These things we do know: Michigan’s Micic, Cornell’s Diakomihalis, Minnesota’s Steveson, Ohio State’s Martin, and Penn State’s Nolf and Nickal have been dominant all season. Can they maintain their incredible levels over the next month-plus? A number of big names lost matches over the last two weeks, shuffling a few rankings. A prominent head coach once said “parity is great as long as you are not in it.” Parity seems to be the case below Micic (133), Diakomihalis (141), Nolf (157), Hall (174), Martin (184), and Nickal (197). A few of the weight classes are so discombobulated that it is necessary to throw in more than 10, namely 184 and 197 pounds.
Lions Roll Over Buckeyes in Columbus! Penn State wins all seven match-ups of ranked foes! Nickal pins Moore, Lions beat Buckeyes 28-9! https://t.co/z1w7SL9hgs #PSUwr pic.twitter.com/jUj3gITgr3
— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) February 9, 2019
There are a handful of great duals this weekend which could further mix things up. They include: North Carolina State at North Carolina, Cornell at Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State at Missouri, Virginia at Virginia Tech, Michigan at Rutgers, and Nebraska at Ohio State just to name a few. Notice Sunday’s docket? Michigan at Rutgers means a possible Micic-Suriano bout. Get your popcorn ready because March Matness is almost upon us!
125 POUNDS
1 – Sebastian RIVERA (SO, Northwestern) … Lost a match … at 133 pounds
2 – Spencer LEE (SO, Iowa) … Quick work last time out
IOWA WRESTLING: Five questions with returning national champion Spencer Lee
3 – Ronnie BRESSER (SR, Oregon State) … Under the radar out west
4 – Nick PICCININNI (JR, Oklahoma State) … Still unbeaten; Lee coming to town soon
5 – Jack MUELLER (JR, Virginia) … Could certainly cause some problems
POWER RANKINGS: Penn State, Oklahoma State in control
6 – Sean RUSSELL (SR, Minnesota) … Cruising right along
7 – Rayvon FOLEY (SO, Michigan State) … Did not challenge Rivera
8 – Brent FLEETWOOD (SR, North Dakota State) … A dangerous 8 seed
PHOTO GALLERY: #NDSUBison defeated Utah Valley 47-3 in a #Big12WR dual on Feb. 1 in @SCHEELS Center #MetzMode #LorenzosGold #BabyFaceAssassin ... Photos via @SnyderShots here https://t.co/4T3Qlrx6OC pic.twitter.com/1DcIUKHZmu
— NDSU Wrestling (@NDSUwrestling) February 4, 2019
9 – Vitali ARUJAU (FR, Cornell) … Pinned Glory in Cornell’s EIWA clincher
10 – Patrick GLORY (FR, Princeton) … A really scary No. 10 seed
133 POUNDS
1 – Stevan MICIC (JR, Michigan) … Showed his stuff against 125 No. 1 Rivera
Missed yesterday's 1v1 showdown between Stevan Micic & Northwestern's Sebastian Rivera? It will air again tonight as part of BTN's Wrestling in 60 at 9pm ET. Tune in! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/zoxXrMXWUq
— Michigan Wrestling (@umichwrestling) February 11, 2019
2 – Daton FIX (FR, Oklahoma State) … Big road match at Mizzou this weekend
3 – Austin DeSANTO (SO, Iowa) … Risk, reward with this fiery dude
4 – Nick SURIANO (JR, Rutgers) … Can anybody wait until Big Tens?
5 – Austin GOMEZ (FR, Iowa State) … Two of his three losses to Fix
6 – Ethan LIZAK (SR, Minnesota) … Not the guy you want in the NCAA QF
TAKEAWAYS: Penn State topples the Ohio State Buckeyes
7 – Micky PHILLIPPI (SO, Pittsburgh) … Only man to beat Fix this season
8 – Roman BRAVO-YOUNG (FR, Penn State) … Took out Pletcher in Columbus
9 – Luke PLETCHER (JR, Ohio State) … At No. 9, shows how tough the weight is
10 – John ERNESTE (SR, Missouri) … Has Fix in Columbia this weekend
141 POUNDS
1 – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (SO, Cornell) … Is this guy in Dake’s class already?
Relive some of @BigRedWrestling's Ivy League title bout vs Princeton in #SundaySlowMo glory! #YellCornell 🐻 #IvyChamps (🎥 : Eldon Lindsay/Cornell Athletics) pic.twitter.com/eNR1AdZDGK
— Cornell Big Red (@CornellSports) February 10, 2019
2 – Josh ALBER (SR, Northern Iowa) … Can he do it in March?
