Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament

 Extremely unique circumstances for the the ending of CAA wrestling, when compared to other conferences & regionals that the sport has lost over the years.  Most of the time when a conference discontinues sponsorship for a sport, it is because of a lack of schools that sponsor the sport.  Now while the CAA did lose programs over the years due to this reason, it was not why the CAA stopped sponsoring wrestling. 

The CAA stopped sponsoring wrestling because of a decision of four members of the conference to join another conference.  Binghamton, Boston, Drexel & Hofstra made the decision to join the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), leaving the CAA without enough teams to justify sponsorship.  Old Dominion would then join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) &  Rider would join the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL).   

Eventually Boston would drop their wrestling program, as would Old Dominion, but neither influenced the CAA's decision to discontinue wrestling as a sponsored sport.  

CAA wrestling began in the 1991-1992 season, giving the conference 21 seasons of wrestling.  

Hofstra dominated winning 12 titles, including the last one in 2013.  

George Mason won 5 titles 

Virginia Tech & James Madison (another team we have lost) won 2 titles 

Binghamton and Old Dominion won one title  


Now for a look at the last individual champions of the final CAA tournament 

Steve Bonanno
Champion at 125 lbs 

Steve Bonanno enjoyed a successful career while wrestling for the Pride.  Making the CAA finals as a true freshman & as a redshirt sophomore, he won his first title as a junior.  That season he also earned All American status with an eighth place finish at the NCAA tournament.  His senior season of 2013, he'd cap off his illustrious career with a second CAA title, making him the final CAA 125 lbs champion. 

Jamie Franco
Champ at 133 lbs 

After taking runner-up honors at the CAA tournament as a sophomore, Franco would win the CAA title here as a junior.  As Hofstra moved to the EIWA for his final year of competition, he placed sixth at the EIWA tournament. 

Chris Mecate
Champion at 141 lbs 

One of the most successful wrestlers in Old Dominion history, Mecate showed immediate promise when he won a title at the final CAA tournament.  Moving to the MAC for his final three years of competition, Mecate would make the finals as a sophomore & junior, before adding a title to his resume as a senior in 2016.  Not only did Mecate end his career having won two titles in two different conferences, but he also made All American Status twice as well.  Sixth in 2015, he was fifth in 2016. 

Donnie Vinson
Champion at 149 lbs 

After making the CAA finals twice in 2010 & 2011, Vinson won his first CAA title in 2012.  He'd go on to have a miraculous run at the NCAA tournament, losing his first round match & coming back to finish an impressive third.  He'd add another CAA title to his resume in 2013, making him the final CAA 149 lbs champion. 

Nestor Taffur
Champion at 157 lbs 

I guess Avery Esdaile wasn't paying much if any attention when he announced Boston would be dropping it's wrestling program after the 2013-2014 season, due to a lack of success & what he foresaw as an inability to succeed.  Nestor Taffur ended his career as one of the most successful in Terrier wrestling history & he continued to represent what Boston wrestling was capable of producing as he won a Bronze Medal at the PAN-American championships post his collegiate career. 

In 2013, Taffur was a junior when he won the final CAA title at 157 lbs.  He'd go on to have a standout senior season becoming Boston's one & only EIWA champion & ending his career with 119 victories, the most in Boston wrestling history. 

 

Ramon Santiago
Champion at 165 lbs 

After runner-up & third place finishes as a freshman & sophomore, Santiago captured the CAA title as a junior at the final tournament.  Rider would then go on to compete in the MAC, where Santiago became the first Bronco to win a title.  (Connon Brennan would win a title at 174 lbs that season as well.) 

Billy Curling
Champion at 174 lbs 

I'll say the same thing about Curling here that I did when I wrote about Old Dominion a few weeks ago. He's a story of perseverance and never giving up on yourself.  A losing record as a freshman & a mediocre performance as a sophomore, Curling kept working hard & kept improving.  By his junior season he was a whole new man.  A man that would win the final CAA title at 174 lbs.  

As a senior Curling continued his success making the MAC finals. 

Cody Reed
Champion at 184 lbs 

Finishing in fourth place at the CAA's as a sophomore, Reed would win the title here as a junior.  He went on to make the EIWA finals as a senior in 2014. 

