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NCAA 2020-21* Contenders 😱

nerfstate

nerfstate

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Oct 10, 2017
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Man, this year would shape up to be among the most intriguing in the team race in recent memory. How many teams have a shot a the top of the podium (if we have a season)? I thought I'd try to visualize it. Please correct my errors and oversights, I'm sure they are numerous. Please, world, can we please have this season?

Note: I'm updating these lists from your suggestions below--so I can't really take credit for its completeness anymore.

Penn State
  1. Howard/Meredith
  2. RBY
  3. Lee
  4. Bartlett/Verkleeren/Gardner/Barraclough
  5. Berge/Lee/Gardner/Barraclough
  6. Lee/Manville/Berge
  7. CStar
  8. AB
  9. Beard
  10. Kerk/Nevills
Iowa
  1. Spencer
  2. Desanto
  3. Eierman
  4. Murin?
  5. Young
  6. Marinelli
  7. Kemerrer/Kennedy
  8. Assad/Brands
  9. Warner
  10. Cassioppi
​
Ohia St
This one is a bit more of a stretch. I think they have 3 title contenders in Sasso, Kharchla, and Echemendia. Gallagher could surprise folks too, Singletary seems far more effective at 197, and Orndorf could get a room bump.
  1. Heinselman/Decatur
  2. Decatur
  3. Echemendia (? I still don't buy it at 141, but that's what we're hearing)
  4. Sasso
  5. Kinner?
  6. Kharchla
  7. Gallagher/Kharchla
  8. Jordan
  9. Singletary/Hoffman
  10. Orndorf
Cornell*
I need help with this one--It’s all fantasy anyway with the ivy league sitting out. They've recruited well, and I feel like I'm missing people, but their roster is woefully inaccurate.
  1. Vito
  2. La Joie
  3. Saunders
  4. Yianni
  5. Yapoujian/Richard/Stroker
  6. Ramirez/Richard
  7. Foca/Berreyesa
  8. Dean
  9. Darmstadt
  10. Fernandes
Meatchicken
  1. McHenry (is he big enough?)
  2. Micic
  3. Mattin
  4. Storr
  5. Lewan
  6. Cam Amine
  7. Massa
  8. Myles Amine
  9. Embree/Garcia
  10. Parris
Pokes
  1. Mastrogiovanni/Witcraft/Burke
  2. Fix/Mastrogiovanni/Witcraft/Burke
  3. Brock/Hone
  4. Lewallen/Gfeller
  5. Sheets/Lewallen
  6. Wittlake
  7. Plott/Montalvo
  8. Geer/Montalvo
  9. Ferrari/Geer
  10. Harris/Ferrari
 
Last edited:
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Cornell:
141 - Tucker graduated. I'd expect Saunders to start.
157 - Probably Yapoujian, possibly Stroker.
165 - definitely Ramirez
174 - Foca, maybe Berreyesa
HWT - Fernandes (and he's a legit podium candidate)

Michigan:
165 - likely Amine
197 - Embree

OKST: this lineup is a total mess, top to bottom with only 165-174 having no other ramifications

If Fix can make 125 (and is eligible), then their best light/middle lineup = Fix, Brock, Gfeller, Lewallen, Sheets.

Best upperweights this year = Montalvo, Geer, Ferrari. But OKST needs Ferrari back down at 197 when Haas arrives. So guessing Montalvo sits this year, uppers = Geer, Ferrari, Harris.
 
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El-Jefe said:
Cornell:
141 - Tucker graduated. I'd expect Saunders to start.
157 - Probably Yapoujian, possibly Stroker.
165 - definitely Ramirez
174 - Foca, maybe Berreyesa
HWT - Fernandes (and he's a legit podium candidate)

Michigan:
165 - likely Amine
197 - Embree

OKST: this lineup is a total mess, top to bottom with only 165-174 having no other ramifications

If Fix can make 125 (and is eligible), then their best light/middle lineup = Fix, Brock, Gfeller, Lewallen, Sheets.

Best upperweights this year = Montalvo, Geer, Ferrari. But OKST needs Ferrari back down at 197 when Haas arrives. So guessing Montalvo sits this year, uppers = Geer, Ferrari, Harris.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Where’s Darmstadt? Saunders is the kid I was totally blanking on.
 
Cornell also has freshman Josh Saunders in the mix at 141/149. He was a top 10 P4P recruit. Edit: Jefe beat me to the punch.
 
STAND with PRIDE said:
Ech as title contender sticks out to me. He has yet to impress at FREESTYLE, yet alone what may happen to him on bottom.



Would sure like to get some intel on our HOWARD.
Click to expand...
I can't think of too many college guys who would be competitive with Green and Henderson in a freestyle match. He impresses me plenty in 6 minutes. I can think of 2, and I'd pick those two for the finals for sure, but I think he has to be in the mix, if he can handle the folkstyle grind, anyway.
 
