Big-Time Redshirts/Greyshirts At Southern Scuffle

Every year Southern Scuffle offers high profile redshirts/greyshirts a big opportunity to prove themselves. This year is no different.

Dec 30, 2019 by David Bray

Big-Time Redshirts/Greyshirts At Southern Scuffle

For the last few seasons, big-time redshirts/greyshirts have traveled to Chattanooga, TN, to test themselves against a solid NCAA field at the Southern Scuffle. It's a New Year's tradition, and it's happening again this year.

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Watch the 2020 Southern Scuffle LIVE on Flo

January 1-2 | 10:00 AM Eastern

The redshirt performances at the Southern Scuffle have brought us some of the most memorable matches in Scuffle history. Who could forget Jason Nolf's run to the finals in 2015 that included a win over Brian Realbuto? What about Mark Hall's 2017 Scuffle championship that included wins over Ryan Preisch and Kyle Crutchmer and proved that he would be ready to come out of redshirt just a few weeks later?

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Another crop of redshirts will enter the Southern Scuffle field this year. The four we're most excited about are Jaden Abas, Julian Ramirez, Joe Lee, and Chris Foca.

149 - Jaden Abas, Stanford

Stanford's Jaden Abas was the #8 recruit in the class of 2019 and is looking to make a big impact for the Cardinal. Stanford redshirts had a fantastic showing at last year's Southern Scuffle as Real Woods made the finals at 141 and Shane Griffith finished third.

Abas will look to make his mark in a 149 bracket that includes #4 Boo Lewallen of Oklahoma State, high-powered freshman Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado, and five other ranked opponents.

Abas is 12-4 so far this season with a loss to Russell Rohlfing, who is in this field. While Abas does have four losses, he's coming off a strong showing at the Reno TOC. He won that bracket by beating two-time NCAA qualifier Mason Smith of Campbell in the semis and a solid Jaron Jensen of Wyoming in the finals.

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165 - Julian Ramirez, Cornell

Julian Ramirez is part of a greyshirt class that will join Yianni, Vito, Max Dean, Ben Darmstadt, and company next year. Cornell has put this group together to make a serious run at the NCAA team title in the next couple of seasons.

For that dream to become reality for Cornell fans, they'll want to see good things from Ramirez this week. Ramirez started his high school career in Florida before finishing at Blair. He was the #10 recruit in the class of 2019. He enters a 165 bracket alongside eight ranked opponents and will have a great opportunity to prove just where he stands at the Division 1 level.

165 - Joe Lee, Penn State

The 165 bracket gets even tougher as Penn State redshirt Joe Lee also enters the mix. Lee is the younger brother of two-time Penn State All-American Nick Lee. He was the #20 recruit in the class of 2018.

Penn State fans have high expectations for Lee, and he'll have big shoes to fill once two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph graduates. Lee is 9-0 so far this season, but he hasn't faced competition as stiff as he'll see in Chattanooga. Here's his Clarion Open finals match against Clarion's Michael Bartolo.

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174 - Chris Foca, Cornell

Like the aforementioned Ramirez, Chris Foca is a big piece in Cornell's push for an NCAA team title in the next couple of seasons. Foca improved throughout his high school career eventually winning a New Jersey state title for Bergan Catholic as a senior and finishing his career as the #21 recruit in the class of 2019.

Foca's 174 weight class isn't quite as deep as the 149 or 165 brackets mentioned above, but it does include four ranked wrestlers alongside Oklahoma State's Joe Smith who isn't ranked due to inactivity but who will have a serious impact on 174 if he's healthy and ready to go.