Brandon Palik
Champion at 197 lbs 

After finishing third & runner-up in two previous tournaments, Palik will forever hold the distinction of being the Dragon's final CAA champion in 2013.  As a senior in 2014, he took seventh at the EIWA championships earning his fourth NCAA qualification. 

Kevin Innis
Champion at HWT

After taking third place honors at the CAA tournament as a sophomore in 2012, Innis won what would be the final match in CAA wrestling history, taking the title at HWT.   Not sure if it was injuries or other reasons, but Innis did not compete for his final season of 2013-2014. 


------

And there you have it!  The final CAA tournament.  Another of many in wrestling that is now nothing more than memories. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Western Regional/Western Wrestling Conference

 Like the Eastern Regional, the Western Regional began in the 1972-1973 season.  Unlike the Eastern Regional that started off with twenty-two teams, the first tournament in the Western Regional saw only five teams compete.  Of these five teams, only one, Air Force remains today.  Portland State, Drake, Utah State & Central Washington have since discontinued their programs.  At this initial tournament, the champion advanced to the NCAA finals with a handful of runner-up's being granted wildcard entry. 

Over the years, many teams came & went, qualifying through the Western Regional.  

Of teams we still have to this day,  Northern Colorado, Cal Poly & Fresno State (did drop, but then reinstated) were among some that popped up over the years.  As representation became more consistent, Northern Iowa, Wyoming, North Dakota State, Utah Valley, Air Force & South Dakota State became more permanent fixtures. 

Among other teams that we no longer have that were once part of the Western Regional:  UC Santa Clara, San Jose State, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Southern Illinois Carbondale (which ironically also had years in the Eastern Regional), Eastern Illinois & Hawaii. 

I feel since it is such an oddity to a wrestling fan to know that the University of Hawaii had varsity wrestling, I should further comment.  

Hawaii also showed up a few times in PAC-12 results as well.  They were always in last place & usually with zero points, although a few years they had a point or two.  From what I have been able to gather, Hawaii usually only had a handful of duals per year.  I've found seasons where other teams are having a substantial amount of duals & Hawaii is only having between two & four.  I think at the time there team didn't wrestle much outside of the qualifying tournament.  The way I understand it, no team traveled to Hawaii to compete and Hawaii only came into the mainland for a week of duals in California once a year.  I could be wrong, but this is what my research has led me to. 

I'll probably catch Hell for not counting the Western Regional & the Western Wrestling Conference as two separate things.  To me, it was simply the Western Regional changing the name to the Western Wrestling Conference in the 2006-2007 season.  It was essentially the same teams & I know attending the WWC in Cedar Falls in 2012, many still referred to it as the Western Regional.  

Upon Northern Iowa wanting to branch out to compete in a tougher conference & the BIG 12 being in jeopardy of losing status as a wrestling conference, the Western Wrestling Conference held it's final tournament in 2015.  The next season most of the teams joined the BIG 12 (in wrestling only) in order to save BIG 12 wrestling.  

Here is what the final tournament looked like.  

125 Champion 
Josh Rodriguez 

A junior at the time, the next season of 2015-2016, Rodriguez would take a third place finish at the BIG 12 tournament. 

133 lbs Champion 
Jade Rauser 

Rauser had quite the notable career while wrestling for the Wolverines.  As a freshman in 2013 he became the first freshman in Utah Valley history to qualify for the NCAA Division I championships when he took fourth place at the Western Wrestling Conference.  After finishing as the WWC runner-up in 2014, he made history again by becoming the Wolverine's final WWC champion, earning the title at the final tournament in 2015.  If that wasn't enough for breaking records, Rauser would become the first four time NCAA qualifier in Utah Valley history when he took a third place finish at the BIG 12 tournament in 2016.  To top off what was already a great career, Rauser ended on a high note earning an eighth place All American finish at the NCAA tournament. 

141 lbs champion 
Mitch Bengston 

A champion as a freshman, unfortunately injuries would hamper the Bison for the remainder of his career.  Finishing in sixth place at the BIG 12's in 2016,  injury would keep him from competing in 2017. He ended the 2018 season with a record of 12-4. 

Clay Ream 
Champion at 149 lbs 

Another freshman champ for the Bison at the final WWC, Ream went on to qualify for the NCAA tournament the next three seasons.  After finishing third at the BIG 12's in 2016,  he made the BIG 12 finals in 2017 & 2018.  He graduated with a 4.0 GPA. 

