The community of wrestling sure likes hypotheticals. We love to sit down and debate back and forth over who's better. Which level of wrestling is superior to the other. Is DII better than NAIA or is NAIA better than DII? Most of the time these conversations are nothing more than opinion. Pure speculation. However, every once in a while, we get to put on our lab coats and test out our hypothesis. This is one of those times. Colorado Mesa is a tough DII team that returns seven NCAA DII qualifiers. Menlo has a super tough team as well. We're going to see DII & NAIA go head to here.
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| Oran Huff Vs Jeremiah Steele 133 |
Oran Huff was an NCAA D2 qualifier for the Mavericks last season, placing 2nd at the Super Region VI. Jeremiah Steele was an NAIA qualifier, with a 3rd place showing at the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). Should be a good match.
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| Ryan Wheeler Vs Kanai Tapia 157 |
Here's where the bets be made. Where we really get to see NCAA DII test itself against the NAIA and vice versa. Ryan Wheeler didn't compete last season, but he was 3rd in the D2 nation back in '22 & he's been 1st & 2nd within Super Region VI. Kanai Tapia is an NAIA title contender this season. 3rd in the NAIA last year & also a Missouri Valley Invite champ. Bragging rights are on the line in this one.
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| Gus Dalton Vs Max Zamora 174 |
Here we have an NCAA DII R12'er taking on a 7th place NAIA All American. Gus Dalton Vs Max Zamora should be a good one.
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| Jason Bynarowicz Vs Isaiah Morales 184 |
In my opinion one of the toughest things to do in wrestling is comeback after a loss at Regions and take 3rd place. Qualification is on the line, and depending on where you lost on the championship side of the bracket, you have to win at least two really tough matches in order to take home that bronze medal and punch yourself a ticket to DII nationals. It show a tremendous amount of courage, strength, character and guts. Four of the returning Mavericks did just that last year, including Jason Bynarowicz. That type of mental toughness could prove to be the difference here against Menlo. They'll certainly need it against the likes of Isaiah Morales. A CCC champ last season, he was a hair short of being an NAIA All American.
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| Gabe Carranz Vs Hunter James 197 |
An NCAA DII qualifier/Super Region VI runner-up Vs an NAIA qualifier/CCC 4th placer. Again, pure tenacity on the line here. Who wants it more? Who's going to show up and wrestle? D2 Vs NAIA, and we're going to see it this Saturday!
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