I tell you what this is a rather strange weight class. I think when it comes to the upper half the podium, things are rather cut and dry. We have our champion contenders, those that will fight for 3rd, and our likely battle for 5th. Things get a little fuzzier when we start considering who will be wrestling in the 7th place match & likely candidates for that R12 finish. I wouldn't be the least be surprised if after this weekend the rankings are a huge cluster, that will take days to sort through. If opportunity exist for the lower ranked and even the non-ranked, it is here at 184 lbs.
15 ranked wrestlers, four in the top 10. 5 returning place-winners.
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| #2 Parker Keckeisen Northern Iowa |
A career record of 102-5, and among the many credentials he has to his name, Keckeisen already owns CKLV finishes of 2nd & 1st. While stranger things have happened in this sport, I can't see anyone upending the Panther in his quest for another title. He owns two 14-5 major decisions, as well as a 12-6 decision over likely *2 seed Dustin Plott.
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| #3 Dustin Plott Oklahoma State |
3rd here a year ago, Dustin Plott looks to meet Parker Keckeisen in the finals of this CKLV championships, although he could face some challenge in the route to getting there. Bennett Berge has taken him into sudden victory before.
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| #4 Bennett Berge South Dakota State |
As said above, Bennett Berge has taken Dustin Plott into sudden victory before, so it is very likely that the Jackrabbit could challenge the Cowboy for a spot in this year's finals. A tournament wrestler, Berge recently suffered a tough loss to Max McEnnelly when South Dakota State dualed Minnesota. For some such a loss might be a setback going into this weekend. For Berge, I think it'll equate more to that of awakening a sleeping Giant.
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| #5 Silas Allred Nebraska |
Speaking of sleeping giants, perhaps here is our darkhorse. Silas Allred has taken back to back CKLV finishes of 5th place competing at 197 lbs. Now he's at 184. What's he capable of at this weight? We find out this weekend. Viva Las Vegas!
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| #8 Chris Foca Cornell |
I am really anxious to see how Chris Foca does this tournament. He took back to back CKLV 3rd place finishes in a row, and then last year he went 1-2. It makes it hard to know what to feel or what to say. A part of me thinks this guy could be exactly who we see in the finals against Keckeisen, actually giving the Panther a run for his money. We'll see.
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| #13 Dylan Fishback North Carolina State |
7th at CKLV a year ago, Dylan Fishback returns looking to capture medal #2 and place himself higher on the award stand.
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| #14 Evan Bockman Iowa State |
As I've seen many times, wrestling is a sport about proving yourself and reproving yourself over and over again. You consistently have to show the community who you are and what you're made of, every time you step out onto the mat. Evan Bockman is a two time CKLV place-winner. He has finishes of 8th & 4th, but last year, he came up one match shy of earning a third medal. Now he's at a new school, competing at a new weight class. He looks to earn that third medal that eluded him last year.
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| #15 Ryder Rogotzke Ohio State |
Ryder Rogotzke will be our starter for the Buckeyes this tournament as Rocco Welsh is currently redshirting. I have to include Welsh in the write-up though, because I want to emphasize that if he were in the bracket, the opportunity for the lower ranked and unranked wouldn't be as high as what it's going to be. Welsh hasn't competed much at 184 lbs, but a 7-2 decision over Jaden Bullock is enough evidence for me. As to Rogotzke, he can be downright mean on the mat when he wants to be. He manhandled Jaden Bullock last year in a match 21-0 technical fall.
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| #16 T.J. Stewart Virginia Tech |
I normally don't say much when it comes to the rankings. I try not to criticize too much. Why? Because I know I wouldn't do any better and I don't have any issue at all with admitting that. There is so much parity in wrestling. So much back and forth. I agreed to do rankings exactly once in my life, and I will never do them again. It's one thing to do a thankless job for little to nothing. It's a whole other to do a job where people act like hooligans for a job that pays little to nothing.
So I get how difficult the job of rankings can be, but I can't help but say I feel T.J. Stewart is criminally underrated at #16. I get that he's 0-2 right now, and that one of those losses was pretty ugly, but still, I think #16 is too low. It amazes me what some wrestlers are forgiven for and what some wrestlers are not.
