165 lbs will be exceptionally engrossing this Midwest Classic. We have a lot of returnees to this weight class as well as some newcomers from other weight classes. 17 ranked wrestlers in total & if we're speaking specifically to what they are ranked in the 165 lbs class, 8 of those 17 within the top 10. All in all, there are a total of TEN place-winners looking to earn more medals.
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| #2 @ 157 Aaden Valdez Adams State |
I have no idea why the rankings I used had Aaden Valdez ranked at 157 lbs. He's been 165. All I can figure is maybe he made an announcement I was unaware of that he was going down to 157, but he never did. Regardless of the reasoning, what I can tell you is that Valdez was 7th in the D2 nation last season & he'll be among those looking to kick butt & take names in Indianapolis this weekend.
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| #2 Cory Peterson McKendree |
Cory Peterson is no stranger to success. In fact, Cory Peterson and success are quite fond of one another. So far he's been 4th-3rd-4th in the DII nation & he's collected 2nd & 3rd place finishes here at the Midwest Classic. Already an owner of silver & bronze, he'll look to add gold to the collection this weekend. Among his wins he's defeated Hunter Jump twice by 4-1 s.v. scores. He owns both a 7-3 & a 15-5 victory over Bailey Gimbor. He's defeated Jace Fisher 9-3, 2-1 and via fall at the 5:27 mark. Two victories of Leo Mushinsky (6-3 & 7-3), he also owns an 11-8 decision over Will Kuster.
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| #3 Hunter Jump Central Oklahoma |
3rd in the DII nation last season, Hunter Jump again provides testimony to just how brutal this tournament can be, as he finished one match shy of a medal last year. Nonetheless, the Broncho has more than proven why he'll be a title contender this Midwest Classic. A 4-1 decision over Cory Peterson, he owns a 7-3 decision over Jace Fisher & a 6-2 decision over Aaden Valdez.
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| #4 Brent Nicolosi Mount Olive |
At the NCAA DII level we usually don't see freshman this good, this early, but my oh my has Brent Nicolosi been the exception. He's wasted no time in showing the DII wrestling world that he is here to compete! Thus far a 2-1 decision over Guy DeLeonardis & a 6-5 decision over David Hunsberger.
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| #5 David Hunsberger Lander |
Last year's NCAA DII champ & last year's Midwest Classic Champ, I guarantee that David Hunsberger isn't happy about seeing a #5 next to his name. He has but one number he likes to see next to the # symbol and that number is 1. He looks to reclaim his status and he's given us reason to believe that he will. A 7-3 decision over Aaden Valdez, he owns a 10-5 decision over Guy DeLeonardis. A 13-7 decision over Nate Barrett, he stuck Bailey Gimbor at the 2:22 mark.
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| #6 Jack Haskin Lake Erie |
A newcomer to the 165 lbs weight class, Jack Haskin had an outstanding season last year competing at 157 lbs. 4th in the DII nation, he made the finals here at the Midwest Classic. As to how he'll fare at 165? An 11-2 major decision over Nick Coreno is a good indication of what he's capable of.
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| #8 Guy DeLeonardis Glenville State |
Here's another former 157 lbs'er now in the ranks of 165. Guy DeLeonardis was 3rd at last year's NCAA DII championships & he was 7th here at the Midwest Classic. He'll look for similar success in his new weight class.
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| #9 Nick Coreno Gannon |
It was 6th place finishes for Nick Coreno at both the NCAA DII championships & the Midwest Classic last season. He's defeated Aaden Valdez twice by scores of 8-4 and 6-3 s.v. He also owns two victories of Bailey Gimbor, 3-1 & 8-2.
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| #4 @ 157 Bailey Gimbor Kutztown |
And here we have yet another former 157 lbs'er looking to make a name for himself in the 165 lbs weight class. Bailey Gimbor was 8th at last year's NCAA DII championships.
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| #11 Nate Barrett Ashland |
Here we have a wrestler coming down to 165 lbs from 174. A two time NCAA DII qualifier, Nat Barrett was 8th at DII nationals back in 2023. He was one match shy of placing at last year's Midwest Classic. So far, he's 12-3 on the season.
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| #12 Jace Fisher Newman |
An NCAA DII qualifier last year, Jace Fisher had an outstanding showing at the Midwest Classic last year, placing 4th. Among his notable victories, he does own a 4-1 s.v. over Hunter Jump. He also owns a 5-2 decision over Brady Schuh.
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| #14 Dajun Johnson UW-Parkside |
Dajun Johnson spent a large bulk of his collegiate career as a reserve at Northern Iowa. Transferring to UW-Parkside, he has made an immediate impact at the NCAA DII level. 10-2 on the season, he took Nick Novack the 2023 DII champ & 2024 DII runner-up into sudden victory.
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| #15 Will Lowery UNC-Pembroke |
Sometimes it takes time. It seems a lot of people, especially in wrestling, lose sight of that fact, but it is a fact. It's also a fact that there's nothing wrong with the fact that it sometimes takes time. Not everyone is going to a superstar right out of the gate. Some guys take time to develop their talents and strengthen their skills. Will Lowery has been on the UNC-Pembroke roster for quite a while. He's a senior, and for the first time, he's showing some real promise. A 15-12 s.v. over Guy DeLeonardis, he owns a 3:57 fall over Trent Mahoney.
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| #18 Trent Mahoney King |
Trent Mahoney is another senior who is so far looking to have his best season yet in '24-'25. He is so far 15-3 on the season. I will add in that he's from Baton Rouge, Lousiana, simply for the fact that in collegiate wrestling, we rarely see wrestlers from Louisiana.
I don't know much about Kaden Renner. Unfamiliar with him. It doesn't happen often to me when evaluating wrestlers, but it does every now and again. Perhaps I'll learn a lot more about him this weekend.
Did you guess another 157 lbs'er now trying to make a name for himself at 165? If you did, you are correct. Anthony Erickson was an NCAA DII qualifier for the Mules last season.
In the rankings I used Will Kuster wasn't ranked at 157 or at 165. Redshirting? I don't know. What I do know is that he was 8th at last year's Midwest Classic competing at 157 lbs. He's not unfamiliar with 165 though, as he was an NCAA DII qualifier there in 2023.
Dajun Johnson looks to be the starter this weekend for the Rangers, but if Brady Schuh gets the nod instead, realize UW-Parkside still has a medal contender. A real scrapper, Schuh owns a 1-1 tiebreaker over Cory Peterson.
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| #19 Kaden Renner Mary |
I don't know much about Kaden Renner. Unfamiliar with him. It doesn't happen often to me when evaluating wrestlers, but it does every now and again. Perhaps I'll learn a lot more about him this weekend.
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| #20 Anthony Erickson Central Missouri |
Did you guess another 157 lbs'er now trying to make a name for himself at 165? If you did, you are correct. Anthony Erickson was an NCAA DII qualifier for the Mules last season.
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| R.S.? Will Kuster Drury |
In the rankings I used Will Kuster wasn't ranked at 157 or at 165. Redshirting? I don't know. What I do know is that he was 8th at last year's Midwest Classic competing at 157 lbs. He's not unfamiliar with 165 though, as he was an NCAA DII qualifier there in 2023.
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| B.U. Brady Schuh UW-Parkside |
Dajun Johnson looks to be the starter this weekend for the Rangers, but if Brady Schuh gets the nod instead, realize UW-Parkside still has a medal contender. A real scrapper, Schuh owns a 1-1 tiebreaker over Cory Peterson.
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