Most opens in College wrestling don't contain the firepower that the UNI Open has to offer this year. J'Den Cox and Isaiah Martinez lead the way, which is a pretty good start. They each have 2 National Championships a piece, while Cox adds a World Bronze Medal to the equation. Following behind them are 3 other All-Americans, 2x All-American Lavion Mayes, Zane Richards and Daniel Lewis. 

Overall the 2016 UNI Open has a World Bronze Medal, 2 National Champs, 5 All Americans, and 8 other National Qualifiers. The story of the day is going to be how some of these young up and coming guys can match up with some of the top ranked guys in the country. Watch all of the action from the Northern Iowa Open live on FloWrestling Saturday December 3rd. 

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#9 Ethan Lizak leads the charge, the title is his too be take as it doesn't look like two-time All-American Dylan Peters will take the mat for the Panthers nor will National Qualifier and MAC Champion Barlow Mcghee for Missouri. With two power houses out of the race in this one, that gives Lizak some breathing room as he should look to do what he does on top and take a tittle back to the twin cities. Lizak will be challenged by a couple young guys as Travis Piotrowski (Illinois) and Jay Schwarm (UNI) look to make some noise and upset the top ranked Lizak. Former Iowa State starter Kyle Larson is also in the mix here.

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Zane Richards is the favorite, but the 4th place finisher at the 2016 NCAA Championships isn't going to have an easy day, as a handful of young guns are looking to take out the senior. One of those being Missouri's stud freshman and 11th ranked Jaydin Eirman, if these two meet up in the finals it could be one of the best finals of the day. Josh Alber won't be on the mat for the Panthers, instead UNI will send out Top recruit Rudy Yates, we are not sure with or without the mustache, we do know that he can scrap though, I would love to see him and Eirman go at it. Yates will have his work cut out for him just to get to Eirman though as True Freshman Dylan Duncan (Illinois) and Ian Parker (Iowa St) will both strap up making this weight one of the deepest at the tournament. JUCO Champ Shiquan Hall and 5x Minnesota State Champ Cameron Sykora are also in the mix

141

With no ranked wrestlers at this weight you would think it is one of the weaker ones, yet that is the complete opposite. With 3 National Qualifiers and 3 stud True Freshman this weight will be full of high level scraps all day long. Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) looks to be the front runner, but he will be tested by NCAA Qualifiers Gabe Moreno (Ia St) and Zach Synon (MIZZ). Look for the true freshman out of Michigan Kanen Storr to turn some heads as we could see him and Iowa 4x State champ and top recruit for the Hawkeye's Carter Happel scrap it out. Storr has faired pretty well to start his college career only taking two losses one to Navy's Jared Prince and the other to Michigan States Javier Gasca who is ranked 16th. I like Storr to upset a couple of these guys and make some big noise at the UNI Open this weekend. Another big Iowa recruit Brock Rathbun is also registered to wrestle at 141 at the UNI Open.

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The front runner here is 4th ranked Lavion Mayes, he is a two All-American and will look to roll through the competition this Saturday, he will have another one of the Panthers young guns coming at him an that is #12 ranked Max Thomsen, the 4x Iowa State Champion, is looking to climb the rankings and take out the 2x All-American. This is going to be a battle and the sleekness of Mayes goes head to head with the brutality and toughness of Thomsen, look for 7 minuets of screaming and stomping from the UNI crowd, this will just be the first of many match-ups these two have this upcoming season. Following behind Thomsen is RSSO Brock Ervin for Illinois and True Freshman Zander Wick (Wisconsin) and Hunter Marko (Minnesota). A possible semis matchup between Thomsen and Wick could be an entertaining one, both of these guys have some of the best single leg defense around. Lavion will sneak by the Freshman this time around, but I believe Thomsen will get him in the matchups to come! It will be a great one none the less.

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We will see #9 Joey Lavallee fresh off a redshirt year for the Tigers, the 2x NCAA Qualifier from Nevada is the front runner here, but will be challenged by a few freshman looking to hop into the rankings. Carver James (Illinois) and Paden Moore (UNI), will be the toughest tests of the day for Lavalle. Evan Wick the True Freshman for Wisconsin will also take the mat, the long lenky California native could cause some trouble for guys. 

