Ashnault 6th year granted
- Thread starter El-Jefe
- Start date
Utterly absurd to get 5 matches in March and claim injury.
Nevills has to be next. Lol.
Further to my earlier post, in January of 2015, Gravina wrestled in B1G duals against Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. He's had 3 seasons of B1G competition since. So, obviously, he will be able to wrestle in 5 different B1G dual meet seasons by the NCAA's granting an additional year to him. It seems totally against the spirit of the rules.
Well, he's 0 fer the podium so far. Other than perhaps helping their 'tough look' coming off the bus, I don't see him leading them to their 1st top-10.
What did they finish this year like 11th or 12th? With Suriano back and now Ashnault as well, on top of a returning blood round guy in Van Brill along with Gravina and Correnti I don’t think it’s unreasonable it happens next year.
Could happen I suppose, but those names don't exactly strike fear. Gravina scored 1.5 points at the NCAAs this year, Van Brill scored 4. Correnti finished 6th at 197 two years ago at Bigs and failed to win a match at NCAAs ... who knows what he can do at heavy.
I suppose Ashnault could recover the points lost by Lewis and Delvechio graduating, but IMO, his Sr season could easily go the way of Hunter Stieber's.
Van Brill and Gravina have always struck me as guys that were tough and could sneak on the podium but going but the point scoring I see what you mean. Hunter had Tommy John’s surgery on both elbows that’s typically a surgery that takes a full year to recover from which was time he didn’t have (judging by the way these 6th years have been granted I wonder if he could’ve got one). Shoulder injuries aren’t easy to come back from but Ashnaults now had almost a year to recover from surgery. Haven’t seen him in a live match yet but from the clips posted he looked fine rolling with chamizo
The problem with finishes at Nationals is that being top ten basically means you have one guy who makes it to the finals and 20 points from other guys. It is, imo, easier to finish in the top ten at Nationals if you have one top guy than it is to finish top ten at B1Gs (look at Rutgers this year for example - Suriano had half their points at Nationals). Top 5 - now that is relevant at Nationals.
Jersey tough ... that is what they are trying to sell.
If you look at resumes though it's hard to convince me their ceiling is much higher than 11. Van Brill finished 8th at Bigs, then at nationals his path to the quarters was greased by strange seeding procedures. He faced 2 unseeded wrestlers before getting majored by Micah in the quarters.
Gravina is another with a tough guy persona, but the last 2 years he has failed to reach top-8 at Bigs ... let alone the podium at NCAAs.
Gravina's biggest problem is recurring shoulder dislocations. Every time I watch him wrestle, I cringe thinking about the pain and discomfort he will experience as he gets older - every one of the recurring injuries is doing more long term damage. Imo, he'd be better off foregoing his "extra" year.
Matter Pretty muched summed up my thoughts on Gravina, I’ve seen him go well with some of the better guys over the years. We’ve seen plenty of examples of guys who finish low at big tens and then do good things at nationals because the conference is just that good.
If Suriano and Ashnault stay healthy, think it's more likely than not they place top 10 at nationals.
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The math says they're borderline if everybody (including Gravina) is healthy.
The past 5 years of 10th place finishes: 43.0 (2018), 47.5, 50.5, 56.0, 45.0 -- avg = 48.5 pts.
Their returning wrestlers (best finishes): Suriano 20.5, Ashnault 16.0 (2016), Van Brill 4.0, Gravina 3.5 (2017).
Total = 44.0
(Ashnault essentially cancels out the 16.5 points they lose with Delvecchio, PD3 Jr, and DeLuca graduating.)
As is, they finish top 10 in 2018 but no other years. They need to get another 4+ points from somewhere. Maybe Ashnault wins a Zain-free 149. Maybe Van Brill and Gravina can improve some, and maybe Correnti is an upgrade over Gross. Adding DeSanto (5.0, more if he keeps his head in consolations) would help.
But Suriano is not a lock to replicate those points, especially if he goes 133 -- could finish 4th behind Gross, Micic, and Fix (and can't afford a bad day against Wilson or Pletcher).
Quick look at the competition:
- VT: Borst in for Haught. Rutgers might pass.
- Nebraska: adds Labriola. Rutgers likely won't pass.
- ASU: Maruca in for Tsirtsis -- add points at HWT for Snyder, Coon, Dhesi graduating. Rutgers might not pass.
- Okla State: adds Fix, Smith, and maybe Gfeller -- and can't count on their guys to underperform like that again. They'll pass Rutgers.
I don’t know Ashnaults point total and if he outdid 2016 but he did wrestle in 2017 it’s also possible that Maruca doesn’t start for ASU again next year
Ashnault scored 9.0 in 2017, which is why I picked 2016 as his better year toward that projection.
I presume you're thinking Teemer might go 149 as a true FR next year. If Zeke is going that way, then he may as well bump everyone up and let Anthony eat -- Maruca 157, Shields 165, Anthony 174, Zahid 184, Norfleet 197. No good options among the current 141 or 197, and I don't see Maruca or Teemer making the cut.
Rutgers performance in 2018-19, and ending as a top-10 finisher appears to hinge, at this early date, on the health (injuries suck, and it's a huge question mark for Gravina and Ashnault) of their team. With everyone good to go next March, looks like they're right there to me. My wishes for them and all wrestlers is good health come tournament time. This sport I love is brutal and unforgiving at times.
No I think Teemers going to redshirt next year. Navonte Demison was a blue chipper coming out of high school who’s now coming off his redshirt I look for him to push Maruca for the spot next year. Can’t speak for Maruca but yes I highly doubt Teemer cuts to 141
Saw him on the roster but his (very limited) results didn't scream must start. We'll see.
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