Reporter: Phil, your little brother Mikey, maybe you
need to help him out with interviews? For supposedly having
an outgoing personality, hes kind of a boring
interview.
Phil Racciato: Hes just stupid.
Thats the type of brotherly tough-love it is for the
wrestling Racciatos of Pen Argyl Area High School.
Phil is a senior for the Green Knights this season who is
38-3 at 145 pounds with District 11 and Southeast Regional
titles. Mikey is a freshman at Pen Argyl who is 41-4 at 130
with a district gold medal and a regional silver.
The Racciatos will represent their community and their
school at this weeks PIAA Class AA Wrestling
Championships in Hershey, Pa.
They started for the high school football team and played
defense on the same side of the field. They wrestle on the
same team and practice against each other. And they live in
the same household.
But trying to get the competitive brothers to say something
complimentary about one another, it just isnt easy.
This year weve gotten closer since football and
especially now with wrestling, Phil offered after
scoring three backpoints with the hes just
stupid comment.
We hang out sometimes. In wrestling, I want him to do
well. And I think he wants me to, too.
Mikey admitted big bro usually gets the better of their
physical scraps -- but not the verbal ones. He, however,
offered up a legitimate reason.
We wrestle here and there, the younger brother
said. He gets the best of me for the most part, but
sometimes Ill catch him. Hes a lot heavier,
though.
The toughest competition may come against each other
because theyve both enjoyed plenty of success against
their opponents.
The Racciatos are the best wrestlers on the best team in
Class AA in District 11. Both are ranked in the top six of
their respective weight classes in the state.
They also could be considered the best brother tag-team in
the Lehigh Valley. The Hedashs -- Craemer, Colin and Connor
of Northern Lehigh -- and the Cruzs -- Randy and Darian of
Bethlehem Catholic -- also could claim top brother honors.
Saucon Valley coach Chad Shirk, who has seen plenty of the
Racciatos this season, said unpredictable is the
word that best describes their wide-open, high-scoring
style.
Theyve both got an unorthodox way. They just
dont stop; they keep on attacking. Someone who would
normally be in a bad position, those two get out of it and
quickly put their opponents in a bad position, Shirk
said. The one thing is, they have incredible hips ...
and you cant teach that.
Pen Argyl coach Scott Kupec said from a fans
perspective -- and even a coachs -- the brothers are a
pleasure to watch.
You never know what theyll pull out of their
bag of tricks, said The Express-Times Coach of the
Year last season. Hips are so important in wrestling.
Opponents think they have them, then all of a sudden they
hip out and theyll surprise you.
Phil has made exciting, late-match comebacks routine this
season.
The most recent came in the 145-pound district semifinals.
He trailed Tri-Valleys Sam Scheib 7-4 in the final 10
seconds but scored a reversal and three back points to pull
out the two-point victory. A 125-match winner, he pinned
Scheib a week later in the regional semifinals.
Mikey, meanwhile, physically attacks opponents with a
relentless style and rarely is involved in close bouts.
Of the first 35 wins of his career, a total of 29 came by
bonus points. His most recent loss was in the 130-pound
regional final, 7-3, against Boiling Springs highly
regarded senior Joe Spisak, who is 43-1.
Im sort of surprised by how well Ive
done, said Mikey, a two-time junior high district
champion. I didnt know what to expect. But I
like this level a lot better. Theres a lot more
excitement.
Though Phil usually gets the better of his brother in their
head-to-head battles right now, he acknowledges Mikey could
eventually be something special.
He has the potential to win a state title, said
Phil, who is considering wrestling in college at Wilkes.
Hes wrestling on a high level for a freshman. He
needs to keep working at it.
Its improbable the Racciatos will both win gold at
this weeks PIAA Wrestling Championships, but it is
possible they will walk out of the Giant Center on Saturday
with state medals hanging from their neck.
But even if it isnt meant to be, they still have the
unique distinction of capturing district gold on the same
night.
I think that was pretty cool, Phil admitted.
Im happy we got to do it my senior year and his
freshman year. Ill definitely look back at that one
day and be proud.
Even for the sons of Phil and Michele Racciato of Pen
Argyl, there is a little brotherly love.
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or
mblouse@express-times.com. Talk about sports in the region
at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

Here is the list of all 2008 2009 NCAA Qualifiers. To make the text bigger, use the full screen option to the right or tools tab to increase the size. To see the At Large Bids, Click here
 Complete NCAA Qualifiers

