Predicting The 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament Seeds

A projection of the seeds for the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament.

Feb 26, 2025 by Jon Kozak

Predicting The 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament Seeds

The 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will take place March 8-9 with the University of Northwestern hosting the tournament. This event will feature many of the best wrestlers in the country and serves as the NCAA Qualifier for every Big Ten team. Seeds for the tournament will be announced the week of the event but we wanted to make our attempt to predict the seeds now that Big Ten competition is complete. Check out the article below to see our predictions and a brief explanation of how we sorted out some of the trickier weights in the conference.

125 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Matt Ramos	Purdue	Garvin, Rivera, Riley, McCrone, Moran, Navarro		1
2	Caleb Smith	Nebraska	Moran (X2), Cruz, Weiand, Tanefeu, Flynn, McCrone	Lilledahl	6
3	Dean Peterson	Rutgers	Garvin, Riley, Lilledahl, McCrone, Moran (X2), Navarro	Rivera	8
4	Luke Lilledahl	Penn State	Cruz, Smith	McCrone, Peterson	9
5	Joey Cruz	Iowa	Navarro, Flynn, Garvin, McCrone, Riley, Rivera	Smith, Lilledahl	14
6	Brendan McCrone	Ohio State	Lilledahl, Flynn	Moran, Cruz, Ramos, Peterson, Smith	15
7	Jacob Moran	Indiana	McCrone	Smith (X2), Ramos, Peterson (X2)	18
8	Cooper Flynn	Minnesota	Rivera	Cruz, McCrone, Smith	16
9	Nicolar Rivera	Wisconsin	Peterson, Weiand, Navarro	Ramos, Flynn, Cruz	20
10	Dedrick Navarro	Northwestern	Weiand (X2), Wilfred Tanefeu	Cruz, Rivera, Ramos, Peterson	32
11	Caleb Weiand	Michigan State	Garvin	Rivera, Navarro (X2), Smith, Moran	NR
12	Christian Tanefeu	Michigan		Lilledahl, McCrone, W: Garvin	NR
13	Caelan Riley	Illinois		Lilledahl, Ramos, Peterson, Cruz, Navarro, McCrone, Moran	NR
14	Tyler Garvin	Maryland		Ramos, Lilledahl, Peterson, Cruz, Rivera, Weiand, Tanefeu	NR

I gave Caleb Smith the #2 seed over Dean Peterson. Smith lost to Lilledahl while Peterson defeated Lilledahl. However, Peterson suffered a worse loss to Nicolar Rivera and Smith has had a more consistent overall season. Outside of Big Ten competition, Peterson suffered losses to #25 Max Gallagher and unranked Robbie Sagaris.

Though Brendan McCrone lost to Jacob Moran, McCrone also recorded notable wins over Cooper Flynn and Luke Lilledahl. I gave credit to McCrone's wins over the loss to Moran. Simply put, McCrone's win over Lilledahl is better than Moran's win over McCrone.

133 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Drake Ayala	Iowa	Wells, Van Dee, Byrd, Fugitt		1
2	Lucas Byrd	Illinois	Brown, Davis, Shawver, Odiotti, Bouzakis, Rini	Ayala	2
3	Braxton Brown	Maryland	Norris, Shawver, Schriever, Fugitt, Hampton, Wertanen, Norris	Byrd	8
4	Braeden Davis	Penn State	Bouzakis, Shawver, Hampton	Van Dee, Byrd	5
5	Dylan Shawver	Rutgers	Rini, Bouzakis, Wells, Hampton (X2)	Brown, Byrd, Davis	9
6	Jacob Van Dee	Nebraska	Rini, Davis, Wells, Norris	Fugitt, Ayala	15
7	Zan Fugitt	Wisconsin	Van Dee	Shawver, Brown, Ayala	18
8	Angelo Rini	Indiana	Bouzakis, Norris, Hampton, Odiotti, Flores	Van Dee, Shawver, Byrd	25
9	Nic Bouzakis	Ohio State	Wertanen, Norris, Odiotti	Byrd, Shawver, Rini, Davis	12
10	Tyler Wells	Minnesota	Wertanen	Van Dee, Shawver, Ayala	11
11	Dustin Norris	Purdue	Odiotti, Morvari	Brown, Fugitt, Bouzakis, Rini, Brown, Van Dee	NR
12	Massey Odiotti	Northwestern	Lujan (X2), Wertanen,	Fugitt, Rini, Byrd, Norris, Bouzakis	NR
13	Nolan Wertanen	Michigan		Hampton, Bouzakis, Van Dee, Wells, Odiotti, Brown, Rivera	NR
14	Tristan Lujan	Michigan State		Odiotti (X2)	NR

Things get murky after the #3 seed with Davis losing to Van Dee but recording notable wins over Dylan Shawver and Nic Bouzakis. Because Shawver is a defending Big Ten champ only losing to Byrd, Brown, and Davis, I put him ahead of Van Dee.