165

You would think that a 2x National Champion would have ease at an open tournament, yet IMar will have a day of work ahead of him as All-American and 3rd Ranked Daniel Lewis (MIZZ) and National Qualifier and 15th ranked Bryce Steiert (UNI) will be chomping at the bits to get a shot at the champ. Fargo Champ Larry Early is also in the mix, the long lenky Illinois native, is looking to stir the pot here this weekend, Alex Marianelli is not registered for the Hawkeyes, but they will send True Freshman Kaleb Young and NDSU will send their top recruit Colton Clingenpeel. This weight is going to be worth the price of admission, we could get to see the a possible NCAA Finals matchup here between Lewis and IMAR. IMAR takes the mat for the first time this year, Lewis has been plenty busy competing early on in the season and taking a loss to Isaac Jordan. I believe IMar is going to take this one, but not by much, Lewis has some of the best single leg defense in the country and it is almost a mistake to shoot to the left side of his body. Lewis and Steiert is an interesting matchup in the semis as both of these guys bread and butter is there defense, i'm predicting a low scoring bout between the two, with some of the best scrambles of the year coming out of that one. 

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Anytime Taylor Lujan takes the mat we know its going to be fun, as we saw in his crazy 11-9 match with #2 ranked Zach Epperly, while close losses don't get you in the rankings, I think Lujan pulls the upset here and takes out 3x NCAA Qualifier and 8th ranked Zac Brunson (Illinois). Look for a high scoring affair between the two of them, but ultimately, I believe Taylor Lujan will take this one and climb into Christian Pyles rankings. Even with an unbelievable matchup looking to playout at 165 I believe that Lujan and Brunson will be the match of the tournament. Xavier Montalvo is the only other notable entry at 174lbs him and Lujan could meet up in the Semis which has the potential to be another great match up.

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Drew Foster puts his name on the map with a huge win over Jack Dechow of Old Dominion last week, I believe he keeps the Panther Train rolling here and the young upper weights for the panthers seem to be making some noise as of late with Steiert, Lujan and Foster all putting on shows for the panthers the last few weeks. Foster will be tested by Emery Parker (Illinois) who took 3rd at the Joe Parisi open earlier this year, he lost a close match to Matt Reed from Oklahome there. Jacob Holschlag is the other notable entry at 184lbs the panther lost a close match to #9 ranked Zach Zavatsky and he is looking to take ownership of the spot at UNI.

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J'den Cox will be untested at this weight the Olympic Bronze Medalist and 2x NCAA Champ will roll through, and continue his quest of an undefeated senior season here. The train stops in Cedar Falls, Iowa this weekend for J'den as he will roll through the UNI Open. The only other notable entry here is Sam Colbray, Fargo Champ and top Iowa State Recruit, he obviously doesn't have the tools to stack up with J'den, but maybe he can sneak a takedown in. 

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The big boys will finish it off at the UNI Open, with two ranked wrestlers at heavyweight both #7 Brooks Black (Illinois) and #20 JJ Everard (UNI) should meet up in the finals for a battle of two returning National Qualifiers, Black a top recruit out of Wyoming Seminary looking to get on the stand this year for the Illini, Everard off a redshirt year after transfering from SDSU, will look to take out Black as these two should meet up in the finals. The moral of the story at the UNI Open continues here as we have 2 young heavyweights looking to dethrone the veterans. Carter Isley (UNI) and Austin Meyers (MIZZ) will try and make some noise and get their college careers going here, I think the two veterans Black and Everard will hold off the freshman, but I am calling an upset in the finals as I believe Everard will take out Black infront of the home crowd for UNI.Most opens in College wrestling don't contain the firepower that the UNI Open has to offer this year. J'Den Cox and Isaiah Martinez lead the way, which is a pretty good start. They each have 2 National Championships a piece, while Cox adds a World Bronze Medal to the equation. Following behind them are 3 other All-Americans, 2x All-American Lavion Mayes, Zane Richards and Daniel Lewis.