2025-2026 NCAA DI Preview = 165 lbs

 

Mitchell Mesenbrink
Penn State

With as well as Mitchell Mesenbrink wrestled last season, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he not only goes the rest of his career without another loss, but if he goes the rest of his career without ever even being in danger of one.  At this moment in time, heading into his junior season, he has exactly one loss, among 53 wins.  Should add two more NCAA DI titles, to the one he had last year, it's amazing to think of how close he is to the search for the next Cael Sanderson, yet ironically how far away he is at the same time.  Collegiate wrestling fans are absolutely fixated with the idea of another undefeated DI one wrestler & to think all that may keep him from this achievement is simply a 9-8 loss to David Carr.  It almost seems unfair, doesn't it?  Mesenbrink is also a two-time BIG 10 champion thus far. 

Mikey Caliendo
Iowa

7th-4th-2nd, Mikey Caliendo heads into '25-'26 looking to become a four-time NCAA DI All American. 3rd & 2nd thus far in the BIG 10, he'll have more than one opportunity & on some pretty big stages to finally figure out a way to get past Mitchell Mesenbrink.  Caliendo is also a two-time Soldier Salute champion. 

Chris Minto
Nebraska

24-7 on the year, Chris Minto was 8th in the BIG 10, but ironically enough 4th in the DI nation.  A testimony to the insane toughness that the BIG 10 can be.  He also won the Navy Classic. 

Hunter Garvin
Stanford

Hunter Garvin has proven himself to be a very tough wrestler.  If you care to remind Bernard Muir, please do so. 640-723-4596.  He seems to not be aware of it, so maybe we ought to remind him.  Thus far Garvin has had two back-to-back 6th place finishes in the DI nation & ironically enough he's also been 6th-6th at CKLV.  3rd at the Midlands, he won a PAC-12 title, and he was 23-9 on the year. 

Joey Blaze
Purdue

Joey Blaze was a huge surprise at the NCAA DI championships last year, making the finals at 157 lbs.  Will he be able to duplicate such success up at 165? 

Nick Hamilton
Virginia

14-5 on the year, Nick Hamilton heads into his final season of collegiate eligibility with 1st & 2nd place finishes with the ACC the past two seasons.  He was one match shy of being an All-American in 2025. 

Braeden Scoles
Illinois

The Four-time Wisconsin state champ had himself a great first season of varsity collegiate wrestling last year.  18 wins, he was 5th at the BIG 10's & a match shy of being an NCAA DI All American.  Had a 4-3 win over All American Chris Minto. 

Brock Mantanona
Michigan

Another sensational freshman from last season, Beau Mantanona won 17 matches last season, finishing 7th at CKLV & 3rd in the BIG 10. He was one match shy of DI All American status. 

Gunner Filipowicz
Army

25-6 on the year, Gunner Filipowicz, a Georgia native heads into '25-'26, a two-time NCAA DI qualifier.  A Princeton Open champion & a Black Knight Invite runner-up, he's been 2nd & 1st at the Southern Scuffle. 

Cesar Alvan
Columbia

Since beginning my love for wrestling 34 years ago, I've ran across very few wrestlers from Brazil, and ironically enough there are two in collegiate wrestling this year.  A two-time PAN-AMERICAN bronze medalist, Cesar Alvan won 24 matches last season.  Runner-up finishes at Princeton, Lehman & the Ivy League. 

Drake Rhodes
South Dakota State

21-7 on the year, Drake Rhodes an NCAA DI qualifier last year, took 5th at CKLV.  Owned an 8-4 decision over All American Hunter Garvin. 

Nicco Ruiz
Arizona State

This weight class is full of a lot of excellent young talent & Nicco Ruiz is another example of it.  Winning 14 matches last season, Ruiz was 6th at the BIG 12's & one match shy of placing at CKLV. 

Jack Thomsen
Northern Iowa

6th & 7th thus far in the BIG 12, Jack Thomsen heads into his final season of collegiate eligibility, having finished one match shy of placing at CKLV.  The #1 thing to look at? He defeated All American Chris Minto 4-1 s.v. last year. 

R.J. Weston
Northern Iowa

I don't know if I see Jack Thomsen losing his spot this season or not, but it is hard for me to believe that a guy as good as R.J. Weston might finish his final season of collegiate wrestling having never competed in a BIG 12 tournament.  Among his wins a major over Andrew Cerniglia 10-2 & a major over Drake Rhodes 12-4. 

Tyler Lillard
Indiana

20 wins on the season, Tyler Lillard really shined in Chicago last year, winning the Midlands title.  Also a runner-up at the Sheridan Open, he had a 6-3 s.v. over All American Hunter Garvin. 

Andrew Sparks
Minnesota

A four-time NCAA DI qualifier, looking to become a five-time DI qualifier, Andrew Sparks went 24-9 last year.  A Soldier Salute runner-up, he owned a 10-5 win over R12'er Braeden Scoles. 

