Monday, October 26, 2026

FRI OCT 30th - #6 North Idaho Vs #5 Clackamas

 



The world of college wrestling starts things off with bang as the #6 North Idaho Cardinals take on the #5 Clackamas Cougars. These two programs have both represented west coast wrestling proudly and strongly over the years & they are very familiar with one another.  Last year Clackamas won a well contested 28-21 bout.  As they look to once again walk out of Coeur d'Alene with a victory, North Idaho looks to avenge their loss. 

I'm sure all of the matches will be exciting but there are four that JT1Wrestle looks forward to in particularly.  

Kelby Bernard Vs Parker Ballantyne


These guys were at different weights last season, with Kelby Bernard winning a West District title & Parker Ballantyne finishing 3rd.  At the NJCAA championships however, Ballantyne would capture a 5th place finish, as Bernard finished one match shy of All-American honors. There is a chance that this match might not happen because either could go 133 or 141.  My hope though is that they're both at the same weight, cause this match would be dope. 

Pablo Hernandez Vs Dylan Block
174

This is going to be a real good one.  These two met in the West District finals last season, & Dylan Block's immediate aggression paid off as he hit two back-to-back takedowns in the first period, holding on for a 6-3 decision.  I would imagine that Hernandez is expecting the bull right out of the gate this time, and should be more prepared to not be taken off guard.  Hernandez went 2-2 at the NJCAA championships last season, as Block captured 4th place. 

Lusiano Lopez Vs Seth Martin
184

Unfortunately, we didn't get to see this matchup at the West District last season, as Lusiano Lopez was upset in the semi-finals, settling for 3rd as Martin won a title.  As the NJCAA championships, Lopez avenged the loss he took in the semi-finals eventually finishing 7th.  Martin finished 5th.  So, in other words the comparisons here are in common opponents and parity.  Martin has the edge heading into this matchup, but I would not count Lopez out. 

197
Elijah Josey Vs Jackson Lougen


Here's another great matchup for the evening.  In the semi-finals of the West District last season, Josey used a late 2nd period takedown to get past Lougen 4-1.  In front of a home crowd, in an important dual, what momentum it would give Lougen to pull off the upset.  Josey was 5th at the NJCAA championships.  

JT1Wreste Takes A Look At Army 2026-2027

 


It's a fun time in college wrestling for the military academies.  At the D3 level both USCGA & the USMMA are doing well, and here in NCAA DI, Army is looking good, and so are Air Force & Navy.  Army does lose a few tough wrestlers, but they bring back quite a few as well.

Gone...

Charlie Farmer, an NCAA DI qualifier in 2025 & an EIWA runner-up.   Missed out on qualification this year, but did end his career with 74 career wins & placed 5th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Ethan Berginc ended his career a four-time NCAA DI qualifier with EIWA finishes of 4th-3rd-3rd-2nd & 95 career wins. 

Wolfgang Frable an NCAA DI qualifier in 2025, came up a little short this year. 71 career wins. 

Back...

141
Braden Basile

4th in the EIWA, Braden Basile heads into '26-'27 a two-time NCAA DI qualifier. 

165
Gunner Filipowicz

4th-6th-3rd thus far in the EIWA, Gunner Filipowicz will challenge for a conference title this season as well as for All-American honors.  A 5-2 win over NCAA DI bronze medalist Cesar Alvan, he's thus far been 2nd-1st-2nd at the Southern Scuffle. 

174
Andrew Christie

One match shy of NCAA DI qualification last year, Andrew Christie won 22 matches on the season & took 8th at the Southern Scuffle. 

184
Cooper Haase

18 wins on the season last year for Cooper Haase who was one match shy of placing at Southern Scuffle. 

HWT
Brady Colbert Or Lucas Stoddard


Probably the most underrated wrestle-off in all of NCAA Division I wrestling.  Brady Colbert has thus far been 4th & 3rd in the EIWA, as Lucas Stoddard was an NCAA DI qualifier himself in 2024.  I'm not sure if Colbert beat Stoddard outright for the spot last year or not, as Stoddard was hurt during the Lehman Open.  Both have been spectacular at the Southern Scuffle in recent years.  Colbert has been 3rd-3rd the past two tournaments with Stoddard being 2nd-2nd-4th the past three.  Very anxious to see how this turns out. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Wyoming 2026-2027

 


Wyoming looking very good as we head into 2026-2027.  Lose two to the ends of eligibility but bring back a lot of talent.  Should be a great year for the brown & gold. 

