Saturday, August 10, 2019

2019-2020 NCAA Division I HWT Preseason Outlook

At the present moment many collegiate fans look at HWT as a duet.  Two thoroughbred greyhounds racing among the pack.  As the season progresses fans may discover the band has a third, maybe even a fourth member. That there may be one or two more dogs in the fight. 

Image result for Anthony Cassar Penn State
ANTHONY CASSAR
Junior
PENN STATE
What an interesting ride its been for Penn State's Anthony Cassar.  Starts off 2018-2019 in question whether by year's end he or teammate Nick Nevills will be the starter.  Then wins a BIG 10 and an NCAA title in what could've been his final year of eligibility.  Then petitions for medical hardship and comes back in 2019-2020 only listed as a junior. Quite the ride indeed.  With two wins over Minnesota's Gable Steveson his path looks to be without obstacle.  However it is important to note that he did suffer a loss last season to Derek White of Oklahoma State which gives merit to the theory that he could lose again.
Image result for Gable Steveson Minnesota
GABLE STEVESON
Sophomore
MINNESOTA 
One of the most exciting and sensational freshman HWT's of all time, the only thing Gable Steveson wasn't able to figure out last season was Cassar.  Two 4-3 losses were the only blemishes on a year that saw a CKLV title, a runner-up Big 10 and a third place finish at the NCAA tournament. They say in any sport it's difficult to beat someone three times. His first meeting with Cassar which might not be until the Big 10's will be one of the most anticipated match-ups of the season.
Image result for Matt Stencel Central MIchigan
MATT STENCEL
Junior
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 
The pinning machine Matt Stencel recorded thirty-one wins last season and twenty of them were by fall.  Finishing third at the Midlands, Stencel won a MAC title and finished seventh at the NCAA tournament. For record, it should be noted that Stencel finished one match shy of placing at CKLV. For those who like to argue between CKLV, Midlands and the Southern Scuffle, which of the three is the toughest in-season tournament, that says a lot right there.
Image result for Jordan Wood Lehigh
JORDAN WOOD
Junior
LEHIGH 
The two time EIWA champion ought to absolutely own the conference this year.  Finishing fourth at the NCAA's, his only losses were to Cassar, Steveson and White.
Image result for Demetrius Thomas Pittsburgh
DEMETRIUS THOMAS
Senior
PITTSBURGH 
Thomas showed great potential quite a few times throughout last season.  Although he lost 17-9 to Stencel, he also pinned him at 2:04. A fourth place finisher at CKLV, he won an ACC title and gave NCAA-Runner up White all he could handle in a 9-8 loss.
Image result for Mason Parris Michigan
MASON PARRIS
Sophomore
MICHIGAN 
An 11-4 victory over two-time All American Amar Dhesi of Oregon State gave Parris a boost that seemed to last him all year.  He enjoyed being ranked above and seeded higher than an assortment of wrestlers all season, despite an inability to beat them. A round of twelve finish at the NCAA's and a fifth place finish at the Midlands showed his ability to be an All American this year.  He also pinned Stencel in fourteen seconds.
Image result for Anthony Cassioppi IOwa
ANTHONY CASSIOPPI
Freshman
IOWA 
The circumstances surrounding the final season of Sam Stoll left some Hawkeye fans with a bitter taste in their mouths. At this point it seems fair to hope that new comer Cassioppi will make up for it. Finishing seventh at last year's Midlands, he pinned MAC runner-up Colton McKiernan of SIU-Edwardsville & defeated two time NCAA qualifier A.J. Nevills of Fresno State 12-8.
Image result for Chase Singletary Ohio State
CHASE SINGLETARY
Sophomore
OHIO STATE 
A disappointing BIG 10 tournament but a successful year that showed hints of great potential otherwise.  Singletary placed sixth in Vegas and had a 15-9 victory over Parris as well as a 4:33 fall over Stencel.
Image result for Tanner Hall Arizona State
TANNER HALL
Senior
ARIZONA STATE 
If you've been wondering who among the rest could possibly challenge Cassar and Steveson, here is your answer. Arizona State's Tanner Hall.  Third at the NCAA's in 2018, Hall won a Midlands title as a redshirt last season.  His only loss in eight matches was a tight 3-1 sudden victory to Steveson.
Image result for Brian Andrews Wyoming
BRIAN ANDREWS
Junior
WYOMING 
Andrews had a solid season for the Cowboys last year placing seventh at CKLV and fourth at the BIG 12's.  He should contend for All American honors this season.
Image result for Jensen Nebraska wrestling
COLLIN JENSEN
Senior
NEBRASKA
NCAA qualifier Collin Jensen of Nebraska highlighted his junior year with a 3-0 win over Iowa's Sam Stoll and by pinning Parris in 3:22.
Image result for Trent Hillger Wisconsin
TRENT HILLGER
Sophomore
WISCONSIN 
Eighth at last year's NCAA tournament, Hillger has the talent and ability to become Coach Chris Bono's first four time All American.  A wrestler that continuously improves he has the potential to place higher this season.
