JT#1 '23-'24 By The Numbers

  For the '22-'23 season, Johnnythompsonnum1 averaged 25,000 readers per month.  My goal was to beat that number & I put a lot of effort into trying to do so.   Did I?  Yes, but not near to the extent that I wanted to.  I went from an average of 25,000 readers a month in '22-'23 to 26,250 readers in '23-'24.  

All in all, I wrote 128 articles between the first day of the collegiate wrestling season & the last day of the collegiate wrestling season. 

157,738 reads in total.  

Here's the breakdown of my articles

NCAA DI - 59
NCAA DII - 16
NCAA DIII - 20
NAIA - 18
NJCAA - 9
Mix of All the Divisions - 5
A Historical Article - 1 


My most popular articles of '23-'24? 

1 Best to Not Qualify NCAA DII (1,530 readers)
2 Best not to Qualify NCAA DIII (1,300 readers)
3 Wildcard Contention 125 lbs DI (474 Readers)
4 Mideast Regional Preview DIII (466 Readers)
5 Clarion Open Preview DI (397 Readers)

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III HWT lbs

 NCAA DIII HWT was full of stories this year wasn't it?  Especially stories involving the 'seniors.'  Or whatever we're supposed to call those who are in their final season of eligibility.  Here were the ones I followed. 

Tyler Kim
Augsburg

His entire career, I've felt that Tyler Kim was an interesting character.  2nd in the NWCA in 2021, he earned NCAA DIII American honors of 4th & 3rd in '22 & '23, capping off his career with an NCAA DIII title in '24.  Add in three Upper Midwest Titles & a record of 111-20, we're looking at an extremely tough Heavyweight to come out of D3.  People talk all the time about how would D3 & D2 champs do at the D1 level & I gotta say I think Kim could have held his own.  He did beat D1 qualifier Brad Hill of Iowa earlier this season, who himself pulled off a huge upset in R1 of the D1 championships.  I'm anxious to see where Kim's future takes him. I have a feeling we'll see more out of him in the years to come. 

Doug Byrne
Baldwin Wallace

The ending of Doug Byrne's collegiate career had my emotions all over the place. Knowing how good he was and how good he would have done, had he not gotten hurt, made watching his injury very depressing. It was courageous of him to go out on the mat and fight, but he had no strength in his arm & it was of no use to him.  He ended up losing a match that if we're honest, he would've won.  I try and disconnect myself from it all, but have a hard time because I know how hard these guys work, how bad they want it and I was there once myself too.  It's hard watching someone walk off the mat, denied of their goal, not because of anything of their fault, but because of an injury.  

Later on in the night, I think I witnessed one of the most heartwarming spectacles I had ever seen.  The Baldwin Wallace fanbase was right next to where we were sitting.  I'm sure Byrne hurt from his disappointing performance, but those around him refused to let him wallow.  They brought him up, had their arms around him & had him laughing and smiling. I saw lot of really positive things out of Baldwin Wallace the entire tournament, but that moment really sold me on telling anyone who wants to wrestle DIII at taking a deep look at the Yellow Jacket program.    

Things didn't end for Byrne as they should have, but again, wrestling is a journey, not a destination.  A two time Central Regional champ, he was 5th in the NCAA DIII in 2023.  35-4 on the year, he pinned Robby Bates at 2:05, he had a 3-0 win over Donovan King & he defeated Walter West by scores of 4-1 & 4-2.  110 victories during his career. 

Robby Bates
North Central

Speaking of Robby Bates of North Central, I have always enjoyed watching him wrestle.  A calculated wrestler, with excellent mat awareness, his style reminds me a lot of a former teammate of mine in high school by the name of Darren Miller.   6th in the NCAA DIII in 2022, he came up short of qualification in 2023.  I had a feeling this would light a fire within him and he'd come back stronger than ever in his final season.  I was right.  34-7 on the year, he was the Lower Midwest Regional champion & I thought he might even give Tyler Kim a run for his $$ for the NCAA DIII title.  Didn't quite do that, but had an excellent showing capturing a 4th place All American finish.  To my knowledge 93 wins in his career. 

Peter Wersinger
TCNJ

28-8 on the season, Peter Wersinger really made the most out of the opportunities put in front of him this year.  A runner-up at the Mideast Regional, he was 8th at the NCAA DIII championships. 

Trent Ragland 
Averett

Trent Ragland was another HWT who had a standout final year of competition in '23-'24.  21-9 on the year, he won an ODAC title & took 2nd at the Southeast Regional. 

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 197 lbs

 197 lbs in the NCAA Division III didn't have a ton of wrestlers competing in their final season of eligibility but it did have one in particular story that was rather inspirational. Plus a couple of other wrestlers I have followed for quite sometime. 

Gabriel Zierdan
Concordia (MN)

The NWCA runner-up in 2021, it was two heartbreakers in a row for Gabriel Zierdan who finished 4th at both the 2022 & the 2023 Upper Midwest Regional.  In his final season of competition, he would not be denied as not only did he qualify for the NCAA DIII championships, he did so by winning the Upper Midwest Regional title.  He capped off his career by making the NCAA D3 finals.  35-4 on the season, he was also 3rd at both the 2023 & 2024 Pete Willson Invitational. 

Gable Crebs
Lycoming

An NCAA D3 All American with a 7th place finish in 2022, Gable Crebs came up short of a qualification in 2023.  Although he did not get back onto the NCAA award stand, he did earn another qualification this year, with a 3rd place finish at the Southeast Regional. I believe he ended his career with 94 wins. 

Jackson Punzel
Wheaton

In my personal opinion, head coach Jim Gruenwald is one of the most sincere and genuine individuals in the sport of wrestling & I enjoy watching his wrestlers have success.  Jackson Punzel is one of those wrestlers that never did make the NCAA DIII championships, but still have quite a bit about his career to be celebrated.  8th-8th-4th at the Upper Midwest Regional, he took back to back 5th place finishes at the Pete Willson Invitational the past two seasons.  21 wins in his last year on the mat. 

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 184 lbs

 

Bentley Schwanebeck Ostermann

What a standout career with an excellent ending it was for Bentely Schwanebeck Ostermann.  Started off the season with a loss to a University of Iowa wrestler, and it was nothing but W's from that point on.  6th-6th-4th-1st, BSO earned All American honors each of his four varsity years.  