Gone...

Gabe Willochell ends his career a four-time NCAA DI qualifier. One match shy of ending it all as an All-American. 

Jared Hill unfortunately did not earn his bid to become a four-time NCAA DI qualifier but nonetheless did find his way onto the BIG 12 award stand four times.  As tough as the conference is, that is an accomplishment that should be recognized. 6th-6th-5th-8th. 

Back...

133
Luke Willochell

Luke Willochell earned NCAA DI qualification for the Cowboys last season, also placing 6th at Cliff Keen Las Vegas. 

165
Sloan Swan

Sloan Swan finished 5th in a BIG 12 bracket that took the top 4 to the NCAA DI championships. 15 wins on the season, he defeated e'Than Birden 5-3. 

174
Riley Davis


Riley Davis was 6th at the BIG 12's this past season & one match shy of being top 8 in Vegas. 

184
Eddie Neitenbach

7th in the DI nation, Eddie Neitenbach was 2nd in the BIG 12 & 3rd at CKLV. 

197
Joey Novak

The accomplishments & credentials just keep piling up for Joey Novak. Thus far the Cowboy has been 5th & 4th in the DI nation, while capturing 8th-4th-2nd place finishes at CKLV.  He was also a BIG 12 finalist last season. 

HWT
Christian Carroll

Christian Carroll is proof of why the At-Large Wildcard system is so important to NCAA Division I wrestling. After not having a good BIG 12 tournament, Carroll turned around & put it together at the national tournament earning 8th place All-American honors.  23 wins on the year, he has thus far been 8th & 2nd at CKLV. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At Wisconsin 2026-2027

 



Between eligibility being up & the transfer portal Wisconsin loses some good talent, but they also bring some back too as we head into 2026-2027. 

Gone...

Nicolar Rivera, a two-time NCAA DI qualifier who was one match shy of All-American honors in 2025 is competing for Maryland this year. 

Zan Fugitt, 4th in the DI nation in 2025 will be competing for Missouri. 

Joe Zargo ended his career a four-time NCAA DI Qualifier. 

Have to talk about the inspiration that Luke Mechler was last year. 8-19 & 11-17 records to winning 19 matches last year, and qualifying for the NCAA DI championships with a 7th place finish at the BIG 10's. 

Back....

165
Cody Goebel

Cody Goebel is a two-time NCAA DI qualifier for the Badgers. 

174
Lucas Condon

Lucas Condon was an NCAA DI qualifier for the Badgers last season. 

197
Wyatt Ingham

17 wins on the year for NCAA DI qualifier Wyatt Ingham who was 5th at the BIG 10's. 

HWT
Braxton Amos

Could we be looking at Wisconsin's next NCAA DI All-American? I believe so.  One match shy of being top 8 in the DI nation last year, three-time NCAA DI qualifier Braxton Amos won 23 matches last season. 

Friday, October 23, 2026

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look At West Virginia 2026-2027

 


The Mountaineers do lose a few to being out of eligibility, but they do a good job of replacing those weights, plus they bring back a strong lineup for action in 2026-2027. 

Gone...

I hope Jett Strickenberger realizes what he did for NJCAA wrestling during his time in NCAA Division I.  When someone like a Strickenberger comes from the NJCAA into DI & does as well as he does, it causes Coaches to open up their eyes & realize that kind of talent that can be in community college wrestling.  He did a great job qualifying for the DI championships three times, winning at BIG 12 title last year, winning a CKLV title this year & finishing both last year & this year one match shy of DI All-American honors. 

Jordan Titus, ended his time as a Mountaineer a four-time NCAA DI qualifier

Willie McDougald, a three-time NCAA DI qualifier unfortunately missed out on #4 this year, but he did still manage to place at the BIG 12's.  Being a four time BIG 12 place-winner is no easy feat & should be looked at for the accomplishment that it is. 

125
Louie Gill

A reserve for Jett Strickenberger last year, Louie Gill put together a 17-4 record. 