I digress. The point I'm making here, is that I think T.J. Stewart is far better than #16. Do I see him knocking off Keckeisen? No, but I do see him way outwrestling that ranking and his probable seed. He owns both a 7-2 & 8-5 decision over Dylan Fishback and he owns a 3-2 decision over Chris Foca.
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| #18 Jaden Bullock Michigan |
I mentioned earlier that Jaden Bullock lost a 21-0 technical fall to Ryder Rogotzke, right? Here's another fact about that match. Bullock later avenged that loss & turned it into an 8-7 victory. That takes GUTS. To take an L of that magnitude & turn it into a W, shows a level of intestinal fortitude that few men on this planet have. 5th at last year's CKLV championships, Bullock also owns a 9-6 s.v. over Dylan Fishback.
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| #19 Will Ebert Binghamton |
Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need. Last year Will Ebert ended his season with a 14-15 record competing at 174 lbs. 6 weeks into the '24-'25 season competing at 184, he finds himself the #19 wrestler in the nation. He'll look to improve upon that ranking this weekend.
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| #26 James Rowley Purdue |
Talk about a guy that REALLY turned things around from last year... James Rowley ended '23-'24 with a 9-19 record! Now he's wrestling well enough to have a #26 ranking. Among those fighting for a strong finish here in Vegas this weekend.
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| #29 Ross McFarland Hofstra |
It's been a while since Hofstra has had a highlight, such as would be a place-winner at CKLV. We're talking wrestling exceptionally well, pulling off a few upsets and pretty much having a miracle run...but if there's any member of the Pride that can do so, it's Ross McFarland.
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| #31 Isaac Dean Rider |
Define irony. Here I am speaking of another wrestler who ended '23-'24 with a losing record that is now ranked in the '24-'25 season. Isaac Dean was 13-14 last year & this year heads into Las Vegas looking to see what he can accomplish at NCAA DI's toughest in-season tournament.
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| #32 Daniel Williams Navy |
15-15 on the season last year, Daniel Williams is another wrestler who finds himself ranked in the top 33 of NCAA DI at 184 lbs in '24-'25. He'll look to contend this weekend in Vegas.
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| U.R. Nick Fine Columbia |
Do I think there are going to be some unranked wrestlers here at 184 lbs pulling off some upsets this weekend? Uh...yeah, you bet your Francis The Talking Mule I do! If I were in Las Vegas and one of the tables read, "184 DI wrestling" THAT is where I'm sitting down and THAT is where I'm placing my bets. Among the unranked that is very capable of making some noise? Nick Fine. Fine already owns a 3-2 tiebreaker over Jaden Bullock & he took Isaac Dean into the tiebreakers before dropping a 2-1 decision.
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| U.R. Aziz Fayzullaev Arizona State |
I can't pronounce the guys' name, but I can say that I think the former NJCAA champion is capable of doing a lot of great things for the Sun Devils this season. I think he's capable of a top 8 finish here, and I'm very confident that he's capable of top 12 finish. If nothing else, I think he at least picks up enough valuable wins this weekend to garner himself ranking within the top 33 of NCAA DI.
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| U.R. Ian Bush West Virginia |
Want another unranked wrestler who could make some noise this weekend? How about Ian Bush? The Mountaineer recently pulled off an 8-5 s.v. over Gavin Kane. That ought to suggest what he is capable of this weekend.
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| U.R. Ethan Ducca Wyoming |
You really wanna talk, "Where in the heck did he come from?" potential? One of those wrestlers that is completely off the radar that could potentially come in here and open up some eyes with a handful of upsets? Look no further than Ethan Ducca. Here's a guy that could weasel his way into the quarter-finals or find himself in the bloodround if he were to have the right type of draw. For what it is or isn't worth, Ducca owns a 4-1 victory over Zane Lehman...
Speaking of Lehman...
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| R.S. Zane Lehman Ohio |
I would for sure count Zane Lehman in as one of the place-winner contenders for this year's CKLV, as he was R12 at these championships last year. However Lehman is currently redshirting for the Bobcats. I realize redshirt rules and competing has different rules than what it used to, but I'm pretty sure we won't be seeing him in action this weekend.
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