141 lbs in NCAA Division II has been quite the weight class the past couple of seasons. A lot of wrestlers stepping up their game & turning their careers around for the better. Anxious to see if '23-'24 reflects that remark & continues the tradition. Lot's of opportunity for wrestlers to make their mark & become somebodies.
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| Christian Small Lake Erie |
The 2023 Johnnythompsonnum1 Sportsmanship Award Winner returns for his junior season after taking runner-up honors at both the Super Region III & the NCAA Division III championships. Also a two time Midwest Classic place-winner with finishes of 6th & 3rd, he posted a 26-3 record last year. He will look to win all three tournaments this season.
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| Zeth Brower Lander |
There to stand in Small's way will be Zeth Brower, the 2022 NCAA Division II champion who finished 5th this past season. 33-2 on the year, he won both the Midwest Classic & the Super Region II. He had a first period fall over Small at 2:59.
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| John Carayiannis Belmont Abbey |
John Carayiannis goes into his junior season of competition now a two time NCAA Division II All American. 8th in 2022, he was 6th this past season. He posted a 15-7 record.
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| Jake Niffenegger Mercyhurst |
Only a sophomore, Jake Niffenegger posted a 24-9 record last season winning the Super Region I & placing 7th in the D2 nation.
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| Nick James Nebraska-Kearney |
An All American in '21 (7th) & '22 (5th), Nick James narrowly missed out on AA #3 last season when he finished R12. A Super Region VI champ in 2022, he was 3rd in the region this past season. He will look to claim that third All American honor & win another region title this year. Behind him in the lineup will be a very tough Daniel DeRosier. 21 wins on the season, he had a 4-2 decision over DII qualifier Grayston DiBlasi.
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| Cayden Henschel UW-Parkside |
He has his fans & he has his critics. Either way, in the world of NCAA Division II wrestling, Cayden Henschel is one of the most well known figures. 27-5 on the season, he won both the Pointer Open & the Super Region V. Things didn't quite end the way he wanted them to as he finished one match shy of All American honors at the DII championships. He was 8th at the Midwest Classic.
A Super Region I Runner-up, Jimmy Ryan finished one match shy of NCAA DII All American honors last year. On the season he had an 8-6 s.v. over Jake Niffenegger.
Talk about a guy who came into the Super Region VI mentally prepared. Dean Noble who was 5th at the Super Region VI in 2022, came in & avenged two of his regular season losses to win the Super Region VI this past year. This included majoring Nick James, who has otherwise won every other encounter with Noble. Just goes to show that anything can happen on any given day.
Here's another inspirational story from last season. Ethan Hardy started off the year with an 0-5 record, but then really turned things around & by Super Region III time finished 3rd to qualify for the DII championships. Ended the season 19-11.
We saw him compete for a week in early February & then he didn't reappear again until Super Region V. Disappearing & reappearing wasn't his only act of magic, as he ran through the competition to a runner-up finish to qualify for DII nationals.
14 wins on the season, Josh Blatt finished as the Super Region II runner-up & one match shy of All American honors.
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| Jimmy Ryan Gannon |
A Super Region I Runner-up, Jimmy Ryan finished one match shy of NCAA DII All American honors last year. On the season he had an 8-6 s.v. over Jake Niffenegger.
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| Dean Noble Western Colorado |
Talk about a guy who came into the Super Region VI mentally prepared. Dean Noble who was 5th at the Super Region VI in 2022, came in & avenged two of his regular season losses to win the Super Region VI this past year. This included majoring Nick James, who has otherwise won every other encounter with Noble. Just goes to show that anything can happen on any given day.
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| Ethan Hardy Glenville State |
Here's another inspirational story from last season. Ethan Hardy started off the year with an 0-5 record, but then really turned things around & by Super Region III time finished 3rd to qualify for the DII championships. Ended the season 19-11.
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| Hunter Burnett Augustana (SD) |
We saw him compete for a week in early February & then he didn't reappear again until Super Region V. Disappearing & reappearing wasn't his only act of magic, as he ran through the competition to a runner-up finish to qualify for DII nationals.
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| Josh Blatt Newberry |
14 wins on the season, Josh Blatt finished as the Super Region II runner-up & one match shy of All American honors.
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| Grayston DiBlasi Colorado School of Mines |
Like I recently said about Weston & as I always said about Colston, there is never a dull moment when a Diblasi is on the mat. The two time NCAA DII qualifier thus far has Super Region VI finishes of 3rd & 2nd, as he took 7th place honors at last year's Midwest Classic. 29-7 on the year.
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| Caleb Morris Pittsburgh-Johnstown |
A Super Region I champion in 2022, Caleb Morris was 3rd this past season. He goes into his final season having posted a 19-7 record last year.
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| Ray Rioux Indianapolis |
An NCAA DII qualifier, Ray Rioux now has 5th & 3rd place Super Region IV finishes under his belt. 23 wins on the season, two of them were against DII All American Jake Niffenegger by scores of 5-2 & 1-0. He will be backed by or perhaps even challenged by a very tough Brayden Lowery. 6-1 on the season Vs DII competition, he scored a 5:48 fall over Khyvon Grace.
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| Alyeus Craig St Cloud State |
23-5 on the season, Alyeus Craig finished one match shy of NCAA DII qualification when he finished 4th at Super Region V. Winning both the Dakota Wesleyan Open as well as the Yellow Jacket Open, Craig defeated Super Region VI champ Dean Noble 17-0 technical fall & DII All American Jake Niffenegger 6-0.