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nerfstate said:
Cornell*
I need help with this one--It’s all fantasy anyway with the ivy league sitting out. They've recruited well, and I feel like I'm missing people, but their roster is woefully inaccurate.
  1. Greg Diakomihalis?
  2. Vito
  3. Saunders
  4. Yianni
  5. Yapoujian/Stroker
  6. Ramirez
  7. Foca/Berreyesa
  8. Dean
  9. Darmstadt
  10. Fernandes
Click to expand...

Greg Diakomihalis is not at Cornell this year (nor had he planned on it. It would have been

125: Vito (SO)
133: La Joie (JR)
141: Saunders (FR)
149: Yianni (JR)
157: Yapoujian (unless Richard proved better) (FR/SO)
165: Ramirez (unless Richard really moved up) (FR)
174: Foca (FR)
184: Dean (Max) (JR)
197: Darmstadt (sorry, Cardenas!) (JR)
285: Fernandes (FR)
 
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NothingMeaningful said:
Greg Diakomihalis is not at Cornell this year (nor had he planned on it. It would have been

125: Vito (SO)
133: La Joie (JR)
141: Saunders (FR)
149: Yianni (JR)
157: Yapoujian (unless Richard proved better) (FR/SO)
165: Ramirez (unless Richard really moved up) (FR)
174: Foca (FR)
184: Dean (Max) (JR)
197: Darmstadt (sorry, Cardenas!) (JR)
285: Fernandes (FR)
Click to expand...
deferred enrollment bulk job?
 
nerfstate said:
Pokes
  1. Fix/Mastrogiovanni
  2. Brock/Fix
  3. Gfeller/Witcraft/Lewallen
  4. Lewallen/Gfeller
  5. Sheets/Lewallen
  6. Wittlake
  7. Plott
  8. Geer/Montalvo
  9. Ferrari/Geer
  10. Harris/Ferrari
Click to expand...
Smith met with some media last month and laid out the roster-
25- Mastro/Whitcraft/Burke
33- Fix (a 125 will cover for him until he returns)
41- Hone or Brock
49- Boo (Gfeller will back up Boo)
57- Sheets
65- Whitlake
74- Plott or Montalvo (trying to make the cut)
84- Greer or Montalvo
97- Ferrari
Hwt- Harris
Smith noted that 49-65 are locks, 133 belongs to Fix and Witcraft is going to 125
 
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HawkeyeMass said:
Smith met with some media last month and laid out the roster-
25- Mastro/Whitcraft/Burke
33- Fix (a 125 will cover for him until he returns)
41- Hone or Brock
49- Boo (Gfeller will back up Boo)
57- Sheets
65- Whitlake
74- Plott or Montalvo (trying to make the cut)
84- Greer or Montalvo
97- Ferrari
Hwt- Harris
Smith noted that 49-65 are locks, 133 belongs to Fix and Witcraft is going to 125
Click to expand...

Whitlake was originally projected to be 184 at PSU before he decommitted and transferred to the Pokes. Now he’s a 165, SMH 🤦‍♂️
 
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nerfstate said:
Man, this year would shape up to be among the most intriguing in the team race in recent memory. How many teams have a shot a the top of the podium (if we have a season)? I thought I'd try to visualize it. Please correct my errors and oversights, I'm sure they are numerous. Please, world, can we please have this season?

Note: I'm updating these lists from your suggestions below--so I can't really take credit for its completeness anymore.

Penn State
  1. Howard/Meredith
  2. RBY
  3. Lee
  4. Bartlett/Verkleeren/Gardner/Barraclough
  5. Berge/Lee/Gardner/Barraclough
  6. Lee/Manville/Berge
  7. CStar
  8. AB
  9. Beard
  10. Kerk/Nevills
Iowa
  1. Spencer
  2. Desanto
  3. Eierman
  4. Murin?
  5. Young
  6. Marinelli
  7. Kemerrer/Kennedy
  8. Assad/Brands
  9. Warner
  10. Cassioppi
​
Ohia St
This one is a bit more of a stretch. I think they have 3 title contenders in Sasso, Kharchla, and Echemendia. Gallagher could surprise folks too, Singletary seems far more effective at 197, and Orndorf could get a room bump.
  1. Heinselman/Decatur
  2. Decatur
  3. Echemendia (? I still don't buy it at 141, but that's what we're hearing)
  4. Sasso
  5. Kinner?
  6. Kharchla
  7. Gallagher/Kharchla
  8. Jordan
  9. Singletary/Hoffman
  10. Orndorf
Cornell*
I need help with this one--It’s all fantasy anyway with the ivy league sitting out. They've recruited well, and I feel like I'm missing people, but their roster is woefully inaccurate.
  1. Greg Diakomihalis?
  2. Vito
  3. Saunders
  4. Yianni
  5. Yapoujian/Stroker
  6. Ramirez
  7. Foca/Berreyesa
  8. Dean
  9. Darmstadt
  10. Fernandes
Meatchicken
  1. McHenry (is he big enough?)
  2. Micic
  3. Mattin
  4. Storr
  5. Lewan
  6. Cam Amine
  7. Massa
  8. Myles Amine
  9. Embree/Garcia
  10. Parris
Pokes
  1. Fix/Mastrogiovanni
  2. Brock/Fix
  3. Gfeller/Witcraft/Lewallen
  4. Lewallen/Gfeller
  5. Sheets/Lewallen
  6. Wittlake
  7. Plott
  8. Geer/Montalvo
  9. Ferrari/Geer
  10. Harris/Ferrari
Click to expand...
Great post and can’t wait for the season to start. Any chance for Busiello or Boone to crack the PSU lineup?
 