157 lbs Champion 
Cody Pack 

Pack who had won the WWC title the season before, became a two time WWC champion in the final tournament.  With one more season of eligibility left, he took runner-up honors at the BIG 12 in 2016, finishing one match shy of All American status at the NCAA tournament.  He ended his career with 116 victories. 

Mitch Polkowske
165 lbs Champion 

It was quite the career for Polkowske at Northern Colorado.  After winning a WWC title in 2009, he would take the next three seasons off to go on a mission.  He returned in the 2012-2013 season but didn't fare as well.  In 2014, he placed fourth at the WWC.  It was here in 2015, that Polkowske returned to form earning his second WWC title & becoming the Bears final WWC champion. 

Kurtis Julson 
174 lbs Champion 

It was a significant day in the career of Kurtis Julson when he won the WWC title at 174 lbs.  Unable to compete in the WWC's as a freshman due to injury, Julson took a third place finish in 2013 & a runner-up finish in 2014.  It was only fitting he walked out champion in 2015.  To top off what was already an impressive resume, Julson would end his career with an eighth place finish at the NCAA tournament. 

Hayden Zillmer 
Champion at 184 lbs 

Zillmer's title in 2015 was his second, as he also won a WWC title in 2014.  He would go on to place sixth at the NCAA championships.  The next season in 2016, Zillmer made the BIG 12 finals.  Although he was unable to capture a second All American honor, he did finish in seventh place at Cliff Keen Las Vegas & third at the Midlands championships. 

Shane Woods
Champion 197 lbs 

Woods made history at the final WWC winning the Cowboys final (his third) title at 197 lbs.  

JJ Everard
Champion at HWT 

Competing for South Dakota State, Everard would transfer to Northern Iowa after winning the final WWC title at HWT.  Taking a redshirt in 2016, he'd return in 2017 to finish in eighth place at the Mid-American Conference tournament. 

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Eastern Regional

 To my knowledge the first Eastern Regional tournament took place in 1973.   Twenty-two teams participated with only the top three wrestlers being recognized per weight class & in some instances only the champion advancing to the NCAA tournament.  

Most of the teams that participated no long have wrestling.  

Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Virginia Tech & West Virginia the only teams that 47 years later still remain. 

Of those we have lost? 

Ball State, Cincinnati, Illinois State, Dayton, Indiana State, Duquesne, Eastern Kentucky, Marquette, George Washington, Georgia Tech, Marshall, Moorehead State (KY), Notre Dame, St Francis, Southern Illinois-Carbondale, Southwestern Louisiana, Virginia Commonwealth & Xavier have all since dropped. 

Matter of fact the dropping of wrestling programs throughout the years caused the Eastern Regional to look quite different throughout the years.   Teams came and teams went.  Sometimes due to the discontinuation of wrestling & sometimes due to switching conferences.  

Clarion, Lock Haven, Penn State, Shippensburg, & George Mason among teams we still have.  

Slippery Rock, among those we hope to soon be reinstated.

Tampa, Fairleigh Dickinson, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T, UW-Milwaukee, Indiana of Pennsylvania, Richmond, Old Dominion, William & Mary, James Madison, Delaware & Eastern Carolina among more teams that we've lost.  I'm pretty sure that Central Florida in their one and only season in NCAA Division I, they participated in the East Regional. 

Towards the end of the last years of the East Regional it had dwindled down to a little more than a handful of teams. 

After the 2008-2009 season Delaware State, which crowned Matt Cathell a champion at 149 lbs dropped their wrestling program, leaving the East Regional with only six remaining teams.  

After the 2009-2010 season Duquesne dropped their wrestling program. 

Then in 2011, Millersville announced a decision to drop to NCAA Division II status as Liberty who had just won their fifth team title in a row announced they were dropping wrestling as a varsity sport.  

That was the end of the East Regional.  

38 tournaments and that was the end of it. 

Gardner Webb & Campbell found homes in the Southern Conference. 

It was an historic day. 

Robert Jillard
125 lbs champion 

Robert Jillard of Liberty took the title at 125 lbs.  A talented freshman not ready to give up his dreams of wrestling Division I, he'd spend the remainder of his career wrestling for Northern Illinois.  As a sophomore he had a decent showing, including a third place finish at the MAC tournament but he was not selected as a wildcard.  As a junior he finished fourth in the MAC, but again was not selected as a Wildcard.  His senior season, he put together a more impressive season-resume & his fourth place finish at the MAC was awarded a wildcard bid to the NCAA tournament.  

