Our Way Too Early Look At Every 2020 NCAA Title Contenders
Our Way Too Early Look At Every 2020 NCAA Title Contenders
Who will win an NCAA championship at all ten weight classes in 2020? We take an early look at the contenders.
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It's June, which means it's time to recklessly speculate about next March! Below, we take a way-too-early look at all the contenders at every weight class. Of course, much will change between now and March, with wrestlers getting injured, taking redshirts and moving weight classes. But we're reckless, so we're going to speculate about the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis anyway!
125 Pounds
A good amount of talent returns to the lightest NCAA weight class next season, as only a couple of All-Americans in Ronnie Bresser and Sean Russell have used up their eligibility.
Spencer Lee, Iowa
The reigning two-time titlist is the obvious pick to three-peat. Lee has two more years of eligibility to terrorize the 125-pound brackets in March. It also appears unlikely that Lee will use a redshirt that he still has available.
Jack Mueller, Virginia
It sounds like Jack Mueller will also forgo his opportunity to redshirt and take to the mats next season. Mueller stopped the #1 seeded Sebastian Rivera in the semis of the NCAAs before running into the buzzsaw that is Spencer Lee in the NCAA finals.
Sebastian Rivera, Northwestern
C-Bass was ranked #1 for much of last season, thanks to his victory over Spencer Lee in the 2018 Midlands finals. Rivera beat Lee a second time at Big Tens. His only losses on the season were to Stevan Micic up at 133-pounds and to Mueller in the semis of the NCAAs. The Lee-Mueller-Rivera tier is going to be one of the most competitive groups of any weight class next season.
Nick Piccininni, Oklahoma State
Last year's fifth-place finisher at NCAAs will still be in the hunt for a title during his senior year. Pich showed he is a title contender when he cradled and pinned Spencer Lee at last year's dual meet, one of the most electric moments in recent wrestling history.
Vito Arujau, Cornell
Things clicked for Arujau once he moved down to 125 after starting the season at 133. Still only a sophomore, Arujau has a high ceiling that keeps him on the short list of contenders.
Pat Glory, Princeton
Potential is what keeps the young Princetonian on this list. Glory went from high school senior to sixth at the NCAAs in less than a year. A similar jump could put him at the top of the podium next March.
133 Pounds
For as gnarly as the hunt for the 125-pound NCAA title looks to be, 133 is going to be an absolute bloodbath. Although the weight class loses two All-Americans to graduation in John Erneste and Ethan Lizak, and it looks like 2018 third-placer Tariq Wilson will be bumping up to 141 for the 2020 season, the weight class does expect to see the return of Seth Gross, the 2019 133-pound champ.
Nick Suriano, Rutgers
The first of two NCAA champs expected to be in contention for a second individual title. Nicky Pushups avenged several regular-season losses on his way to a perfect March. Suriano's title was not without controversy, but his name was nonetheless etched in the record books as the first champion in Rutgers program history.
Daton Fix, Oklahoma State
The aforementioned championship controversy was due to what Cowboy fans saw as a blatant disregard of a headgear pull in overtime of Fix' finals match with Suriano. Fix shook off the loss and proceded to win Final X and make his first ever senior world team in freestyle just a few months later. If Fix doesn't take an Olympic redshirt year, he will be even-money with Suriano to take home his first NCAA crown.
Seth Gross, Wisconsin
The only reason Gross is not favored to win 133 after making two consecutive finals and winning the whole dang thing in 2018 is that we've hardly seen him compete over the last year. After falling just short of making the 2018 senior freestyle world team, Gross wrestled just one folkstye match before pulling the plug on the season due to injuries. Having recently transferred to the Badgers from South Dakota State to be reunited with his old coach, Chris Bono, Gross and his two finals appearances will add to an already stacked weight class.
Stevan Micic, Michigan
Micic might also take an Olympic redshirt season as he tries to qualify for Tokyo with the Serbian National Team, for whom he wrestles internationally. If he does compete, expect him and his three All-American honors and one finals appearance to contend for an NCAA title.
Austin DeSanto, Iowa
You can't count DeSanto and his indefatigable motor out of the equation. The Midlands champ and All-American does have a win over Suriano last season on his resume. People forget that.
Luke Pletcher, Ohio State
Is this the year the two-time fourth-place finisher from Latrobe, PA finally break through? Or might we the Buckeye senior finally take a redshirt season. If he's in the lineup, expect Pletcher to be a force.
Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State
RBY showed he could contend in one of the deepest weights in the NCAAs as a true freshman. With another year of experience under the tutelage of Coach Sanderson, there's no reason the young Arizona native can't compete for a title.
141 Pounds
Ohio State's Three-time All-American Joey McKenna has exhausted his NCAA eligibility, but just about every other 141-pounder from last season has time left to earn an NCAA title. Four-time national qualifier Josh Alber of UNI is another noteworthy departure from the division.
Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell
Already a two-time NCAA champ as a true sophomore, Yianni will be the favorite to three-peat. That is, if he does not take an Olympic redshirt year, which he is likely to do. Yianni very nearly made the 2019 freestyle world team at 65 kg, and will be in the hunt for the Olympic team spot and, should he earn that spot, a medal in Tokyo. [Note: as of the publication of this article, no ruling had yet been rendered regarding Yianni's protest of the outcome of his second Final X match with Zain Retherford.]
Jaydin Eierman, Missouri
The only man to have registered a collegiate win against Diakomihalis might also take an Olympic redshirt. Alternatively, the three-time All-American could try to make a run at the NCAA title that has so far eluded him. Eierman's NCCA Tournament finishes from freshman to junior year have gone fifth, fourth & third.
Dom Demas, Oklahoma
After Yianni and Eierman, the weight class begins to open up, and there are a clutch of competitors that could be in the mix come March. The Dangerous Dom Demas is the highest placing (fourth) returning wrestler of the bunch.
Nick Lee, Penn State
Wrestlers often make big jumps in their third full season in the NCAA. Two-time All-American (fifth twice) Nick Lee may be ready to make that jump next season. That also means Lee does have a redshirt to burn.
Chad Red, Nebraska
Kyle Shoop, Lock Haven
Kaid Brock, Oklahoma State
Mitch McKee, Minnesota
Tariq Wilson, North Carolina State
All five of these wrestlers have climbed the podium before. They'll be threats to climb to the top step next spring, especially if other contenders take those aforementioned redshirts.
Real Woods, Stanford
Andrew Alirez, Northern Colorado
Woods, a redshirt freshman, and Alirez, a frosh of the true variety, have done impressive things in their pre-varsity careers to warrant a mention as title threats.
149 Pounds
A lot of heavy hitting 149-pounders used up their final year of NCAA eligibility last season, including the champ Anthony Ashnault, three-time All-American Micah Jordan, and 2018's fourth-place finisher Mitch Finesilver. A solid crop of contenders return, however, to a weight class that is very much up for grabs.
Austin O'Connor, North Carolina
Could this be the Tar Heels' first NCAA champs since the great T.J. Jaworsky back in 1995? AOC is the highest returning placer at the weight class. He'll have plenty of competition, but he is the way-too-early preseason favorite.
Matt Kolodzik, Princeton
Kolodzilla is a three-time All-American, however, it's likely that he will defer his eligibility for a season. But still, if he doesn't, expect him to be in the mix all season long.
Brock Mauller, Missouri
Mauller had his redshirt pulled after teammate, All-American Grant Leeth, suffered a season-ending injury. Mauller held his own and then some all season long, eventually finishing sixth at Pittsburgh. He could be due for a big jump up after another year in a D1 wrestling room.
Jerrett Degen, Iowa State
Degen surprised a lot of people outside of Ames with his seventh-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Montana native could surprise a few more with a run all the way to Saturday night next March in Minneapolis.
Pat Lugo, Iowa
Lugo finally pushed through to make the podium as a Hawkeye after coming up just short on two trips while wrestling for Edinboro. A title run by the Florida native would go a long way to helping the Hawkeyes win a team title for the first time since 2010.
Brock Zacherl, Clarion
Zacherl has yet to find the podium, but assuming he gets an additional medical year (a pretty safe assumption) the Golden Eagle is poised for a deep run in March.
Sammy Sasso, Ohio State
Slammin Sammy Sasso has yet to wrestle a varsity match, but during his redshirt season, the Cozy Boy defeated multiple All-Americans and a fellow Big Ten redshirt freshman contender, Brayton Lee.
Brayton Lee, Minnesota
The aforementioned Lee may have lost to Sasso at the Midlands, but the Indiana native got the better of Sasso at the junior men's freestyle world team trials finals. Brayton had some impressive folkstyle wins as well, necessitating his inclusion on our list.
