CKLV 2025 - 157 lbs Preview!!

 

157

Half way through the weight classes, we now take a dive into 157 lbs.  This particular weight class is a lot of fun as we have the #1, #2 & #3 ranked wrestlers in the country all ready to do battle.  A battle between youth & experience, with some other worthy claimants lurking in the shadows. 

*NOTE* - I know that Meyer Shapiro isn't slated to return to competition until second semester, and it's probably not worth it to list his credentials concerning CKLV & the competition.  However, I know if I don't, he'll show up in the bracket.  A champion contender? No doubt about it.  An 11-0 major & a 9-4 decision over Vinnie Zerban. 10-4 over Dan Cardenas.  9-0, 14-3, & 18-3 over Jimmy Harrington.  I think those victories speak for themselves.  Nevertheless, I don't think he'll be here. 

As to who will be...

#1
Ty Watters
West Virginia

The Mountaineers haven't had an NCAA DI champion since the legendary Greg Jones won his three titles in '02, '04 & '05.  Ty Watters hopes to break that 21 year steak come this March.  With that said, this weekend the focus is winning a title at CKLV. 

#2
Vinny Zerban
Iowa State

The Northern Colorado will be wrestling in his first (and I believe last) CKLV tournament this weekend & I would think should receive either the *2 or *3 seed.  Either way, the path to the finals is still going to be through likely same opponent in the semi-final.  We'll get to him here in a second...

#7
Daniel Cardenas
Stanford

 Daniel Cardenas is a CKLV title contender this weekend.  Albeit, perhaps a darkhorse contender, but still a contender.  For what it is worth, I'm almost positive that Meyer Shapiro will NOT be in action, but Cardenas does own 5-4 & 8-5 over the Big Red opponent.  He also owns a 13-4 major and a 6-2 decision over Luka Wick.  He took Zerban into sudden victory. 

#11
Ethen Miller
Virginia Tech

A three-time NCAA DI qualifier, this will be the second CKLV championships that Ethen Miller has participated in during his career.  The first representing Virginia Tech.  At the beginning of the season, I called Miller an under the radar darkhorse. Not so much that people aren't aware of him, but more along the lines of people have a lot of expectations about a lot of wrestlers & Ethen Miller at the moment is just sorta there.  We're not sure quite what to make of him.  Does he belong in the AA discussion? Does he linger in that 9-15 spot?  I say we get answers to those questions this weekend in Vegas. 

#14
Rafael Hipolito
Oklahoma

8th here a year ago, Rafael Hipolito will once again look for a top 8 finish this weekend. Among his wins, a 10-3 decision over Jimmy Harrington. 

#15
Stoney Buell
Purdue

Although an NCAA DI qualifier in 2024 and some nice wins under his belt, Stoney Buell is still looking for that big turning point moment in his career as he's 1/5 through his 'senior' year.  A good showing at CKLV this weekend is exactly what he needs.  An 11-6 decision over Cael Swensen suggest that is more than possible. 

#16
Cael Swensen
South Dakota State

The #1 thing that #16 Cael Swensen has going for him coming into Vegas this weekend is that he owns two victories over 4-1 & 4-2 over Vinny Zerban. It may also come to play that he meets Jared Hill this tournament, in which he owns three victories, 4-1 s.v., 5-2 & 6-3.  

#19
Jimmy Harrington
Harvard

I talk a lot at JT1Wrestle about wanting to see a resurgence of the glory years of Harvard wrestling & I often talk about how that has to start somewhere.  Diego Sotelo was a good start, but then he transferred to Michigan.  I guess that leaves a lot of weight & a lot of pressure on Jimmy Harrington. A wrestler that is more than capable of a top 8 showing here, although it'll take wrestling at a very high level to do it.  Not only does he have eight wrestlers ranked above him, but there are some very tough wrestlers who are not ranked looking for a top 8 spot as well.  He owns a 5:46 fall over Jared Hill. 

U.R. 
Jared Hill
  Wyoming 

Bracketbusters.  They're always fun and our bracketbuster here his Jared Hill.  5th here a year ago, despite the fact that he's currently unranked there's plenty of reason to to think he places again this weekend.  For one, he's defeated Vinny Zerban THREE times!  3-1 tiebreaker, 5-3 s.v. & 4-3.  The other two times he wrestled Zerban, it was very close 4-1 s.v. & 4-3 losses.  So five matches tells us W or L, it's going to be close.  He also wrestled Dan Cardenas to a 5-1 match, and as mentioned earlier has had some very close matches with Cael Swensen. 

U.R.
Luka Wick
Cal Poly

Want another unranked wrestler more than capable of pulling off some upsets this weekend? Look no further than Luka Wick. For one, he's a Wick. Secondly, he owns a 4:18 fall over Stoney Buell. 

U.R.
Cam Catrabone
Michigan

I am very confident that the team championship this weekend is either going back to Stillwater or it's going back to Ames.  With that said, under the right circumstances, Michigan could end up having a very good showing.  Cam Catrabone was one match shy of placing here a year ago. 

U.R.
Kai Owen
Columbia 

Nine ranked wrestlers & a number of unranked talents, Kai Owen would have to pull off some very impressive wrestling this weekend to be top 12, let alone top 8.  He's had some decent wins in the past, therefore worthy of that consideration.