2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Colorado State Pueblo

 

Looks to be a good, competitive season for the Thunderwolves as they return three NCAA DII qualifiers & three others who will compete hard for qualification themselves.  Gone is Parker McBride who came within one match shy of NCAA qualification last season. 

125 lbs
Josiah Seaton 

An NCAA DII qualifier in 2019, Josiah Seaton looks to earn Q #2 in 22'-23'. 

157 lbs
Justin Davis 

18-12 on the year, Justin Davis showed what he's capable of when he stuck Colorado State Mesa 3rd place NCAA DII American Ryan Wheeler in 6:20. 

165 lbs
Ruben Garcia 

20-11 on the season last year, Ruben Garcia earned NCAA DII qualification with a 3rd place finish at Super Region VI. 

184 lbs
Dominic Robles 

Dominic Robles earned a 6th place finish at the Super Region VI last season. 

197 lbs
Ben Gould 

15-10 on the year last season, Ben Gould showed promise with an impressive 3-2 victory over Eli Hinojosa. 

HWT 
Gavin Nye 

An NCAA DII qualifier for the Thunderwolves in 2020, Gavin Nye scored a 4:38 fall over two time All American A.J. Cooper of Fort Hays State as well as a 6-3 victory over Sam Deseriero of Western Colorado. 

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Fort Hays State

 

This will be a bit of a rebuilding year for the Tigers as expired eligibility takes their two best wrestlers from last season. Gone is Martin Verhaeghe who was 5th in the nation last season as well as Hulk Hogan doppelganger A.J. Cooper a two time All American, 5th in 2021  & 7th last season.  The Tigers return three region place-winners & two NCAA DII qualifiers. 

133 lbs
Mason Turner 

An NCAA qualifier in 2020, Mason Turner looks to earn another qualification this season. 

149 lbs
Cason Lindsey 

21 victories last season, Cason Lindsey placed 5th at the Super Region VI

157 lbs
Anthony Scantlin 

19 wins for Anthony Scantlin last season as he earned a 6th place finish at Super Region VI. 

197 lbs
Tereus Henry 

Tereus Henry earned NCAA Division II qualification last season when he took a 3rd place finish at the Super Region VI. He was 27-12 on the year. 

 

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Chadron State

 

The Eagles return all four of their Region Place-Winners including an NCAA Division II qualifier. 

125 lbs
Quade Smith 

Utah native Quade Smith took a 5th place finish at the Super Region VI last year as a freshman. 

141 lbs
Ethan Leake

Junior Ethan Leake, a native of California earned a runner-up finish at the Super Region VI last season earning NCAA Division II qualification. 

197 lbs
Eli Hinojosa 

Senior Eli Hinojosa a native of Nebraska goes into his final season as an Eagle having posted a 4th place finish at the Super Region VI last year. 

HWT
Mason Watt 

11-4 on the season, senior Mason Watt has came lose to NCAA Division II qualification twice during his career. 4th in 2020, he was 5th in the Super Region VI last year. 

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Adams State

 

21'-22', what an outstanding year it was for Grizzlies wrestling. Three NCAA DII qualifiers & all three of them go undefeated in route to winning NCAA DII titles! I mean who does that!?!?! It'll forever go down as one of the greatest moments not only in Adams State history but in DII wrestling period.  To think, two of those champions are back!  Noah Hermosillo, who also earned All American status with a 6th place finish in 2021 has since graduated. 

133 lbs
Jonathan Andreatta

NCAA Division II champion Jonathan Andreatta returns for his final season as a Grizzly posting a 26-3 record last year. 

141 lbs
Angel Flores 

Junior Angel Flores showed signs of his potential last season when he upended Colorado School of Mines R12'er Grayston DiBlasi 9-7 sudden victory. 

149 lbs
Aaden Valdez 

Replacing a talent like Noah Hermosillo is an ultimate task, as Aaden Valdez will be the man to take it.  He has already shown his potential with impressive victories over Tate Allison of Chadron State a two time NCAA DII qualifier & Kameron Frame of Newberg, a three time qualifier & All American in 2019. 

157 lbs
Josiah Rider 

27-2 on the season, Josiah Rider won an NCAA Division II title for the Grizzlies last season. 

