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| Gabe Johnson Central Oklahoma |
What a near picture perfect season it was for Gabe Johnson last season. Midwest Classic champion, Super Region IV champion & an NCAA DII champion. Other than going undefeated, I don't think it could have gotten any better for the Broncho. The real question is, as loaded as 157 will be this year, can he do it all again?
Now, allow me to really boggle your mind....
Bryce Dauphin was injured last season, so we didn't get to see much of him. Why do I think he's someone to keep an eye on? Even someone that NCAA DII champ Gabe Johnson should be worried about challenging him for the spot? Dauphin is a transfer from Wyoming, and not just one that played backup either. Dauphin pinned three time NCAA DI qualifier/EIWA runner-up Andrew Cerniglia at 4:56 & he also stuck Robert Weston at 2:55. That should tell you what he's capable of. The Bronchos are looking gold at 157.
One of those looking to stop Johnson this year will be 2023 NCAA DII champion Nick Novak. A two time Super Region V champion, his only loss last season was to Johnson in the finals. 23-1 overall, he beat Johnson earlier in the season 4-1.
Here's a guy that really turned it around last season. A match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic in 2023, DeLeonardis took 7th place honors last season. A match away from All American status in 2023, he wrestled an outstanding tournament, capturing 3rd place last year. Thus far 1st & 2nd within the Super Region 3, he won an astounding 39 matches in '23-'24.
26-2 on the season, Jack Haskin entered the NCAA DII championships with an undefeated record. This included nearly majoring Gabe Johnson 8-1. A Midwest Classic runner-up, Haskin finished 4th in the DII nation. Thus far he's been 4th-3rd-1st at the Super Region III.
The future looks bright for sophomore Keegan Roberson of UNC-Pembroke. The Brave racked up 35 wins last season & had an assortment of accolades to add to the collection. 4th at the Midwest Classic, he was 3rd at the Super Region II & 6th in the NCAA Division II.
Half way through the season, Owen Zablocki moved down from 165 lbs to 157 lbs. The cut proved beneficial as he finished 3rd at Super Region IV & 7th in the DII nation. 25 wins overall.
22-5 on the season, Bailey Gimbor captured a 3rd place finish at Super Region I & an 8th place finish at the NCAA Division II nationals.
Two time Super Region II champ Maxwell Kiel nearly made NCAA DII All American honors last season, finishing one match shy of a top 8 finish. 16-4 on the year, he did major Guy DeLeonardis 14-4.
After posting 5th & 4th place finishes at Super Region V in '22 & '23, Ben Durocher finally got over the hump last season & finished 3rd, qualifying for the NCAA DII championships. He nearly did himself one better by coming within a match of All American honors. Also a match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic, Durocher had 19 wins on the season.
16 wins on the season, Ethan Richner was the Super Region I runner-up & one match shy of being an NCAA DII All American. Among his victories, a 12-3 major over All American Bailey Gimbor.
Let me be very frank, Central Missouri is not lacking talent at 157 lbs. All three of these gentlemen are All American contenders. John Ridle was an All American in 2022, as well as a Super Region IV champion. Last year he competed at 165 lbs & wasn't anywhere near 100% when he finished 5th in the Regional. Anthony Erickson was the Super Region IV runner-up last season. A 6-4 decision over All American Owen Zablocki. Then on top of it all Connor Johnson defeated Erickson 8-4 last year & pinned Will Kuster at the 5:36 mark. Shame the Mules can't send all three of these guys.
21 wins on the season, Cooper Warshel won the Super Region I. He had a 5-0 victory over R12'er Ethan Richner.
Cyrus Meeks was an NCAA DII qualifier last season, posting 19 wins on the year. Thus far has been 5th & 2nd in Super Region VI.
16 wins on the season, Basil Othman qualified for the NCAA DII championships with a 3rd place finish at Super Region VI.
Not sure if he was redshirting last season or what, but Ryan Wheeler did not compete in '23-'24. Nevertheless I assure you, he'll be a contender in every sense of the word in '24-'25. An NCAA DII All American of 3rd in 2022, he's thus far been 1st & 2nd in Super Region VI. He's also a two time Midwest Classic place-winner with finishes of 7th & 3rd. Not to mention on his resume, an 11-3 major over Jack Haskin.
Finishing 4th at the Super Region II, Keagan Judd was one match shy of NCAA DII qualification. A 12-9 decision over All American Keegan Roberson on the season.
The real Notre Dame's Matt Kaufmann has came extremely close to NCAA DII qualification the past two seasons with 5th & 4th place finishes at Super Region III. He had 19 wins in total last year.
Another wrestler that has came very close to NCAA DII qualification the past two seasons is Jaylon Otero of Ouachita Baptist. 5th & 4th thus far in the Super Region IV, he was also one match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic last year. 31 wins on the season.
