Just out of curiosity, I decided to rank the top freshman from this past season. If you disagree with my decisions on this, let me know why.
125:
1. Elijah Oliver (Indiana) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Tomasello in R2, and then Alfredo Rodriguez (SIUE) in Consolation R2.
2. Dalton Macri (Cornell) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Youtsey (Michigan) in R2. He won his Consolation R2 match over Drew Romero, before falling to Joshua Rodriguez (ND St.) in Consolation R3.
3. Sean Fausz (NC St.) - went 1-2 at Nationals.
HM - Sean Russell (Edinboro), LJ Bentley (Pitt), Shakur Laney (Ohio)
133:
This was kind of close, in that each of the top 3 could make a case for being #1, and Morris could make a case for being in the top 3
1. Cameron Kelly (Ohio) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Cody Brewer (Oklahoma), and then Joey Palmer (Oregon St) in Consolation R2.
2. Josh Alber (UNI) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Cory Clark (Iowa) in R2, and then to Mason Beckman (Lehigh) in Consolation R2.
3. Anthony Giraldo (Rutgers) - lost his R1 match at Nationals to Nathan Kraisser (Campbell), then lost his Consolation R1 match to Mason Beckman (Lehigh)
HM - Austin Eicher (N. Illinois), Jamal Morris (NC St.), Emilio Saavedra (Old Dominion)
141:
I'm only rating the top 3 (if there are 3 worthy of that). Tommy Thorn could make a case to be in the top 3.
1. Joey McKenna (Stanford) - seeded #2 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing in the semis to Bryce Meredith (Wyoming), and then took 3rd by defeating Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
2. Solomon Chishko (VT) - was seeded #7 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing the quarters to McKenna. Then navigated thru the Consolations before losing in the Consol. Semis to Ashnault, and then took 5th by defeating Chris Mecate (Old Dominion).
3. Micah Jordan (Ohio St.) - was seeded #6 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing in the quarters to Bryce Meredith (Wyoming). He then lost his 1st Consolation match to Randy Cruz (Lehigh), and thus DNP at Nationals
HM - Tommy Thorn (Minny), Brock Zacherl (Clarion), Steve Bleise (No. Illinois), Brock Ervin (Illini), Seth Gross (S. Dakota St.)
149:
1. Justin Oliver (Central Mich.) - was seeded 9th at Nationals, got pinned by Zain in the quarters, and took 7th
2. Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) - lost to Zain in R2, then won 2 in consolations before losing to Lavion Mayes (Mizzou) in the Consolation quarters
3. Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) - lost in R1 at Nationals, then won 3 consolation matches before losing to Geo Martinez (BSU).
HM - Joey Galasso (Cornell)
157:
1. Jason Nolf - seeded 3rd at Nationals and finished 2nd
2. JoJo Smith (Okla. St.) - lost to Nolf in the Championship semis, then one a Consolation quarter before losing to Dylan Palacio (Cornell) in the Consolation semis, and placed 7th by defeating Thomas Gantt (NC St.)
3. Tyler Berger (Nebraska) - lost in R1 of Nationals, then won 3 consolation bouts before losing in the Consolation quarters to Nick Brascetta (VT)
HM - Jake Ryan (Ohio State), Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa), Kamaal Shakur (Chattanooga)
165:
1. Daniel Lewis (Mizzou) - lost in the semis to Ringer, then lost to Bo Jordan (Ohio St) to take 4th.
2. David McFadden (VT) - lost to Bo Jordan in R2, then won 4 consolation matches before losing to BoJo in the Consolation semis. Lost to Steven Rodrigues (Illini) in the 5th place match, to take 6th
3. Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) - went 1-2 at Nationals
HM - Brandon Krone (Minny)
174:
Sure to create some controversy with my choices for 1 and 2.
1. Bo Nickal - seeded #2 at Nationals, and took 2nd
2. Myles Martin (Ohio State) - seeded #11 at Nationals, and took 1st
3. Chandler Rogers (Okla. St.) - lost to Nickal in the quarters, then lost to Alex Meyer (Iowa) in his 1st consolation match, so DNP
HM - Te'shan Campbell (Pitt)
184:
1. Zack Zavatsky (VT) - lost to Pete Renda (NC St.) in the quarters, then lost to Nate Brown (Lehigh) in his 1st consolation match, so DNP
2. Corey Griego (Oregon St) - went 1-2 at Nationals
3. Ryan Christensen (Wisky) - went 1-2 at Nationals
HM - none
197:
I went back and forth on which guy to rank 1 and which guy to rank 2. Could make a good case for either of them to be #1
1. Kyle Conel (Kent St.) - lost to McIntosh in R2, then went 1-1 in consolations and DNP
2. Preston Weigel (Okla. St.) - lost to Pfarr (Minny) in R1, then went 1-3 in consolations (losing to Brett Harner - Princeton) and DNP
HM - none
285:
1. Sam Stoll (Iowa) - went 0-2 at Nationals, but I feel he would have done much better if not for injuring his knee (think that was at B1Gs)
2. Tanner Hall (Az. St) - lost in R1 at Nationals to Ty Walz (VT), then had 3 victories in consolations before losing to Amarveer Dhesi (Oregon St), and DNP. Sasquatch continues to intrigue us
3. Billy Miller (Edinboro) - went 1-2 at Nationals, being knocked out by Hall in the consolations
HM - Jeramy Sweany (Cornell)
That's my look at the true fresh and RS fresh that competed this past season. 141 had the most freshman of note. 174 featured two freshman in the NCAA final. It was fun digging into this -- hope you enjoyed it.