Ian said:
Great post and can’t wait for the season to start. Any chance for Busiello or Boone to crack the PSU lineup?
Click to expand...

Anything is possible. 149 & 157 will have a lot of good to very good wrestlers trying to win those slots. Only real front runner to me would be Berge at 157 if he is fully healthy.
 
Last March at Big Tens 125+149+157+285 combined to give us 1 team point.

If we're going to make a serious run this year Cael will need to find answers at those 4 weights.
 
jack66 said:
Last March at Big Tens 125+149+157+285 combined to give us 1 team point.

If we're going to make a serious run this year Cael will need to find answers at those 4 weights.
Click to expand...

With Kerk at HW and hopefully, Bartlett at 149, I believe we have 2 strong answers at those four weights and that's really all we need if 33, 41, 74, 84 are top 4 guys and 65 and 97 are All-Americans.
 
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NittanyChris said:
With Kerk at HW and hopefully, Bartlett at 149, I believe we have 2 strong answers at those four weights and that's really all we need if 33, 41, 74, 84 are top 4 guys and 65 and 97 are All-Americans.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a lot of ifs though when we're probably counting on at least 5 Freshmen, plus Berge's health is another big IF.

Doable, the young guys look like studs and we're due some good luck after last year.
 
NittanyChris said:
With Kerk at HW and hopefully, Bartlett at 149, I believe we have 2 strong answers at those four weights and that's really all we need if 33, 41, 74, 84 are top 4 guys and 65 and 97 are All-Americans.
Click to expand...
Going to be tough for the younger Lee and Beard to AA.
 
Ian said:
Great post and can’t wait for the season to start. Any chance for Busiello or Boone to crack the PSU lineup?
Click to expand...
Realistically, highly unlikely.

Busiello last year showed he needed a lot of work. Unless he improved a ton in this of all offseasons, then he's probably pretty buried on the bench.

Boone was very good in HS, but not at the level of Cael's true freshman starters like Zain, Nico, Hall, Brooks, McIntosh, Cruiseliner NIck. If Berge can't go, expect Gardner, Pipher, and Barraclough to be ahead of him.
 
CurtisLoew40 said:
Going to be tough for the younger Lee and Beard to AA.
Click to expand...
Beard, maybe. Looking at who's returning, he looks like an R12 type placement.

Gonna disagree about Joe Lee. 165 has 4 AA locks: Marinelli, Lewis, Griffith, Wittlake. After that, the weight is wide open. Next highest returning seeds: 9 Skidgel, 10 Bullard, 11 Wentzel, 16 Hartman (who Lee just pinned in 0:21).

Not saying Lee will have it easy -- but the other contenders can be had.
 
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El-Jefe said:
Beard, maybe. Looking at who's returning, he looks like an R12 type placement.

Gonna disagree about Joe Lee. 165 has 4 AA locks: Marinelli, Lewis, Griffith, Wittlake. After that, the weight is wide open. Next highest returning seeds: 9 Skidgel, 10 Bullard, 11 Wentzel, 16 Hartman (who Lee just pinned in 0:21).

Not saying Lee will have it easy -- but the other contenders can be had.
Click to expand...

After this weekend, I think Kharchla (OSU) looks pretty much like a lock to me...
 
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El-Jefe said:
Can he deadlift out of bottom?
Click to expand...

I've never seen him wrestle folk so bottom may be a problem. He was 16-0 last season as a true frosh. His toughest competition was Troy Keller of Buffalo who was the who was the #19 seed for 2020 NCAAs. He teched him 19-2 at the MSU Open.
 
Beard’s biggest problem is that he has the motor of a Yugo with a bad piston. Watching his matches from last year, the wheels start coming off late in the second most matches. This will get worse and worse later in a tournament and/or wrestle backs; that’s the nature of a weak aerobic system.

He needs to get on DT’s exercise bike.
 
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Tan Tom just tweeted that the season starts on the 15th of January.
 
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