165 lbs
Sam Loera 

Sophomore Sam Loera was one match away from NCAA Division II qualification last season with a 4th place finish at the Super Region VI. He was 13-5 on the year. 

174 lbs
Cody Lewis 

Junior Cody Lewis earned a 5th place finish at Super Region VI last season. 

197 lbs
Hunter Tobiasson 

18-10 on the year, sophomore Hunter Tobiasson earned a 5th place finish at the Super Region VI. 

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Western Colorado

 

The Mountaineers are as much literal as they are metaphorical. As they continue to climb up that mountain of success they return seven of nine Region Place-Winners, two of which were NCAA Division II qualifiers, one an All American.  Gone is All American Cody Fatzinger, 8th in the nation last season as well as Sammy Deseriere who took 6th place at the Super Region VI. 

133 lbs
Patrick Allis         OR         Alex Alvarez 

Two time NCAA Qualifier/2021 All American (5th) & two time Super Regional runner-up Patrick Allis' season ended prematurely last year with an injury after he placed 6th at the Midwest Classic. It should be noted how good of a job Alex Alvarez did in filling the position, as the sophomore wrestled very tough throughout the season earning a 4th place finish at the Super Region VI. 

141 lbs
Dean Noble 

18-11 on the season, Dean Noble goes into his junior year having posted a 5th place finish at the Super Region VI. 

149 lbs 
Jason Hanenberg     OR   Giovanni Cassioppi 

Thus far senior Jason Hanenberg has been 3rd-4th-3rd in the Super Region. R12 at the NCAA Division II championships, he was 25-7 last season. Back up Giovanni Cassioppi looked very good last season, going 11-1. 

157 lbs
Ryan Wilson 

Ryan Wilson is coming off of a redshirt. Last season he defeated two time NCAA DII qualifier/All American Jacob Wasser of Nebraska-Kearney. 

165 lbs
Hunter Wilson 

Senior Hunter Mullin had himself a very nice season last year going 25-8, earning a runner-up finish at Super Region VI & a 7th place finish at the NCAA Division II tournament. 

174 lbs
Cole Hernandez 

Cole Hernandez just about made the NCAA Division II championships last season when he placed 4th at the Super Region VI. 175 takedowns his senior year of high school, look for him to fight for that qualification this season. 

184 lbs
Cole Gray 

Cole Gray was 5th at the Super Region VI this past season. 

197 lbs
Porter Fox 

A transfer of Northwest Wyoming Community College, Scholar All American Porter Fox a native of Utah was 6th in the Super VI last season. 

 

2023 NCAA DII Wrestling The Season: Colorado Mesa

 

The Mavericks return a ton of talent this season that includes four NCAA Division II qualifiers & two All Americans.  Gone is Three time qualifier Donald Negus, 5th in the nation in 2021 & one match shy of a second All American honor last year. 

125 lbs
Dawson Collins     OR      Will VomBaur 

This is a wrestle-off I am really looking forward to.  Sophomore Dawson Collins had an outstanding season last year going 24-5 earning a runner-up finish at the Midwest Classic, a 3rd place finish at the Super Region VI & a 5th place finish at the NCAA Division II championships. VomBaur is a transfer of Air Force who after seasons in DI is going to test the waters of DII. His father Ben was a two time All American for Boise State twenty seasons ago. 

133 lbs
Collin Metzgar OR Andrew Silva OR Oran Huff

I'm 99.99% positive that senior Collin Metzgar is going to keep his spot as the starter for the Mavericks. I simply want to point out the talent he has in the room pushing him & helping make him better.  3rd in the Super Region VI this past season, he won a Midwest Classic title on a 23-7 record. He was also a Midwest Classic Runner-up in 2021.  Andrew Silva one of his backups had a respectable season himself including a notable win over Western Colorado's Dean Noble. Oran Huff, only a sophomore earned a 16-2 record. 

157 lbs
Ryan Wheeler 

Only a sophomore, Ryan Wheeler was 22-6 on the season. Accomplishments included placing 7th at the Midwest Classic, winning a Super VI title & earning a 3rd place finish at the NCAA Division II championships. 