125:
1. Elijah Oliver (Indiana) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Tomasello in R2, and then Alfredo Rodriguez (SIUE) in Consolation R2.
2. Dalton Macri (Cornell) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Youtsey (Michigan) in R2. He won his Consolation R2 match over Drew Romero, before falling to Joshua Rodriguez (ND St.) in Consolation R3.
3. Sean Fausz (NC St.) - went 1-2 at Nationals.
HM - Sean Russell (Edinboro), LJ Bentley (Pitt), Shakur Laney (Ohio)
133:
This was kind of close, in that each of the top 3 could make a case for being #1, and Morris could make a case for being in the top 3
1. Cameron Kelly (Ohio) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Cody Brewer (Oklahoma), and then Joey Palmer (Oregon St) in Consolation R2.
2. Josh Alber (UNI) - won his R1 match at Nationals, then fell to Cory Clark (Iowa) in R2, and then to Mason Beckman (Lehigh) in Consolation R2.
3. Anthony Giraldo (Rutgers) - lost his R1 match at Nationals to Nathan Kraisser (Campbell), then lost his Consolation R1 match to Mason Beckman (Lehigh)
HM - Austin Eicher (N. Illinois), Jamal Morris (NC St.), Emilio Saavedra (Old Dominion)
141:
I'm only rating the top 3 (if there are 3 worthy of that). Tommy Thorn could make a case to be in the top 3.
1. Joey McKenna (Stanford) - seeded #2 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing in the semis to Bryce Meredith (Wyoming), and then took 3rd by defeating Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers)
2. Solomon Chishko (VT) - was seeded #7 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing the quarters to McKenna. Then navigated thru the Consolations before losing in the Consol. Semis to Ashnault, and then took 5th by defeating Chris Mecate (Old Dominion).
3. Micah Jordan (Ohio St.) - was seeded #6 at Nationals, and was in the Championship bracket until losing in the quarters to Bryce Meredith (Wyoming). He then lost his 1st Consolation match to Randy Cruz (Lehigh), and thus DNP at Nationals
HM - Tommy Thorn (Minny), Brock Zacherl (Clarion), Steve Bleise (No. Illinois), Brock Ervin (Illini), Seth Gross (S. Dakota St.)
149:
1. Justin Oliver (Central Mich.) - was seeded 9th at Nationals, got pinned by Zain in the quarters, and took 7th
2. Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) - lost to Zain in R2, then won 2 in consolations before losing to Lavion Mayes (Mizzou) in the Consolation quarters
3. Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma) - lost in R1 at Nationals, then won 3 consolation matches before losing to Geo Martinez (BSU).
HM - Joey Galasso (Cornell)
157:
1. Jason Nolf - seeded 3rd at Nationals and finished 2nd
2. JoJo Smith (Okla. St.) - lost to Nolf in the Championship semis, then one a Consolation quarter before losing to Dylan Palacio (Cornell) in the Consolation semis, and placed 7th by defeating Thomas Gantt (NC St.)
3. Tyler Berger (Nebraska) - lost in R1 of Nationals, then won 3 consolation bouts before losing in the Consolation quarters to Nick Brascetta (VT)
HM - Jake Ryan (Ohio State), Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa), Kamaal Shakur (Chattanooga)
165:
1. Daniel Lewis (Mizzou) - lost in the semis to Ringer, then lost to Bo Jordan (Ohio St) to take 4th.
2. David McFadden (VT) - lost to Bo Jordan in R2, then won 4 consolation matches before losing to BoJo in the Consolation semis. Lost to Steven Rodrigues (Illini) in the 5th place match, to take 6th
3. Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) - went 1-2 at Nationals
HM - Brandon Krone (Minny)
174:
Sure to create some controversy with my choices for 1 and 2.
1. Bo Nickal - seeded #2 at Nationals, and took 2nd
2. Myles Martin (Ohio State) - seeded #11 at Nationals, and took 1st
3. Chandler Rogers (Okla. St.) - lost to Nickal in the quarters, then lost to Alex Meyer (Iowa) in his 1st consolation match, so DNP
HM - Te'shan Campbell (Pitt)
184:
1. Zack Zavatsky (VT) - lost to Pete Renda (NC St.) in the quarters, then lost to Nate Brown (Lehigh) in his 1st consolation match, so DNP
2. Corey Griego (Oregon St) - went 1-2 at Nationals
3. Ryan Christensen (Wisky) - went 1-2 at Nationals
HM - none
197:
I went back and forth on which guy to rank 1 and which guy to rank 2. Could make a good case for either of them to be #1
1. Kyle Conel (Kent St.) - lost to McIntosh in R2, then went 1-1 in consolations and DNP
2. Preston Weigel (Okla. St.) - lost to Pfarr (Minny) in R1, then went 1-3 in consolations (losing to Brett Harner - Princeton) and DNP
HM - none
285:
1. Sam Stoll (Iowa) - went 0-2 at Nationals, but I feel he would have done much better if not for injuring his knee (think that was at B1Gs)
2. Tanner Hall (Az. St) - lost in R1 at Nationals to Ty Walz (VT), then had 3 victories in consolations before losing to Amarveer Dhesi (Oregon St), and DNP. Sasquatch continues to intrigue us
3. Billy Miller (Edinboro) - went 1-2 at Nationals, being knocked out by Hall in the consolations
HM - Jeramy Sweany (Cornell)
That's my look at the true fresh and RS fresh that competed this past season. 141 had the most freshman of note. 174 featured two freshman in the NCAA final. It was fun digging into this -- hope you enjoyed it.