157 Pounds
Like 149, the 157-pound weight class graduated a heap of talented wrestlers this last spring, chief among them the 2019 NCAA finalists, Jason Nolf and Tyler Berger. Nolf has an argument for being one of the top 10 collegiate wrestlers of all-time, with his three championships, four finals appearances and his three career varsity losses (one of which was by injury default).
Hayden Hidlay, North Carolina State
In two varsity season, Hidlaymania has rampaged to a second and fourth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament. Hidlay gave superstar Jason Nolf all he could handle in the semifinals of the 2019 Tournament. Some would even say Hayden got robbed. It's all moot now, but the next two seasons could very well end up with Hidlay on top of the podium.
Ryan Deakin, Northwestern
While a sixth-place finish may have been a disappointment for the rising redshirt junior last season, Deakin shook off whatever negative feelings he may have had from Pittsburgh and promptly won the U.S. Open senior freestyle 70 kg division about a month later, punching a ticket to Final X in the process. Deakin ultimately feel short of making the world team at Final X: Lincoln but it may be a different story when it comes to his attempt at reaching the pinnacle of folkstyle wrestling next March.
Kaleb Young, Iowa
2018-19 was a breakout season for the young Hawkeye. The rising junior went from not starting to fifth in the country over the past two seasons. Another level-up and young Kaleb could result in him being the linchpin for Iowa as they make a run at the team title.
David Carr, Iowa State
David Carr Jr mowed down all but one opponent in a stellar redshirt campaign for the Cyclones (and that one loss was in the first week of November to Missouri's Peyton Mocco, who then wrestled the rest of his redshirt season at 165). Carr is on the shortlist of freshman contenders at any weight class going into the 2019-20 season.
Brady Berge, Penn State
Berge was stopped in the round of 16 last March in Pittsburgh, but that was down at 149, and many speculated that he would have done better at 157 had Jason Nolf not been blocking his path to the postseason. Expect Berge, now in his third year in the Nittany Lion wrestling room, to be a force up at 157.
Jacori Teemer, Arizona State
Teemer started the year at 149 and produced impressive results before finishing the season at 157. We're assuming he doesn't move back down to 149, but we guessing he will a rare redshirt freshman contender at either weight.
165 Pounds
Few weight classes return as much talent next season as 165-pounds. The lone graduate to make the 2019 podium is Lock Haven's Chance Marsteller. Who will emerge champion of this awe-inspiring collection of worthies? We produce our list of contenders below.
Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech
Few expected Mekhi Lewis to go on his insane championship run last year. Others, like us, picked him in the early round of their fantasy draft that was held in October of 2018 (thank you, it was an inspired draft pick, we know). This year, no one will bat an eye of Mekhi Lewis gets taken in the first round.
Vincenzo Joseph, Penn State
Two titles and a runner-up finish. Those are pretty good results for three NCAA tournaments. Cenzo will try to avoid the fate he inflicted on Isaiah Martinez, by winning a third title at his fourth NCAA tournament.
Alex Marinelli, Iowa
The Bull has defeated just about every contender in the weight class at one point in time, yet has "only" finished sixth and seventh in his two trips to the NCAA tournament. However, that impressive track record suggests Marinelli is due for a big improvement next season.
Evan Wick, Wisconsin
Wick was a revelation at the 2018 NCAAs, finishing third from the #10 seed. The following tournament he was more of a known quantity, finishing fourth from the same seed. This year, expect California native to contend for a title for the third consecutive year.
Isaiah White, Nebraska
ZayZay shook off a rocky November last season and quickly got into title contention shape by the time the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational rolled round in December. The Husker eventually finished fifth last season, and should be in the mix for a title in his final season of eligibility.
Logan Massa, Michigan
Massa finished an impressive third as a redshirt freshman, but was derailed by injuries during his sophomore season. The Michigan native then struggled to regain his earlier form last season as a junior. If he's fully healthy and firing on all cylinders, however, Massa is as dangerous as anyone in the division.
Josh Shields, Arizona State
Anthony Valencia, Arizona State
Both of these Sun Devils have national championship caliber talent. The most likely permutation of weight classes that would see both Shields and Valencia make it into the lineup is Sheilds at 165 and Valencia at 174. But we're hedging our bets and putting both wrestlers here, at least for now.
