capable of.
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BRANDON WOMACK
Senior
CORNELL |
Granted a sixth year of eligibility, Womack is given another crack at a shot to win both the EIWA title and All American honors that eluded his last season. An All American as a sophomore in 2017 & runner-up at last year's EIWA championships. His rivalry with Kutler should be entertaining.
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ANDREW MCNALLY
Junior
KENT STATE |
The Golden Flashes' McNally was an NCAA qualifier last season and should be one once again this season.
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BEN HARVEY
Senior
ARMY |
Like Lujan, Ben Harvey of Army is another wrestler who has twice been the round of twelve in his career. Thus far 4th & 5th at the EIWA championships, he may have difficulty contending with Kutler and Womack for a title, but is without a doubt capable of competing with Navy's Spencer Carey for third. All things possible, Harvey did knock McFadden into the consolations at the NCAA's last season, defeating him 5-3 sudden victory.
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CONNOR FLYNN
Senior
MISSOURI |
An up and down season last year at 165 lbs, Flynn's most notable win was a 8-6 victory over NCAA champion Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech. This year, he'll test his luck out at 174 lbs.
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DYLAN LUDY
Senior
PURDUE |
Two time round of twelve finisher, Purdue's Dylan Lydy adds yet another senior at 174 lbs who makes the "best to yet All American" list of 2019-2020. Lydy is thus far a two time CKLV place-winner going 8th & 6th the past two years. He also defeated All American Skatzka twice last season, both by 6-4 decisions.
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DANIEL BULLARD
Junior
NORTH CAROLINA STATE |
Like brother Thomas, Bullard is a two time NCAA qualifier who looks to add a third qualification to his resume this season.
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JOSEPH GRELLO
Junior
RUTGERS |
The Scarlet Knights Joe Grello was an NCAA qualifier last season, although I'm not sold that he'll be the starter. Will Scott finished fifth at last year's Midlands and defeated two time EWL champ Dean Sherry of Lock Haven 7-6. Whoever Rutgers decides to go with, should qualify for the NCAA's.
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KIMBALL BASTIAN
Senior
UTAH VALLEY |
Do believe this could be the Wolverines best season yet and Bastian adds another reason as to why. A two time NCAA qualifier Bastian has thus far been 7th & 8th at the prestigious CKLV tournament in Nevada.
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TRAVIS STEFANIK
Sophomore
PRINCETON |
In talk of the EIWA conference, another name that could make some noise is Princeton's Travis Stefanik. An NCAA qualifier last season, he did defeat Harvey 11-7.
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SPENCER CAREY
Junior
NAVY |
Like other Navy wrestlers, Spencer Carey has been overlooked more than once in his career. Not a wise move as he finished fifth at CKLV and he had an assortment of quality wins among his 25 victories last season. He pinned Lydy at 6:41, majored Bastian 133, and defeated Harvey 8-4.
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LORENZO DE LA RIVA
Senior
NORTH DAKOTA STATE |
A career full of ups and downs, De La Riva seemed to have found himself towards the end of last season. Finished third at the BIG 12's and qualified for his second NCAA appearance. Looks to have his best season yet.
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MICHAEL O'MALLEY
Freshman
DREXEL |
A rather impressive 23-6 redshirt season for O'Malley last season that included a 7th place finish at the Southern Scuffle.
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HAYDEN HASTINGS
Sophomore
WYOMING |
An NCAA qualifier last season who defeated De La Riva twice 13-4 & 5-4, Harvey 3-1 and Lydy 3-2. A bit inconsistent has definitely proven that he can wrestle well when he needs to.
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ETHAN SMITH
Sophomore
OHIO STATE |
Had a fairly decent season last year as a freshman that lead him to a 20-13 record, a sixth place finish at the BIG 10's and an NCAA qualification. Should improve this season.
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DEAN SHERRY
Senior
RIDER |
Two time EWL champion Dean Sherry, looks to try and add a third conference title to his resume, this season in the MAC. He'll once again have to contend with rival Jacob Oliver of Edinboro, as well as Flynn and McNally.
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JACOB OLIVER
Sophomore
EDINBORO |
One of the few wrestlers to take full advantage of the NCAA's new beard rule, Oliver finished second to Sherry at last year's EWL championships. Like Sherry, he'll contend with Flynn and McNally for a MAC title this season.
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MARCUS COLEMAN
Sophomore
IOWA STATE |
An NCAA qualifier who also placed sixth at last year's Southern Scuffle, Iowa State's Marcus Coleman will make another qualifier for the Cyclones this season.
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GREGG HARVEY
Junior
PITTSBURGH |
Gregg Harvey probably isn't a name that comes to mind for many wrestling fans when they think of potential NCAA qualifiers at 174 lbs. For good reason as his record as a freshman was 14-14 and his record last year as a sophomore was only 11-10. However, for equally good reason maybe his name ought to come to mind. He defeated Bullard 6-4, De La Riva 7-5 and Hastings 4-3 last season.
As Steve Miller sings in JET AIRLINER, "You got to go through Hell before you can get to Heaven" and that is exactly what winning an NCAA title is most likely going to be like at 174 lbs in 2020. First round might not be so bad, but second, quarterfinal, semifinal, final, Hell is exactly what it'll be. Heaven to win that gold medal.
A bit easier of a weight class to qualify in, I feel some conferences are more loaded than others and wonder if that'll lead to an assortment of allotments, more than usual in some conferences.
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