Trent Furman
NYU

Furman was a wrestler I thought would earn All American honors before his career was said and done.  He came close, finishing one match shy as both a sophomore & as a senior.  23-8 on the year, he was 2nd at the Northeast Regional & he did stick NCAA DIII runner-up Ryan DeVivo in 39 seconds. 

Dylan Wellbaum
Adrian

A great showing for Dylan Wellbaum his last three seasons at Adrian.  2nd-2nd-3rd in the Central Regional, he picked up a 6th place finish at the NCAA DIII championships after finishing one match shy of earning an All American honor last year.  

George Moseley 
Averett

6th in the NWCA in 2021, I thought that George Moseley might pick up a DIII All American honor at this year's NCAA DIII championships.  He came up a little short of that accomplishment, but nevertheless still had an outstanding final season.  22-4 on the year he won titles at the SWCC, ODAC & the Southeast Regional. 

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 174 lbs

 Anxious to see how 174 lbs shapes up in NCAA Division III for '24-'25, as many tough wrestlers saw their final year of eligibility expire this season.  Saying a goodbye to a lot of great talents.  

Zane Mulder
Wartburg

I can remember reading when Zane Mulder first committed to Iowa State. When I found out that he was transferring to Wartburg, I knew the Knights had picked up someone was going to do some great things for them. Indeed he did.  2nd in the NWCA in 2021, it was 4th-1st-2nd place finishes in NCAA Division III.  100-16 throughout his career, he finished the past two seasons with Lower Midwest Regional finishes 1st & 2nd. 

Charlie Grygas
SUNY-Oswego

Here's a guy I always enjoyed watching.  Super tough in the top position, the guy was always trying to put points up on the board.  A 4 time NCAA DIII qualifier he was 3rd-2nd-1st-2nd at the Mideast Regional.  After finishing R12 as a sophomore, had NCAA DIII All American finishes of 4th & 5th.  119-19 on his career, he'll go down as a favorite of the Laker program. 

Jason Geyer
NYU

It's hard for me to believe that this guy spent his first couple of years at 141 lbs! Spent some major time in the weight room & ended up competing at both the 174 & 184 lbs weight classes.  25-3 on the year, won the Northeast Regional title.  I believe he had 91 career victories in total. 

Stefan Major
Stevens Tech

What to say about Stefan Major?  I first started covering collegiate wrestling 18 years ago.  I bounced around a lot of unpaid or very low paid gigs for quite a few years before I started my own website back in 2014.  I continued to doing a lot of work for other organizations, again at no pay or little pay, until wrestling writing legend Dan McCool convinced me in April of 2017, that I could gain a respectable audience on my own.  Over the past 7 years, I have gained a respectable audience.  I average 25,000 readers a month & make a low of $50 to a high of $200 a month through advertisements. 

Like most wrestling media, I had a heavy concentration of NCAA Division I.  One night a former teammate of mine, who had remained a good friend throughout the years called me up.  At the time he was an assistant at the NAIA level.  He told me that I owed it to the sport, as well as to myself to start covering the small programs.  I made up my mind that I was going to start doing that.  I had always paid some attention to NCAA DII, DIII & NAIA, but three years ago, I decided I was gonna dive in & get to know these Divisions as well as I knew Division I. 

Then this year, I added in NJCAA too.  Let me tell you, I had no idea how much extra work it would be.  How much more time I'd put into it & how overwhelmed and exhausted I would be.  I fell in love with D2, D3 & NAIA wrestling the past three seasons, & I'm begging to fall in love with NJCAA.   I'm not sure if I'll be able to dedicate as much time to wrestling next season, as I have a lot of huge, positive changes coming my way in the next 6 to 12 months, that may end up taking up a lot of my time. 

What does all of this have to do with Stefan Major?  Well, truth is, Johnnythompsonnum1 runs on a budget that would LOVE to be able to afford a shoe-string.  In '22-'23, I thought maybe I could fundraise so that I could improve my coverage.  So that I could get out and do more for wrestling, especially at the smaller levels.   All in all I ended up getting about $75 on the year.  About 15 people donated, including Stefan Major.  

In a preview I wrote that Major was going to have a tough match in his own practice room against teammate Joel Martsinovsky.  Major didn't like me saying that.  He let me know, and he donated a whole $0.01 to Johnnythompsonnum1.   I've called him Stefan "Abe Lincoln" Major ever since.   

I didn't let any of that keep me from covering him the past two years. I wrote about Major a lot & watched him compete.  A three time Southeast Regional champion, he had All American finishes of 7th-5th-8th at the NCAA Division III championships.  Truth to be known, he really should have been wrestling in the 5th place match, as I feel like he got hosed on a couple of calls in the consolation quarter-finals.  He was also a three time Middle Atlantic Conference champ, having finished 2nd as a freshman.   Tough kid, one who stuck to the basics & had a mean arm bar series. 

I hope in the years to come, Major will look back on his career & maybe spend a day looking himself up on the internet. See how many articles he's featured in and how often he was written about.  Flo? Intermat? Theopenmat? Other than D3wrestle & D3nation, the answer is the Portillo Brothers & Johnnythompsonnum1.  I know many see it as conceited and arrogant, but every once in a while you do need to toot your own horn & sell yourself.  The major outlets are 90 to 95% NCAA DI.  There's reasons for that & I could even defend them on their choice to be so.  Yet the truth of the matter is there is so little coverage for DII, DIII & NAIA, and one of the main sources for coverage is JT#1.   Do I wish I could do better, get out and do more?  You betcha.  I play the lottery twice a month & you & I both already know one of the things I'd do if I were to win the jackpot.   I once had a stray dog I was trying to feed bite my hand.  I was kinda ticked off at first, but I let my anger go and I continued to try and feed the dog.  After a while the dog realized what I was doing & took the food.  It's no different here.  D3 wrestling is the dog, as is D2 & NAIA, and as of late NJCAA.  It's not the first time I got bit & it won't be the last. 