Jakob Smith was one match shy of NCAA DII qualification last season, finishing 4th at Super Region VI.
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2023, Will Kuster came up a little short last season with a 5th place finish at Super Region IV. 8th at the Midwest Classic, he had a very impressive 14-2 major decision over R12'er Ben Durocher.
5th at Super Region II, Eric Falleni had 23 victories last season.
A bit inconsistent, Noah Korenoski has managed to capture back to back 5th place finishes at Super Region II the past two seasons. Had a very impressive 11-1 major decision over All American Keegan Roberson.
Hunter Gilmore only competed a handful of times last season, but still managed a 5th place showing at Super Region VI.
An NCAA DII qualifier that finished R12 in 2022, Jake Nicolosi enters '24-'25 now a three time Super Region II place-winner with finishes of 2nd-4th-6th. He will look to claim his second DII qualification & his fourth Region medal this season.
23 wins on the season, Caleb Meunier finished 6th at the Super Region V.
Redshirts are a little harder to keep track of in NCAA DII wrestling, but I believe that's why 2023 qualifier Casey Barnett did not compete in the Super Region III last season. He did put together a record of 14-3 though.
I'm anxious to see how Connor Simmonds ends up doing this season. Competing at 149 a bit last season, he defeated teammate Cael Larson (2nd at Super Region V & R12 at DII nationals) 15-0 tech fall & 8-3. He also has a 7-4 win over Caleb Meunier.
15 wins on the season, Kelby Armstrong had a 4-2 win over NCAA DII qualifier Cyrus Meeks & a 9-5 decision over Caleb Meunier.
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2021, Jordan Watters looks to recapture qualification this season. Reasons to believe that he can are a 2-0 win over Super Region I champ Connor Warshal, and a 4-0 win over Matt Kaufmann.
Now, allow me to really boggle your mind....
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| Bryce Dauphin Central Oklahoma |
Bryce Dauphin was injured last season, so we didn't get to see much of him. Why do I think he's someone to keep an eye on? Even someone that NCAA DII champ Gabe Johnson should be worried about challenging him for the spot? Dauphin is a transfer from Wyoming, and not just one that played backup either. Dauphin pinned three time NCAA DI qualifier/EIWA runner-up Andrew Cerniglia at 4:56 & he also stuck Robert Weston at 2:55. That should tell you what he's capable of. The Bronchos are looking gold at 157.
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| Nick Novak St Cloud State |
One of those looking to stop Johnson this year will be 2023 NCAA DII champion Nick Novak. A two time Super Region V champion, his only loss last season was to Johnson in the finals. 23-1 overall, he beat Johnson earlier in the season 4-1.
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| Guy DeLeonardis Glenville State |
Here's a guy that really turned it around last season. A match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic in 2023, DeLeonardis took 7th place honors last season. A match away from All American status in 2023, he wrestled an outstanding tournament, capturing 3rd place last year. Thus far 1st & 2nd within the Super Region 3, he won an astounding 39 matches in '23-'24.
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| Jack Haskin Lake Erie |
26-2 on the season, Jack Haskin entered the NCAA DII championships with an undefeated record. This included nearly majoring Gabe Johnson 8-1. A Midwest Classic runner-up, Haskin finished 4th in the DII nation. Thus far he's been 4th-3rd-1st at the Super Region III.
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| Keegan Roberson UNC-Pembroke |
The future looks bright for sophomore Keegan Roberson of UNC-Pembroke. The Brave racked up 35 wins last season & had an assortment of accolades to add to the collection. 4th at the Midwest Classic, he was 3rd at the Super Region II & 6th in the NCAA Division II.
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| Owen Zablocki Indianapolis |
Half way through the season, Owen Zablocki moved down from 165 lbs to 157 lbs. The cut proved beneficial as he finished 3rd at Super Region IV & 7th in the DII nation. 25 wins overall.
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| Bailey Gimbor Kutztown |
22-5 on the season, Bailey Gimbor captured a 3rd place finish at Super Region I & an 8th place finish at the NCAA Division II nationals.
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| Maxwell Kiel Belmont Abbey |
Two time Super Region II champ Maxwell Kiel nearly made NCAA DII All American honors last season, finishing one match shy of a top 8 finish. 16-4 on the year, he did major Guy DeLeonardis 14-4.
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| Ben Durocher UW-Parkside |
After posting 5th & 4th place finishes at Super Region V in '22 & '23, Ben Durocher finally got over the hump last season & finished 3rd, qualifying for the NCAA DII championships. He nearly did himself one better by coming within a match of All American honors. Also a match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic, Durocher had 19 wins on the season.
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| Ethan Richner Gannon |
16 wins on the season, Ethan Richner was the Super Region I runner-up & one match shy of being an NCAA DII All American. Among his victories, a 12-3 major over All American Bailey Gimbor.
