Monday, September 13, 2021

2022: The Preseason: Harvard Crimson

 At one time the Harvard Crimson had a very respectable wrestling program.  From the 2001-2002 season through the 2011-2012 season a period of 11 years Harvard produced 14 All Americans and 2 National Champions. Since that time they have yet to put another wrestler back on the award stand at the NCAA's and they have had two seasons (2015 & 2019) in the past 7 seasons where they didn't even qualify a wrestler to the national tournament. (Not counting 2021, because it wasn't their fault the Ivy League decided not to participate.)  I've been wondering for a while now, "When is Harvard wrestling going to get out of the slump they're in, and make a comeback?" 

You gotta start somewhere, and I think somewhere is 2021-2022.  I can see Harvard having up to 4 NCAA qualifiers and I think 2 of them stand a real shot at All American honors.  Within the EIWA, I think one has a shot at a title and another a very good shot at runner-up honors. 

141
Michael Jaffe
Junior
Record: 19-17
EIWA: 20'8th
MIDLANDS: 20'R12 

Going out on a limb here, but if the EIWA has enough allocations at 141, I can see Jaffe being the type to come in and steal a spot. I'm not giving it a high probability but I am giving it a chance. 

149
A.J. Jaffe
Senior
Record: 55-28
EIWA: 17'7th, 18'5th

I actually think that Jaffe stands a rather good shot at NCAA qualification this season and honestly had Harvard participated in NCAA wrestling last year, I think he would have qualified last season as well. Jaffe owns some impressive victories thus far in his career including a 3-2 win over P.J. Ogunsanya of Army and a 16-4 major decision over Jimmy Hoffman of Lehigh. 

165
Philip Conigliaro
Junior
Record: 33-8
NCAA: 20'NQ
EIWA: 20'3rd


Conigliaro stands a very good shot at winning an EIWA conference title for the Crimson this season. His toughest competition will be Zach Hartman of Bucknell who he is 1-1 with.  He defeated Hartman 7-3 & then lost to him in sudden victory.  Should prove to be an exciting finals. With that said, Conigliaro is a legitimate threat to AA as well. 

HWT
Yaraslau Slavilouski 
Junior
Record: 30-8
NCAA: 20'NQ
EIWA: 20'2nd
CKLV: 20'R12
MIDLANDS: 20'4th 

Other than Jordan Wood of Lehigh, there isn't anyone in the EIWA that Slavilouski hasn't beaten or can't beat. Earning a second EIWA runner-up finish should be no problem for the native of Belarus. Like Conigliaro, he is a legitimate threat to AA. 

=== 

125 - DNQ
133 - DNQ
141 - Giving it a chance of NQ
149 - NQ
157 - DNQ
165 - All American
174 - DNQ
184 - DNQ
197 - DNQ
HWT - All American

May not look like much on paper, but honestly 4 qualifiers and 2 All Americans would be a great start in revamping the Crimson wrestling program.  I would love to see Harvard get to the status that they were from 2002 through 2012, where they were producing at least one All American every season. 










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