For the most part I am in sync with the NCAA qualification process. I think it is as fair as they can make it & while I'm not 100% in agreement with the allocations, I agree with most of their decisions. There are a few guys staying home that I feel earned an at large bid, but for the most part I agree with who is going.
Before I give my list of wrestlers, I want to make something clear. This list includes those who had a legitimate shot at qualifying. Zahid Valencia of Arizona State will not be included on this list, nor will anyone else who jeopardized their eligibility with a poor decision. Jeren Glosser of Iowa, Vince Turk of Iowa & any other backup that more than had the talent to qualify, will also not be on this list. Wrestlers such as Brock Hudkins of Indiana, who are out with injury will not be on the list.
This is made up of wrestlers who competed in their conference championship tournament, but did not qualify or get an at large bid.
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Dylan Ryder
Sophomore
Hofstra
15-7
125 lbs |
I thought Ryder was one of the best wrestlers to not qualify for last year's NCAA championships as well. The kid has talent and he displayed it earlier in this season with a 13-0 major decision victory over Joe Manchio of Columbia and at the EIWA tournament in a 9-8 win over Michael Colaiocco of Pennsylvania. I think what it'll take for Ryder to qualify the next two seasons is more consistency in his wins and an ability to wrestle better at tournaments. The top seven qualified for the NCAA's out of the EIWA's and he took eighth.
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Joey Silva
Freshman
Michigan
6-3
133 lbs |
All this amounts to is pulling a late redshirt & not having enough matches. Two wins over a tough Garrett Pepple of Michigan State & Iowa backup Paul Glynn don't show as much of the potential as do a few of his losses. He took Wisconsin national champion Seth Gross to an exciting 10-7 loss. The future is bright for this young Wolverine.
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Darren Miller
Freshman
Bucknell
133 lbs
20-15 |
I think it is fair that Miller was not selected for this season's NCAA championships, but I do feel that he'll be an NCAA qualifier his remaining three years of eligibility. A 3-1 victory over Iowa State's Todd Small gives indication of what he is capable of.
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Anthony Sparacio
Senior
Binghamton
141 lbs
21-14 |
After qualifying the past two seasons for the NCAA championships, I was rather surprised that Sparacio didn't make it this season. The EIWA took the top five at the weight and he placed sixth. I thought for sure he'd get a bid, but he didn't. I think a lack of quality wins despite having 21 victories is what kept him out.
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Corey Shie
sophomore
Army
141 lbs
15-10 |
An NCAA qualifier last season, I think a lack of wins is what kept Shie out this year. He defeated NCAA qualifiers D.J. Lloren of Fresno State 7-1 & Drew Marten of Central Michigan 8-5. A bit more consistency & I think he'll qualify the next two seasons.
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Wil Gil
Junior
Franklin & Marshall
141 lbs
31-10 |
Wil Gil has the deck stacked against him in many ways. The Diplomats don't have the toughest of schedules & F&M will forever be a team that has to fight tooth and nail for every ounce of respect they earn. Wins like his 7-5 victory of Matt Kazimir of Columbia & his 12-10 victory over Sal Profaci of American have to become the norm. He's got to turn losses like the 12-11 one he had to Cornell's Noah Baughman into wins. Talent wise, I expect a top eight showing at next year's Midlands and a run for the EIWA title. Guy has the tools, just has to use them.
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Alex Madrigal
senior
George Mason
141 lbs
28-15 |
This is one that I'm up in arms about. There's absolutely no reason why Alex Madrigal shouldn't be one of the 33 wrestlers at the NCAA championships in Minneapolis. 28 victories. Wins include a 7-5 victory over Grant Willits of Oregon State, a 6-2 victory over Evan Cheek of Cleveland State & a 5-2 victory over Cody Trybus of Navy. He placed fifth at this year's Southern Scuffle. For crying out loud he took sixth place at the MAC's, which looking at the bracket is about where he was going to finish. He shouldn't be punished for simply being in a loaded bracket with a returning All American who took fifth.
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PARKER KROPMAN
Senior
Drexel
149 lbs
11-9 |
You have to wrestle matches. That's what it really comes down to. You have to have mat time and Parker Kropman simply didn't have enough of it. Nevertheless when Jared Prince of Navy finally secures the All American status he's always been capable of in Minneapolis, remember one of his losses. A 8-6 loss to Kropman who also defeated Justin McCoy 11-9.
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Corey Hazel
Senior
Lock Haven
184 lbs
11-10 |
What can you say? Injuries suck. That's about all there is to say. Injuries suck big time. Had it not been for fighting them, I think Hazel might have been an All American at one point in his career. Never could keep 100% healthy though. Owns a 6-2 win over Billy Janzer of Rutgers on the season.
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George Walton
Sophomore
Rider
184 lbs
24-10 |
I scratched my head enough to make it bleed wondering why Alex Madrigal wasn't selected and I'm losing hair in the spot contemplating on why Walton wasn't. Twenty-four victories and some notable wins among them. Defeated MAC champ Britt Wilson of Northern Illinois 7-6, stuck Travis Stefanik of Princeton in 5:45, whipped Maryland's Philip Spadafora 12-5 and has two 4-3 wins over Old Dominion's Antonio Agee. On a list of 33 qualifiers, I would think Walton has to be # 34.
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Tanner Orndorff
Senior
Utah Valley
197 lbs
14-12 |
It has to be a lack of matches. That's all it comes down to. A three time NCAA qualifier who had quite a few notable wins this season. 2-1 tiebreaker over Billy Janzer of Rutgers. Defeated Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State 5-3. Lucas Davison of Northwestern 10-5 & Cordell Eaton of North Dakota State 7-4. I get why he wasn't selected but I don't think anyone would have felt it was wrong or unfair had he been selected.
I'm sure there are some that I'm leaving out that I should have included. These are the guys that I feel made the cut.
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