Van Dee's win over Davis keeps him ahead of Fugitt even though Fugitt defeated Van Dee. While the win was significant for Fugitt, that was his only relevant win in Big Ten competition and don't feel it's enough to warrant him being any higher.

Nic Bouzakis and Tyler Wells are two wrestlers who could be higher if coaches look at national rankings over Big Ten results. Bouzakis' loss to Rini keeps him at #9 in my predictions but I could see him moving up as high as #6.

141 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Beau Bartlett	Penn State	Mendez, Pucino, Lemus, Lemley, Schriever, Olivieri, Hardy, Crumpler	Mendez	1
2	Jesse Mendez	Ohio State	Bartlet, Vombaur, Lemley, Clark, Pucino	Bartlett	2
3	Brock Hardy	Nebraska	Vombaur, Porter (X2), Lemley, Crumpler, Bobzien, Schriever, Clark	Bartlett	4
4	Vance Vombaur	Minnesota	Schriever, Olivieri, Cannon, Bobzien, Lemley	Mendez, Hardy	8
5	Sergio Lemley	Michigan	Canon, Crumpler, Porter, Lemus	Bartlett, Mendez, Hardy Vombaur	11
6	Joey Olivieri	Rutgers	Pucino, Bobzien, Crumpler, Lemus, Larkin	Vombaur, Bartlett	15
7	Danny Pucino	Illinois	Lemus, Cannon, Porter	Bartlett, Olivieri, Mendez	16
8	Henry Porter	Indiana	Cannon, Crumpler, Clark	Hardy (X2), Lemley, Pucino	30
9	Greyson Clark	Purdue	Cannon, Bobzien, Lemus	Mendez, Porter, Hardy	NR
10	Chris Cannon	Northwestern	Bobzien, Crumpler	Porter, Vombaur, Lemley, Pucino, Clark	NR
11	Cullan Schriever	Iowa	Lemus	Vombaur, Hardy, Bartlett	NR
12	Dario Lemus	Maryland	Bobzien, Crumpler	Clark, Bartlett, Olivieri, Schriever, Pucino, Lemley	NR
13	Brock Bobzien	Wisconsin	Crumpler	Cannon, Clark, Hardy, Vombaur, Olivieri, Lemus	NR
14	Jaden Crumpler	Michigan State		Lemley, Bobzien, Cannon, Hardy, Porter, Lemus, Bartlett, Olivieri	NR

141 is pretty simple and should follow the above seeds. Olivieri has a better Big Ten record than Lemley but all of Lemley's losses are to the top 4 wrestlers in the weight. Because of that, and because Lemley is ranked higher nationally, I placed Lemley over Olivieri.

149 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Ridge Lovett	Nebraska	Van Ness, Nilo, Jones, Gilcher, Roberts, Ruble	Parco	4
2	Shayne Van Ness	Penn State	Webster, D'Emilio, Miller, Gilcher, Parco, Jones, Clark	Lovett	2
3	Kyle Parco	Iowa	Cartella, Roberts, Lovett, D'Emilio, Webster, Nilo	Van Ness	3
4	Dylan D'Emilio	Ohio State	Buttler, Roberts, Ruble, Clark, Webster, Gilcher	Van Ness, Parco	6
5	Kannon Webster	Illinois	Ruble, Clark, Miller	Van Ness, Parco, Cartella, D'Emilio	18
6	Andrew Clark	Rutgers	Jones, Miller, Roberts, Cartella	Webster, D'Emilio, Van Ness	24
7	Sam Cartella	Northwestern	Jones, Buttler, Roberts, Webster, Ruble,	Parco, Gilcher, Clark	23
8	Kal Miller	Maryland	Ruble, Nilo, Gilcher	Clark, Webster, Van Ness	32
9	Dylan Gilcher	Michigan	Roberts, Cartella, Jones	Van Ness, Lovett, Miller, D'Emilio	27
10	Drew Roberts	Minnesota	Ruble, Nilo	Parco, D'Emilio, Clark, Cartella, Gilcher, Lovett	25
11	Isaac Ruble	Purdue	Nilo	Miller, Roberts, Webster, D'Emilio, Cartella, Lovett	NR
12	Joey Buttler	Indiana		Lovett, D'Emilio, Cartella	NR
13	Clayton Jones	Michigan State		Gilcher, Clark, Cartella, Lovett, Miller, Van Ness	NR
14	Royce Nilo	Wisconsin		Ruble, Lovett, Roberts, Miller, Parco	NR

With Ridge Lovett, Shayne Van Ness, and Kyle Parco all trading wins and losses this year, the seeding picture at 149 is as clear as mud. I chose to give Lovett the #1 because he was the Big Ten champ last year. I'm not sure how much that will play into how the coaches sort this out but I know it's a criteria to consider. If the seeds don't work out like I have them, then the next most likely result is Van Ness at the #1 with Parco as the #2, followed by Lovett #3.