1

2
125
Byrne
Brendan
Maryland
RSJR
Cape May
21-8
1
ACC

3
125
Garnett
Jarrod
Virginia Tech
FR
Newark, DE
39-7
2
ACC

4
125
Clark
Tyler
Iowa State
SO
Davenport,
IA
24-6
2
Big 12

5
125
Fio
Joey
Oklahoma
SO
Sandpoint,
ID
21-3
1
Big 12

6
125
Blanc
Obenson
Oklahoma State
RSSR
Naples, FL
27-8
3
Big 12

7
125
Futrell
Bernard
Illinois
FR
Oak Forest,
IL
23-12
6
Big Ten

8
125
Escobedo
Angel
Indiana
RSJR
Griffith,
IN
22-3
1
Big Ten

9
125
Falck
Charlie
Iowa
RSSR
Arlington,
IA
22-4
3
Big Ten

10
125
Watts
Mike
Michigan
SR
Riverton,
UT
14-11
 
Big Ten

11
125
Olanowski
Eric
Michigan State
RSFR
Virginia Beach,
VA
20-17
7
Big Ten

12
125
Sanders
Zachary
Minnesota
RSFR
Wabasha,MN
35-7
5
Big Ten

13
125
Precin
Brandon
Northwestern
JR
Orland Park,
IL
27-3
2
Big Ten

14
125
Triggas
Nikko
Ohio State
SO
Moraga, CA
20-15
 
Big Ten

15
125
Pataky
Brad
Penn State
RSSO
Clearfield,
PA
28-9
4
Big Ten

16
125
Bonanno
Steve
Hofstra
FR
Wantagh, NY
28-13
2
CAA

17
125
Nicholson
James
Old Dominion
RSSO
Des Moines,
IA
35-2
1
CAA

18
125
Chamberlain
William
Duquesne
JR
Shippensburg,
PA
26-9
1
East Regional

19
125
Reber
Derek
Bucknell
FR
Lewisburg,
PA
31-10
3
EIWA

20
125
Nickerson
Troy
Cornell
RSJR
Chenango Forks,
NY
20-0
1
EIWA

21
125
Garner
Prescott
Navy
FR
Wes Linn,
OR
28-14
5
EIWA

22
125
Peterkin
Rollie
Penn
SO
Wellsley,
MA
21-5
2
EIWA

23
125
Moser
Ian
Bloomsburg
RSSO
Dover, DE
22-12
3
EWL

24
125
Ivanco
Jay
Clarion
RSSO
Monroville,
PA
19-12
2
EWL

25
125
Donahoe
Paul
Edinboro
RSSR
Davison, MI
31-0
1
EWL

26
125
Sentes
Scotti
Central Michigan
FR
North Fort
Myers, FL
25-6
1
MAC

27
125
Bedelyon
Nicholas
Kent State
SO
Lewistown,
PA
25-8
2
MAC

28
125
Robles
Anthony
Arizona State
RSSO
Mesa, AZ
25-6
1
Pac-10

29
125
Owen
Brian
Boise State
FR
Spokane,WA
12-7
4
Pac-10

30
125
Zoetewey
Brandon
Cal State
Bakersfield
SR
San Ramon,
CA
24-6
2
Pac-10

31
125
Orozco
Marcos
UC Davis
SR
Vacaville,
CA
21-8
3
Pac-10

32
125
Johnson
Demetrius
Chattanooga
RSFR
Brighton,
TN
10-6
1
SoCon

33
125
Mustari
Anthony
Northern Colorado
RSJR
Greeley, CO
26-8
2
WWC

34
125
Martinez
Michael
Wyoming
RSFR
Pagosa Springs,
CO
37-9
1
WWC

35
133
Bell
Steve
Maryland
RSJR
Connellsville,
PA
24-4
1
ACC

36
133
Rappo
Michael
North Carolina
RSSO
Holland, PA
24-8
2
ACC

37
133
Little
Darius
North Carolina
State
FR
High Point,
NC
18-15
3
ACC

38
133
Bonson
Matt
Virginia
RSFR
Lewistown,PA
17-7
4
ACC

39
133
Fanthorpe
Nicholas
Iowa State
JR
Naperville,
IL
20-4
1
Big 12

40
133
Schavrien
Todd
Missouri
SO
Poway, Calif.
14-11
3
Big 12

41
133
Notte
Christopher
Oklahoma State
JR
Wantagh, NY
27-7
2
Big 12

42
133
Kennedy
James
Illinois
JR
Ingleside,
IL
28-4
3
Big Ten

43
133
Dennis
Daniel
Iowa
RSJR
Ingleside,
IL
27-4
5
Big Ten

44
133
Gomez
Franklin
Michigan State
RSJR
Brandon, FL
22-2
1
Big Ten

45
133
Ness
Jayson
Minnesota
RSJR
Bloomington,
MN
33-7
4
Big Ten

46
133
Humphrey
Reece
Ohio State
RSJR
Indiapolis,
IN
26-3
2
Big Ten

47
133
Strayer
Jake
Penn State
RSSR
South Fork,
PA
16-8
6
Big Ten

48
133
Ruggirello
Lou
Hofstra
JR
Walden, NY
28-3
1
CAA

49
133
Hutter
Kyle
Old Dominion
JR
New Lenox,
IL
22-12
2
CAA

50
133
Smith
Christian
Liberty
Grad
Chesapeake,
VA
23-12
1
East Regional

51
133
Marble
David
Bucknell
JR
Harpersville,
NY
27-10
4
EIWA

52
133
Grey
Mike
Cornell
SO
Rockaway,
NY
22-8
2
EIWA

53
133
Fisk
Matthew
Lehigh
RSJR
Wyalusing
PA
26-7
3
EIWA

54
133
Baker
Joe
Navy
SR
Poway, CA
14-0
1
EIWA

55
133
Deubel
Rick
Edinboro
RSSR
Chagrin Falls,
OH
27-11
2
EWL

56
133
Conroy
Jimmy
Pittsburgh
JR
South Plainfield,
NJ
21-11
1
EWL

57
133
Beebe
Conor
Central Michigan
RSJR
Western Springs,
IL
22-12
2
MAC

58
133
Mitcheff
Dan
Kent State
RSJR
Lorain, OH
23-8
1
MAC

59
133
DeShazer
Tristen
Northern Illinois
RSSO
Wichita, KS
21-11
3
MAC

60
133
Hochstrasser
Andrew
Boise State
RSSO
Tooele, UT
30-2
1
Pac-10

61
133
Novachkov
Filip
Cal Poly
RSSO
Sunnyvale,CA
22-7
3
Pac-10

62
133
Kimbrell
Thomas
Cal State
Bakersfield
RSSR
Daswonville,
GA
25-12
5
Pac-10

63
133
Dillashaw
Tyler
Cal State
Fullerton
RSSR
Angels Camp,
CA
27-7
6
Pac-10

64
133
Kubec
Kelly
Oregon State
RSFR
Everett, WA
21-7
2
Pac-10

65
133
Low
Brandon
UC Davis
RSSO
Honolulu,
HI
14-8
4
Pac-10

66
133
Celorrio
Frank
Appalachian
State
JR
Hialeah, FL
26-13
1
SoCon

67
133
VomBaur
Cory
Wyoming
RSJR
Vacouver,
WA
27-12
1
WWC

68
141
Krom
Alex
Maryland
RSJR
Easton, PA
21-4
1
ACC

69
141
Ramirez
Vincent
North Carolina
RSSR
Durham, NC
31-8
3
ACC

70
141
Caramanica
Joe
North Carolina
State
JR
Nazareth,
PA
11-8
5
ACC

71
141
Nelson
Nick
Virginia
SO
Pittsburgh,PA
23-10
4
ACC

72
141
Diaz
Christopher
Virginia Tech
SO
Camden, DE
35-10
2
ACC

73
141
Gallick
Nick
Iowa State
JR
Tucson, AZ
28-4
2
Big 12

74
141
Hoehn
Marcus
Missouri
SR
Farminton,
MO
29-8
1
Big 12

75
141
Parks
Jamal
Oklahoma State
RSFR
Tulsa, OK
27-8
3
Big 12

76
141
Prater
Ryan
Illinois
SO
Plainfield,
IL
11-15
7
Big Ten

77
141
Tsirtsis
Alex
Iowa
SR
Griffith,
IN
25-5
4
Big Ten

78
141
Russell
Kellen
Michigan
SO
High Bridge,
NJ
26-2
1
Big Ten

79
141
Thorn
Michael
Minnesota
RSSO
Saint Michael,MN
29-15
5
Big Ten

80
141
Sulzer
Keith
Northwestern
JR
Cleveland,
OH
19-12
6
Big Ten

81
141
Jaggers
J
Ohio State
RSSR
Northfield,
OH
23-7
3
Big Ten

82
141
Molinaro
Frank
Penn State
RSFR
Barnegat,
NJ
19-16
8
Big Ten

83
141
Tanelli
Zach
Wisconsin
RSSR
Milburne,
NJ
25-4
2
Big Ten

84
141
Accordino
Justin
Hofstra
RSFR
Wilkes-Barre,
PA
23-11
2
CAA

85
141
Williams
Ryan
Old Dominion
SR
Mechanicsburg,
PA
35-3
1
CAA

86
141
Harner
Tim
Liberty
SR
Norristown,
PA
25-8
1
East Regional

87
141
Simpson
William
Army
SR
Nashville,
TN
18-6
4
EIWA

88
141
Jantzen
Corey
Harvard
SO
Shoreham,
NY
13-2
2
EIWA

89
141
Ciasulli
Seth
Lehigh
RSJR
Easton, PA
24-8
1
EIWA

90
141
Rappo
Richard
Penn
JR
Holland,PA
18-7
3
EIWA

91
141
Nauman
Tyler
Pittsburgh
RSFR
Middletown,
PA
28-7
1
EWL

92
141
D'Alie
Anthony
Central Michigan
RSJR
Waterford,WI
14-9
2
MAC

93
141
Lashaway
Drew
Kent State
RSSR
Bowling Green,
OH
29-5
1
MAC

94
141
Drouin
Chris
Arizona State
RSSO
Temecula,
CA
26-6
2
Pac-10

95
141
Fish
Cory
Boise State
JR
Spokane, WA
18-9
4
Pac-10

96
141
Nacita
Elijah
Cal State
Bakersfield
RSSO
Bakersfield,
CA
33-11
1
Pac-10

97
141
Duenas
Adin
Cal State
Fullerton
RSSO
Gilroy,Ca
20-7
3
Pac-10

98
141
Cleveland
Cody
Chattanooga
RSJR
Tullahoma,
Tn
17-6
1
SoCon

99
141
Bencivenga
Christopher
North Carolina-Greensboro
RSSR
Davie, FL
29-10
2
SoCon