Joe Chapman
USCGA

I don't know if the United States Coast Guard Academy gets all the credit it deserves for all of the vast improvements that have been made over the years.  I think Chase Randall winning an NCAA DIII title will help draw attention, but the Bears have done so much more.  Chapman really stepped it up this season, going 22-5 & earning a 2nd place finish at the Northeast Regional. 

Dejon Glaster
Millikin 

What a standout final season for Dejon Glaster of Millikin.  8th in the Lower Midwest Regional a year ago, he took a strong 3rd place showing this season & turned it into a 6th place finish at the NCAA DIII championships. 27-7 on the year. 

Colby Morris
Waynesburg

After a standout season last year, that saw him finish 2nd at the Southeast Regional & R12 at the NCAA Division III championships, I really thought that Colby Morris would make a run at All American honors this year.  It's really a shame that the qualification process can't figure out a way to encompass the entire season, because had Morris made the championships, I still believe he'd have been a contender for a top 8 showing.  Unfortunately he had a disappointing Regional, where he finished 6th & slice it anyway you want, only the top three qualify.  34-3 on the season, he did win another Presidents Athletic Conference title. 

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 165 lbs

 

Matt Lackman
Alvernia

I honestly thought we'd see Matt Lackman of Alvernia win an NCAA DIII title before his collegiate eligibility was up.  At 5th-2nd-3rd, I conclude him one of the best of modern times who did not.  Also add in his career record was 122-5, with three Southeast Regional titles.  Made history last year by wrestling brother Nathan (who competed for Rhode Island) in the D3 finals. 

Tristan Massie
UW-Eau Claire

Pure grit.  Here's a guy that just took it to you every time he stepped out on the mat.  An attacker.  103 career wins which saw a 4th place finish at the NCAA DIII championships this year, plus an assortment of other accomplishments.  6th-3rd-2nd at the Upper Midwest Regional, he had finishes of 4th & 3rd at the past two WIAC championships.  31 wins on the season. 

Brian Schneider
Elizabethtown

I don't know for sure, but I believe Brian Schneider ended up with exactly 100 career wins.  If true, I think that's pretty cool.  29-6 on the year, Schneider was a four time Mideast Regional place-winner with finishes of 6th-5th-3rd-2nd.  He was also 4th & 2nd at the past two Racich Rumbles. 

Nick Roeger
Castleton

108 career wins for Nick Roeger during his time at Vermont State Castleton. In wrestling we haven't seen a whole lot of stars come out of New Hampshire, but Roeger was one of them.  35-9 on the year he was runner-up at the Citrus Invite, 3rd at the Northeast Regional & one match shy of earning an All American honor at the NCAA DIII championships. 

To the Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 157 lbs

 

Nolan Hertel
UW- La Crosse

What a storybook career with a Cinderella ending it was for Nolan Hertel of UW-La Crosse.  I wish all wrestlers who truly deserve it could go out the way Hertel did.  I mean think about it.  You win your second national title, competing at your school, in front of your fans. It doesn't get any better than that.  102 career victories.  A three time Upper Midwest Regional champion & a four time WIAC champion.  Phenomenal career for Hertel. 

Patrick McGraw
John Carroll

109 career victories for Patrick McGraw, who twice finished one match shy of NCAA DIII All American honors with Central Regional finishes of 1st-1st-3rd.  30-8 on the year, he had a 12-6 decision over NCAA Division II All American Keegan Roberson of UNC-Pembroke. 

Garret Cornell
Messiah 

An NCAA DIII qualifier as a freshman in 2020 with a Southeast Regional finish of 3rd & 5th in the NWCA in 2021, I thought for sure we'd see Garrett Cornell back at the NCAA DIII championships again before his career was said & done.  Came close with 5th & 4th place finishes at the Regional in his final two seasons.  Where he really shined these past two years was at the Pete Willson Invitational, where he finished 3rd in '23 & 2nd this past season.  All in all, Cornell had 95 victories. 

Jeff Johnson
Jersey City 

My heart goes out to Jeff Johnson, as we never got to see how good he really was because of nagging injuries that would not let him be.  Nevertheless, he was still a trend setter, who made history by becoming the Gothic Knights first ever NCAA DIII qualifier as a sophomore in 2022. Had he not gotten injured, I believe he very well could have been Jersey City's first All American as well. 

Gabe Fiser
Loras

I hated to see things end the way they did for Gabe Fiser this year.  Yet, I've said it a 1,000 times & I'll say it 1,000 more times.  At the NCAA DIII level, there is no room for error. You cannot afford a mistake, because the environment is unforgiving.  2nd & 1st in the Lower Midwest Regional in '22 & '23 respectively, Fiser unfortunately slipped to a 7th place finish this season.  Although things didn't end as they should have for the Duhawk, he did have a good career that also featured an NWCA 4th place finish in 2021. 

To The Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 149 lbs

 Relatively young class, there weren't a lot of true seniors at 149 lbs in NCAA Division III.  Only three I really followed, but all three were wrestlers I enjoyed watching compete. 

Matt Beyer
Ithaca

The Beyers as a whole have become favorites of mine over the past few years.  Both Gary and Ann Marie are super passionate wrestling fans, who have been extremely supportive of not only Matt, but of the entire Ithaca Bomber wrestling team.  It's been fun watching & reporting on Matt's success over the past three years.  After finishing 4th at the Mideast Regional in '22, he made two NCAA DIII appearances with Mideast finishes of 2nd & 3rd the past two years.  32-5 on the season, he won 97 career matches & he also won a tough Ithaca Invite this year as well. 

Axel Hernandez
Buena Vista

I was extremely impressed with how Axel Hernandez took the initiative & really stepped it up for the Beaver wrestling program this year. He took it upon himself to be a leader during a rebuilding period & show resilience through is performance.  I was really hoping it'd translate into NCAA DIII qualification, but he came up a hair short with a 4th place finish at the Lower Midwest Regional.  23-4 on the year, he really stood out at the Pete Willson Invitational, winning a title over All American Zach Sato of UW-Eau Claire. 

Pasquale Vizzoni
Stevens Tech

I feel that Pasquale Vizzoni did a very nice job of filling in for Hunter Gutierrez who graduated last season.  21 wins on the season, he was 5th at the Southeast Regional.  He also won a Middle Atlantic Conference title having finished 3rd & 2nd the past two previous seasons. 

