The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) is one of the toughest conferences in all of the NAIA. Last year 19 of those who qualified out of the AAC went on to be All Americans, and 9 of those All Americans are back! This is going to be a great tournament!
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| 125 lbs |
Two time NAIA national champion Brandon Orum of Life has owned the AAC the past two seasons & I don't see the '24 tournament being anything different. Poised to once again make a run at the NAIA national title, he's got some good competition here within the conference, but I say he picks up title number three. Likely finals opponent is Angel Banda of Reinhardt, who has improved since placing 4th here a season ago. Trevor Borum of Southeastern, could be a challenge for Banda in a likely semi-final. He was 7th at the Missouri Valley Invitational. Depending on how that semi-final turns out, our consolation final could very well turn out to be Fire.
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| 133 lbs |
From Central Oklahoma to Carl Albert State, Thaddeus Long, I believe has found a home he's happy with at Life. Now a Runnin' Eagle, he's planning to walk out of Lakeland, Florida with an AAC title this weekend. Anyone to challenge him? There have been crazier upsets. Quite confident that his finals opponent will be Andrew Voiles of Southeastern. Anxious to see what both Kaden Ramos (himself of Life) & Kahlil Tucker of St Thomas can do. Tucker was 5th at the Patriot Open at the beginning of the season & more recently, Ramos took 6th at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| 141 lbs |
Now here's a competitive weight class. As far as I'm concerned, on any given day, we have five wrestlers who could walk out of Lakeland with an AAC title. Believe it or not, Kael Brisker of Southeastern was actually 5th in last year's championships, but has wrestled well enough this season to earn himself a #4 ranking & could very well end up the *1 seed. He looked outstanding at the Missouri Valley Invitational, winning a rather loaded bracket. Tyree Johnson of Life, 4th here last season, has really stepped up his game. He won the Life Open earlier this season, having to go through quite a field in his own right. Thomas Williams of St Thomas, 7th at last year's AAC, was runner-up to Johnson at the Life Open. Keiser's Pat Gould has proven himself to always be game come post-season tournament time. He was 3rd at last year's AAC & he finished 4th in the NAIA nation. This season, he took a runner-up finish at the Patriot Open. Lastly, although unranked, Bret Minor a teammate of Johnson's is himself a threat here at 149 lbs. He pulled off some huge upsets to make the Missouri Valley Invitational finals opposite of Brisker. I wouldn't put it past him to pull off some upsets here either.
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| 149 lbs |
An AAC runner-up last year at 141 lbs, Parker DoBrocky is now up a weight class as he'll try and walk out of Lakeland this weekend as champion at 149 lbs. Making the NAIA bloodround last season, he was runner-up at the Patriot Open earlier this season. There to challenge him will be Reese Jones, who has had some impressive showing thus far this year. 3rd at the Life Open, he was 5th at the Missouri Valley Invitational. Another wrestler to look for in this bracket is former Appalachian State Mountaineer Dawson Bates, who has potential to do better than his ranking. Lastly, although unranked, Chris Kelly, a teammate of DoBrocky's poses threat. 5th at the Patriot Open, he was runner-up at the Life Open.
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| 157 lbs |
Of all the NAIA Conferences/Qualifiers, 157 lbs in the AAC could turn out to be the absolute best. Here we have not only two returning AAC champs, but also two returning NAIA champs! Brevin Balmeceda who won at 149 lbs last season & Sal Silva who won at 157 lbs! Bracket will also feature Trevor Burdick of Reinhardt who was 4th in last year's tournament & his teammate Devin Griffen.
Also in this bracket is Andreus Bond of Southeastern, who on a personal note I would love to see come in here and be the talk of the tournament. An NAIA champion in '21, he was an All American again in '22, but everything fell apart for him last year. Finishing 2nd at the AAC, he went 0-2 at the national tournament. In some ways, the disappointing performance seems to have really affected him. He's lost matches this season that he shouldn't have lost. At other times he seems to have bounced back. He won the Patriot Open & while not as good of a finish as he would have wanted, he did place 7th at the Missouri Valley Invitational. Talent & ability wise, he has what it takes to keep up with both Balmaceda and Silva. This is his last go round, and may it be a good one.
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| 165 lbs |
Four returning AAC place-winners in this talented bracket of 165 lbs'ers. Life's Steve Villalobos could very well get the *1 seed here, as he was 3rd competing at 149 lbs last year. Challenging him for a title could very well be Matt Jenkins, himself 3rd in the AAC & 5th in NAIA nation last season. Wetzel Hill of St Thomas, a CCCAA standout for Mt San Antonio, continues making a name for himself within the NAIA. Then we also have Trace Braun, 5th here a year ago, who is always tough, as well as Wyatt Higgins who made the finals last season. Last but certainly not least is Jaden New of Life, who took an impressive 6th place showing at the Missouri Valley Invitational earlier this year.
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| 174 lbs |
An AAC champion last season & 3rd in the NAIA nation, Riley Smucker is looking to win two gold medals in a row from two very prestigious tournaments as he finishes up what has been a stellar wrestling career. May I also add in that he won the Life Open earlier this season as well. His finals opponent? Well it could very well end up being Graham Calhoun of Southeastern. Himself a former Wisconsin Badger...as in earlier this season. He was competing for Wisconsin first semester, where he won the Pointer Open. He defeated Tre Morrissette 5-1 for 3rd place at the Missouri Valley Invitational. Should be another good match between the two in a likely semi-final. Morrissette for the record, was 3rd at the Life Open.
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| 184 lbs |
Could very well see an all Runnin' Eagle final here at 184 lbs. Kyle Homet has been rather hot as of late, winning a tough Missouri Valley Invitational. Teammate Myles Starke hasn't looked bad himself, finishing runner-up at the Life Open & being one match shy of a medal himself at the Missouri Valley Invitational. I would look to Charlie Henkel to perhaps be our bronze medalist here at 184. He wrestled quite well at the Patriot Open, taking runner-up honors.
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| 197 lbs |
Land of the newcomers. Demarco Lee who was a standout in the NJCAA competing for Harper College is now in the land of the NAIA & he's kicking ass & taking names here too. Gentry Smith is a freshman for the Fire, & so far so good as he looks to make his first AAC final. Curtis Thomas a transfer from Campbellsville, looks to challenge Smith for that spot in the finals. Lastly we also have Tristan Middlebrook who was 3rd at the Patriot Open & Mike Gibson who placed an impressive 6th at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| HWT |
Three returning NAIA All Americans from last season here at HWT. If the finals of 157 isn't the best match of the night, the finals of HWT are likely to be. Bronze in the AAC & Bronze in the NAIA last year, Southeastern's Gabe Jacobs looks to turn both to gold. He'll be challenged by Zane Lanham who after ruling the roost at 197 for a while, has bumped up to do battle with those 285 and below. An NAIA runner-up last season, he won an AAC title. Our battle for 3rd here will most likely be between Keiser All American Earnest Johnson & Brewton Parker's Wilkinson Saul. 4th in the AAC last season, Johnson earned a 7th place finish at the NAIA's. Among all of this ranked talent, I wouldn't be surprised if Cohle Feliciano came in here and opened up a few eyes. 4th at the '22 NJCAA championships competing for North Idaho, he recently finished one match shy of a top 8 showing at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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