*NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not. What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s. In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season. Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.
This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.”
Eligibility expiration took a ton of talent from the Wolverines last year. I still think they are capable of qualifying 10 to the NCAA championships this season, but we're talking some extremely good wrestlers whose final season was last. National champion Nick Suriano, who also won a national title before coming to Michigan as well as a NCAA runner-up finish. Logan Massa who was 3rd in the nation as a freshman & then finished up with back to back 5th place finishes in 21' & 22'. Also a two time BIG 10 finalist. Stevan Micic, who despite not placing this past season was 4th-2nd-3rd in previous NCAA tournaments. Kanen Storr a three time NCAA qualifier. Pat Brucki, a transfer who had won an EIWA title, as well as a Midlands title, 4th in the NCAA in 2019, 3rd in the BIG 10's last season. Then of course Myles Amine who puts himself somewhere on the list of the greatest of all time to never win an NCAA title. 4th-3rd-3rd-3rd-2nd in the NCAA, he was a five time BIG 10 finalist winning titles in 21' & 22'. Not to mention a CKLV champion & an Olympic Bronze Medalist in 2020.
The Wolverines remain as far as I'm concerned historically, statistically & in terms of credentials and accolades, the best team in all of NCAA Division I wrestling yet to win a team title. I wonder if they ever will. It seems that they are often in a position where they hold the Ace, the Kings & The Queens, but now matter how good of a hand they lay down, Penn State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Ohio State or someone else always has one better. They aren't challenging for the team title this season, but I do think they have some very good kids on their team & we should continue to see good things out of them.
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| 125 lbs Jack Medley |
Senior Jack Medley returns to the varsity lineup after earning NCAA qualification in 2020. He was 12-4 on the season last year & maybe it's not so much his wins as it is his losses that help to indicate the type of season he might have. He kept two time All American Brandon Courtney of Arizona State to a one point decision & he wrestled Princeton's Pat Glory to a 4-2 decision. These are both guys that many think are the forerunners to meet Spencer Lee in the NCAA finals. He was 4th at the CKLV.
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| 133 lbs Dylan Ragusin |
The future is very bright for this young Wolverine. A two time NCAA qualifier, he was one match shy of All American honors this past season. 24-8 on the season, he was 3rd in the BIG 10 & he won a CKLV title. He'll be one of the maize & blue's top stars in the years to come.
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| 141 lbs Cole Mattin |
Injuries led to a shortened season for Cole Mattin this past year, but among the victories he did have, a 3:21 fall over Purdue's Parker Filius stands out. He was 4th at the CKLV.
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| 149 lbs Chance Lamer |
Chance Lamer steps into the role of varsity, as he posted a 17-2 record as a redshirt this past season. Indications that he will do just fine as a freshman this season include an 8-6 victory over Indiana's Graham Rooks & taking two time MAC finalist Marcus Robinson of Cleveland State down in a 10-7 decision.
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| 157 lbs Will Lewan |
21-7 on the season, Will Lewan earned his first All American honor with a 5th place finish at the NCAA championships. A runner-up at the BIG 10's, he was also 4th at the CKLV.
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| 165 lbs Cam Amine |
"You shall show no mercy, nor have any belief in the ways others judge you for your greatness shall silence them all" - Warrior Hellwig. If anyone encompasses that advice it is Cam Amine. He has silenced his critics & put to bed all of his doubters. After a 3rd place BIG 10 & 7th place NCAA showing in 2021, many of us questioned if we were seeing things to come, or if he simply had a miracle one hit wonder run. We got our answer last season. This time he makes the BIG 10 finals & earns a 4th place finish at the NCAA's. Is he NCAA champion material? Some might scoff at the idea as of 9-5-22(that's when this was written), but by 3-18-23, they might be whistling a different tune.
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| 174 lbs Max Maylor |
Junior Max Maylor has patiently awaited his opportunity to start for the Wolverines & it'll be interesting to see what he is capable of. Personally I want to see more of him before making up my mind too much but victories over Albert Urias of CSU Bakersfield & Jackson Turley of Rutgers heed reason to be optimistic.
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| 184 lbs Matt Finesilver |
Heart breaks a little for Duke over this ordeal but in the same light happy to see Michigan quickly fill the gap that was left with the graduation of both Myles Amine & Jelani Embree. Finesilver is a three time NCAA qualifier, who owns three medals from the Southern Scuffle. This is his last opportunity to be an All American. He has the tools & the abilities in what will be an incredibly competitive weight class.
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| 197 lbs Bobby Striggow |
Will Bobby Striggow prove himself to be a top 33 wrestler by season's end? I think it's possible. From where I sit right now, I can see the BIG 10 allotting 11 spots come conference championship time & a win here & there, Striggow's in the NCAA championships. While I'm very confident in the Wolverines going 9/10 in NCAA qualification, 197 is the one weight I currently question.
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| HWT Mason Parris |
With Gable Steveson of Minnesota now out of the way, the race for an NCAA title will be among some very talented HWTs & Mason Parris is one of them. At 93 career wins, he'll easily surpass 100 as he heads into his senior season of competition. Thus far he's been 2nd & 5th at the NCAA's, also a two time BIG 10 finalist. The answers he has to find this season are how to overcome Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet & Arizona State's Cohlton Schultz. If he can beat those two, an NCAA title is within his grasp.
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