Image result for Zach Elam Missouri
ZACH ELAM
Sophomore
MISSOURI 
Missed being an All American by a nose hair last season.  Third in Vegas and third at the MAC championships, Elam makes yet another Missouri native of the "show me state" showing exactly what home grown Missourians can do on the mat.
Image result for Tate Orndorff
TATE ORNDORFF
Sophomore
UTAH VALLEY 
Another reason to believe this could be UVU's best season yet.  A finalist at CKLV, Orndorff finished third at the BIG 12 championships.
Image result for Jere Heino Campbell
JERE HEINO
Senior
CAMPBELL 
Laugh, raise your eyebrows, do whatever you need to. I'm cool with that.  Here is your possible fourth I was talking about earlier. The darkhorse in the race. I spent 11 months in a casino, I'm fine with taking a gamble. Heino took a redshirt last season, forfeiting to a sixth place finish at the Midlands after losing 3-1 to Hall in the semi-finals.  He majored Cassioppi 11-3.
Image result for Cary Miller Appalachian State
CARY MILLER
Senior
APPALACHIAN STATE 
Last year's Southern Conference Champion, Miller also finished a match shy of placing at the Southern Scuffle. This year he should place at the Scuffle, but will have a greater challenge repeating as SOCON champ with Heino's return.
Image result for AJ Nevills Fresno State
AJ NEVILLS
Senior
FRESNO STATE 
A two time NCAA qualifier Nevills was 24-9 last season.  He finished fourth at the Midlands and runner-up at the BIG 12 tournament.
Colton McKiernan
COLTON MCKIERNAN
Sophomore
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS EDWARDSVILLE
Another highlight as head coach Jason Spates continues to grow his young team.  McKiernan finished second at last year's MAC championships and pinned Elam in 7:30.
Image result for Gunning wrestling North Carolina
ANDREW GUNNING
Junior
NORTH CAROLINA 
Gunning did not qualify for last year's NCAA tournament but showed signs, including a round of twelve finish at Midlands that he is capable of doing so this season.
Brandon Metz
BRANDON METZ
Sophomore
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 
Another wrestler who didn't qualify for last year's NCAA championships but very well could this season.  Metz's greatest win last year was a 1:03 fall over Orndorff.
Image result for Gannon Gremmel Iowa State
GANNON GREMMEL
Junior
IOWA STATE 
And yet another Cyclone who continuously gets better under Dresser and staff.  Gremmel finished eighth at the Scuffle, fifth at the BIG 12's and owns a 5-3 victory over Elam.
Image result for Haydn Maley Stanford wrestling
HAYDN MALEY
Sophomore
STANFORD
Maley placed seventh in Vegas and finished runner-up at the PAC 12's. He'll most likely be the starter for the Cardinal although Trevor Rasmussen could also start. Rasmussen defeated three time NCAA qualifier Conan Jennings of Northwestern 2-0 last season.
Sullivan_Ben
BEN SULLIVAN
Sophomore
ARMY 
Suffered a bit of a hiccup at the EIWA tournament which most likely kept him from getting what would have otherwise been an at large entry into the NCAA tournament. He should vastly improve upon his sixth place finish within the conference and qualify for this year's championships.
Image result for Carter Isley Northern Iowa
CARTER ISLEY
Junior
NORTHERN IOWA
Isley has yet to qualify for the NCAA championships but I think he does in his final two years as a Panther.
Image result for Chase Beard Michigan State
CHASE BEARD
Sophomore
MICHIGAN STATE 
Watching Beard wrestle last season, I saw an aggressive wrestler who continuously attacks lose a lot of close matches. One of the few heavy heavyweights left, I thought to myself that a little trimming mixed with heavy lifting this summer would do him wonders. The BIG 10 as it is in every weight class, is once again loaded here and I'm excited to see how he'll do.  Sometimes that initial first year of varsity can be rough, but then wrestlers find their groove.  I think that'll be the case with Beard.
Image result for Brandon Ngati wrestling
BRANDON NGATI
Senior
WEST VIRGINIA 
Despite finishing the season with a losing record, Ngati still managed to get himself to the NCAA tournament last season. He should end his career as a two time NCAA qualifier.
Image result for Quinn Miller Virginia
QUINN MILLER
Sophomore
VIRGINIA 
He was a mere 5-4 last season, but it is the quality of two of those five wins that tells me that Miller will be an NCAA qualifier this season.  He defeated Drexel's Joey Goodhart 7-1 and Elam 6-3.
Image result for Colucci Rutgers Wrestling
COLLIN COLUCCI
Senior
RUTGERS 
Colucci who owns a 3-1 sudden victory over SOCON champ Cary Miller, has yet to qualify for the NCAA's, but could in his final season as a Scarlet Knight.


And there's HWT.  Reminds me of 197 in that there door is open in a lot of ways for a lot of "yet to be somebodies" to become somebodies in NCAA Division I wrestling.  A lot of opportunity here.





















































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