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| Hayden Waddell Mount Olive |
Hayden Waddell finished one match shy of NCAA DII qualification with a 4th place finish at Super Region II.
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| Mar-Trece Smith Quincy |
Mar-Trece Smith filled in for the Hawks at various weights last season, including 133 & 149. By season's end he nearly qualified for the NCAA DII Championships with a 4th place finish at the Super Region IV.
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| Michael Atencio CSU-Pueblo |
Michael Atencio came up one match short of NCAA DII qualification with a 4th place finish at the Super Region VI.
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| Khyvon Grace West Liberty |
31-9 on the season, Khyvon Grace finished one match shy of DII qualification with a 4th place finish at Super Region III. On the season he had a win over qualifier Ethan Hardy with a 3-1 decision.
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| Gabe Adams Kentucky Wesleyan |
17-9 on the season Gabe Adams finished 5th at the Super Region IV. He had a 25-8 technical fall over Super Region VI champ Dean Noble.
And yet another story of inspiration. Brock Luthens started off the season with a 5-7 record & ended on a 22-8 record. He was 5th at Super Region V.
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2022 with a 2nd place finish at Super Region VI, last season Ethan Leake was 5th. Also 3rd at the UNK-Hospitality Open he had both a 4-3 win over Dean Noble & a 6-4 s.v. over Grayston DiBlasi.
12-9 on the season, Tim Uhler was 5th in the Super Region I.
10 wins on the season, one of which included a 3:00 fall over two time All American John Carayiannis, Josh Feliz was 5th in the Super Region II.
13 wins on the season, Tyson Emmons was 5th in the Super Region III.
Here's a guy that I keep waiting for to really take off and have a good run in the post season. I have plenty of reason to to feel that way. Runner-up finishes at both the Yellow Jacket Open & the UNK-Hospitality Open, he was one match away from placing at the Midwest Classic. He also stuck DII qualifier Caleb Morris at 3:55 & he nearly majored DII qualifier Hunter Burnett 15-9. Yet the past three Super Region V's, he's been 6th-6th-6th. Perhaps this will be the year he has his breakthrough.
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| Brock Luthens Minnesota State Mankato |
And yet another story of inspiration. Brock Luthens started off the season with a 5-7 record & ended on a 22-8 record. He was 5th at Super Region V.
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| Ethan Leake St Cloud State |
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2022 with a 2nd place finish at Super Region VI, last season Ethan Leake was 5th. Also 3rd at the UNK-Hospitality Open he had both a 4-3 win over Dean Noble & a 6-4 s.v. over Grayston DiBlasi.
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| Tim Uhler Millersville |
12-9 on the season, Tim Uhler was 5th in the Super Region I.
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| Josh Feliz UNC-Pembroke |
10 wins on the season, one of which included a 3:00 fall over two time All American John Carayiannis, Josh Feliz was 5th in the Super Region II.
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| Tyson Emmons Davenport |
13 wins on the season, Tyson Emmons was 5th in the Super Region III.
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| Laken Boese Mary |
Here's a guy that I keep waiting for to really take off and have a good run in the post season. I have plenty of reason to to feel that way. Runner-up finishes at both the Yellow Jacket Open & the UNK-Hospitality Open, he was one match away from placing at the Midwest Classic. He also stuck DII qualifier Caleb Morris at 3:55 & he nearly majored DII qualifier Hunter Burnett 15-9. Yet the past three Super Region V's, he's been 6th-6th-6th. Perhaps this will be the year he has his breakthrough.
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| Cade Cass Findlay |
11 wins on the season, the sophomore earned his first Super Region III medal with a 6th place finish.
14 wins on the season, Alex Castaneda was 6th in Super Region VI.
Talk about a guy that turned his career around. 3-10, 2-14, 2-6...those were his first three seasons. Last year he won 15 matches & was 6th at Super Region I.
I would definitely look for Smaill St Pierre to compete hard this season. Last year he had 20 wins, which included a 9-5 victory over Super Region I champ/7th place DII All American Jake Niffenegger. He also won the Pembroke Classic.
16 wins on the season Josh Kinkaid defeated Hayden Waddell twice during the season with 11-4 & 11-2 decisions. He also for the record had a 22-6 tech over Smaill St Pierre.
20-8 on the season, Thompson had a 9-0 major decision over Super Region VI champ Dean Noble.
11 wins on the season, Joey Semerad had a 6-4 s.v. over DII R12'er Josh Blatt.
Another wrestler with 11 wins on the season, Gavin Weaver had a 7-0 win over two time NCAA DII qualifier Caleb Morris.
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| Alex Castaneda Colorado Mesa |
14 wins on the season, Alex Castaneda was 6th in Super Region VI.
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| Alex Miscovich Shippensburg |
Talk about a guy that turned his career around. 3-10, 2-14, 2-6...those were his first three seasons. Last year he won 15 matches & was 6th at Super Region I.
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| Smaill St Pierre Limestone |
I would definitely look for Smaill St Pierre to compete hard this season. Last year he had 20 wins, which included a 9-5 victory over Super Region I champ/7th place DII All American Jake Niffenegger. He also won the Pembroke Classic.
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| Josh Kincaid |
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| Kieran Thompson Adams State |
20-8 on the season, Thompson had a 9-0 major decision over Super Region VI champ Dean Noble.
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| Joey Semerad McKendree |
11 wins on the season, Joey Semerad had a 6-4 s.v. over DII R12'er Josh Blatt.
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| Gavin Weaver Ashland |
Another wrestler with 11 wins on the season, Gavin Weaver had a 7-0 win over two time NCAA DII qualifier Caleb Morris.
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