157 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Ethen Miller	Maryland	Kasak, Harer, Kraisser, Mechler, Stauffenberg, Saldate, Blaze		5
2	Tyler Kasak	Penn State	Teemer, Harer, Taylor	Miller	1
3	Antrell Taylor	Nebraska	Garvick, Mechler, Askey, Saldate, Blaze	Kasak	4
4	Jacori Teemer	Iowa	Askey	Kasak	2
5	Tommy Askey	Minnesota	Cannon, Harer, Chumbley, Mechler	Teemer, Taylor	9
6	Joey Blaze	Purdue	Kraisser, Garvick	Miller, Taylor	8
7	Trevor Chumbley	Northwestern	Mechler, Stauffenberg, Garvick, Saldate	Askey	11
8	Brandon Cannon	Ohio State	Garvick	Askey	9
9	Chase Saldate	Michigan	Mechler, Garvick	Taylor (X2), Chumbley, Miller	15
10	Conner Harer	Rutgers	Stauffenberg, Kraisser, Mechler, Garvick	Miller, Askey, Kasak	27
11	Jason Kraisser	Illinois	Garvick	Blaze, Harer, Miller	28
12	Luke Mechler	Wisconsin		Chumbley, Taylor, Askey, Harer, Miller, Saldate	NR
13	Ryan Garvick	Indiana	Stauffenberg	Taylor, Cannon, Chumbley, Saldate, Blaze, Harer, Kraisser	NR
14	Braden Stauffenberg	Michigan State		Harer, Chumbley, Garvick, Miller, Kasak	NR

The top 5 is pretty clear and falls in line with head-to-head results throughout the year. Joey Blaze doesn't have significant Big Ten wins so he could fall below Chumbley. The same is true for Brandon Cannon who has only wrestled two matches against the field. Despite the lack of Big Ten Results, both Cannon and Blaze have had good enough years outside of the Big Ten that should keep them seeded in the top 8.

165 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Mitchell Mesenbrink	Penn State	Scoles, Mantanona, Caiendo, Nivison, White		1
2	Michael Caliendo	Iowa	Mayfield, Sparks (X2), Minto, Gallagher, Scoles	Mesenbrink	2
3	Christopher Minto	Nebraska	Mantanona, Buell, Lillard (X2), Nivison, Sparks	Caliendo	13
4	Beau Mantanona	Michigan	Lillard, Sparks, Mayfield, Nivison, Uryniak	Mesenbrink, Minto	14
5	Andrew Sparks	Minnesota	Mayfield, Buell, White	Caliendo (X2), Minto, Mantanona	15
6	Braeden Scoles	Illinois	Buell, White, Uryniak, Mayfield	Mesenbrink, Caliendo	16
7	Maxx Mayfield	Northwestern	Lillard, Buell, Goebel	Caleindo, Sparks, Mantanona, Lillard, Scoles	17
8	Tyler Lillard	Indiana	Mayfield, White (X2), Buell, Nivison	Minto (X2), Mantanona, Mayfield	18
9	Paddy Gallagher	Ohio State	Buell	Caliendo	12
10	Anthony White	Rutgers		Mesenbrink (X2), Scoles, Sparks, Lillard (X2)	28
11	Stoney Buell	Purdue	Uryniak	Minto, Sparks, Scoles, Gallagher, Lillard, Mayfield,	NR
12	Jay Nivison	Michigan State	Goebel	Mesenbrink, Mantanona, Goebel, Minto, Lillard, Uryniak	NR
13	Gody Goebel	Wisconsin		Mayfield, Nivison	NR
14	Alex Uryniak	Maryland	Nivison	Mesenbrink, Buell, Caliendo, Scoles, Mantanona	NR

I'm fairly confident this is how seeds at 165 should look based on head-to-head results. Paddy Gallagher is ranked higher but has limited results against the field so I think that will hurt him in seeding.