Thomas Mitchell
Champion at 133 lbs

Mitchell was a junior wrestling for the Flames of Liberty when he captured what would be the final Eastern Regional title won at 133 lbs.  I believe he may have decided not to wrestle his final year of eligibility, but I'm not for certain on that. 

Mike Greck
Champion at 141 lbs 

It was a day of pay off and reward for the Millersville grappler.  A career plagued by injuries & bad luck, perseverance & never giving up on himself finally paid off for the Marauder in his final Eastern Regional. He wrestled one of the best tournaments of his collegiate career & ended on a note that saw him the final E.R. champion & the final NCAA Division I qualifier that Millersville produced. 

The Medved Brothers 
Champs at 149 & 157 lbs 

It was pretty cool when freshman brothers Ryan & Alex Medved won back to back titles at 149 & 157 lbs for the runnin' bulldogs.  I mean to keep up with as many as I can when I watch wrestling but I regret to inform that I lost track of them after this season.  If memory serves me correct I think one of them ended up having a severe injury the next season.  

Chad Porter
Champion at 165 lbs 

It was an extremely significant day in the life of Chad Porter.   He won his fourth Eastern Regional title & as a result of it being the final tournament, he'll forever be cemented in the history of Liberty wrestling as the only four time Eastern Regional champion in history. 

Royal Brettrager
Champ at 174 lbs 

Brettrager a freshman at the time he won the Eastern Regional title decided to remain at Liberty & be one of their most successful stars on their club team.  He'd go on to earn three NCWA All American honors for the Flames the next three seasons. 

Jonathan Velazquez
Champ at 184 lbs 

Velazquez remained competing for Gardner Webb as he finished in third place at the 2012 Southern Conference tournament. 

Travis Porter
Champ at 197 lbs 

I believe Porter was a sophomore at the time he won the Eastern Regional title for the runnin' bulldogs.   I'm not for certain on that though & I"m not sure what became of him in his remaining two years of eligibility. 

Parker Burns
Champion at HWT

Before Cary Kolat took over & made Campbell into a Southern Conference powerhouse the highlights of Camels wrestling were few and far between.  One of their most successful wrestlers was Parker Burns who after finishing at the Eastern Regional runner-up in 2009, won titles his final two seasons of 2010 & 2011.  


Liberty with four champions
Gardner Webb with four champions
Millersville with one champion 
Campbell with one champion 

And that was your final Eastern Regional. 

A Shortened Season May Not Be Such A Bad Thing

 The BIG 10 recently announced that what would other wise be a 13 game season will be condensed down to an 8 game season (plus playoffs) because of Covid-19 for football.  The EIWA has already made plans to start competition on January 1st, a full two months later than the normal start date of November 3rd.  One can imagine that the other conferences in wrestling will follow in suit. 

This will accumulate to about eight to ten less duals per team & most likely will cancel all of the beginning of the season opens.  Cliff Keen Las Vegas, Reno, The Midlands & the Southern Scuffle all pushed back, thus possibly shortening the dual season even more.  This is all speculation at this point, trying to figure out how the 2020-2021 season will shape up.  

Regardless of how it is handled, one thing is for sure, the season will be shortened. 

Many are upset about this & one would figure as passionate as I am about the sport, I'd be one of them. In a way I am.  I love the sport & love following it.  November through March is an enjoyable time of the year for me.  Yet, there's also something I'm well aware of, that appeals to me about a shortened season. 

Collegiate wrestling is a grind.  We romanticize the sport as if the only thing that stands between you & what will either be ultimate success or failure is your work ethic.  Truth is there is a lot more to your success than how much you put in to it. Other factors that are equally as important that we often blatantly overlook. Health being one of them. 

If you pay attention to collegiate wrestling as closely as I do, one thing is undeniable about the NCAA tournament.  At the end of the year we are not always seeing the best eight guys per weight class on the award stand.  A lot of times what we're seeing is the healthiest.   Those among the elite who were able to avoid the knee or the elbow or the shoulder or the back injuries that kept them from wrestling at their best.   

Injuries still happened back when the season was shorter years ago & still will happen with a shortened season this year.  It won't completely obliterate them.  However, it will lessen them.  I can safely predict that 2020-2021 will see the least amount of injuries within many seasons.  