3 – Jaydin EIERMAN (JR, Missouri) … A big match against OSU’s Brock coming up
4 – Mike CARR (SO, Illinois) … Penn State and Lee coming to town this Sunday
5 – Nick LEE (SO, Penn State) … Rallied to beat McKenna last time out
6 – Joey McKENNA (SR, Ohio State) … First loss of season, to Lee, last weekend
7 – Kanen STORR (SO, Michigan) … A really good No. 4 seed at Big Tens
8 – Ian PARKER (SO, Iowa State) … At Northern Iowa on Feb. 21
9 – Bryan LANTRY (SR, Buffalo) … Undefeated
10 – Mitch McKEE (JR, Minnesota) … Always a threat
149 POUNDS
1 – Anthony ASHNAULT (SR, Rutgers) … Beat Kolodzik; escaped Silva a match later
2 – Matthew KOLODZIK (JR, Princeton) … Will he get another shot at Ashnault?
3 – Micah JORDAN (SR, Ohio State) … A lot of mat wins by the Jordan family
📷 Micah Jordan improves to 19-1 this season. pic.twitter.com/uO2RUqHIjS
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) February 9, 2019
4 – Austin O’CONNOR (FR, North Carolina) … Three losses as a rookie so far
5 – Kaden GFELLER (FR, Oklahoma State) … Big match in Columbia coming up
6 – Mitch FINESILVER (SR, Duke) … Might he steal some thunder from Blue Devil hoops?
7 – Brock MAULLER (FR, Missouri) … Lots of folks excited about Gfeller-Mauller
8 – Christian MONSERRAT (SR, West Virginia) … Mountaineers’ best shot at AA?
9 – Justin OLIVER (SR, North Carolina State) … Should get O’Connor this Friday
WOLFPACK WRESTLING: How NC State is trying to turn college wrestling into a must-see event
10 – Anthony ARTALONA (FR, Penn) … He should get Kolodzik this Saturday
157 POUNDS
1 – Jason NOLF (SR, Penn State) … A very mean dude on the mat
MOST DOMINANT WRESTLER: Nittany Lions on top in Division I rankings
2 – Tyler BERGER (SR, Nebraska) … OT wins over Young, Bleise last two matches
3 – Ryan DEAKIN (SO, Northwestern) … Should get to 30 wins
4 – Hayden HIDLAY (SO, North Carolina State) … Edged Pitt’s up and down Rahmani
5 – Alec PANTALEO (SR, Michigan) … Certainly battle tested
6 – Kaleb YOUNG (SO, Iowa) … Still has one of best highlights of 2018-19 season
7 – Steve BLEISE (SR, Minnesota) … Eggum has to be happy with Gophers’ progress
8 – Ke-Shawn HAYES (JR, Ohio State) … 4 of last 7 matches against top 10 guys
9 – Zach HARTMAN (FR, Bucknell) … Has followed up Midlands performance nicely
What a move by Zach Hartman! Just like that, we’re all tied up at 4-4. #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/9jo4usNBZf
— Bucknell Wrestling (@Bucknell_WRST) February 9, 2019
10 – Larry EARLY (JR, Old Dominion) … More up than down for Monarch junior
165 POUNDS
1 – Vincenzo JOSEPH (JR, Penn State) … Answering all challenges
2 – Alex MARINELLI (SO, Iowa) … Can he stop Joseph’s bid for No. 3?
3 – Evan WICK (SO, Wisconsin) … Wick-Marinelli, hopefully, feature bout this Sunday
The Badgers had a big win yesterday over Illinois! #JumpAround pic.twitter.com/xmiWR2Mdfc
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) February 11, 2019
4 – Josh SHIELDS (JR, Arizona State) … A great schedule for Sun Devils
5 – Chance MARSTELLER (SR, Lock Haven) … Best of the Eagles
6 – Isaiah WHITE (JR, Nebraska) … This weight a beast in Big Ten
7 – Mekhi LEWIS (FR, Virginia Tech) … Still with just two losses
8 – Branson ASHWORTH (SR, Wyoming) … Hard not to like this guy
9 – Demetrius ROMERO (JR, Utah Valley) … Record speaks for itself
10 – Logan MASSA (JR, Michigan) … OT loss to Joseph
174 POUNDS
1 – Mark HALL (JR, Penn State) … Only 4 losses in 87 collegiate matches
2 – Myles AMINE (JR, Michigan) … Could get a few more shots at Hall
3 – Daniel LEWIS (SR, Missouri) … Stunned Valencia
Dropping the defending National Champ on the road! 💪
— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) February 9, 2019
📷 @MizzouWrestling @d_lew02pic.twitter.com/k1i6vYUinW
4 – Zahid VALENCIA (JR, Arizona State) … Expect him to bounce back
5 – Jordan KUTLER (JR, Lehigh) … Beat OSU’s Smith in Stillwater
6 – David McFADDEN (JR, Virginia Tech) … Has wrestled a good schedule
7 – Michael LABRIOLA (FR, Nebraska) … 4-time All-American kind of guy
8 – Taylor LUJAN (JR, Northern Iowa) … Won in Stillwater, lost a week later
9 – Joe SMITH (JR, Oklahoma State) … Might he be at 165 by March?
