2023 NCAA DI The Season: Gardner Webb

 

With some tough transfers & some top talent returning, I see the Runnin' Bulldogs qualifying four to the NCAA championships this season. 

125 lbs
Drew West 

Former Northern Illinois Husky, Drew West has decided to spend his final season as a Runnin' Bulldog. He has some impressive wins last season including Bryce West of Northern Illinois as well as nearly tech'ing Aaron Schulist of SIUE 15-1. 

149 lbs
Zach Price 

Another top transfer for the dogs this year will be former South Dakota State Jackrabbit Zach Price.  The junior finished one match shy of a medal at the Southern Scuffle last season. 

165 lbs
R.J. Mosley 

A standout season last year for R.J. Mosley as the Bulldog took an impressive 7th place finish at the Southern Scuffle & then won the SOCON's toughest bracket at 165 lbs.  18-8 on the season he will look to earn another Scuffle medal & defend his SOCON title. 

184 lbs
Jha'Quan Anderson 

Make sense of this....  Jha'Quan Anderson qualifies for the 2021 NCAA championships with a 3rd place SOCON finish & then gets left home in 2022 with a 2nd place SOCON finish. Go figure.  Nevertheless, he will most certainly contend for NCAA qualification this season. Among his victories a notable 17-3 major over George Mason's Kyle Davis. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Cleveland State

 

Here's another program that has been making improvements and no one seems to be noticing.  I think the Vikings are in serious contention to qualify five wrestlers to the NCAA championships this season. If not for the transfer of Logan Heil to Campbell & the mystery as to where three time MAC place-winner Riley Smucker is, I'd even say as many as seven. That's pretty good for a program that was on the brink of extinction not all that long ago. 

133 lbs
Jacob Manley 

12-12 on the season, Jacob Manley took a 7th place finish at the MAC last year.  I think he can turn his .500 record into a winning one & climb higher on the award stand at Conference.  I would place him in contention to be one of the top 33 by year's end as well. 

141 lbs
Caleb Rea 

It doesn't get more inconsistent & unpredictable than Caleb Rea. The West Virginia transfer can go from 0-100 to 100-0 multiple times throughout the day. You never know what you're going to get when Rea steps onto the mat.  A 9-16 record may not indicate much, but when he's on, he can be dangerous. He took Ryan Jack of North Carolina State to the edge, in a wild 8-7 loss. Then he had his way with Franco Valdes of Chattanooga in a 10-5 victory.  What is for sure is that based on history, all of his notable wins are going to be upsets, but keep this in mind....Upset on more than one occasion he will do this season. 

157 lbs
Marcus Robinson 

Here's a guy that has twice came into the MAC championships & proved himself by making the finals back to back.  He now goes up to the 157 lbs weight class to prove himself eight pounds up.  He was 19-6 on the season last year. 

184 
DeAndre Nassar 

The NCAA shocked me by leaving DeAndre Nassar home last year. The 2021 NCAA qualifier was 3rd in the MAC two years ago & 4th this past season.  He had wins over R12 Max Lyon of Purdue as well as SOCON champion Matthew Waddell of Chattanooga. 

197 lbs
Anthony Perrine 

Another NCAA qualification hopeful for the Vikings is Gardner-Webb transfer Anthony Perrine. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Army

 

As much as some wrestling fans are moaning and groaning about wrestlers receiving extra years of eligibility due to COVID-19, you'd think our military academies might start receiving a bit more love. These boys don't don't get extra years of eligibility. It's four years to make it happen & that's it. So my thinking, rational and logical, is that these fans who are steadfast hellbent against the extra year, could take their anger & make it into something positive by cheering for a team like Army.  Gone is P.J. Ogunsanya a two time NCAA qualifier who won a EIWA title in 2021.  Also go is three time NCAA qualifier Markus Hartman, who made the Midlands finals in 2020. Last but not least J.T. Brown a three time NCAA qualifier, who made the EIWA finals in 2021. 

133 lbs
Richard Treanor

15-6 on the season last year, sophomore Richard Treanor was 5th in the EIWA championships. He will contend for another top eight EIWA finish & NCAA qualification this year. 