That's important because there have been way too many careers in collegiate wrestling that didn't pan out as good as they should have because of injuries.  Unfortunate, disappointing ends to careers that would have otherwise been rewarding and successful.  Wrestlers, wrestling a 1/5 as good as they should because of an injury.  

As I've watched a number of wrestlers in this predicament, I have often racked my brain as to what could be done to prevent such injuries? 

Better, smarter training? A deeper dive into Sports medicine studies?  

This no doubt will help.  

New rules & an emphasis within officiating to look for & stop more potentially dangerous positions?  

In collegiate wrestling matches, situations & positions often occur that put the elbow & knee joints in vicarious predicaments.  Shoulders & back muscles often become torqued & injured as well.  Not that I necessarily want to put even more pressure upon what is often a thankless job, but I wonder if officials could do more through a reevaluation of rules to prevent injuries.  I have no doubt of the negative backlash from fans that already feel that wrestling is restrictive enough as it is.  I am not blind to that. I simply want to think through and discuss options to keep our athletes healthy. 

Which is why I bring up the third option of a shortened season, which we will have in 2020-2021 any way.   

Is this the answer to keeping a majority of our wrestlers healthy?  

If you need examples of careers cut short or ending on a sour note do to injury, I have plenty.   I can think of fifteen off of the top of my head & I'll share four of the most notable for the end of this article. 

Troy Letters of Lehigh 

Letters took the wrestling world by storm his first three seasons of collegiate wrestling.  Winning three EIWA titles, he made the NCAA finals as a freshman, winning a title as a sophomore & finishing in third place as a junior.   By his senior year, he had severely injured his neck.  This caused him to miss a majority of the season, finish in fourth place at the EIWA's & go 1-2 at the NCAA tournament.  

Was a nearly sixth month season with 40+ matches per year to blame?  Would a shortened season have had a positive impact?  A fourth EIWA title? A second NCAA? 

Matt McDonough of Iowa 

Even though it ended on a sad note, many fans, including those who are not Hawkeye fans still concur that Matt McDonough is one of the best 125 lbs'ers of all time.  An NCAA champion as a freshman & as a junior, he finished as the NCAA runner-up in his sophomore season. 

Unfortunately a back injury got the best of him his senior year.  While he still wrestled competitively, it was more than apparent in seeing his matches that he wasn't nearly as effective as he had been in prior seasons.  The back injury severely limited his mobility & kept him from executing his normal techniques.  

While still having a respectable BIG 10 tournament, at the NCAA's the back injury caught up with him.  He lost in the quarter-finals & then in the R12 match he lost to a wrestler that he had pinned twice previously.  Had it not been for the back injury, both of those matches most likely would have resulted in victory. 

Would a shortened season have prevented that back injury for McDonough? 

Josh Kindig of Oklahoma State 

Kindig made the NCAA finals as a junior in 2014 where he lost in over-time.  As a senior in 2015, he was 13-1 when he sustained an injury that would eventually end his career.  He sat out nearly an entire month, forfeiting all matches at the BIG 12's & going 0-2 at the NCAA tournament.  

That season Drake Houdashelt of Missouri won the NCAA title. He had one loss on the entire season & that was to Kindig. 

Would a shortened season have favored Kindig? 

Mike Pucillo of Ohio State 

The former Buckeye had a great first three years of his career.  After a sixth place finish at the NCAA's as a freshman he won the NCAA title as a sophomore & finished as the NCAA runner-up as a junior.  This also included a BIG 10 title.

His senior year he suffered an injury to his hand that prevented him from using it.  At the NCAA tournament he lost two matches that he otherwise would have won.  

Can't help but wonder if a shortened season would have been beneficial. 


Are there more?  Absolutely.  Tons more examples.  Jesse Delgado of Illinois, Roger Kish of Minnesota, I could go on forever.  


And maybe a shortened season isn't the answer here.  Maybe something else is.  I provided other suggestions, maybe there are some I haven't thought of yet.  

I'd hate to think that the overall consensus is, "injuries are a part of the sport, deal with & accept it."  

I would like to think that we're above that barbaric response & that we care more about our athletes & their health. 

Not sure if a shortened season is the answer here or not, but I do think it is worth the discussion.  