100
141
Washington
Trenton
Northern Iowa
RSFR
Omaha, NE
14-7
1
WWC

101
149
Stabile
Nicholas
North Carolina
RSSO
Lenhartsville,
PA
27-9
2
ACC

102
149
Caldwell
Darrion
North Carolina
State
SO
Rahway, N.J.
33-0
1
ACC

103
149
Balum
Kellon
Virginia
JR
Herndon, PA
10-11
3
ACC

104
149
Yates
Peter
Virginia Tech
FR
Conyers, GA
36-8
 
ACC

105
149
Mueller
Mitch
Iowa State
JR
Iowa City,
IA
20-7
2
Big 12

106
149
Sanders
Robert
Nebraska
RSSR
Blanding,
UT
26-15
3
Big 12

107
149
Terry
Kyle
Oklahoma
RSJR
Midwest City,
Okla.
28-1
1
Big 12

108
149
Metcalf
Brent
Iowa
RSJR
Davison, MI
33-0
1
Big Ten

109
149
Palmer
Lance
Ohio State
JR
Columbia Station,
OH
27-3
3
Big Ten

110
149
Jenkins
Bubba
Penn State
JR
Virginia Beach,
VA
24-1
2
Big Ten

111
149
Patacsil
Jake
Purdue
RSSR
Sunrise, FL
33-8
4
Big Ten

112
149
Ruschell
Kyle
Wisconsin
RSJR
Critenden,
KY
26-7
5
Big Ten

113
149
Roberts
Michael
Boston U.
RSSR
Albany, NY
31-10
2
CAA

114
149
Gillespie
Paul
Hofstra
RSFR
Long Beach,
NY
19-13
1
CAA

115
149
Cathell
Matt
Delaware State
RSSO
 
16-0
1
East Regional

116
149
Borshoff
Kyle
American
SO
Pittsford,
NY
26-4
3
EIWA

117
149
Kyler
Matthew
Army
JR
Clearfield,
PA
39-5
2
EIWA

118
149
LeValley
Kevin
Bucknell
SO
Hugo, CO
28-13
6
EIWA

119
149
Meagher
Daniel
Cornell
SO
Bow, NH
14-10
 
EIWA

120
149
Chinn
Trevor
Lehigh
RSSR
Canadaigua,
NY
27-7
4
EIWA

121
149
Saddoris
Bryce
Navy
SO
Spring Creek,
NV
40-5
1
EIWA

122
149
Grajales
Cesar
Penn
SO
Brandon, FL
25-8
5
EIWA

123
149
Hickman
George
Bloomsburg
RSSR
Wilmington,
NC
23-12
2
EWL

124
149
Gillespie
Torsten
Edinboro
FR
Webster, NY
26-17
6
EWL

125
149
Fittery
Matthew
Lock Haven
RSSR
Denver, PA
29-7
1
EWL

126
149
Jauregui
David
West Virginia
RSSR
Santa Ana,
CA
14-5
3
EWL

127
149
Green
Desmond
Buffalo
FR
Henrietta,
NY
38-7
2
MAC

128
149
Brown
Steven
Central Michigan
RSJR
Hermon, NY
21-6
1
MAC

129
149
Chamberlain
Jason
Boise State
FR
Springville,UT
26-7
1
Pac-10

130
149
Barnes
Heinrich
Oregon State
SR
Pretoria,
South Africa
35-5
2
Pac-10

131
149
Waddell
Daniel
Chattanooga
RSFR
Chattanooga,TN
12-9
1
SoCon

132
149
Polkowske
Mitchell
Northern Colorado
FR
LaJara, CO
28-6
1
WWC

133
149
Kittleson
Trevor
Northern Iowa
RSSO
St. Ansgar,
IA
27-9
2
WWC

134
157
Scotton
Thomas
North Carolina
RSSO
Willingboro,
NJ
20-13
 
ACC

135
157
Hamrah
Kody
North Carolina
State
SR
Middlesex,
N.J.
31-8
1
ACC

136
157
Moore
Jedd
Virginia
FR
Marion,OH
28-13
3
ACC

137
157
Dong
Jesse
Virginia Tech
FR
Westerville,
OH
32-9
2
ACC

138
157
Sanderson
Cyler
Iowa State
JR
Heber City,
UT
18-7
4
Big 12

139
157
Chandler
Michael
Missouri
SR
High Ridge,
MO
27-6
2
Big 12

140
157
Burroughs
Jordan
Nebraska
JR
Sickerville,
NJ
30-0
1
Big 12

141
157
Terry
Chad
Oklahoma
RSJR
Midwest City,
Okla.
16-7
 
Big 12

142
157
Erisman
Robert
Oklahoma State
RSSO
De Soto, KS
31-9
3
Big 12

143
157
Poeta
Michael
Illinois
RSSR
Highwood,
IL
13-0
1
Big Ten

144
157
Kinser
Kurt
Indiana
RSSO
Bloomington,
IN
18-8
6
Big Ten

145
157
Hynes
Aaron
Michigan
RSSO
Flint, MI
20-13
5
Big Ten

146
157
Jones
Anthony
Michigan State
SO
Highland Park,
MI
23-13
7
Big Ten

147
157
Safratowich
Tyler
Minnesota
RSSR
Park Rapids,
MN
29-12
3
Big Ten

148
157
Welch
Jason
Northwestern
FR
Walnut Creek,CA.
23-8
2
Big Ten

149
157
Johnstone
Jason
Ohio State
RSSR
Massilon,
OH
20-12
 
Big Ten

150
157
Salazar
Colton
Purdue
RSSO
Midway, UT
14-12
4
Big Ten

151
157
Bonilla-Bowman
Jonny
Hofstra
RSJR
Pomona, NY
22-7
1
CAA

152
157
Kessler
Michael
Rider
RSJR
Randallstown,
MD
25-11
2
CAA

153
157
Smith
Shaun
Liberty
JR
Parkersburg,
WV
12-12
1
East Regional

154
157
Leen
Jordan
Cornell
RSSR
Soddy Daisy
TN
23-2
1
EIWA

155
157
O'Connor
J.P.
Harvard
JR
Oxford, NY
30-3
2
EIWA

156
157
Dragon
Matt
Penn
JR
Dallas,PA
25-7
4
EIWA

157
157
Winston
Scott
Rutgers
FR
Jackson NJ
38-7