133
Gunner Andrick

26 wins on the year, Gunner Andrick earned NCAA DI qualification with a 4th place showing at the BIG 12, as he was also 5th at Cliff Keen Las Vegas. 

141
Luke Satrino

A reserve for Jordan Titus last season, Luke Satrino won 18 matches, including a 7-4 decision over Dylan Ragusin. 

157
Ty Watters


I'm anxious to see where Ty Watters ranks on the all time greatest wrestlers from WVU list once his career is said & done. So far, the Mountaineer has been 4th & 6th in the DI nation.  Last year he won 25 matches, a CKLV title & also took 3rd in the BIG 12's. 

174
Brody Conley

An NCAA DI qualifier in 2024, I was quite shocked when Brody Conley didn't make the cut among the At Large Wildcards last season.  7th at the Midlands he had a 2-0 win over Cael Valencia, a 4-0 win over Luca Augustine & an 8-0 major decision over Brody Baumann. 

184
Ian Bush

19 wins on the year, Ian Bush has thus far been 4th & 3rd at the BIG 12's. 

197
Rune Lawrence


An NCAA DI qualifier for the old gold & blue last year, Rune Lawrence was 5th at CKLV. 

HWT
Max Vanadia


Max Vanadia comes to WVU from Michigan State where he was an NCAA DI qualifier in 2025.  Last year he had an 11-8 win over All-American David Szuba. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look at Virginia Tech 2026-2027

 


Virginia Tech has a very good team this year.  By very good, I mean they could very well challenge for a team trophy.  They do lose two to the ends of eligibility & one to the transfer portal, but whatever they lost, they're more than making up for. When the late Jim Weaver, one of the best athletic directors the sport of wrestling has ever known said he wanted V.T. to be a wrestling school, by gawd he meant it. The Chicago maroon & burnt orange is most certainly a wrestling school. 

Before we get to just how loaded the Hokies at in 2026-2027, let's first get out of the way what has been lost...

Jaden Bullock capped off his stellar career at two-time NCAA DI All-American.  An ACC champ this year, he also took 7th at the Southern Scuffle. 

Ethan Miller, a transfer of Maryland ended his career a four-time NCAA DI All-American. An ACC runner-up this year, he was 5th at the Midlands. 

Tom Crook, a three-time NCAA DI qualifier will compete for Indiana this year. 

Now for what is back...

125
Eddie Ventresca

When Eddie Ventresca's '25-'26 season ended one match shy of NCAA DI All-American honors, the first thing I said was that I still thought he could win the 2027 NCAA DI national title.  I still think that. 7th-5th-R12-1st?  Yes, I think that's a very real possibility, and Yes, I know how insanely loaded 125 is going to be this year.  A two-time ACC champ, Ventresca also won the Southern Scuffle last year. 

133
Aaron Seidel Or Dillon Campbell

To be blunt, I was quite shocked when I discovered that Virginia Tech held onto Dillon Campbell this season. As talented as he is, it just doesn't look like there's a place in the lineup for him in '26-'27.  We're talking about a guy that went 18-5 last year, 4th at Cliff Keen Las Vegas & 6th at the Southern Scuffle. Wins over Zach Redding & Tyler Ferrara.  Who knows? Maybe he might give me a slice of sweet potato pie & shut my mouth with a win over Aaron Seidel. 

Be a Hell of a win, considering how good Seidel is. 22-2, he was champion at the ACC, the Lehman Open & the Midlands, taking 3rd place All-American honors in the DI nation. 

133
Nick Garcia

I was rather shocked when Nick Garcia decommited from Illinois & decided to go to Virginia Tech.  It's not like the Hokie's aren't already loaded with talent at 133 as it is.  Nevertheless, with pretty much no more room, they somehow made room from another outstanding talent. 


141
Bo Bassett Or Drew Gorman

I've been around collegiate wrestling now for about 35 or 36 years now & I can remember some very hyped debuts.  Steve Mocco was a big deal, Hell even some of the debuts last year were a big deal, but I don't know if there has ever been a debut in the history of college wrestling that fans are more excited about than Bo Bassett.  I would imagine the week before his first official appearance; it might be all college wrestling media talks about.  The things this guy did while still in High School are unheard of. I mean he took out Jaxon Joy 11-1 last year! Then when Caleb Tyus was ranked like #2 or #3 in the country at the time, he tech'd him 21-6! At 41 years of age, I wonder if I'll ever see someone capture the fans interest in the way that this young man seems to. 