To The Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 141 lbs

 As wrestling rides the highs & the lows, let's take a look at our 'seniors' of 2024 at 141 lbs in NCAA DIII

Sam Stuhl 
Augsburg

I learned in school that the highest known point in the universe is Olympus Mons, located on Mars which is 16 miles high, compared to that of Mount Everest which is about 5 1/2. I also learned that the lowest point known thus far is the challenger deep.  Now this is speaking literally.  Figuratively? I think I've seen some of the highest and lowest points of person's life on the wrestling mat.  It's not the birth of a child or finding the love of your life, but when you win, it's a feeling of pride, accomplishment, and pay off that stays with you till the day you die.  It's not the death of a loved one, but when you lose, it's a pain that'll never leave you.  

Watching Sam Stuhl win the NCAA DIII title in '23 was quite rewarding.   He was 3rd at the Upper Midwest Regional (2nd in '22) & I loved watching him demonstrate the toughness of the Regional.  I have no idea what went wrong at the NCAA III championships for him this season.  Sick, injured, and extreme off day?  All I know is that it ended on a sour note for whatever reason.  Still, wrestling isn't about one tournament or one performance.  He did win the Upper Midest Regional title this year & he also had an 8-6 victory over three time NCAA DII All American Tate Murty of Upper Iowa.  A total of 74 career victories. 

Alex Samson
St John Fisher

Not only is this one of my favorite stories in NCAA Division III, this is one of my favorite stories in all of collegiate wrestling.  Alex Samson wrestled for four years at NCAA Division II Mercyhurst & had a rather uneventful career.  Then using the COVID-19 year, decided to compete for the newly reinstated St John Fisher & what a final season of competition he had.  24-2 on the year he won titles at SUNY-AC, John Summa, and the Mideast Regional.  Capped it off with a 7th place finish at the NCAA DIII championships. Made a name for himself, while putting a program in its second year back on the map after a many years of being discontinued.  Love everything about this story. 

Victor Perlleshi
Johnson & Wales

When you have a guy like Joziah Fry on your team, you can sometimes get overlooked by the rest of the media.  Johnson and Wales won a team trophy at the NCAA DIII championships, and Victor Perlleshi was a big part of that.  A two time Northeast Regional champion, he finished with an All American showing of 6th.  On the year he scored a 3:29 fall over NCAA DI qualifier McKenzie Bell of Rider. 

Jake Dado
Ozarks

Jake Dado always struck me as one of those wrestlers that walked off the mat always thinking he could have done better.  Maybe I'm reading him wrong & that was just the look on his face.  Or maybe he did feel that way & maybe that is true.  I guess in so many aspects of life, we can look back at life and see how we could have done better.  Nevertheless, in my estimation, Dado had a pretty good career.  An NCAA DIII qualifier in his final season, Dado had Lower Midwest Regional finishes of 6th-4th-3rd.  In my estimation another highlight of his final season was a 3rd place finish at Pete Willson & he also won a SLIAC title. 

Evan Burge
Wabash

Here's a guy that I felt really stepped it up his last two seasons on the mat.  3rd & 2nd in the Central Regional, he fell twice in the blood round, just barely missing out on top 8 All American honors.  18-8 on the season. 

Jack Bauer
Wilkes

Here's a guy that was always there for his team, often a difference maker in important duals & matches.  He never did make the dance, but what he did do was place all four years in the Southeast Regional.  I don't know if people realize that in itself, is not an easy thing to do.  24-8 on the year, 88 career victories with SER finishes of 5th-7th-6th-7th. 

To The Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 133 lbs

 In my opinion the seniors of the 133 lbs NCAA Division III class can best be summed up by the word heart. There was a lot of intestinal fortitude among our no longer eligible wrestlers here at 133 lbs in D3. As mentioned in my farewell to the seniors of 125 lbs NCAA DIII, I don't know everyone.  I'm sure there are some I'm leaving out that deserved to be recognized.  However, these were the guys I followed and the guys I want to recognize. 

Robbie Precin
North Central 

A legend.  An inspiration.  Even though things didn't end on the high note they were supposed to, Robbie Precin of North Central will still go down as one of the best to ever do it in NCAA Division III wrestling. 138-4, he was 2nd-1st-1st-4th at the national championships.  When he injured his hand in his semi-final match against Chase Randall of USCGA, I told my girlfriend as we watched from the stands that he would unfortunately probably medical forfeit to 6th place.  Much to my surprise with his hand all bandaged up, he was out their on the mat competing in the consolation semi-finals.  Not only was he competing, unable to use that hand at all, he won the match!  All I could think watching him out on the mat was, "What guts", "What courage."  Precin had nothing to prove, yet there he was out on the mat, giving it his all.  I get goose bumps just thinking about it.  

Joey Pins
Wartburg 

I've been referring to Joey Pins as Joey "Technically" Pins for the last three seasons now.  My nickname for him is well substantiated as the Knight has 41 technical falls out of his 83 wins total.  That's just shy of 1/2 of his wins being won via technical fall.  As poetic justice would have it, he of course won the Gorriaran award for the most amount of falls in the least amount of time at the DIII championships.  8th in the DIII championships in 2022, he fell just a hair short of another AA in 2023.  It was very rewarding to see him come back so strong this year.  Finished up a great career taking 3rd in the D3 nation. 

Joey Manginelli
Springfield

Anytime this guy stepped on the mat, you knew you had a fight on your hands.  He might not always be the best & sometimes technically he may have been outmatched. Didn't matter, he was going to give it Hell that entire 7 minutes. I love watching guys like this.  Guys that just come at you & they're unrelentless in their pursuit to score points.  After finishing 4th & 5th in the Northeast Regional, I was really hoping that Manginelli would finally make the D3 national tournament and he did.  Took 3rd & punched his ticket. Unfortunately got injured at the national championships, but still top 18 out of 125, that's pretty damn good.  25-6 on the year, a Petrofes title & even took Joziah Fry to a 4-3 decision.  

Tyler Fleetwood
UW-Eau Claire

Things didn't quite end the way Tyler Fleetwood would have liked for them to have, but nevertheless, what a career for the Blugold.  82 career wins, let's examine all of the many accomplishments he had throughout his collegiate career.  