3
EIWA

158
157
Moley
Matt
Bloomsburg
JR
Phoenixville,
PA
31-5
1
EWL

159
157
Harrison
Hadley
Clarion
JR
McKean, PA
20-13
4
EWL

160
157
Gillespie
Gregor
Edinboro
JR
Webster, NY
37-1
2
EWL

161
157
Goodman
Ryan
West Virginia
RSFR
Greensburg,
PA
8-9
3
EWL

162
157
Deutsch
Bryan
Northern Illinois
RSSO
Columbia City,
IN
20-10
1
MAC

163
157
Hall
Adam
Boise State
RSSO
Bonners Ferry,
ID
31-4
2
Pac-10

164
157
Pami
Chase
Cal Poly
RSJR
Las Vegas,
NV
22-7
1
Pac-10

165
157
Knox
Joseph
Chattanooga
RSJR
Signal Mtn.
TN
16-10
1
SoCon

166
157
Gaethje
Justin
Northern Colorado
SO
Safford, AZ
22-6
1
WWC

167
165
Mueller
Keegan
North Carolina
RSSR
Dallas, TX
32-7
1
ACC

168
165
Reader
Jonathan
Iowa State
SO
Davison, MI
25-6
3
Big 12

169
165
Marable
Nick
Missouri
JR
Collierville,
TN
23-6
1
Big 12

170
165
Dwyer
Stephen
Nebraska
JR
Rockton, IL
25-5
2
Big 12

171
165
Smith
Ryan
Oklahoma
RSFR
Prineville,
OR
15-11
5
Big 12

172
165
Mason
Brandon
Oklahoma State
RSSR
Shenandoah,
IA
26-9
4
Big 12

173
165
Smith-Bergsrud
Roger
Illinois
RSSR
Lake Bluff,
IL
19-10
6
Big Ten

174
165
Young
Paul
Indiana
RSSO
Bloomington,
IN
29-13
7
Big Ten

175
165
Morningstar
Ryan
Iowa
RSJR
Lisbon, IA
27-5
2
Big Ten

176
165
Zeerip
Justin
Michigan
RSFR
Freemont,
MI
8-18
8
Big Ten

177
165
Kendle
Rex
Michigan State
RSSR
Edwardsburg,
MI
22-13
 
Big Ten

178
165
Sponseller
Colt
Ohio State
SO
Glenmont,
OH
30-6
4
Big Ten

179
165
Vallimont
Dan
Penn State
RSJR
Lake Hopatcong,
NJ
21-10
3
Big Ten

180
165
Manuel
Luke
Purdue
RSSO
Nevada City,
CA
25-13
5
Big Ten

181
165
Howe
Andrew
Wisconsin
FR
Cedar Lake,IN
26-4
1
Big Ten

182
165
Patrovich
Ryan
Hofstra
RSSO
Islip, NY
20-8
3
CAA

183
165
Brown
Chris
Old Dominion
RSJR
Chesapeake,
VA
27-6
1
CAA

184
165
Lapham
Jason
Rider
SR
West Chazy,
NY
26-11
2
CAA

185
165
Brooks
Jeremy
Millersville
JR
Linden, PA
30-8
1
East Regional

186
165
Rendos
Andrew
Bucknell
JR
Brockway,
PA
28-6
2
EIWA

187
165
Lewnes
Mack
Cornell
SO
Annapolis,
MD
35-0
1
EIWA

188
165
Galante
Mike
Lehigh
RSJR
Ocean City,
NJ
27-6
3
EIWA

189
165
Pletcher
Matt
Rutgers
SR
Easthampton,
NJ
33-11
4
EIWA

190
165
Schmelyun
Rick
Bloomsburg
JR
New Oxford,
PA
31-13
5
EWL

191
165
King
Jarrod
Edinboro
RSJR
Connellsville,
PA
27-5
1
EWL

192
165
Headlee
Ethan
Pittsburgh
SO
Waynesburg,
PA
24-14
3
EWL

193
165
Jones
Donald
West Virginia
RSJR
Slickville,
PA
10-3
2
EWL

194
165
Stewart
Trevor
Central Michigan
SR
Canton, MI
23-8
1
MAC

195
165
Sherfey
Tyler
Boise State
RSSR
Kenewick,
WA
25-8
1
Pac-10

196
165
Davis
Keegan
Oregon State
JR
Salem, OR
25-13
3
Pac-10

197
165
Amuchastegui
Nick
Stanford
RSFR
Talent, OR
28-6
2
Pac-10

198
165
Garvin
William
Chattanooga
RSSR
Hoover, AL
22-9
1
SoCon

199
165
Fay
Moza
Northern Iowa
RSSR
Anamosa, IA
25-4
1
WWC

200
174
Henrich
Christopher
Virginia
SO
Lansdale,
PA
36-1
1
ACC

201
174
Trongone
Anthony
Virginia Tech
RSFR
Glendora
26-14
2
ACC

202
174
Burk
Ryan
Iowa State
JR
Peoria, IL
17-7
 
Big 12

203
174
Jordan
Raymond
Missouri
SR
New Bern,
NC
30-4
2
Big 12

204
174
Browne
Brandon
Nebraska
RSSR
Plattsmouth,
NE
26-3
1
Big 12

205
174
James
Jeff
Oklahoma
RSSO
El Reno, Okla.
22-6
4
Big 12

206
174
McSpadden
Newly
Oklahoma State
RSSR
Vinita, OK
19-7
3
Big 12

207
174
Dergo
John
Illinois
JR
Morris, IL
13-8
4
Big Ten

208
174
Perry
Trevor
Indiana
RSJR
Davison, MI
26-15
6
Big Ten

209
174
Borschel
Jay
Iowa
RSJR
Marion, IA
27-3
3
Big Ten

210
174
Luke
Steve
Michigan
SR
Massillon,
OH
27-0
1
Big Ten

211
174
Hinton
Ian
Michigan State
RSFR
Mishawaka,
IN
19-17
8
Big Ten

212
174
Rella
David
Ohio State
JR
Akron, OH
20-13
5
Big Ten

213
174
Wright
Quentin
Penn State
FR
PA Furnace,
PA
29-10
2
Big Ten

214
174
Meys
Hunter
Boston U.
FR
Cliffton pk
NY
29-10
4
CAA

215
174
Tovuujav
Mendbagana
George Mason
FR
Ulaanbaatar
City, Mongolia
24-7
1
CAA