The Battle For Varsity: 26 Wrestle-Offs to Look Forward to in 2020-2021

 The anticipation is driving me crazy!  Are we or are we not going to have a wrestling season this year?  I think we will, but waiting for a definitive answer is doing works on my anxiety.  I want an answer & I want to know how exactly the season will shape up.  As I sit and wait in anticipation, I see that if indeed we do have wrestling in 2020-2021, we'll see some great wrestling in the fight for varsity positions right off the bat. 

Here are 26 wrestle-offs to look forward to this season

Iowa
184 lbs 
Abe Assad Vs Nelson Brands 

On paper this one seems to be in the bag for Assad.  The young Hawkeye knocked out three time NCAA qualifier Cash Wilcke for the starting position last season & then defeated two of the wrestlers that Nelson Brands lost to.  Yet a lot can happen in a year.  It's difficult to believe that Terry Brands is doing anything less than all he can to train Nelson to earn the varsity position.  Either way, the Hawkeyes look to have an All American that will contribute to what could be an NCAA Division I national team title.  It's a shame there isn't room for both in the lineup. 

Michigan 
141 lbs 
Joey Silva Vs Drew Mattin 

A lot of wrestling fans are excited to see what Joey Silva can do on the mat & I'm one of them. However, I think it is foolish to overlook Drew Mattin in this wrestle-off.  Mattin may not have the interest that the young Silva has, but he's anything but a pushover.  He's a two time NCAA qualifier at 125 lbs & he had a great showing at CKLV two seasons ago.  Mattin's had a year at 141, while it'll be a new experience for Silva. The adjustment alone could make the difference. 

North Carolina State 
149 lbs 
A.J. Leitten Vs Matt Grippi 

No doubt about it, this one is going to be a barnburner.  Two guys of great talent & I highly doubt that this one is a said and done deal with one match. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see these two split time throughout the season & put into serious question within a week of the ACC tournament who will be the starter.  Leitten edged Grippi at last year's Battle at the Citadel 3-2.  Look for all of their matches to be close. 

Iowa State 
133 lbs
Austin Gomez Vs Todd Small 

Out with an injury last season, Todd Small did a great job of filling in for Austin Gomez in the Cyclone lineup. As to common opponents & how the match will play out on paper, this one looks to easily be in the hands of Gomez.  However Small was an NCAA qualifier last season & could give Gomez a better match than expected. 

Northwestern
133 lbs
Michael DeAugustino Vs Colin Valdiviez 

Eight pounds of muscle is a lot to pack on in the world of NCAA Division I wrestling, especially at the lower weight classes. The move from 125 lbs to 133 lbs can & often is a huge jump for a wrestler at this level.  On paper I think a lot of fans are already counting DeAugustino as the 2020-2021 starter for the Wildcats, but I think Valdiviez will give him a Hell of a run for his money.   Thus far in his career he's been an NCAA qualifier & more notably he's out wrestled his seed at the past three Midland's championships earn his way onto the award stand.  He was sixth as a redshirt, placing seventh in his freshman & sophomore seasons.  I look for this wrestle-off to be better than anticipated. 

Ohio State
157 lbs 
Elijah Cleary Vs Quinn Kinner 

The war to wear the Scarlet & Grey of Ohio State at 157 lbs will most likely take place throughout various battles this season between Elijah Cleary and Quinn Kinner.  These guys are neck & neck on the mat with similar styles & attributes.  Clearly edged Kinner in a tight 4-2 decision at least year's Mat Town.  

Ohio State
165 lbs 
Carson Kharchla Vs Ethan Smith 

Kharchla is one to rack up points & win by significant margins while Smith is more of a defensive wrestler who doesn't mind winning by a point or two as long as he gets his hand raised at the end. On paper it would seem that Kharchla has the upper hand due to this reason.  Yet Smith can be exceptionally tough when he wants to be & he can prove himself difficult to score upon.  He's been the varsity starter/NCAA qualifier the past two seasons. He'll do anything but give that position up easily. 

Ohio State
HWT
Gary Traub Vs Tate Orndorff

A transfer from Utah Valley, Tate Orndorff is being brought into Columbus, Ohio to move the Buckeyes up in the rankings & help them to place higher in both the BIG 10's & the NCAA's than what they would have without his assistance. With that said, the last person Orndorff wants to overlook this season is  Traub.  While this should be a victory for Orndorff, Traub has pulled off upsets in the past.  Most notably Seth Nevills of Penn State. 