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| John Ridle Or Anthony Erickson Or Connor Johnston Central Missouri |
Let me be very frank, Central Missouri is not lacking talent at 157 lbs. All three of these gentlemen are All American contenders. John Ridle was an All American in 2022, as well as a Super Region IV champion. Last year he competed at 165 lbs & wasn't anywhere near 100% when he finished 5th in the Regional. Anthony Erickson was the Super Region IV runner-up last season. A 6-4 decision over All American Owen Zablocki. Then on top of it all Connor Johnson defeated Erickson 8-4 last year & pinned Will Kuster at the 5:36 mark. Shame the Mules can't send all three of these guys.
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| Cooper Warshel Pittsburgh-Johnstown |
21 wins on the season, Cooper Warshel won the Super Region I. He had a 5-0 victory over R12'er Ethan Richner.
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| Cyrus Meeks CSU-Pueblo |
Cyrus Meeks was an NCAA DII qualifier last season, posting 19 wins on the year. Thus far has been 5th & 2nd in Super Region VI.
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| Basil Othman San Francisco State |
16 wins on the season, Basil Othman qualified for the NCAA DII championships with a 3rd place finish at Super Region VI.
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| Ryan Wheeler Colorado Mesa |
Not sure if he was redshirting last season or what, but Ryan Wheeler did not compete in '23-'24. Nevertheless I assure you, he'll be a contender in every sense of the word in '24-'25. An NCAA DII All American of 3rd in 2022, he's thus far been 1st & 2nd in Super Region VI. He's also a two time Midwest Classic place-winner with finishes of 7th & 3rd. Not to mention on his resume, an 11-3 major over Jack Haskin.
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| Keagan Judd Newberry |
Finishing 4th at the Super Region II, Keagan Judd was one match shy of NCAA DII qualification. A 12-9 decision over All American Keegan Roberson on the season.
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| Matt Kaufmann Notre Dame (OH) |
The real Notre Dame's Matt Kaufmann has came extremely close to NCAA DII qualification the past two seasons with 5th & 4th place finishes at Super Region III. He had 19 wins in total last year.
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| Jaylon Otero Ouachita Baptist |
Another wrestler that has came very close to NCAA DII qualification the past two seasons is Jaylon Otero of Ouachita Baptist. 5th & 4th thus far in the Super Region IV, he was also one match shy of a top 8 finish at the Midwest Classic last year. 31 wins on the season.
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| Jakob Smith Colorado School Of Mines |
Jakob Smith was one match shy of NCAA DII qualification last season, finishing 4th at Super Region VI.
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| Will Kuster Drury |
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2023, Will Kuster came up a little short last season with a 5th place finish at Super Region IV. 8th at the Midwest Classic, he had a very impressive 14-2 major decision over R12'er Ben Durocher.
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| Eric Falleni East Stroudsburg |
5th at Super Region II, Eric Falleni had 23 victories last season.
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| Noah Korenoski Coker |
A bit inconsistent, Noah Korenoski has managed to capture back to back 5th place finishes at Super Region II the past two seasons. Had a very impressive 11-1 major decision over All American Keegan Roberson.
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| Hunter Gilmore Chadron State |
Hunter Gilmore only competed a handful of times last season, but still managed a 5th place showing at Super Region VI.
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| Jake Nicolosi Mount Olive |
An NCAA DII qualifier that finished R12 in 2022, Jake Nicolosi enters '24-'25 now a three time Super Region II place-winner with finishes of 2nd-4th-6th. He will look to claim his second DII qualification & his fourth Region medal this season.
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| Caleb Meunier Minnesota State Mankato |
23 wins on the season, Caleb Meunier finished 6th at the Super Region V.
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| Casey Barnett Tiffin |
Redshirts are a little harder to keep track of in NCAA DII wrestling, but I believe that's why 2023 qualifier Casey Barnett did not compete in the Super Region III last season. He did put together a record of 14-3 though.
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| Connor Simmonds Augustana (SD) |
I'm anxious to see how Connor Simmonds ends up doing this season. Competing at 149 a bit last season, he defeated teammate Cael Larson (2nd at Super Region V & R12 at DII nationals) 15-0 tech fall & 8-3. He also has a 7-4 win over Caleb Meunier.
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| Kelby Armstrong Minot State |
15 wins on the season, Kelby Armstrong had a 4-2 win over NCAA DII qualifier Cyrus Meeks & a 9-5 decision over Caleb Meunier.
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| Jordan Watters West Liberty |
An NCAA DII qualifier in 2021, Jordan Watters looks to recapture qualification this season. Reasons to believe that he can are a 2-0 win over Super Region I champ Connor Warshal, and a 4-0 win over Matt Kaufmann.
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