Tom Snipes
The Citadel

28-9 on the season, Tom Snipes won a Southern Conference title last season & finished 5th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Noah Mulvaney
Bucknell

13 wins on the season last year, one of which was a 7-1 decision over R12'er Beau Mantanona, Noah Mulvaney was runner-up at the EIWA last season. 

Will Miller
Appalachian State

22-4 on the year, three-time NCAA DI qualifier Will Miller heads into '25-'26 having finished 1st & 2nd in the SOCON the past two seasons. 

Mac Church
Virginia Tech

Mac Church was 3rd in the ACC last year. 

Aidan Riggins
Iowa State

Aidan Riggins had a rough start to '24-'25, but turned it on at the end of the season earning NCAA DI qualification with a 4th place showing at the BIG 12's. 

Jared Keslar
Pittsburgh

10-13 on the year & 5th in the ACC, Jared Keslar had enough quality wins last season to earn an NCAA DI qualification. 

Paddy Gallagher
Ohio State

17 wins on the season, Paddy Gallagher was 7th at the BIG 10's. 

Bryce Hepner
Ohio State

Man are the wrestle-offs at Ohio State going to be good.  Challenging Gallagher for the spot, he won the Michigan State Open & had a 4-0 decision over Maxx Mayfield. 

e'Than Bird
Ohio State

Yeah...about how good the Ohio State wrestle-offs are going to be.  Let's add e'Than Bird into the discussion here at 165 lbs. A redshirt last year, he was 7th at the Midlands & owned a 9-6 decision over R12'er Braeden Scoles. 

Cody Goebel
Wisconsin

15 wins on the season, Cody Goebel was an NCAA DI qualifier for the Badgers last season. 

Sean Seefeldt
Pennsylvania

Sitting out '24-'25, Sean Seefeldt returns to varsity action in '25-'26.  3rd at the Princeton Open, he had a 4-2 decision over Anthony White. 

Anthony White
Rutgers

An NCAA DI qualifier in 2023, I was sorta surprised that Anthony White was not selected for NCAA DI At Large Wildcard bid.  23 wins on the season, a 4-3 decision over Cesar Alvan, 4-2 over Jared Keslar & a 4-3 tiebreaker over Tyler Lillard. 

Andrew Barbosa
Rutgers

Challenging White for the varsity spot this year will be Andrew Barbosa.  A redshirt last year, he was one match shy of placing at Midlands & had a 2-1 tiebreaker over e'Than Bird. 

Evan Maag
George Mason

22-6 on the year, Evan Maag was an NCAA DI qualifier in 2024, but missed out on qualification in 2025.  He was 2nd at the Battle of the Citadel & 6th at the Midlands

Max Brignola
Lehigh

An NCAA DI qualifier in 2023 & 2024, Max Brignola redshirted in 2025. Hell of a good redshirt too, as he went 22-0 winning Opens at Clarion, Sheridan & Lehman.  8-6 over R12'er Beau Mantanona, he was 6-3 s.v. over Nicco Ruiz, 8-5 over Tyler Lillard & 5-2 over Cesar Alvan. 

Maxx Mayfield
Missouri

21 wins on the season, Maxx Mayfield, a three-time NCAA DI qualifier for Northwestern, will look to earn DI qualification #4 for the Tigers of Missouri this year.  An 8-1 decision over All-American Chris Minto, Mayfield was 3rd at the Michigan State Open, 6th at the BIG 10's & 2nd at the Midlands. 

Tyler Swiderski
Central Michigan

4th at the Midlands last year, Tyler Swiderski defeated Jared Keslar 7-2. 

Blaine Brenner
Minnesota

An NCAA DI qualifier in 2024, Blaine Brenner won 10 matches last season & placed 3rd at the Southern Scuffle. 

Aiden Wallace
Duke

Truth is, things have been down for Duke wrestling in recent years. However, there is potential for Blue Devil wrestling to rise again, & Aiden Wallace is a big reason why.  22 wins on the year, he had a 7-1 decision over SOCON champ Tom Snipes & he was 2nd at the Southern Scuffle. 

Boeden Greenley
North Dakota State

4th at the Southern Scuffle last season, Boeden Greenley had a 4-1 s.v. over SOCON champ Tom Snipes. 

Luka Wick
Cal Poly

A runner-up in the PAC-12 last year, Luka Wick heads into '25-'26. 

D.J. Shannon
Michigan State

This is D.J. Shannon's final season of eligibility.  One of those guys you know has the potential & you know that if you leave him off the list of potentials for NCAA DI qualifiers, he'll make you eat those words later.  

Keller Rock
Oregon State

2nd & 3rd in the NAIA nation, Keller Rock is taking advantage of the "you have one more year of eligibility IF you go DI" rule, and he'll be competing for Oregon State this season.