174 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Levi Haines	Penn State	Braunagel, Kharchla, John, Walker, Kennedy, Turley, Pinto, Garza		2
2	Carson Kharchla	Ohio State	Kennedy, Turley, Braunagel, Baumann, Walker, Whiting	Haines	4
3	Lenny Pinto	Nebraska	Kennedy, Baumann, Condon, Garza, Walker, Whiting	Haines	11
4	Patrick Kennedy	Iowa	Whiting, John, Braunagel, Condon	Pinto, Haines, Kharchla	7
5	Clayton Whiting	Minnesota	Baumann, Turley, Condon, Walker	Kennedy, Kharchla, Pinto	21
6	Jackson Turley	Rutgers	Garza, Braunagel, Gilcher	John, Whiting, Haines, Kharchla	22
7	Dan Braunagel	Illinois	Baumann, John	Haines, Turley, Kennedy, Kharchla	23
8	Brody Baumann	Purdue	John (X2), Condon	Pinto, Whiting, Braunagel, Kharchla, Gilcher	24
9	Joseph Walker	Michigan	Gilcher, Martin	Haines, Kharchla, Pinto, Whiting, John	32
10	Derek Gilcher	Indiana	Garza, Baumann	Walker, Turley, Scoles	31
11	Lucas Condon	Wisconsin	Garza (X2), John, Martin	Baumann, Pinto, Whiting, Kennedy	NR
12	Branson John	Maryland	Turley, Walker	Baumann (X2), Haines, Kennedy, Braunagel, Condon, Garza	NR
13	Caesar Garza	Michigan State	John	Turley, Condon (X2), Pinto, Gilcher, Haines	NR
14	Joseph Martin	Northwestern		Walker, Condon	NR

The above seeds all fall in line with head-to-head results so I have a hard time seeing anything other than the above.

184 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Carter Starocci	Penn State	Ruth, Rogotzke, Smith, Bullock, Cartagena-Walsh, Allred, Daly		1
2	Max McEnelly	Minnesota	Arnold, Cruz, Rogotzke, Cartagena-Walsh, Halvorsen, Russo, Bullock, Allred		4
3	Silas Allred	Nebraska	Washington, Arnold, Russo, Daly, Bullock	Starocci, McEnelly	6
4	Gabe Arnold	Iowa	Smith, Rogotzke, Ruth, Russo, Halvorsen	McEnelly, Allred	7
5	Jaxon Smith	Maryland	Ruth, Cartagena-Walsh, Cruz, Daly, Bullock	Starocci, Arnold	10
6	Edmond Ruth	Illinois	Cruz, Cartagena-Walsh, Rogotzke, Washington	Starocci, Smith, Arnold	12
7	Shane Cartagena-Walsh	Rutgers	Russo, Rogotzke, Washington	Smith, McEnelly, Ruth, Starocci, Daly	15
8	Ryder Rogotzke	Ohio State	Washington, Bullock, Cruz	Starocci, McEnelly, Arnold, Cartagena-Walsh, Ruth	16
9	Donnell Washington	Indiana	Cruz, Daly, Halvorsen	Allred, Rogotzke, Ruth, Cartagena-Walsh	NR
10	Jaden Bullock	Michigan	Daly, Halvorsen	Starocci, McEnelly, Allred, Smith	NR
11	Jon Halvorsen	Northwestern	Russo, Daly	McEnelly, Arnold, Washington, Bullock	NR
12	Lucas Daly	Michigan State	Cartagena-Walsh	Bullock, Halvorsen, Allred, Washington, Smith, Starocci	NR
13	Orlando Cruz	Purdue	Russo	McEnelly, Smith, Ruth, Rogotzke, Washington	NR
14	Dylan Russo	Wisconsin		McEnelly, Allred, Arnold, Halvorsen, Cruz, Cartagena-Walsh	NR

Shane Cartagena-Walsh could be seeded lower because of his loss to Lucas Daly. However, I think Cartagena-Walsh's wins over Rogtozke and Washington will anchor him above those wrestlers. Likewise, with Daly, I believe his losses to Bullock and Halvorsen will keep him behind those wrestlers.