10 – Matt FINESILVER (JR, Duke) … Finesilvers almost have a hoops team
184 POUNDS
1 – Myles MARTIN (SR, Ohio State) … Still perfect
2 – Shakur RASHEED (SR, Penn State) … Missed a chance at Martin
3 – Zack ZAVATSKY (SR, Virginia Tech) … Might the Hokie make a run?
4 – Ryan PREISCH (SR, Lehigh) … Going to be a problem in Pittsburgh
5 – Louis DePREZ (FR, Binghamton) … Rolling with 22 wins
6 – Nick REENAN (SO, North Carolina State) … Pinned in loss to Pittsburgh
🚨UPSET ALERT🚨
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) February 10, 2019
#13 Nino Bonaccorsi majors #3 Nick Reenan!!
💻: https://t.co/n6TfvejoRK#pinzburgh » #H2P pic.twitter.com/BS7l97F89c
7 – Emery PARKER (SR, Illinois) … Gave Martin a battle
8 – Jacobe SMITH (SR, Oklahoma State) … Will he be at 184 or 174?
T9 – Taylor VENZ (SO, Nebraska) … A second AA season on the horizon?
T9 – Drew FOSTER (SR, Northern Iowa) … Schwab will have him ready
T9 – Cash WILCKE (JR, Iowa) … Win over Venz on Feb. 3
197 POUNDS
1 – Bo NICKAL (SR, Penn State) … Pinned the No. 2 man
It's official. @NoBickal is not human. 😱 @pennstateWREST @FloWrestling pic.twitter.com/GQu0x3dXqD
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) February 9, 2019
2 – Kollin MOORE (JR, Ohio State) … Stunned by Nickal in Columbus
3 – Ben HONIS (SR, Cornell) … Gave Brucki his first loss last Saturday
4 – Jacob WARNER (FR, Iowa) … Hasn’t seen many of the top guys
5 – Willie MIKLUS (SR, Iowa State) … Will have plenty rooting for him in Pittsburgh
6 – Preston WEIGEL (SR, Oklahoma State) … Remember this dude?
7 – Patrick BRUCKI (SO, Princeton) … One loss in 24 starts this season
T8 – Rocco CAYWOOD (SR, Army) … Two losses to Brucki
T8 – Nathan TRAXLER (SO, Stanford) … Suffered loss to Purdue’s Brunner
T10 – Tom SLEIGH (SR, Virginia Tech) … Took a loss in North Carolina dual
T10 – Jay AIELLO (SO, Virginia) … Wins over Traxler, Sleigh this season
T10 – Josh HOKIT (JR, Fresno State) … Hasn’t lost since Midlands
285 POUNDS
1 – Gable STEVESON (FR, Minnesota) … 27 matches, 27 wins
.@GopherWrestling put on a youth clinic yesterday to show teach young wrestlers what it means to be #GopherTough. pic.twitter.com/XxRiTv9tT2
— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) February 11, 2019
2 – Derek WHITE (SR, Oklahoma State) … Cannot wait for White-Stoll in Stillwater
3 – Anthony CASSAR (JR, Penn State) … Majored Michigan’s Parris
4 – Jordan WOOD (SO, Lehigh) … Losses to Nos. 1-2-3
5 – Amar DHESI (SR, Oregon State) … Beavers are really good at 125 and 285
6 – Matt STENCIL (SO, Central Michigan) … Has not lost this semester
7 – Sam STOLL (SR, Iowa) … Suffered first loss to Nebraska’s Jensen
8 – Youssif HEMIDA (SR, Maryland) … Terps’ lone bright spot?
9 – David JENSEN (JR, Nebraska) … Only losses to those ahead of him
T10 – Trent HILLGER (FR, Wisconsin) … How many Big Ten heavies to qualify?
T10 – Mason PARRIS (FR, Michigan) … Has cooled since his hot start
T10 – Demetrius THOMAS (JR, Pittsburgh) … Favorite to win ACC?
NCAA TOURNAMENT INFO: How the NCAA wrestling tournament works