3rd in the DIII nation in '23, he was also...

2nd & 3rd the past two Upper Midwest Regionals

2nd at the past two WIAC championships 

Trevor Boryla
 Augustana (Illinois) 

I crossed the river a few times to watch Trevor Boryla compete.  I suppose with as difficult as it is to qualify for the NCAA DIII championships, a lot of names could be thrown around.  I could see a list of "best to never qualify" getting quite saturated, but if we're keeping our arguments objective, I think Boryla makes a strong case. 

I mean this year alone he majored the NCAA DIII runner-up Jaden Hinton of Baldwin Wallace, 18-10.  I think that in itself is all the proof you need.  If you want more, how about the fact that he has 93 career wins?  4th-5th-4th at the Lower Midwest Regional, he barely missed out on qualification the past three seasons in a row.  We all have different opinions on what is the toughest NCAA DIII in-season tournament, but in my opinion, the Pete Willson Invitational is where it's at.   3rd last year, Boryla won Pete Willson, finishing ahead of Ty Bisek of Concordia (MN), Dom Mallinder of UW-Whitewater, Jude Robson of Roanoke & Fleetwood. 

Wrestlers like Boryla are the very reason I write articles like these.  We have our heads so far up our own rears that all that matters & the only thing worth doing in wrestling involves the national tournament.  I think that is such crap. Such a detrimental way of thinking.  I refuse to be a part of that cult.  Guys like Boryla still had great careers, careers worth mentioning.  I'll die on that hill. 

To The Class of 2024: NCAA Division III 125 lbs

 When you follow wrestling as intensely as I do, you get to know the wrestlers from an observational standpoint pretty well.  I suppose it's no different than when a football, basketball or baseball player finishes their final game of their final season. You thank them for their efforts & you recognize what it was that they accomplished.  I know in the sport of wrestling, more often than not, it just sorta ends.  You win or lose your final match, and then that's it.  What I want to do in my final posts of the 2023-2024 season, is give a proper farewell to all those who have used up their eligibility.  

Zac Blasioli
Millikin 

I got to watch Zac Blasioli compete quite a few times over the past two seasons.  He struck me as a very non-nonsense, serious type of wrestler.  Textbook, by the strict definition of it technique.  96 career wins, 23-5 overall in his final season.  A two time Lower Midwest Regional runner-up, he finished out his career with 5th & 6th place showings at the D3 national championships. 

Joey Lamparelli
Muhlenberg

You know my heart sank when Joey Lamparelli finished one match shy of his third NCAA DIII qualification at the Mideast Regional.  I had to remind myself that wrestling is about a single moment, it's a reflection of an entire career.  And what a career Lamparelli had.  A two time Mideast Regional runner-up, he finished 8th in the D3 nation in '23.  72 career wins.  Anxious to see where he ends up in the future. Strikes me as a future head coach someday. 

Akhil Vega
Stevens

When Luke Hoerle bumped up to 133 lbs, I was very impressed with the way Akhil Vega stepped up & filled in the 125 lbs spot for the Ducks. 23 wins on the season, he gave the New Jersey school another NCAA DIII qualifier finishing 3rd at the Southeast Regional.  

Brady Koontz
Dubuque

Wrestling fans can be rather critical and harsh at times. I know some fans gave Brady Koontz a hard time when he transferred from Ohio State to Dubuque. I guess I don't get that. Sometimes in life we decide the path we're taking isn't right for us, so we find a different one to take.  One that does fit us. I was glad to see Koontz do that.  7th in the D3 nation last year, I really thought that I'd get to see him competing in La Crosse this year.  Entered the Lower Midwest Regional undefeated, but unfortunately fell a bit short of qualification with a 5th place finish.  Nevertheless on the season had a 10-5 decisoin over R12'er Jalen Dunson & a 12-1 major over previously mentioned Hoerle.  

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I realize these weren't the only seniors at 125 lbs in D3, but please realize as much wrestling as I watch, study and pay attention to, I can't possibly know every wrestler on every team.  I do my best to, but it's simply not possible.  If you have others you'd like to share, please do so. 

Johnnythompsonnum1's Final 2024 NCAA DI Predictions

 This is my 22nd year of posting my predictions.  Over two decades worth of making my crazy, outlandish, straight from the gut predictions & I still know, I'll have people come at me wondering why in the world I didn't just stick to the seeds!  I'll tell you why!  Cause upsets happen EVERY SINGLE year! So why not try and predict some of them?  Guys that have wrestled like Gawds all season long will go DOWN!!  Guys who have been lackluster all year will come ALIVE.  It WILL happen.  There's no stopping it.  I just got back from NCAA DIII's and saw a ton of upsets.  I saw guys that weren't supposed to lose, lose. I saw guys that weren't supposed to do well, do extremely well.   Since 2002, I haven't been playing it safe, so why in the Hell would I start now?  Don't like my predictions?  Good! I probably wouldn't like your's either.   Do I have anything against anyone?  Is the fact that I have Penn State winning as a team but I don't have them walking out with 10 individual champions something I have against Penn State? Nope.  I'll admit I'm not a big fan of the fact that Cael & Co have a "NCAA's is all that matters" mentality, but other than that I'll cool with the blue & white.   In fact if Carter Starocci does end up winning 174 (which you'll see in a minute I have him doing), I'll more than happily point out that he had the toughest route to a gold medal I've ever witnessed in NCAA DI wrestling. 