216
174
Lucas
Alton
Hofstra
SR
West Babylon,
NY
24-6
2
CAA

217
174
Decker
Eric
Old Dominion
RSJR
Wells Bridge,
NY
26-17
3
CAA

218
174
Smith
Shane
Millersville
RSFR
Pennsburg,
PA
32-13
1
East Regional

219
174
Cannon
Michael
American
RSSO
Mechanicsville,
MD
30-0
1
EIWA

220
174
Riccio
Shane
Bucknell
JR
Warren, NJ
32-14
3
EIWA

221
174
Anceravage
Steve
Cornell
RSSR
Bloomsburg,
PA
27-4
2
EIWA

222
174
Herbert
Justin
Franklin &
Marshall
SR
New Milford,
PA
23-11
 
EIWA

223
174
Caruso
Alex
Lehigh
RSSO
Green Brook,
NJ
19-9
4
EIWA

224
174
Rebertus
Luke
Navy
FR
Elkton, MD
34-9
5
EIWA

225
174
Giffin
Scott
Penn
RSFR
Berlin, NJ
16-10
6
EIWA

226
174
Brenner
Kurt
West Virginia
RSSR
Rochester,
PA
18-4
1
EWL

227
174
Rock
Nate
Buffalo
JR
Ephrata, PA
26-14
2
MAC

228
174
Miller
Mike
Central Michigan
RSSO
Uniontown,
OH
26-6
1
MAC

229
174
Lee
Nathan
Boise State
RSJR
Payson, AZ
18-3
1
Pac-10

230
174
McCroskey
Jason
Chattanooga
RSFR
Hixson, TN
17-10
1
SoCon

231
174
Sigmon
Byron
North Carolina-Greensboro
RSSO
Claremont,
NC
17-9
3
SoCon

232
174
Onufer
Shane
Wyoming
RSFR
Auburn, WA
42-9
1
WWC

233
184
Barone
John
Duke
RSJR
Shirley, N.Y.
36-6
3
ACC

234
184
Caponi
Rocco
Virginia
RSSR
Uniontown,
OH
15-5
1
ACC

235
184
Spellman
Thomas
Virginia Tech
SO
Newton, NJ
24-9
2
ACC

236
184
Ward
Jerome
Iowa State
RSFR
Evergreen
Park, IL
23-11
2
Big 12

237
184
Henderson
Dorian
Missouri
RSFR
Columbia,
Mo.
20-13
 
Big 12

238
184
Jones
Vince
Nebraska
SR
Sicklerville,
NJ
31-6
1
Big 12

239
184
Flynn
Patrick
Oklahoma
JR
Quakertown,
PA
25-6
3
Big 12

240
184
McNeil
Christopher
Oklahoma State
RSFR
Lawton, OK
24-11
4
Big 12

241
184
Blanton
Jordan
Illinois
FR
Richmond,
IL
26-8
4
Big Ten

242
184
Cameron
Eric
Indiana
JR
Cincinnati,
OH
21-18
6
Big Ten

243
184
Keddy
Philip
Iowa
RSJR
Vernal, UT
29-3
2
Big Ten

244
184
Biondo
Anthony
Michigan
RSSO
Clinton Twp,
MI
18-13
5
Big Ten

245
184
Herbert
Jake
Northwestern
RSSR
Wexford,PA
29-0
1
Big Ten

246
184
Pucillo
Mike
Ohio State
RSJR
Strongsville,
OH
19-1
3
Big Ten

247
184
Kissel
A.J.
Purdue
SO
Sheboygan,
WI
27-8
 
Big Ten

248
184
Patterson
Joshua
Binghamton
JR
Ontario, NY
41-4
1
CAA

249
184
Umbehauer
Doug
Rider
RSSR
Shamong, NJ
19-4
2
CAA

250
184
Daggett
Christopher
Liberty
SR
Parkersburg,
WV
25-13
1
East Regional

251
184
Gevelinger
Matthew
Brown
SR
Mineral Point,
WI
24-12
4
EIWA

252
184
Thompson
David
Bucknell
SO
West Liberty,
OH
22-14
5
EIWA

253
184
Kerber
Justin
Cornell
RSSO
Emmetsburg,
IA
30-10
2
EIWA

254
184
Caputo
Louis
Harvard
JR
Blue Springs,
MO
30-5
3
EIWA

255
184
Craig
David
Lehigh
JR
Brandon, FL
25-4
1
EIWA

256
184
Caldwell
Kenneth
Navy
SR
Liberty, IN
31-13
6
EIWA

257
184
Honeycutt
Christopher
Edinboro
FR
North Ridgeville,
OH
30-6
1
EWL

258
184
Moran
Mickey
Buffalo
SR
Pittsburgh,
PA
23-11
3
MAC

259
184
DiDona
Vincenzo
Central Michigan
RSSR
Cleveland,
OH
25-12
2
MAC

260
184
Kilgore
Dustin
Kent State
RSFR
Berea, OH
31-3
1
MAC

261
184
Smith
Kirk
Boise State
SO
Boise, ID
36-1
1
Pac-10

262
184
Orozco
Riley
Cal State
Bakersfield
RSSO
Fallon, NV
27-11
2
Pac-10

263
184
McKee
Mikal
North Carolina-Greensboro
SO
Asheville,
NC
31-12
1
SoCon

264
184
Dolly
Alex
Northern Iowa
RSSR
Mishawaka,
IN
11-4
2
WWC

265
184
LeBlanc
Joe
Wyoming
RSFR
Meeker, CO
40-6
1
WWC

266
197
Taylor
Hudson
Maryland
RSJR
Pennington,
NJ
31-7
2
ACC

267
197
Drury
Dennis
North Carolina
RSJR
Jenkintown,
PA
27-8
3
ACC

268
197
Jones
Brent
Virginia
RSJR
Burke, VA
29-6
1
ACC

269
197
Bruce
Daniel
Virginia Tech
SO
Naperville,
IL
28-15
4
ACC

270
197
Varner
Jake
Iowa State
JR
Bakersfield,
CA
26-2
2
Big 12

271
197
Askren
Maxwell
Missouri
JR
Hartland,
WI
26-5
3
Big 12

272
197
Brester
Craig
Nebraska
RSJR
Howells, NE
29-3
1
Big 12

273
197
Lapotsky
Eric
Oklahoma
JR
Mt. Carmel,
PA
22-8
5
Big 12

274
197
Foster
Clayton
Oklahoma State
SO
Kamiah, ID
27-5
4
Big 12

275
197
Bond
Patrick
Illinois
RSJR
Chesapeake,
VA
16-12
3
Big Ten

276
197
Beatty
Chad
Iowa
RSJR
Muscatine,
IA
18-4
4
Big Ten

277
197
Todd
Tyrel
Michigan
SR
Bozeman, MT
21-1
1
Big Ten

278
197
Brown
Logan
Purdue
RSSO
Covington,OH
29-13
5
Big Ten

279
197
Herbst
Dallas
Wisconsin
RSSR
Winneconne,
WI
23-3
2
Big Ten

280
197
Hall
John
Boston U.
SO
Palo Alto
CA
25-10
 
CAA

281
197
Oplinger
Jon
Drexel
RSSR
Bath, PA
31-5
2
CAA

282
197
Byers
Cayle
George Mason
SO
Chugiak, AK
27-5
1
CAA

283
197
Fagiano
Joe
Hofstra
SO
Harwood Height,
IL
17-8
4
CAA

284
197
Strawn
Jesse
Old Dominion
JR
Holton, KS
33-11
3
CAA

285
197
Bennet
Raymond
Millersville
SO
Clarks Summit,
PA
19-13
1
East Regional

286
197
Silber
Charles
American
SR
Scotch Plains,
NJ
22-12
5
EIWA

287
197
Starks
Richard
Army
JR
Midway, KY
33-6
2
EIWA

288
197
Simez
Cameron
Cornell
RSFR
Allegan, MI
34-9
1
EIWA

289
197
Bradshaw
Patrick
Edinboro
RSJR
Saegertown,
PA
25-7
1
EWL

290
197
Hamel
James
Buffalo
FR
Watick, MA
30-12
2
MAC

291
197
McClure
John
Eastern Michigan
RSSR
West Ottawa,
MI
14-15
1
MAC

292
197
Chine
Eric
Kent State
RSSR
Youngstown,
OH
22-11
4
MAC

293
197
Chriswell
Brent
Boise State
RSSO
Port-Orchad,WA
13-1
1
Pac-10

294
197
Halsey
Brandon
Cal State
Bakersfield
RSSR
Oceanside,
CA
20-3
2
Pac-10

295
197
Feist
Luke
Stanford
RSSR
Sandpoint,
ID
22-13
3
Pac-10

296
197
Delaney
Andrew
The Citadel
FR
Santa Rosa
Beach, FL
25-16
1
SoCon

297
197
Anderson
Andrew
Northern Iowa
RSSR
Sioux City,
IA
26-7
1
WWC

298
197
Sorenson
Tyler
South Dakota
State
RSJR
Garretson,
SD
14-2
2
WWC

299
285
Dudziak
Konrad
Duke
RSSO
Bayonne, NJ
27-2
1
ACC

300
285
Dobies
Justin
North Carolina
RSSR
Garfield Heights,
OH
27-8
2
ACC

301
285
Marone
David
Virginia Tech
SO
Broomfield,
CO
31-14
3
ACC

302
285
Zabriskie
David
Iowa State
JR
Branchville,
NJ
30-2
1
Big 12

303
285
Ellis
Mark
Missouri
JR
Raymore, MO
26-3
2
Big 12

304
285
Lane
Tucker
Nebraska
RSFR
Redvale, CO
26-12
3
Big 12

305
285
Fernandez
Nathan
Oklahoma
RSSO
Lawton, Okla.
20-10
5
Big 12

306
285
Rosholt
Jared
Oklahoma State
RSJR
Sandpoint,
ID
30-4
4
Big 12

307
285
Wise
John
Illinois
RSJR
Pittsfield,
IL
21-7
3
Big Ten

308
285
Everhart
Nathan
Indiana
JR
Orland Park,
IL
25-15
5
Big Ten

309
285
Erekson
Daniel
Iowa
JR
McCall, ID
22-6
1
Big Ten

310
285
Berhow
Benjamin
Minnesota
RSSO
Hayward,MN
26-9
4
Big Ten

311
285
Morrison
Corey
Ohio State
RSJR
Shaker Hts.
OH
19-13
 
Big Ten

312
285
Massey
Kyle
Wisconsin
RSSR
Champlin,
MN
23-8
2
Big Ten

313
285
Bordas
Eddie
Rider
JR
Montgomery,
NY
26-8
1
CAA

314
285
Porter
Dustin
Gardner-Webb
RSJR
Burton, OH
31-5
1
East Regional

315
285
Flores
Ryan
Columbia
FR
Clovis, CA
32-3
1
EIWA

316
285
Hammond
Zach
Cornell
RSSR
Galloway,
NJ
18-12
5
EIWA

317
285
Birchler
Christopher
East Stroudsburg
JR
Fairfield,
NJ
23-5
3
EIWA

318
285
Rey
Zachery
Lehigh
RSFR
Hopatcong,
NJ
21-4
2
EIWA

319
285
McLean
Trey
Penn
JR
Merlin, OR
18-10
6
EIWA

320
285
Russo
III
Rutgers
RSSO
Netcong, NJ
31-14
4
EIWA

321
285
Goff
Rashard
Cleveland
State
RSSR
Brandon, FL
30-9
1
EWL

322
285
Fendone
Joe
Edinboro
RSSR
Salem, NH
27-6
2
EWL

323
285
Sheaffer
Zach
Pittsburgh
RSSR
Carlisle,
PA
18-9
4
EWL

324
285
Rogers
Dustin
West Virginia
RSSR
Corning, CA
19-5
3
EWL

325
285
Trice
Jarod
Central Michigan
RSFR
Highland Park,
MI
22-10
2
MAC

326
285
Porter
Jermail
Kent State
RSSR
Akron, OH
28-1
1
MAC

327
285
Monteiro
Mitchell
Cal State
Bakersfield
RSJR
Paso Robles
28-6
1
Pac-10

328
285
Jack
Clayton
Oregon State
RSFR
Vacaville,
CA
21-9
3
Pac-10

329
285
Alcala
Ricardo
UC Davis
RSSO
Arvin, CA
16-10
2
Pac-10

330
285
wine
josh
VMI
SO
massaponax
14-6
1
SoCon

331
285
Brantley
Christian
Northern Iowa
RSFR
Homewood,
IL
25-8
1
WWC

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Ian McCutcheon
FloWrestling 
Season previews are kind of pointless.  October is a time for questions, most of which can’t possibly be answers until March.  Take the theme of last year’s previews for example.  Minnesota was going to score the most points in NCAA history, Iowa was inexperienced and had distractions to overcome, Dustin Schlatter was ready to prove his 3rd place finish was a fluke, and Jordan Leen’s parents were the only people thinking title.  As history tells us, this was all flawed logic.  Basically, what I’m trying to get at is predictions are useless.  Instead I want to focus on two major categories to flesh out my preseason thoughts, what we know will happen during the season, and what we’re sure we’re going to find out.  Here is my mega-NCAA season preview. 