197 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Stephen Buchanan	Iowa	Bates, Salazar, McDanel, Mielnik, Barr, Shumate, Braunagel, Colucci		1
2	Josh Barr	Penn State	Cardenas, Braunagel, Shumate, Mielnik, McDanel	Barr	2
3	Jacob Cardenas	Michigan	Cotton, Shumate, Sollars, McDanel, Salazar, Bates (X2), Mielnik	Barr	3
4	Isaiah Salazar	Minnesota	Shumate, Casale, Bates, Colucci, McDanel	Buchana, Cardenas	9
5	Zac Braunagel	Illinois	Vanadia, Mielnik, Bates, Sollars	Barr, Buchanan, Shumate	12
6	Evan Bates	Northwestern	Cotton, Sollars, Vanadia	Buchanan, Salazar, Cardenas (X2), Braunagel	19
7	Camden McDanel	Nebraska	Vanadia, Sollars (X2), Colucci, Cotton	Buchanan, Cardenas, Barr, Salazar	20
8	Gabe Sollars	Indiana	Shumate, Cotton, Vanadia, Casale	McDanel (X2), Bates, Cardenas, Braunagel	21
9	Seth Shumate	Ohio State	Braunagel	Barr, Sollars, Salazar, Cardenas, Buchanan	22
10	Remy Cotton	Michigan State	Mielnik	Cardenas, Bates, McDanel, Sollars	23
11	Ben Vanadia	Purdue		McDanel, Braunagel, Sollars, Bates	33
12	Chase Mielnik	Maryland		Barr, Buchanan, Braunagle, Cotton, Cardenas	NR
13	Niccolo Colucci	Wisconsin		McDanel, Salazar, Buchanan	NR
14	PJ Casale	Rutgers		Salazar, Sollars	NR

The seeds at 197 get a little messy after the top 4. Braunagel's loss to Shumate throws a little wrench into things but I think Braunagel should stay at the 5 seed because of his wins over Evan Bates and Gabe Sollars. Meanwhile, Shumate only has the Braunagel win and has lost to Sollars. I think Shumate's lack of wins and loss to Sollars will keep him at the #9. McDanel has to be above Sollars because of 2 head-to-head wins. Bates and McDanel have never wrestled so I wouldn't be surprised if their positions are swapped.

285 Pounds

Seed	Wrestler	Team	Wins	Losses	National Rank
1	Gable Steveson	Minnesota	Kueter, Feldman, Slavikouski, Heindselman, Filipovich, Morley, Andrews		1
2	Greg Kerkvliet	Penn State	W: Heindselman, Nevills, Kueter, Slavikouski, Andrews, Vanadia		2
3	Josh Heindselman	Michigan	Feldman, Nevills, Bullock (X2), Andrews, Vanadia	Steveson, Kerkvliet	7
4	Nick Feldman	Ohio State	Bullock, Slavikouski, Luffman, Filipovich	Steveson, Heindselman, Kueter	8
5	Yaraslau Slavikouski	Rutgers	Luffman, Rosenfeld, Bullock	Steveson, Kerkvliet, Feldman, Bullock	9
6	Luke Luffman	Illinois	Kueter, Nevills, Morley, Bullock, Filipovich	Slavikouski, Feldman	10
7	Ben Kueter	Iowa	Feldman, Nevills, Andrews, Morley, Rosenfeld	Steveson, Kerkvliet, Luffman	11
8	Jacob Bullock	Indiana	Slavikouski, Andrews (X2), Filipovich, Vanadia, Morley	Feldman, Heindselman (X2), Slavikouski, Luffman	19
9	Seth Nevills	Maryland	Filipovich (X2), Vanadia, Rosenfeld	Kerkvliet, Kueter, Luffman, Heindselman	12
10	Hayden Filipovich	Purdue	Andrews, Morley, Rosenfeld	Nevills, Steveson, Luffman, Feldman, Bullock, Nevills	NR
11	Harley Andrews	Nebraska	Vanadia, Rosenfeld	Filipovich, Bullock (X2), Kueter, Heindselman, Kerkvliet, Steveson, Feldman	28
12	Max Vanadia	Michigan State	Rosenfeld, Morley	Heindselman, Andrews, Bullock, Nevills, Kerkvliet	33
13	Dirk Morley	Northwestern	Rosenfeld	Kueter, Vanadia, Bullock, Steveson, Heindselman, Luffman, Filipovich	NR
14	Gannon Rosenfeld	Wisconsin		Morley, Vanadia, Filipovich, Andrews, Slavikouski, Nevills, Kueter	NR

Seeds get complicated to work out after the top 3 at 285 pounds. Slavikouski, Luffman, Kueter, Bullock, and Nevills all have a claim to be higher. However, I thought it was clear that Feldman should be the #4 because of his wins over Slavikouski and Luffman. Though Kueter defeated Feldman, Luffman's win over Kueter will likely keep Luffman ahead of Kueter in the seeds. And though Slavikouski lost to Bullock, I have Slavikouski's win over Luffman keeping him at the #5.

Because Bullock defeated Slavikouski, I have Bullock over Nevills even though Nevills is ranked higher nationally. Nevills doesn't have any win as significant as Bullock's but Nevills also doesn't have any "bad" losses so I could see him being seeded higher based on his national ranking.