141 lbs
Thomas Deck OR Logan Brown 

I would say considering that Logan Brown has only wrestled seven matches the past two seasons, that the spot here will most likely belong to Thomas Deck.  I include Brown here because IF by chance he is 100% & ready to go, he will give Deck absolute Hell in the wrestle-off.  Deck 19-7 on the year, had an impressive 7-2 victory over Darren Miller of Bucknell. 

149 lbs
Matt Williams 

I can see some good things coming out of Matt Williams this season. 23-4 on the year he had a very nice win over Lehigh's Max Bignola last season. 

157 lbs
Nate Lukez 

20-4 on the year, junior Nate Lukez had a series of notable victories last season.  MAC champion Ben Barton of Lock Haven, Parker Kropman of Drexel, Adam Santoro of Cornell & Trevor Elfvin of Clarion. 

174 lbs
Ben Pasiuk 

A leader on the Cadet squad, Ben Pasiuk has looked sharp the past two EIWA tournaments winning a title in 2021 & placing 3rd this past year.  He was 20-7 on the season. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Cal State Bakersfield

 

I'm very anxious to see Coach Smith get his first All American at CSU-Bakersfield & I think this is the season he does it. It's a pivotal moment for a head coach to crown his first All American. A turning point & I'm hoping that happens for Coach Smith this season. 

133 lbs
Chance Rich 

Here's the man that can do it.  Chance Rich heads into his junior season a two time PAC-12 runner-up, who was one match shy of All American status in 2021.  He's already proven he can beat All Americans with wins over Devan Turner of Oregon State & Michael McGee of Arizona State.  A Reno runner-up last season, he will also challenge for the PAC-12 title. 

141 lbs
Angelo Martinoni 

A 2021 NCAA qualifier for the Roadrunners, Angelo Martinoni was among some of the best talent last season to not be selected for the NCAA championships. 20-12 on the season, he took an 8th place finish at CKLV. 

174 lbs
Albert Urias 

It was absolute chaos last year at the PAC-12 championships, as Albert Urias did not have the finish he was looking for. Nevertheless, this is a new year & he's quite capable of doing many great things for the Roadrunners this season.  A 25-14 record, he has victories over PAC-12 champion Tyler Eischens of Stanford, as well as Anthony Mantanona of Oklahoma, Sam Wolf of Air Force & Tristan Wills of Little Rock. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Campbell

 

As they have been throughout the last four season, Campbell once again looks to be the dominant team within the SOCON. Last year they set a record of sending six to the NCAA championships & already this season they look to break that record.  Gone is five time NCAA qualifier, five time SOCON finalist & three time SOCON champion Josh Heil. Who also made the finals of both the Southern Scuffle & the Midland, while also winning titles at both Reno & the Mat Men Open during his career.  He also for the record, was 6th in CKLV.  Also gone is three time SOCON finalist, two time SOCON champion Chris Kober, as well as SOCON finalist Korbin Meink. 

125 lbs
Anthony Molton 

I would imagine that Anthony Molton has a bit of a chip on his shoulder as he enters his sophomore year of competition.  Twice during his collegiate career, he had his school tell him that he was not needed or wanted as both Old Dominion & Fresno State unremorsefully dropped their wrestling programs. Well he is wanted & he is appreciated  at Campbell, and he will do good things for the Camels.  Wins over Sheldon Seymour of Lehigh & Spencer Moore of North Carolina thus far. 

133 lbs
Logan Heil Or Domenic Zaccone

We got ourselves a battle for varsity here at 133 lbs.  Logan Heil a transfer of Cleveland State Vs Domenic Zaccone.  Heil has impressive victories including a 2:10 fall over Micha Roes of Binghamton & a 9-4 decision over Jake Ferri of Kent State.  Zaccone an NCAA qualifier last season, owns a 5-4 victory over All American Devan Turner of Oregon State. Will be a good wrestle-off. 

141 lbs
Shannon Hanna 

Another outstanding talent that Old Dominion ridiculously parted ways with, Shannon Hanna was 17-7 on the season last year bringing home a SOCON championship for the Camels. Among his notable victories, Ryan Jack of North Carolina State. 

149 lbs
Justin Rivera 

Filling in for a talent like Josh Heil is going to be no easy task, but I would expect some good things out of Justin Rivera this season. 11-1 on the season last year, he impressed with a 17-2 technical fall over Appalachian State's Heath Gonyer. 