What We Know 
Iowa will be tested:  Are the Hawkeyes the favorite?  No doubt about it.  No lineup can match the firepower they have with Charlie Falck, Joey Slaton/Daniel Dennis, Alex Tsirtsis/Dan LeClere, Brent Metcalf, Jay Borschel, and Phil Keddy all high AA or title threats.  But they certainly aren’t invincible.  The questions at 133 and 141 are problems any coach would love to have, but it also takes the right type of athlete to be able to deal with a competition like that.  It’ll also be seen how team morale is be affected with two potential All Americans on the bench, especially if they are seniors.  Beyond those issues, there also are plenty of teams with enough ability to dethrone Iowa.  Iowa State seems to match up well with the Hawkeyes and has plenty of potential champs.  Cornell could score a ton of points at the tournament and welcomes back Troy Nickerson to an already stacked lineup.  And Ohio State appears to have an even stronger and more mature line up, which is impressive considering their second place finish a year ago.  Iowa is the pick for now, but by no means is it in the bag. 
There will be a freshman that everybody is talking about:  People like what’s new.  Combine that with how prevalent high school wrestling is on the national scene and people love to anoint true freshman as contenders.  This year could look a lot like 2006, which saw two freshman in finals.  The high school class of 2008 is one of the strongest in years.  Plenty of blue chippers with eschew red-shirts and compete as true freshman.  All reports seem to have Quentin Wright jumping right into the lineup at Penn State.  Wright has a resume that included a number of wins over college wrestlers, and has created buzz no Penn State freshman has received since Cary Kolat.  Andrew Howe at Wisconsin is another hot name and with 165 lacking a lot of stars, he could end up with the best postseason finish of anyone in his class.  But most of the attention is focused on the fictitious rivalry at 157 between Scott Winston of Rutgers and Jason Welch of Northwestern.  Welch has received Metcalf/Schlatter/Nickerson like hype, and has a skill set that is matched by few.  Winston is a bull of a wrestler, and helps legitimize the Rutgers program, a perennial sleeping giant.  There was plenty of debate as to who the best recruit in the country was, and now their supporters will get to see. 
Someone will get hot early:  We saw it last season with Darrion Caldwell and Lou Ruggirello.  Somebody will come out of the gate and annihilate all comers.  This will announce them as a player on the national scene.  It’ll be somebody who is a pinner, since falls garner the most attention.  By January, whoever this is will have cooled down, whether it be unspectacular wins over lesser opponents, or a loss to another ranked wrestler that “exposes” the early season phenom.  By March they’ll be back off the radar, then surprise people when they make a run at NCAAs.  My pick: Corey Jantzen blows through the early part of his schedule and impressively wins Vegas. 
Pat Santoro is a good coach:  One of the most anticipated matches of the season is the Pat Santoro Bowl, which will pit Maryland against Lehigh the second weekend of the season.  The program Santoro built will come to fruition this season, where the Terps are loaded, and could put ACC wrestling back on the map.  More on that later.  Meanwhile, Santoro is taking over a once proud Lehigh program seemingly falling on hard times.  They will be noticeably better, especially from their feet, where they struggled mightily the past few years.  Santoro will diversify the Hawks offensively, and look for at least one of their young wrestlers to blossom into an All American contender.  They won’t be dormant for long, especially once he gets his kids in there. 
Somebody will come out of nowhere to win a title:  We think we know, but we really have no idea.  The beauty and the curse of college wrestling is that all it takes is one good weekend to cement your name among the immortals.  The trick is seeing it coming.  Weights like 141 and heavyweight are so wide open this season that somebody from outside the top ten or the traditional power conferences very well could sneak up on everybody.  Just don’t be surprised when it happens. 
Not everybody will repeat:  History tells us that about one third of defending champs defend their title.  Angel Escobedo, J Jaggers, Brent Metcalf, Jordan Leen, and Mike Pucillio all return with a target on their backs.  Escobedo (Indiana) and Pucillio (Ohio State) both have to deal with bona fide studs returning to their weight classes, Jaggers (Ohio State) is getting little respect from pre-season prognostications, and Leen (Cornell) was the biggest surprise in recent memory.  Only Metcalf seems to be a heavy favorite to repeat.  He very well may be the only one. 
The buzz weight is 157:  There are three wrestlers this season ranked at 157 that have won NCAA titles in their career.  And the best wrestler at 57 might not even be one of them.  Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro), Jordan Leen, and Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) all have titles to their name.  Gillespie is as exciting as anybody in the sport; Leen had the toughest road to finals of anybody and is the defending champ.  And Schlatter, the former second coming, will be the most scrutinized wrestler in America after a tough junior year.  But the favorite here might be Mike Poeta of Illinois, who is probably the best current wrestler without a title.  He lost a classic to Leen in finals last season, and should be loaded for bear this year. Beyond these four, there also is Dan Vallimont of Penn State, who was the most improved wrestler in America, J.P. O’Connor of Harvard, who could not be more underrated, returning All Americans Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State and Matt Moley of Bloomsburg, plus Adam Hall of Boise State, Johnny Bonilla-Bowman of Hofstra, Matt Coughlin of Indiana, and a slew of other guys that could end up on the podium.  In my opinion, this year’s 157 is even better than last season’s 149.  No weight class will be more exciting. 
What We Will Find Out 
Can Metcalf do it? Last season, Mr. Metcalf put together one of the most impressive performances in recent memory, rolling easily through a stacked weight class to win a national title and the Hodge Trophy in his first year of competition. The trick now is repeating the feat, which may not be as easy as advertised.  No wrestler has repeated at 142/149 since Pat Santoro in 1988.  That is twenty years worth of very good wrestlers that couldn’t defend their title.  149 is always loaded.  Even though Metcalf has navigated the mine field once, he’s the man to beat now instead of the newcomer looking to make his mark.  To quote the great Charles Barkely “There’s no such thing as a second year slump, they just didn’t know who your ass was.”  They know who Metcalf is now, and every 49 pounder in the country is training specifically to beat him.  He very well might repeat, but it won’t be as easy as advertised. 