125
1 Luke Stanich Lehigh (2)
2 Pat McKee Minnesota (9) 
3 Anthony Noto Lock Haven (12)
4 Matt Ramos Purdue (4)
5 Drake Ayala Iowa (3)
6 Eric Barnett Wisconsin (10)
7 Braeden Davis Penn State (10)
8 Richard Figueroa Arizona State (8)
R12 Michael DeAugustino Michigan (18)
R12 Brandon Kaylor Oregon State (21)
R12 Jore Volk Wyoming (5)
R12 Cooper Flynn Virginia Tech (11)

133
1 Daton Fix Oklahoma State (1)
2 Vito Arujau Cornell (6)
3 Ryan Crookham Lehigh (2)
4 Dylan Ragusin Michigan (5)
5 Sam Latona Virginia Tech (12)
6 Dylan Shawver Rutgers (4)
7 Kai Orine NC State (3)
8 Zeth Romney Cal Poly (11)
R12 Aaron Nagao Minnesota (10)
R12 Evan Frost Iowa State (8)
R12 Nasir Bailey Little Rock (7)
R12 Nic Bouzakis Ohio State (16) 

141 
1 Real Woods Iowa (3)
2 Jesse Mendez Ohio State (1)
3 Beau Bartlett Penn State (2)
4 Anthony Echemendia Iowa State (5)
5 Josh Koderhandt Navy (11)
6 Cole Matthews Pittsburgh (18)
7 Lachlan McNeil North Carolina (6)
8 Clay Carlson South Dakota State (30)
R12 Ryan Jack NC State (4)
R12 Brock Hardy Nebraska (9)
R12 Cael Happel Northern Iowa (7)
R12 Seth Lemley Michigan (8)

149 
1 Ridge Lovett Nebraska (1)
2 Kyle Parco Arizona State (2)
3 Austin Gomez Wisconsin (6)
4 Caleb Henson Virginia Tech (4)
5 Ty Watters West Virginia (5)
6 Jaden Abas Stanford (26)
7 Caleb Rathjen Iowa (13)
8 Casey Swiderski Iowa State (8)
R12 Dylan D'Emilio Ohio State (14)
R12 Tyler Kasak Penn State (7)
R12 Jackson Arrington NC State (3)
R12 Chance Lamer Cal Poly (10)

157 
1 Levi Haines Penn State (1)
2 Jacori Teemer Arizona State (2)
3 Peyton Robb Nebraska (8)
4 Bryce Andonian Virginia Tech (12)
5 Jared Franek Iowa (10)
6 Meyer Shapiro Cornell (3)
7 Will Lewan Michigan (9)
8 Ed Scott NC State (4)
R12 Vinny Zerban Northern Colorado (18)
R12 Daniel Cardenas Stanford (6)
R12 Michael Blockhus Minnesota (13)
R12 Brayton Lee Indiana (11)

165 
1 Keegan O'Toole Missouri (1)
2 Mitchell Messenbrink Penn State (2)
3 David Carr Iowa State (4)
4 D.J. Hamiti Wisconsin (5)
5 Julian Ramirez Cornell (3)
6 Cam Amine Michigan (10)
7 Mikey Caliendo Iowa (6)
8 Peyton Hall West Virginia (9)
R12 Izzak Olejnik Oklahoma State (7)
R12 Andrew Cerniglia Navy (11)
R12 Caleb Fish Michigan State (21)
R12 Antrell Taylor Nebraska (8)

174 
1 Carter Starocci Penn State (9)
2 Ed Ruth Illinois (3)
3 Mekhi Lewis Virginia Tech (1)
4 Shane Griffith Michigan (4)
5 Justin McCoy Virginia (13)
6 Cade Devos South Dakota State (2)
7 Philip Conigliaro Harvard (5)
8 Austin Murphy Campbell (11)
R12 Ben Pasiuk Army (18)
R12 Tyler Eischens North Carolina (21)
R12 Lennox Wolak Columbia (7)
R12 Adam Kemp Cal Poly (8)

184 
1 Parker Keckeisen Northern Iowa (1)
2 Bernie Truax Penn State (6)
3 Chris Foca Cornell (14)
4 Trey Munoz Oregon State (4)
5 Dustin Plott Oklahoma State (3)
6 Isaiah Salazar Minnesota (2)
7 Lenny Pinto Nebraska (5)
8 Gavin Kane North Carolina (22)
R12 Sam Wolf Air Force (8)
R12 David Key Navy (25)
R12 Will Feldkamp Iowa State (17)
R12 T.J. Stewart Virginia Tech (7)

197 
1 Aaron Brooks Penn State (1)
2 Trent Hidlay NC State (2)
3 Michael Beard Penn State (4)
4 Tanner Sloan South Dakota State (3)
5 Stephen Buchanan Oklahoma (5)
6 Lou DePrez Binghamton (6)
7 Rocky Elam Missouri (12)
8 Zach Glazier Iowa (7)
R12 Silas Allred Nebraska (10)
R12 John Poznanski Rutgers (14)
R12 Daniel Cardenas Stanford (5)
R12 Stephen Little Little Rock (9)

HWT 
1 Cohlton Schultz Arizona State (4)
2 Yonger Bastida Iowa State (2)
3 Greg Kerkvliet Penn State (1)
4 Wyatt Hendrikson Air Force (3)
5 Lucas Davis Northwestern (10)
6 Dayton Pitzer Pittsburgh (21)
7 Zach Elam Missouri (6)
8 Owen Trephan NC State (8) 
R12 Taye Ghadiali Campbell (7)
R12 Josh Heindselman Oklahoma (11)
R12 Yaraslau Slavikouski Michigan (13)
R12 Nick Feldman Ohio State (9) 

The Talent Staying Home (Best Not to Qualify for 2024 NCAA DI Championships)

 I'll start off by saying that I like the way NCAA DI qualification is handled much more than I do the way DII & DIII are handled.  I sincerely feel that those in charge do their best to try and get the best 33 wrestlers in the nation competing at the national tournament.  With that said, it's still wrestling.  You're still going to have good wrestlers who don't make the tournament.  It's why qualification is a big deal & should be treated as a big deal.   I went through each weight class and determined who I thought were some of the best wrestlers who won't be going this year.  I'm sure I probably missed a few here and there & maybe I included a few who you wouldn't have.  Either way, these are my picks for "best not to qualify" in '23-'24. 

Colton Camacho
Pittsburgh
125

Inconsistency I believe is what kept Colton Camacho out of the NCAA tournament this year.  Ended the year with a losing record of 11-12, but before anyone is quick to judge, he had a pretty strong schedule.  I think it's more important to look at those 11 wins & see that he beat some good wrestlers.  Brendan McCrone of Ohio State & Tyler Klinsky of Rider, who both did get the nod, Camacho defeated them both.  McCrone by a 14-9 score & believe it or not he tech'd Klinsky 19-4.  He also took out Brett Ungar of Cornell 3-1. 