165 lbs
Troy Nation 

One match shy of NCAA qualification in the SOCON's toughest bracket last season, Troy Nation will most certainly contend for NCAA qualification this season.  Wins over Selwyn Porter of the Citadel & Brian Meyer of Lehigh help to solidify that claim. 

174 lbs
Austin Murphy 

I still can't believe that Austin Murphy was not selected as a wild card for last year's NCAA championships. A SOCON champion & NCAA R12 in 2021, he was a SOCON runner-up this past season. I'd expect him to be on fire this season. 

184 lbs
Caleb Hopkins 

Two time SOCON Champion Caleb Hopkins will look to win his third title this season. His best competition will come from Matthew Waddell of Chattanooga who he has already defeated twice by identical scores of 5-2. 

197 lbs
Levi Hopkins 

13-8 on the season, Levi Hopkins took 8th place at the Mat Men Open last season. He will contend for NCAA qualification this season. 

HWT 
Taye Ghadiali

A SOCON Champion this past season, it ought to be a cakewalk to win another title this season for Taye Ghadiali who was 20-4 last season. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Chattanooga

 *NOTE* - I want to make it clear what this is and what this is not.  What this is NOT is an overview of the entire team. What this is, is a who’s who preview of THIS season 2022-2023. Meaning that I am going to talk about the starters who I feel will have an impact THIS year. Those who will win big matches in duals. Those who will earn placings in major tournaments like CKLV, RENO, MIDLANDS, MATMEN INVITE, SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, CONFERENCES & NCAA’s.  In some cases a weight class will have multiple talented wrestlers. I will note that & I will also be making posts later on about the best wrestle-offs to look forward to this season.  Then after that is determined I will make post later into the season of who our best backups are in the nation.

This post will NOT include redshirts. Those who are redshirting this season will be included in a separate post entitled “22’-23’ Best Redshirts.” 

Looks to be a pretty competitive year for the Mocs. I see as many as seven making their way to the NCAA championships this season & four of those seven contending for individual SOCON titles.  Gone is three time NCAA qualifier & SOCON champ Fabian Gutierrez & Drew Nicholson has decided to spend the remainder of his career at Virginia Tech. 

125 lbs
Logan Ashton 

A transfer of Stanford, Logan Ashton qualified for the NCAA championships last season with notable victories over Greg Diakomihalis of Cornell, Antonio Lorenzo of Cal Poly and Patrick McCormick of Virginia. 

133 lbs
Brayden Palmer 

24-9 on the season, Brayden Palmer qualified for the NCAA championships with a 3rd place finish at the SOCON. This season he will battle it out with Appalachian State's Sean Carter for an individual conference title. 

141 lbs
Franco Valdes 

Another 3rd place finisher from last year's SOCON championships who will contend for an individual conference title this season is Franco Valdes. 15-10 on the year, he'll need to figure out Campbell's Shannon Hanna, who has thus far defeated him in all two point matches.  It is most likely to be our SOCON final & it'll be a good one. 

149 lbs
Noah Castillo 

18-8 on the season, I do believe Noah Castillo, who was also 3rd in last year's SOCON championships can be an NCAA qualifier for the Mocs this season. 

174 lbs
Rocky Jordan 

Ohio State transfer Rocky Jordan is an excellent pickup for the Mocs who will immediately challenge for the top spot within the SOCON & give UT-Chattanooga their best hope for an All American.  While this will be his first season at 174 lbs, he has more than proven himself at 184.  A two time NCAA qualifier he has victories over All Americans Clay Lautt of North Carolina & John Poznanski of Rutgers. 

184 lbs
Matthew Waddell 

Down from 197 lbs, Matthew Waddell has the opportunity to join the rare club of being a four time SOCON finalist & a two time SOCON champion.  17-12 on the season last year, he won his first conference title & will look for title #2, along with NCAA qualification #4. 