How has the year off treated Jake Herbert and Troy Nickerson?  Because of the Olympics and injuries, we were without two of the biggest stars in college wrestling last season.  Jake Herbert of Northwestern is back to defend his title at 184, with infinitely more questions than answers.  He was a wrecking ball two years ago, but has a number of head scratching losses in his year off, including a folkstyle defeat by Jake Varner of Iowa State, who he pummeled in finals the year before, and a freestyle loss to Tyrell Todd of Michigan.  Both of these competitors fell to Mike Pucillio last season, who now wears the belt at 184.  If the 2007 version of Herbert shows up, he should win.   But who knows what a year off will do.  Nickerson on the other hand was bit by the injury bug.  He challenges Poeta for the distinction of best current wrestler without a title.  He’s come dangerously close twice.  But there are questions both about his recovery and where he will wrestle this season.  Common logic seems to think he’ll make 125 again, in a weight class that is suddenly ruled by Angel Escobedo.  For both wrestlers, they are welcomed back to a completely different landscape and a new mountain to climb. 
Will moving up help?  A number of high profile wrestlers are moving up a weight class this season.  The strategy certainly paid off for guys like Chad Mendes and Eric Tannenbaum, but the wrestling community always seems to think that the farther the cut, the better (just look at the David Craig speculation).  Some of these guys will definitely buck common logic.  For Dustin Schlatter, I think the move up to 157 could be a great one.  His offense has all but disappeared, and he hasn’t been healthy in three years.  He was gigantic for 149, and I can’t help but think the cut was killing him.  When healthy, he’s as good as they get.  Furthermore, I’m pulling for the kid.  He’s too talented to not have a great senior year.  Jake Varner moves up to 197, where he begins the year ranked 1st by most publications.  Varner is an immovable object, and I don’t think the 13 pound jump will hurt him defensively.  He, however, moves into a loaded field where the contenders match his strength.  It will be even more imperative for him to generate offense, which is certainly not his MO.  I also wonder if he’ll be as effective on top against the big boys.  Most of the contenders here are physical specimen, and Varner will be hard pressed to overpower them.  Jayson Ness was a monster for 125, and there is no surprise he moves up.  Until his finals match, he was all but crowned the champion, and has lost almost all of his buzz coming into this year. But make no mistake, he might be the favorite at 133.  I think his skills will translate smoother to the higher weight class than Varner, who he is similar to.  He lives on top, but his half series is made for the lower weights.  JP O’Connor, Matt Kyler, Mike Grey, Adam Hall, and Tyrell Todd are other potential All Americans who will try to get it done by moving up. 
Which surprise champs are for real?  All offseason long Jordan Leen and J Jaggers have heard that they were fluke champions, and that they’d be hard pressed to duplicate the feat.  Each had tremendous weekends, and knocked off the best wrestlers in their weight classes.  Their titles were well earned.  But both will face the added challenge of being the defending champ.  For some, a title gives them a new fire, and they wrestle better than ever.  Others wilt under the pressure of being the champ.  Leen is faced with battling the toughest weight class in the country.  Repeating would be admirable.  However, Jaggers is just scratching the surface of how good he can be.  Especially if he’s healthy (which is always a problem), I see his run being like Joe Dubuque or Matt Valenti, defending champs who received little or no acclaim, then came back and ran through the tournament. 
 Who is this year’s Nebraska?  Off season jokes aside, Nebraska was beyond impressive last year.  Before the year started, they were just outside the national radar.  They had the pieces in place to compete, but had yet to prove they were a real player.  By the end of the year, they were a top 3 team, and announced the rejuvenation of the program.  This year, the Wisconsin Badgers are the team lurking to join the top 5.  The Badgers feature returning potential All Americans Kyle Ruschell, Dallas Herbst and Kyle Massey.  Massey and Herbst both could win titles, and they are experienced and steady at 141 and 184.  Barry Davis has an experienced and battle tested core which should mix nicely with the best recruiting class in the nation.  The aforementioned Andrew Howe will definitely start and depending on the situation in the room, we may see Ben Jordan.  These two certainly are talented, and balance the Badger lineup to the point where team hardware may be in their future. 
What teams will crash the party? With the new qualifier system as well as a shifting balance of power among mid-majors, it is entirely possible that we will be seeing a handful of new teams creep into the upper echelon of college wrestling.  Obviously the Big Ten and Big 12 will always be the big boys, but the Pac-10 and ACC could start stealing spots from the EIWA, MAC, and EWL sooner rather than later.  Boise State is in the middle of this transformation, and has the firepower to finish in the top 10.  I really like Adam Hall and Kirk Smith this year to be in the title mix.  They are the great hope for the western part of the country.  Oregon State is a few years behind the Broncos, but also will be a perennial contender in the coming years.  Virginia and Maryland are also on the move.  The Cavaliers will field a solid team, filled with NCAA qualifiers.  Look for breakout years from Mike Chaires, Ross Gitomer, and Nick Nelson.  Meanwhile, Maryland is setting the blueprint for rebuilding a mid-major from scratch.  There are justifiably high expectations in College Park.  Hudson Taylor is a popular pick to win 197 and if he wrestles, Mike Letts is due to All American at 174.  But the Terps strength comes in their rising crop of stars.  Steve Bell, Eric Medina, and Brian Letters all have earned pre-season rankings, and each could make a leap from good to special.  The Terps also have sleepers in Brendan Byrne and Alex Krom who are both tough and vastly underrated.  That is seven wrestlers they could score points from, and their showing could be the start of the return of the ACC. 
Who makes “the leap”?   Every year, there are guys that make the leap from good wrestler to All American caliber.  Sometimes it takes a coaching change, sometimes it’s a change in attitude, sometimes it’s just a year of maturity.  But there are stars out there waiting for it to happen.  Here is one at each weight class.  At 125, everybody forgets how good of a wrestler Brad Pataky is.  He took rare back-to-back redshirt years because of the Olympics, but he was one of the best high school wrestlers in America, and will contend in an open weight class.  At 133, Reece Humphrey puts it all together.  He’s had an amazing few runs in the summer, and his hard work in freestyle will translate to folk finally.  As I mentioned earlier, with a year under his belt Corey Jantzen will be a force at 141.  At 149, Cesar Grajales does not receive the hype of his little brother, but is ready to be an All American.  Although Penn has had a difficult offseason, the movement of guys up to 157 opens the door for his breakout year.  Last year, 157 saw the biggest leap when Dan Vallimont announced his presence as a star.  This year, Adam Hall will put it all together.  At 165, Donnie Jones has had a career full of injuries.  If he is finally healthy, he will be the next in a long line of Jones brothers to star for West Virginia.  At 174, as mentioned before, if Mike Letts does not red-shirt, he will be a huge point scorer for the Terps.  He’s had two disappointing NCAA tournaments, but won’t have a third.  At 184, Edinboro’s Chris Honeycutt lives up to his St. Ed’s pedigree.  Tim Flynn is among the best coaches in the country, and Honeycutt helps Edinboro live up to their “little powerhouse that could” billing.  At 197, the pride of Idaho Clayton Foster gives the Oklahoma State Cowboys another hammer at the top to go along with Jared Rosholt.  At heavyweight, Lehigh will receive a boost from red-shirt freshman Zack Rey, who in a shallow weight class could find himself in position to be a four-time All American, and the start of Pat Santoro’s rebuilding project.      