Virginia Tech
125 lbs 
Sam Latona Vs Joey Prata 

It seems whenever anyone has plans to overlook, write-off or forget about Joey Prata he more than shows up to be seen & remembered.   His entire career thus far as a Hokie has been "not supposed to" but yet he has.  The varsity spot is far from Latona's.  He'll have to earn it. 

Stanford
149 lbs 
Jaden Abas Vs Requir Van Der Merwe 

Do I believe that Abas has the talent & ability to be an NCAA champion for the Cardinal?  Yes, I do.  He's extremely gifted & it what unfortunately could be the final year of Stanford wrestling, I do believe he could win a national title.  With that said, I think one of his greatest test will come at the beginning of the season in his own wrestling room against teammate Requir Van Der Merwe.   When comparing the two, Abas easily handled Lane Stigall 10-4 while RVDM lost 8-2.  Yet against Matt Grippi, Abas lost 8-3, while RVDM won 10-3.   This will be an interesting match-up. 

Lehigh
149 lbs
Jimmy Hoffman Vs Luke Karam

This is a rather unique situation.  Against common opponents, Karam has fared better than Hoffman but in head to head competition it was Hoffman who edged Karam 1-0 when the two met at least year's Wilkes Open.  As with some of the other wrestle-offs I've already mentioned, this one most likely won't be settled till shortly before the EIWA tournament. 

Missouri
125 lbs 
Cam Valdiviez Vs Dack Punke 

Based on common opponents & how things will play out on paper, this one looks to be in the bag for Valdiviez but as dangerous as Punke can be, this one isn't over until the buzzer sounds.  Punke is what some refer to as a "under the lights" wrestler who when placed under the right conditions can perform better than expectation.  

Cornell
149 lbs
Yianni Diakomihalis Vs Hunter Richard

I'm not kidding myself here. I don't think Richard stands much of a chance at pulling off the biggest upset of the start of the 2020-2021 season by knocking off Diakomilhalis for the starting position of the Big Red.  Yet I feel he'll give Diakomihalis a better match than anyone wants to currently dare dream. He won't lay down and just let Diakomihalis have the spot.  He took Matt Kolodzik to a 4-3 match last season & he'll make Diakomihalis earn every point he puts on the board. 

Cornell 
157 lbs 
Colton Yapoujian Vs Adam Santoro 

Truth to be known I'd like to add Fredy Stroker into this equation, but I think that ship has already sailed.  While I'd love to realistically believe Stroker has a legit shot in his final year of eligibility at this point I conclude it is nothing more than wishful thinking.  The battle at 157 lbs for the Big Red will be between Colton Yapoujian & Adam Santoro.  Last season Yapoujian defeated Santoro in a decisive 10-5 decision. Yet two seasons ago, it was Santoro who came out victorious 5-1.  

Cornell
184 lbs
Max Dean Vs Jonathan Loew 

Much like the situation at 149 lbs, their is a clear favorite here.  2019 NCAA finalist Max Dean returns off of a redshirt to reclaim his position at 184 lbs.  Standing in his way is Jonathan Loew.  Loew was a 26 match winner last season, qualifying for the NCAA's with many notable wins. One of which was 16-10 over Dylan Wisman, who owns a 7-6 victory over Dean. 

Rutgers
125 lbs
Nick Suriano vs Nic Aguilar 

In route to a third NCAA finals appearance & a second NCAA title it is difficult to imagine anyone standing in the way of Nick Suriano as he moves back down to the 125 lbs weight class.  However, he will indeed have competition & one of those in line will be teammate Nic Aguilar.  I see a major decision in favor of Suriano, but Aguilar should be noted as one of the best backups in the country. 

Northern Iowa
125 lbs
Brody Teske Vs Kyle Biscoglia 

As much parity as their is in collegiate wrestling, I know better than to put to much stock into one common opponent.  Teske lost 6-0 to Drew Hildebrandt, while Biscoglia defeated Hildebrandt 2-0.  The old saying, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch" applies here as I think some are already looking forward to Teske being the starter in his new home.  I don't think it'll be that easy. If anything I give the nod to Biscoglia. 

Virginia 
165 lbs
Cam Coy Vs Jake Keating 

Ironically enough both Coy & Keating have both defeated Ben Anderson & both have lost to Ben Anderson for whatever that is worth. This one is a toss up. 