174 Pounds
Like 165, not a lot of talent graduated from this weight class, as only one of the eight 2019 All-Americans (Daniel Lewis of Missouri) has used up all of his eligibility. And like 141, a lot of what happens in March will depend on which contenders, if any, don a redshirt next season.
Zahid Valencia, Arizona State
One half of the best current rivalry in college wrestling (and perhaps ever?), Zahid, by dint of his 2017 junior silver medal, is eligible to take an Olympic redshirt. If he elects to compete, he will be the favorite to win his third NCAA title in four attempts.
Mark Hall, Penn State
The other half of the aforementioned best rivalry in college wrestling (or any sport?), Mark Hall is also eligible to take an Olympic redshirt thanks to his 2016 junior gold medal. He also has a regular redshirt to burn if he so desires. Hall won the 2017 NCAA title and been runner-up (to Zahid) the last two seasons. Mark is a co-favorite with Zahid, so whether or not they both compete will have have a huge impact on the weight class next season.
Myles Amine, Michigan
Amine has come excruciatingly close, but has so far been unable to usurp either Valencia or Hall at this weight class. He's finished fourth, third and third in his last three trips to the national tournament. If Amine is ever going to break through to the top, this has to be there year.
Michael Kemerer, Iowa
An injury kept a bulked up Michael Kemerer from flexing on the 174-pound weight class last season, but in two previous seasons as 157, Kemerer has finished third and fourth. NCAA fans of all kinds anxiously await the varsity debut of the Hawkeye Bulk Job.
David McFadden, Virginia Tech
McFadden will attempt to become the Hokies' first every four-time NCAA All-American next season. Mekhi Lewis already has the honor of being the first ever VT national champ, but I doubt he would mind the company in the record books after the 2019-20 season.
Mikey Labriola, Nebraska
A productive season of deferred eligibility in 2018 transitioned into one of the most impressive redshirt freshmen campaigns of the 2018-19 season. Labriola will look to build off his 6th place finish last season, and is in a good wrestling room in Lincoln to make those gains.
Jordan Kutler, Lehigh
Kutler did his version of the Bulk Job back in the 2017-18 season when he moved from 157 to 174. The move paid dividends for the Mountain Hawk, as he made it to the podium in each of the last two seasons.
184 Pounds
Six of the eight 184-pound All-Americans from 2019 are out of eligibility, including 2016 NCAA champion Myles Martin. There was only one senior in the group of wrestlers that finished in either the round of 12 or 16, however, which means you can expect a whole new ballgame at 184 once November rolls around.
Max Dean, Cornell
Dean did what no one thought was possible last season and beat Buckeye superstar Myles Martin in the semifinals of the NCAAs. Despite notching what was likely the upset of the season (decade?), Dean fell short of his ultimate goal when he was defeated in the finals by UNI's Drew Foster. Dean is your best bet to win it all in 2020.
Dakota Geer, Oklahoma State
Last season Geer ping-ponged from 184 to 197 and then back to 184 as Oklahoma State dealt with a series of injuries that altered their lineup from week to week. The lack of matches at 184 saddled Geer with the #26 seed in Pittsburgh, but the Pennsylvania native preserved to finish seventh. He should be in the thick of it in Minneapolis as well.
Shakur Rasheed, Penn State
Rasheed was able to place in 2018 at 197 but the podium eluded him last season down at 184. It's unlikely Sugar Shak and his deadly cross-face cradle miss two times in a row.
Nino Bonaccorsi, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's native son Nino Bonaccorsi upset the #4 seed Emery Parker in the second round, but couldn't battle his way through a stacked bracket to the final eight. Still, Nino had one of the most impressive redshirt freshman seasons in the division, and should be a factor late into the tournament next season.
Lou DePrez, Binghamton
Like Nino, DePrez had a stellar redshirt freshman season but came up just short at the NCAA Championship. Both Nino and DePrez were stopped in the bloodround. DePrez did pick up a win over Dean at the CKLV, and has a smothering top game that could be the difference maker in 2020.
Hunter Bolen, Virginia Tech
In limited redshirt action, Bolen went an impressive 12-1 with two wins over All-Americans (Chip Ness and Jacobe Smith) as well as a victory over Lou DePrez. He is a great sleeper pick for your fantasy draft.
