5 Best High Crotches In The NCAA

5 Best High Crotches In The NCAA

A high crotch is a great way to score points, so we're taking a look at which wrestlers are bringing the best high crotches to the NCAA this coming season.

Jul 10, 2017 by Michael Malinconico
5 Best High Crotches In The NCAA
A high crotch is a great way to score points, so we're taking a look at which wrestlers are bringing the best high crotches to the NCAA this coming season. It's important that we mention that there are, literally, dozens of ways of hitting this technique. Because of that, we included every one-legged attack that features a wrestler's head on the outside of the body. Here is the shortlist consisting of guys who are NCAA eligible for the 2017-18 season.

Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State)

To start, Nathan Tomasello is part of a growing trend in the NCAA of left-handed wrestlers. The fact that Nato hits his high crotch lefty is definitely a factor, but the biggest reason for his success is the way that he can finish a bunch of different ways. Tomasello happens to have the perfect body style to transition from his knees to his feet while at the same time going from attacking one leg to two.




Kyle Snyder (Ohio State)

How good is Kyle Snyder? His high crotch is right up there with the best in the NCAA, and that's not even his primary leg attack. I love Snyder's high crotch because it's his insurance policy. After Snyder spends about 90 seconds pulling your head, you tend to come out of your stance a bit. When you do, he drives through you on a quick, powerful shot that almost always takes you off of your feet. Snyder's scoring percentage on this particular shot is through the roof.




Dean Heil (Oklahoma State)

Heil might be known for his leg-attack defense, but he's got a nasty Hi-C too. The fact that he doesn't fire on it all that much makes it more dangerous and frequently catches his opponent off guard. You can see in the GIF below that NC State's Kevin Jack is so surprised by the shot that Heil walks around for an easy two. Another attribute to Heil's shot is that it is very much a "Cowboy High Crotch." The Oklahoma State version of the technique differs in that you simply drop levels and use a tie up (usually elbow control) to pull your opponent to you, as opposed to hitting a penetration step and going toward your opponent. The value of a hitting this type of shot is that it is easier to keep the integrity of your body position because your shoulders never go in front of your hips.




Pat Lugo (Iowa)

The Hawkeyes' newest edition has made quite a name for himself in the NCAA with his high crotch. The thing that makes Lugo so dangerous with it is the diversity of the setups that he uses. He can hit from inside control, elbow control, and from control ties like undercooks and short-offense positions.




Alex Marinelli (Iowa)

If you're talking about consistency, there is probably not anyone better than Iowa's Alex Marinelli. Same set up, same shot, every time. Although Marinelli has trouble scoring sometimes, you have to think that the Hawkeyes coaching staff will have adjustments made for Marinelli's redshirt sophomore campaign.