165 lbs
Alex Holguin 

Another tough sophomore, Alex Holguin was 17-13 on the season last year earning a 6th place finish at Super Region VI. 

174 lbs
Seth Latham 

Senior Seth Latham enters his senior season a two time NCAA Division II qualifier looking to earn a third qualification. He was 18-10 on the year. 

184 lbs
Nolan Krone 

An NCAA Division II qualifier in 2020, Nolan Krone missed out on qualification last season by a nose hair finishing 4th at the Super Region VI. He'll look to get back to the national tournament this year. 

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Nebraska-Kearney

 

The #1 team in the nation there's a reason why UNK won the NCAA Division II team title last season & will once again contend this season. Eight NCAA qualifiers last season, five of which return. Seven of those eight qualifiers were All American & four of them return. Seven won Super Region titles & five of them return. Yep, we're looking at a very, very good team. 

The man, the myth, the legend...the guy who is personally responsible for JT#1's commitment to do more DII coverage, two time NCAA DII finalist Josh Portillo has since graduated. He & brother Justin, NAIA's FIRST 5 time All American among the many great things they're doing have now become my competitors! They have put their hats in the ring to do college wrestling media. The amount of talent, passion & above all else heart, they are bound to be very successful. 

Also gone from the mix is five time qualifier, four time All American & two time NCAA DII champion Matt Malcom, with three time All American & DII finalist Wesley Dawkins, two time All American/NCAA DII finalists Sam Turner & 2021 All American Jacob Wasser.  Let's take a look at the returnees. 

125 lbs
Bishop Murray 

Replacing a a talent like Josh Portillo is one heck of a challenge but sophomore Murray Bishop who went 13-7 in a redshirt this past season will be up to it. 

141 lbs
Nic James 

Two time All American (5th in 22' & 7th in 23') & two time Super Region Champion Nic James returns for his junior season posting a 23-10 record last year. 

165 lbs 
Trenton Munoz 

I already talked up Trenton Munoz when I did my write-up for Hastings.  65-3 on the season, he was 2nd in the NAIA last year. Now he's transferred to UNK & looks to dominate in NCAA Division II the same he did in the NAIA. 

174 lbs
Austin Eldredge 

26-6 on the season Austin Eldredge earned his second NCAA Division II 4th place finish this past season, also winning a Super Region VI title. 

184 lbs
Billy Higgins OR Dylan Vodicka OR Jacari Deal 

We got some depth here at 184 lbs!  Billy Higgins won a Super Region VI title last season as he took a 3rd place finish at the NCAA Division II tournament. He also defeated NCAA Division I qualifier Jack Jessen of Northwestern.  Vodicka 17-6 on the season, had an impressive victory over Augustana's Kolby Kost. Deal was 15-9 himself. 

197 lbs
Hayden Prince    OR       Joe Reimers 

This will be a good wrestle-off I would think.  Hayden Prince 19-10 on the year & a Super Region VI champion taking on 2021 NCAA Division II All American (4th) Joe Reimers. 

HWT
Lee Herrington 

Two time All American Lee Herrington 4th in 2021 & 5th this past season collected 24 falls last year.  

2023 NCAA Division II The Season: Minnesota State Mankato

 

The Mavericks do lose some valuable talent from last season, but they also bring back some valuable talent too.  Gone is NCAA DII champion Trevor Turriff along with two time All American Kyle Rathman who finished one match shy of qualification this past season. 

133 lbs
Isaiah Mlsna

Tough sophomore who went 12-5 on the season last year, Isaiah Mlsna was 5th in the Super Region V. 

141 lbs
Brock Luthens 

Thus far in his career Brock Luthens has been 4th & 5th in the Super Region V as he enters his final season as a Maverick. 

157 lbs
Cooper Siebrecht 

Talk about on the fence. A native of Lisbon, Iowa, Cooper Siebrecht has came close to NCAA Division II qualification three times. 5th in the Super Region in 20', he has been 4th the past two seasons.  It's do or die time now as the Maverick heads into his senior season. 

HWT 
Darrell Mason 

Big, strong, quick, a class act on and off the mat, how can you not love a guy like Darrell Mason? Tough as nails & an excellent sportsman. He was 21-0 last season in route to an NCAA Division II title & he'll look to win another title this season.