Here at 184 lbs we have five spots for At Large/Wildcard bids and I feel pretty confident that I know who those five will be. I could be wrong, but I'd be shocked if they were anyone else other than the five I mention. I think the five I mention all make very strong cases.
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| Caleb Hopkins Campbell |
This past weekend was a very emotional weekend for me. Saw a lot of great things that made me very happy and I saw a lot of disappointing things that were rather depressing. This is in no way, shape or form a shot at Tomas Brooker of Appalachian State. He came out of nowhere & wrestled an outstanding SOCON championship. However, when Caleb Hopkins of Campbell lost his bid to become the first ever four time SOCON champ for the Camels, my heart sank. 22-9 on the season, I'm pretty sure he gets in to the DI championships this year.
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| Will Feldkamp Iowa State |
It hasn't been quite the year that 2023 7th place NCAA DI All American Will Feldkamp of Iowa State was hoping that it would be. He's had his ups and downs so far in '23-'24, but as far as I'm concerned he's done more than enough to deserve one of the at large/wildcard bids. Among his wins this season, he stuck PAC-12 champ Trey Munoz of Oregon State in 2:21. A 10-0 major decision over Sam Wolf of Air Force, he tech'd David Key of Navy 22-7. A CKLV runner-up, I'd say he's going to another NCAA DI championships.
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| Jha'Quan Anderson Gardner Webb |
3rd-2nd-2nd-3rd, I would have to conclude Jha'Quan Anderson of Gardner Webb to be one of the best wrestlers to never win a SOCON title. While that eluded him, what did not, was his becoming the first ever Runnin' Bulldog to win a Southern Scuffle title earlier this season. I know some people hate the term "he got caught" but tough cookie. That's what happened. He got caught on his back against Caleb Roe of Presbyterian at the SOCON championships & coming back to major Roe 11-0 for 3rd proves my point. I know that getting the committee to select SOCON wrestlers for at large/wildcard qualification is pulling teeth & here I am trying to get them to grant qualification to TWO SOCON wrestlers. Fact is, both Hopkins & Anderson deserve to get in. Frankly it's a crock if they don't both get in.
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| Dennis Robin West Virginia |
Feel pretty strong that Dennis Robin of West Virginia will be another of our At Large/Wildcard bids. 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.
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| Tony Negron Arizona State |
It's been a bumpy and curvy road for Tony Negron of Arizona State & unabashedly not hiding my bias here, I'd like to see it end in qualification for the Sun Devil. I think he has the credentials. Wins that stick out most this season are a 6-4 decision over Gavin Kane of North Carolina & a 4-1 decision over Jaden Bullock of Michigan.
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Take it or leave it, if I were on the committee, these would be my five votes.
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