Nick Babin
Columbia 
125

Ranked within the top 25 most of the season, I was very shocked that Nick Babin of Columbia didn't get a nod. I suppose a bad EIWA tournament really cost the 2023 NCAA DI qualifier.  On the season he majored McCrone 14-5 & he also had a nice 4-0 victory over Max Gallagher of Penn.  In a weight class featuring three guys who might very well be All Americans in a couple of weeks, Babin took 4th at the Soldier Salute. 

Anthony Molton
Campbell
125

I think what killed Anthony Molton as to NCAA qualification this year was that he took 3rd at the SOCON instead of 2nd.  I think those in charge would have forgiven him for a loss to Braydon Palmer of UT-Chattanooga, but they can't forgive the semi-final loss to Drew West of Gardner-Webb.  That's my guess. I also think strength of schedule comes into play as well.  For the most part Molton beat everyone put in front of him this year.  21-5, but didn't see a lot of ranked competition.  Has another year left & should dominate the SOCON next season. 

Conrad Hendriksen
Oklahoma
125

A true freshman, I think it was mainly adjusting to the DI grind that Conrad Hendriksen had to endure this year.  I think he'll come back poised and experienced & never miss out on the NCAA tournament again.  This year he showed signs, but it wasn't quite enough.  A 6-4 win over Jett Strickenberger of West Virginia, he was 3rd at RENO. 

Jack Maida
American
125

You really hate to see things end the way for Jack Maida the way they did.  The reason he's not going to the NCAA DI championships, is plain and simple.  He got hurt at the EIWA's.  This caused him to have to medical forfeit to 8th place.  Had he been able to wrestle in that match & capture 7th place, I think the committee of deciders may have given him a stronger look.  I really do.  On the year a 2-1 win over Tristan Lujan of Michigan State & for whatever it is worth a 9-0 major over 2023 All American Eddie Ventresca of Virginia Tech. 

Joey Fisher
Clarion
125

Joey Fischer of Clarion has an on switch, the problem is, how in the world do you keep it on? When he's focused he is capable of doing some very big things.  He proved that earlier this season with a 9-6 decision over Anthony Noto of Lock Haven.  He's also been a MAC runner-up in the past before too.  He figures out a way to keep the switch permanently on, we're not only looking at qualification material, we're looking at All American material. 

Sean Spidle
Central Michigan
125

Sean Spidle of Central Michigan had some nice wins this year.  A 3-1 decision over Blake West of Northern Illinois, he defeated Lujan 5-1.  I think the issue with why he didn't get a nod was due to a lot of close losses.  I think if he had been able to turn 1, 2 & 3 point losses into wins, it might have resulted in NCAA DI qualification.  He has one more season left. 

Spencer Moore
North Carolina 
125

Spencer Moore of North Carolina is another tough lightweight who didn't make it to the dance this year. He was 3rd in an ACC bracket that took the top two.  15 wins on the season, a 2-0 decision over Brandon Kaylor of Oregon State. 

Richie Koehler 
Rider
133

For the second season in a row, Richie Koehler of Rider took MAC runner-up honors & as far as I'm concerned got pretty much ignored when it came time to select the at large bids.  18 wins on the season, he had a 6-5 win over Cory Rooks of Indiana & he also defeated MAC champ Gable Strickland 4-1 s.v.

Tony Madrigal
Illinois
133

You gotta compete.  It's that simple. You can't miss most of the season & expect to get the nod when it comes to at large/wildcard bids.  That's what kept three time NCAA DI qualifier Tony Madrigal of Illinois from seeing his fourth qualification.  Nevertheless in the handful of matches that he did wrestle this year, he scored an 8-3 decision over Jacob Van Dee of Nebraska & a 4-0 decision over Tyler Wells of Minnesota. 

Haiden Drury
Utah Valley
141

I would imagine that Haiden Drury of Utah Valley was probably right on the fence when at large bids/wildcards were being discussed at 141 lbs.  A runner-up at RENO, he had a 7-5 decision over Max Leete of American & a 5-2 decision over Cayden Rooks of Indiana. 

Jason Miranda
Stanford
141

Seems every season Jason Miranda finishes somewhere between 34th & 37th.  Always just a hair away from being top 33, but can't quite get over the hump.  I was really hoping that a runner-up finish at the Southern Scuffle might light a fire & at times it seemed to.  He nearly majored Kai Owen of Columbia 13-7 & he actually did major Todd Carter of Gardner Webb 12-4.  Perhaps his final season of '24-'25 he'll finally be 33 or >, rather than <

Nash Singleton
Oregon State
149

I'd put Nash Singleton of Oregon State into the same category as Hendriksen at 125.  He's a freshman that took some rookie slumps this year & I'm pretty sure a summer of hard work & studying, he'll come back correcting the mistakes that were made this season.  6th at CKLV, he did defeat MAC champ Quinn Kinner of Rider 8-6. 

Noah Castillo
Chattanooga
149

He was ranked a lot of this season & I thought that alone might get him into the NCAA championships via an at large/wildcard bid, but it didn't.  I really think what cost him Q this year some of the close losses he had throughout the season.  If we go back in time and turn those close losses into wins, Castillo would probably be packing for Kansas City right now.  He was 4th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Zach Price
Gardner Webb
149 

A match away from qualification last year with a SOCON finish of 2nd when he needed to win the tournament & a match away from qualification with a SOCON finish of 3rd, when he needed to make the finals this season.  Two heartbreakers in a row.  Was hoping to see Price punch a ticket to Kansas City this season, but it didn't happen. Nevertheless, I still chalk up 29 victories & a 5th place Southern Scuffle showing a pretty good season. 

Nick Stonecheck
Lock Haven 
149 

Consistency.  Probably sick of hearing that word by now, but it is what is keeping these guys from qualification this season.  Nick Stonecheck did have 18 wins this season, including an 8-5 decision over MAC champ Kinner. 

Nate Lukez
Army
157

4th in an EIWA bracket that took the top three, I thought that Nate Lukez of Army would get into the NCAA championsips, but he did not.  26-11 on the year, he was 4th at the Southern Scuffle.  I would imagine strength of schedule is probably what kept him out. 

