Kyle Parco Downs #1 Ridge Lovett To Upend 149lb Division
Kyle Parco Downs #1 Ridge Lovett To Upend 149lb Division
Arizona State's #3 Kyle Parco defeated Nebraska's #1 Ridge Lovett, injecting chaos into the 149-pound weight class.
Nebraska's top-ranked Ridge Lovett stood alone as the only undefeated 149-pounder going into the last day of the NCAA college wrestling regular season. That changed after the Huskers dual in Tempe against the Sun Devils, as #3 Kyle Parco handed Lovett his first collegiate defeat since the 2022 NCAA finals.
.@kyle_ocrap is HERE ‼️ pic.twitter.com/9frzGKBjwb
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) February 25, 2024
Parco scored the go-ahead points in the second period after a scoreless first. Lovett would mount a comeback but would come up just short, as Parco won by the final score of 4-3.
The upshot for Nebraska fans is they ultimately won the away dual against the Sun Devils by the score of 26-9.
This will throw a previously placid weight class into considerable tumult. Lovett may yet retain his number one ranking, as Parco has a loss to both #2 Caleb Henson and to Ty Whalen, who is deferring eligibility for a season at Princeton. Henson, meanwhile, has a loss to Lovett at the 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
Watch Henson defeat Parco in the CKLV semifinals:
Watch Lovett defeat Henson in the CKLV finals:
How that weight class and every other division shakes out in the rankings will now be up to the rankers. However, It will be up to the wrestlers to see how they emerge from their respective conference tournaments, which are all scheduled to take place during the weekend of March 8-10.
Coming up next for Parco is the Pac-12 tournament, which is small -- with just six programs -- but mighty, with four nationally ranked competitors including three in the top ten. Besides Parco there is also #8 Jaden Abas of Stanford and #9 Chance Lamer of Cal Poly.
Lovett's journey through the Big Ten Championship bracket will be equally fraught, as he will have seven other top 20 challengers with which to contend.
Henson will likely have a rematch with #4 Jackson Arrington, who he recently beat in a dual meet on Friday 4-1, in the finals of the ACC tournament.
However it all turns out, things just got a little more exciting at 149 thanks to Parco's victory over Lovett.
Related Content
- 149-Pound Pre-Season NCAA Wrestling Preview & Predictions
Sep 25, 2024
- You're Only Mad Because It's Iowa...
Aug 28, 2024
- Many Questions Remain For Hawkeye Lineup Heading Into 2024-25 Season
Jun 11, 2024
- Iowa Wrestling Plucks Parco From Portal, Brings Back Brands
May 21, 2024
- Kyle Parco Refocused This Season And Ready To Pursue An NCAA Title
Mar 22, 2024
- LOCK IN For The 2024 DI NCAA Wrestling Championships
Mar 21, 2024
- Inside Arizona State's Last Practice Before The 2024 NCAA Tournament
Mar 21, 2024
- 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship Preview & Predictions - 149 Pounds
Mar 18, 2024
- Could We See A Surprise NCAA Champion At 149?
Mar 17, 2024