David G. Bunning Head Coach for Wrestling Jay Weiss had high hopes for his wrestling squad this season and even though the year did not pan out how he scripted, no one can argue with the success his team achieved in 2006-07.

Three All-Americans for the first time in program history, first freshman All-American, most number of points scored at the NCAA Championships, highest finish at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and two finalists for the first time, and highest finish at the Midlands Championship.

Harvard entered the year with five wrestlers ranked in the top-20 and a team ranking of No. 22. The Crimson returned all five NCAA qualifiers from a season ago, four of which were EIWA finalist, but injuries plagued the Crimson throughout the season and left Harvard short handed heading into March.

?Going in to the season we were very excited with the returning wrestlers we had and the incoming recruits,? Weiss said. ?We had to deal with a lot of adversity on and off the mat and I am very proud of how the guys stayed the course and were able to shine when needed to the most.?

?I believe our strong finish has elevated our program to the next level and for that I am even more excited. With our current staff, Jesse [Jantzen] and Jamill [Kelly] and incoming class in the fall, I can only see us setting our expectations even higher.?

Harvard opened the season at the East Stroudsburg Open with seven placewinners. Sophomore 184-pounder Louis Caputo led the charge with a second-place showing, while rookie J.P. O'Connor finished fourth at 149 pounds. Junior Bobby Latessa was fourth at 157 pounds and classmate Matt Button was fifth. Newcomer Frankie Colletta placed fifth at 165 pounds, while juniors Jonathan Butler and Joseph Bechtold were seventh and eighth, respectively, at 197 pounds.

That same weekend, senior All-American Bode Ogunwole was one of three Ivy League wrestlers to win at the NWCA All-Star match. Ogunwole defeated No. 4 Spencer Nadolsky of North Carolina to become the first Crimson grappler to compete at the event.

The Crimson traveled to the highly competitive Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, where Harvard placed two grapplers in the finals for the first time and finished seventh – its highest finish to date. Ogunwole dominated at heavyweight to win the title, while O?Connor fell to No. 6 Josh Churella of Michigan in the finals at 149. Caputo placed third at 184 pounds to round out the three top-four placewinners.

Harvard took a select number of wrestlers to the Midlands Championships where four grapplers placed in the top five and the Crimson took ninth. Senior tri-captain Max Meltzer (141) and O?Connor (149) took third, Sophomore Andrew Flanagan placed fourth at 157 pounds and Caputo was fifth at 184 pounds.

For five of the next eight weeks, Harvard competed in 13 dual meets and compiled a 5-7-1 mark. Harvard?s first dual meet of the season was a 26-13 loss to American in December giving the Crimson a 5-8-1 dual meet record for the year.

Highlights from the duals included a 22-18 win over Army on national television, three straight wins over Boston University, 27-13; Brown, 27-15; and Franklin & Marshall, 29-15. Meltzer compiled a 12-2 dual meet mark, winning 11 straight. O?Connor lost just one dual match – to No. 4 Jordan Leen of Cornell – to go 13-1.

Latessa, Button, Butler and Colletta provided a balance for the Crimson in the middlewights. Latessa went 5-3 in dual action at 157 pounds, while Button went 4-2 in duals, Butler sported a 4-5 record and Colletta went 5-4. Freshmen Ryan Fitzgerald and Fred Rowsey competed at 125 and 174 pounds, respectively.

During that stretch, senior tri-captain Robbie Preston rejoined the team after taking first term off, but the team was devastated when Ogunwole went down with a career-ending injury in January and Flanagan suffered a season-ending injury in February.

Harvard headed to the EIWA Championships with out its defending champions, but with a solid group of competitors. Caputo led five Crimson placewinners by taking the 184 pound title, marking the 10th year in a row a Harvard wrestler has won an EIWA title. O?Connor took second at 141, Preston and Meltzer were third at 133 and 141, respectively, and Latessa placed sixth at 157 pounds. Harvard tied for sixth overall with 71 team points. Four wrestlers automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Caputo, Meltzer, O?Connor and Preston all advanced to the round of 12 at the NCAA Championship. O?Connor who was seeded sixth at 149 pounds, took fifth to become the first freshman All-American at Harvard. Caputo, the 10th seed, placed eighth, Meltzer who was unseeded, finished eighth and Preston, the 12th seed, advanced to the round of 12, but lost his match to earn All-America honors. In all, the Crimson racked up 29 points - a program best. It was the first time three Crimson wrestlers placed at the NCAA Tournament.

O?Connor was named EIWA Freshman of the Year, Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Year and earned second-team All-Ivy honors. Four others were named to the All-Ivy team. Meltzer was a unanimous first-team selection, while Caputo also earned first-team honors. Flanagan was named to the second team and Preston received honorable mention honors.

With the success of the Crimson this season, it is for certain the Harvard wrestling program will be one to contend with in the Ivy League, EIWA and on the national stage for years to come.

The bar has been raised, how high will the Crimson go?

Aburn Hills, Mich. – It was a historical weekend for the Harvard wrestling team at the 2007 NCAA Championships at the Palace at Auburn Hills. Three grapplers finished as All-Americans, while Harvard had it first freshman All-America and scored the most points ever at an NCAA Championships.

Freshman J.P. O'Connor took fifth at 149 pounds and became the first freshman All-American in program history. O?Connor battled No. 1 Dustin Schlatter for a chance to go to third, falling just short in a 5-4 match. The rookie bounced back to take a 6-4 decision over Tyler Turner of Wisconsin in the fifth-place bout. O?Connor took and early 3-1 lead on a takedown and escape, Turners ties it up with a takedown, but O?Connor counters with a reversal. Turner managed to get loose, and chose down for the third, but was rode out.

O?Connor finishes his rookie campaign with a 37-8 mark. He is just one of two true freshmen to All-American this year.

Sophomore Louis Caputo placed seventh at 184 pounds to earn his first All-American honors. Caputo, the 10th seed, defeated a familiar foe Josh Arnone of Cornell, 2-0. Caputo defeated Arnone in the EIWA semifinals two weeks ago. Caputo earns an escape and riding time for his two points in the win. Caputo finishes his second year campaign with 39-2 mark.

Senior tri-captain Max Meltzer took eighth at 141 pounds and earned All-America honors to close out his collegiate career. Meltzer lost to Jeff Jaggers of Ohio State, 7-1 in the seventh place bout. It was the second meeting between the two this weekend. Meltzer finishes the season with a 25-7 mark and a career record of 88-29. Meltzer is a three-time NCAA qualifier.

Senior tri-captain Robbie Preston went 3-2 in his third NCAA Championships and finishes his junior campaign with a 10-4 record.

Heading into the finals, the Crimson is tied for 21st with 29 points. Harvard?s 29 points are the most in program history and Harvard?s three All-Americans are also a program first.