Sal Perrine
Ohio
174

The entire point of our current qualification system is to make sure that a bad conference tournament doesn't cost you, your trip to nationals.  To incorporate the entire system into whether you're top 33 by year's end or not.  That's what it is supposed to do, but in the case of Sal Perrine of Ohio, I don't think that it did.  Perrine is a two time NCAA DI qualifier, who had some nice wins this year.  8-5 over SOCON champ Austin Murphy of Campbell, he defeated Cael Valencia of Arizona State 8-5 s.v.  He also owns a 7-3 decision over Braydon Thompson of Oklahoma State.  While both the Midlands & the Southern Scuffle aren't the prestigious tournaments they once were, CKLV still has quite a bit of clout & Perrine was 5th there. 

Bubba Wilson
Nebraska
174

The truth of the matter is, 174 lbs saw a lot of upset that wasn't expected and therefore the weight class was unprepared for the number of at large/wildcard bids it would actually need.  Carter Starocci of Penn State taking up a spot didn't help matters any & neither did the fact that there were only three left.  Bubba Wilson of Nebraska was 3rd at the Soldier Salute.  A 3-1 victory over Jared Simma of Northern Iowa, he defeated Valencia 1-0 & had a 5-2 decision over ACC bronze medalist Tyler Eischens of North Carolina. 

D.J. Washington
Indiana
174

D.J. Washington of Indiana started off the season rather hot.  On the year he not only defeated EIWA runner-up Ben Pasiuk of Army 4-2, he teched MAC runner-up Michael Wilson of Rider twice (18-3 & 17-1).  Not only that, he majored MAC champ Alex Cramer of Central Michigan 15-4.   A runner-up finish at the Southern Scuffle, things were looking up for Washington.  Then it all fell apart for him at the beginning of February & he never recovered. Unfortunately for the three time NCAA DI qualifier, forgiveness wasn't on the agenda of the selection committee.  I do think though, via COVD-19 eligibility standards, he has one more season left. 

Tate Picklo
Oklahoma
174 

Again, 174 lbs was not the weight to be competing at if you needed an at large/wildcard bid.  Tate Picklo more than had his fair share of impressive wins this season.  7-2 of MAC champ Cramer, he majored BIG 12 runner-up Gaven Sax of North Dakota State 11-2.  He also had a 5-2 s.v. over Braydon Thompson & he won RENO. 

Tyler Brennan
Little Rock
174 

I'm pretty sure the collegiate career of Tyler Brennan of Little Rock has ran its course & as a result I have to conclude him a top wrestler who never made the NCAA DI tournament.  It just goes to show how incredibly difficult it is to make it to the dance.  Earlier this season he shut out Valencia 6-0. 

Zayne Lehman
Ohio
184

Perrine wasn't the only Bobcat that I feel got overlooked by the selection committee. Granted his MAC tournament didn't turn out so hot, but I figured some other W's might factor in more than they apparently did.  He defeated EIWA 3rd place finisher David Key of Navy twice, by scores of 4-2 & 8-6.  He also defeated Arizona State's Tony Negron 12-6.  I would imagine some awkward losses is most likely what he had held against him. 

Dalton Harkins
Army
184

Dalton Harkins of Army is a very strange case.  He competed at 165 lbs all season long.  Wins include a 7:00 fall over PAC 12 champ Joseph Bianchi of Little Rock, a 12-2 major decision over Jake Logan of Lehigh & for what it's worth an 8-2 decision over Beau Mantanona of Michigan, a redshirt whom many, (including myself), are very excited about for next season.  Yet Army had Gunner Filpowicz as the varsity at 165 & Ben Pasiuk as the varsity at 174.  So Harkins went up to 184 for the EIWA championships.  Giving up 20 lbs in a DI college wrestling match can't be easy.   

Troy Fisher
Northwestern
184

I believe the issue with two time NCAA qualifier Troy Fisher was that he didn't have enough W's on the record.  Nevertheless the Wildcat did place 7th at the Midlands & he had a 12-10 decision over Michigan State's Layne Malczewski. 

Tristan Wills
Little Rock
184

19 wins on the season, I believe that Triston Wills of Little Rock deserves mention here.  On the season he pinned Reece Heller of Pittsburgh at 2:31. 

Dennis Robin
West Virginia 
184

Kinda surprised that Dennis Robin of West Virginia didn't get a nod.  He was 7th in the BIG 12's, in a bracket that naturally took the top 5 & then also took 6th place Will Feldkamp of Iowa State.  Robin had 21 wins on the season, he owns a 7-4 decision over Zayne Lehman of Michigan State & a 13-5 major decision over MAC runner-up Cam Pine of Clarion

Logan Deacetis
Bucknell
197

I would imagine the coaches at Bucknell weren't too happy when they saw that Logan Deacetis wasn't selected as an at large/wildcard.  He was 7th at the EIWA championships.  John Crawford of Franklin & Marshall, whom Deacetis defeated 12-2 major decision, did receive an at large bid.  Of all cases in wrestling, this has to be one of the toughest to accept.  Deacetis was also 6th at the Southern Scuffle. 

HWT
Luke Rasmussen
South Dakota State

I thought that Luke Rasmussen of South Dakota State might get a nod, but he didn't.  16 wins on the year, he was 2nd at the Soldier Salute.  

Michael Wolfgram
West Virginia
HWT

As big, strong and powerful as this guy is, I keep wondering when in the heck is he gonna finally let loose, and really go after guys.  There are times when he wrestles so damn tense, timid and conservative. Drives me nuts.  The times when he has let loose, he's beaten some good wrestlers. Had some good wins. I'm hoping missing out on the NCAA's might light a fire within him. I think he's good enough to be an All American. I really do.  Has one more season to prove it. 

===

Ok, who did I miss?  I'm sure I overlooked someone. No matter how hard I try not to, I always do.  

Please come at me with guys that legitimately tried to qualify.  I realize the same as you do that Travis Wittlake would have been a force to have been reckoned with at the PAC-12's & he would have contended for All American honors.  I get that, but he was hurt & he didn't compete.  So let's keep names like that away for right now & focus on those that competed at the conference tournaments.