Trent Hidlay, North Carolina State
Another great sleeper pick for your fantasy draft is Wolfpacker redshirt freshman Hoagie Hidlay. Trent only lost twice last season, to multiple-time All-Americans David McFadden and Joe Smith. Mid-season, Hidlay bulked up to 184, where he will be competing next season, possibly for a national championship.
197 Pounds
Half of the 197-pound All-Americans from 2019 have run out of eligibility, including three-time champion and four-time finalist Bo Nickal. All of which means 197 will see plenty of new blood next season and crown a new king in March.
Kollin Moore, Ohio State
Last season's runner-up has never received a seed at the NCAA Tournament lower than three and never placed lower than fourth. The Buckeye senior will be the favorite going into his final year of eligibility.
Pat Brucki, Princeton
The Princetonian Hulk made huge gains from his freshman to sophomore season. Brucki went 1-2 in 2018 but then placed fourth in 2019. He'll likely start the season ranked #2.
Ben Darmstadt, Cornell
An injury kept the young Cornellian out of action all of last season after placing sixth in his freshman campaign the year before. If healthy, the extremely tall and funky Darmstadt will be giving this weight class fits all season along.
Josh Hokit, Fresno State
Two-sport athlete Hokit is the BMOC in Fresno, having become the first Bulldog wrestling All-American since the program was reinstated immediately following his time as an integral part of the Mountain West Conference title-winning football team. Hokit may once again get off to a slow start because of his football commitments, but rest assured, he will be a problem for the rest of the 197-pound division come March.
Jacob Warner, Iowa
Warner showed why there was so much hype around him leading up to his varsity Hawkeye debut. The Illinois native placed seventh on his first trip to the big dance.
Nick Reenan, North Carolina State
Reenan raised the bar on his expectations after an impressive 2017-18 redshirt season at 184, but Injuries derailed him during his 2018-19 campaign and he failed to make the podium. If the Texas native is fully healed and sufficiently bulked up going into 2019-20, he should be able to contend for the ultimate collegiate prize.
Tanner Sloan, South Dakota State
Sloan had quite a redshirt season. The true freshman beat two All-Americans at Midlands, Jacob Warner and Josh Hokit. The Iowa native also made the junior world team. Safe to say this Jackrabbit will factor into championship equation next March.
285 Pounds
The youth movement was in full effect last season at heavyweight, as more freshman and sophomores contended for podium steps than any time in recent memory. Three seniors All-Americans from 2019 did exhaust their NCAA eligibility, including Oklahoma State runner-up Derek White. 2019 champion Anthony Cassar would have been part of that group and he not gotten extra year due to medical hardship, which means he will be back to defend his title in 2020.
Anthony Cassar, Penn State
From not starting at 197 to winning the whole dang thing at 285, Anthony Cassar had one of the best stories of the 2019 season. The New Jersey native has a chance to add to his legacy by defending his title thanks to the NCAA granting his request for a medical redshirt.
Gable Steveson, Minnesota
Steveson finished third as a true freshman and nearly qualified for the senior world team in freestyle.
Jordan Wood, Lehigh
Wood has been the anchor in the Mountain Hawk lineup for the last two seasons, finishing fourth in Pittsburgh and in the bloodround the year before that. Jordan is as tenacious as they come, and is going to make life miserable for his opponents no matter how is season concludes.
Tanner Hall, Arizona State
Hall had a relatively quiet season redshirt campaign last season, though he did win the historic Midlands tournament. The Idaho native placed third in 2017 while advancing to the round of 16 and round of 12 in 2018 and 2016 respectively.
Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
Stencel had a breakout season in 2019, finishing on the podium in Pittsburgh after going 0-2 in Cleveland the year before.
Trent Hillger, Wisconin
Part of that aforementioned youth movement, Hillger was a freshman All-American in his first trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Mason Parris, Michigan
Parris was another true freshman who made waves in the heavyweight division last season. The Indiana native fell one match short of the podium, but expect that to change after another year in the Wolverine wrestling room.
Jere Heino, Campbell
Heino took a redshirt last season, but the Finnish national should be in the hunt for an NCAA title this season.
Did we omit some wrestlers that will eventually contend for an individual title next March? Undoubtedly. We are as fallible as the next human being. No offense for any omission is intended. In fact, nothing would make us happier than to be proven spectacularly and hilarious wrong in hindsight. That is what makes the NCAA wrestling season so thrilling.
That season starts in about four months, and we've got plenty more wild and irresponsible speculation planned to fill that time. Stay tuned!
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