With that said, I'm not going to overlook or completely ignore the fact that Drew Gorman is a Hell of a good talent in his own right.  3rd at the Midlands last year, he had an 8-3 win over Dylan Chappell. 

149
Caleb Henson

Taking a redshirt this past season, Caleb Henson, one of the best wrestlers to ever come out of the state of Georgia has thus far been 5th-1st-2nd in the DI nation as he'll go for his fourth All-American honor, his third NCAA DI finals appearance & his second National title. 

157
Collin Gaj

If Collin Gaj can have the kinda season at 157 that he had at 149, then that's gonna be a great '26-'27 for the Hokie. Last year he won both the ACC & the Midlands, taking 5th in the DI nation & 7th at CKLV. 

165
Noah Nininger Or Mac Church

We have a good wrestle-off here at 165 lbs.  Noah Nininger redshirted this past season, placing 6th at the Midlands & earning a 7-6 decision over Jackson Arrington.  Mac Church, a two-time NCAA DI qualifier for the Chicago maroon & burnt orange has thus far been 3rd & 2nd in the ACC. He won 24 matches last year. 

174
Ryan Burton

Redshirting this past season, Ryan Burton took 3rd at the Midlands. 

184
Sergio DeSiante

The Tampa, Florida native earned ACC runner-up status last year, also placing 3rd at the Midlands. 

197
Sonny Sasso

The ACC champ won 26 matches last season, heading into '26-'27 with Southern Scuffle finishes of 3rd & 6th. 

HWT
Jimmy Mullen Or Parker Ferrell

2nd & 3rd thus far in the ACC, Jimmy Mullen will be looking to win a conference title this season, as he'll also be looking to become a two-time Southern Scuffle champion.  He has a very strong backup in Parker Ferrell, who was 4th at last year's Midlands.  Owns a 6-4 win over Rocco Dellagatta. 

JT1Wrestle Takes A Look at Utah Valley 2026-2027

 


The ends of eligibility claim a few, as we also gain a couple from the transfer portal.  The Wolverines of Utah Valley look to have a solid team in 2026-2027.  

Gone....

Haiden Drury ends his career at two-time NCAA DI qualifier. Sort of a rocky road to get there, but he got there.  6th at the Southern Scuffle, he owns two CKLV medals to his name of 3rd & 7th. 

Bridger Ricks, may not have had the DI career he was hoping for, but he still made the NJCAA world proud.  Finished just one win shy of a CKLV top 8 showing this year. 

David Evans who spent most of his career a reserve for the Penn State Nittany Lions had a great final season of wrestling, placing 3rd at the BIG 12's & 6th at CKLV.

Mark Takara, one match shy of placing at both CKLV & the Southern Scuffle. 

133
Geronimo Rivera

With the name of a baseball player, Geronimo Rivera had some ups upon his roller coaster of a season last year.  One match shy of placing at the Southern Scuffle & a 5-2 win over Zan Fugitt. 

165
Marcus Espinoza-Owens

Winning 15 matches last season, Marcus Espinoza-Owens just barely missed out on NCAA DI qualification finishing 6th in the BIG 12.  He was also 6th at CKLV. 


174
Moses Espinoza-Owens Or Hudson Rogers

For good reason the green & white faithful are excited about SDSU transfer Moses Espinoza-Owens.  28 wins on the year, he was an NCAA DI qualifier & he took 3rd at CKLV.  With that said, I'm not 100% sure that he's taking the spot from Hudson Rogers.  6th at the Southern Scuffle, he had a 7-3 decision over Jared Simma on the year.  The last these two met it was a 7-5 decision in favor of MEO, and it should prove to be an outstanding wrestle-off. 

184
Caleb Uhlenhopp

17 wins on the year, Caleb Uhlenhopp was an NCAA DI qualifier with a 7th place showing in the BIG 12 & 8th at the Southern Scuffle last year. 

197
Kael Bennie

An NCAA DI qualifier for the Wolverines last year, Kael Bennie was 7th at the Southern Scuffle & one match shy of placing at CKLV. 

HWT
Jack Forbes

Jack Forbes was an NCAA DI qualifier for the Wolverines last season.