Navy
125 lbs 
Logan Treaster Vs Aslan Kilic 

Under the new leadership of Cary Kolat it won't take long before Navy is in the hunt for the EIWA team title.  He took Campbell from a team that few mentioned or discussed & made them into a Southern Conference powerhouse. It's only a matter of time before he does the same at Navy. 

Among his squad are some talented wrestlers fighting it out for the varsity position.  125 lbs will be between Logan Treaster and Aslan Kilic.  Kilic took seventh at the Southern Scuffle two seasons ago & Treaster placed fourth last year. 

Navy
133 lbs
Casey Cobb Vs Jacob Allen 

Another fight for the varsity position at Navy will be at 133 lbs between Casey Cobb & Jacob Allen.  The odds are in favor for Cobb who has increasingly gotten better every season.  With that said Allen will still give him a good fight for the spot.  

165 lbs
Ohio
Colt Yinger Vs Nick Vestal 

For the past couple of seasons I have felt that Nick Vestal would be an NCAA qualifier but he's always been in a fight for the varsity position.  Last season he was in a fight for the 157 lbs position with Zac Carson & this season he'll be duking it out with Colt Yinger.  Whoever wins this match should be an NCAA qualifier this season. 

Lock Haven
125 lbs
Luke Werner Vs TyShawn White 

Werner had a standout season last year for the Eagles going 30-5 & despite getting upset in the quarter-finals, coming back to take a very strong third place finish at the MAC.  He's more than capable of winning a conference title this season, but his stiffest competition looks to be from Clarion transfer TyShawn White.  Werner lost to Jake Ferri twice by decisions of 5-3 & 9-5 while White manhandled Ferri 18-9.  Werner dropped a 10-6 decision to Eric Bartos, while White destroyed him 16-5.  These lopsided margins don't always tell the whole story in collegiate wrestling, but they do provide substance.  It's a shame that Cole Manley at 133 lbs wasn't big enough for 141 & that one of these two guys wasn't big enough for 133.  With that type of talent in the room, it's difficult to accept that one of these guys is gonna sit. 

Army
197 lbs
Bennett Paulson Vs J.T. Brown 

For the past three years these guys have been going back and forth on the mat & this season will be no different.  Bennett owns 14-5 & 13-8 victories over Brown, while Brown owns 7-5, 6-4 & 3-1 sudden victory decisions over Bennett.  Both of these guys will contend for medals at the Midlands championships & either is capable of being an EIWA finalist. 

Army
HWT
Ben Sullivan Vs Bobby Heald 

Another great wrestle-off that will take place in West Point will be at HWT between Ben Sullivan and Bobby Heald.  Heald fared better at the Midlands placing eighth to Sullivans 2-2 record. Yet come EIWA's, it was Sullivan who started for the Black Knights.  In head to head competition Sullivan defeated Heald 2-0 at the Patriot Open.  This one will be decided throughout the season. 

Fresno State
174 lbs
Jackson Hemauer Vs Brandon Martino 

An NCAA qualifier in 2019, Jackson Hemauer looks to claim a second NCAA qualification in 2021, but first he'll have to claim the varsity position at 174 lbs for the Bulldogs.  Standing in his way will be Brandon Martino.  Look for a tight match that will be decided by a point or two. 

Air Force
125 lbs
Cody Phippen Vs Sidney Flores 

Last season Sidney Flores started off strong making an assortment of statements.  He won the Wyoming Open with a solid victory over Jace Koelzer & then finished as the runner-up at the Appalachian State open.   He looked poised to wrestle well at the BIG 12 championships & earn an NCAA qualification.  Yet when the BIG 12's came around, Flores was nowhere to be found & in his place was Cody Phippen who had yet to wrestle a match on the season. 

Despite not wrestling since March of 2019, Phippen came out of nowhere to defeat Jay Schwarm of Northern Iowa 4-2 in the first round & Christian Moody of Oklahoma 10-3 in the quarter-finals.  He'd lose in the semi-finals & then drop a 5-4 match to Schwarm.  He'd end his day with a 2-0 victory over McGwire Midkiff.   

That's how good Phippen wrestled only wrestling five matches last season.  It makes one wonder how good he'll be with more experience. 

Can he knock Flores out for the starting spot?  Time will tell.