197 lbs
Logan Andrew 

Another hopeful for NCAA qualification this season for the Mocs is 2021 NCAA qualifier Logan Andrew. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Duke

 

It seems that the deck has been stacked against Blue Devil wrestling as of late.  I was really hoping to see the last of the Finesilver brothers shine through for the dark blue & white this season, but Matt has decided to spend his final season of eligibility at Michigan.  With that said, I'm not sure of the current status of Kaden Russell either.  Duke needs a shot in the arm.  As Bruce Springsteen says in Dancing in the Dark  you can't start a fire without a spark & Duke is looking for that spark. They have one wrestler on their team I know is capable of NCAA qualification this season & another who gives hope that he may be as well.  All things considered Duke has an assortment of challenges to overcome, that many other teams do not. They're always against the wind, but they've proven in the past despite these challenges that they can succeed. To reiterate, they simply need that spark to start the fire. 

157 lbs
Wade Unger 

A spark might very well come from 157 lbs'er Wade Unger.  With victories over Parker Kropman of Drexel & Elijah Cleary of Pittsburgh last season, he has shown promise of what he's capable of. The Blue Devils really need someone to step up & be the face of the program, now that the Finesilver brothers are all gone. Unger is in position to be that face. 

165 lbs
Brandon LaRue 

Another Blue Devil who has potential to step it up and be a leader is Brandon LaRue.  Among his varsity victories this season, he defeated Anthony Gibson of Northern Illinois 14-5 major decision.  

197 lbs
Kaden Russell 

Much like LaRue, Russell has shown potential to be the Blue Devil that steps it up this season. 

2023 NCAA DI The Season: Northern Illinois

 

Here's a program that has been making improvements throughout the last few seasons & they're not getting a whole heck of a lot of recognition for it. They're still not at the level they were at 20 years ago, when they were producing wrestlers like Ben Heizer & Scott Owen, but they're a lot closer now than what they were say 6-7 years ago. It's very feasible that the Huskies could qualify as many as six to the NCAA's this season. I would say eight and feel even better about Northern Illinois' 22'-23' season if I knew what the situation was with MAC champs Mason Kauffman & Brit Wilson (an All American in 2021). Neither are listed on the current roster. Nonetheless, this should still be a good year for the Huskies. 

125 lbs
Blake West OR Lucian Brink 

This should be a good wrestle-off between two young talents.  25-2 on the season last year, Blake West was one match shy of a medal at the Mat Men Open with an impressive victory over Anthony Molton of Campbell.  Lucian Brink captured an 8th place finish at the Mat Men Open. He also defeated Molton & he also had a win over Campbell's Zurich Storm. 

133 lbs
Bryce West 

Bryce West heads into his senior season a two time NCAA qualifier and a four time MAC place-winner.  Thus far he's been 3rd-7th-5th-7th.  Looking at past results, I would say West is capable of a high conference finish.  He's wrestled both Richie Koehler of Rider & Cole Rhone of Bloomsburg to close matches. Neither are out of his league.  Win an MAC title? It's doable. As is a runner-up finish or a 3rd place finish. 

141 lbs
Jaivon Jones 

17-16 on season Jaivon Jones was one match shy of NCAA qualification with a 4th place finish at the MAC championships last season.  He was also one match shy of a medal at the Mat Men Open. 

149 lbs 
Anthony Cheloni

A bit of a disappointing season for Anthony Cheloni after placing 3rd in the MAC in 2021.  Nevertheless still had wins over Willie McDougald of Oklahoma & Luke Kemerer of Pittsburgh. Should be back to form again this season & earn another qualification. 

157 lbs
Tulga Zuunbayan Or Anthony Gibson 

Very excited to see Tulga Zuunbayan on the mat this season. The 2021 NJCAA champion for Harper College had some impressive wins last season including a 4-3 victory over Johnny Lovett of Central Michigan & a 10-8 sudden victory over Trevor Chumbley of Northwestern.  He first has to get past Anthony Gibson. 6th in the MAC, he was one match shy of a medal at the Mat Men Open & 20-13 on the season. Will be a good wrestle-off. 

165 lbs
Izzak Olejnik 

A three time MAC finalist, Izzak Olejnik won a MAC title this past season. Along with defending his title, he will also contend for All American status this season.  A 8th place Midlands finish in 2020, he was 4th in the Mat Men Open this past season. 26-6 on the year, an impressive win over All American Zach Hartman of Bucknell 7-3, he also defeated Thomas Bullard of North Carolina State 4-2.