InterMat: Inside info from the N.W.C.A
brought to you byBrute Wrestling
Division I Championships
Scottrade Center
March 20-22, 2008
2007 Champion: Jake Herbert, Northwestern
Printable Bracket | Interactive Bracket
Iowa State's Jake Varner is unbeaten and comes in as the tournament's top seed. The returning NCAA runner-up has been solid all season long and has really blossomed under second-year head coach Cael Sanderson in Ames. The Big 12 champion is 15-0 against NCAA qualifiers.
Mike Pucillo of Ohio State topped Tyrel Todd of Michigan in the Big Ten finals, giving the sophomore the second seed and Todd the third. Central Michigan's Christian Sinnott is looking for his first medal at the NCAA Championships. It's a solid top four, while the 5-12 seeds are pretty comparable.
Fifth-seeded Josh Weitzel of Oklahoma wrestled his most successful season in college and qualifies for the second time as a Sooner. Weitzel's Big 12 run earned him second place and two of his three losses this season are to Varner, while he avenged the other over Missouri's Raymond Jordan, the #7 seed. Weitzel could see Oklahoma State's Jack Jensen in the Round of 16.
Seventh-seeded Phil Keddy of Iowa makes his second trip to the NCAA championships and is a bonafide All-American contender. The Hawkeye will likely see #10 Kirk Smith of Boise State in the Round of 16 if the seeds hold, with the winner earning the right to face Pucillo. Keddy's given Smith two of his three losses this season.
Jordan will draw #11 Rocco Caponi of Virginia in the Round of 16, again if the seeds hold. Jordan had a horrid Big 12 tournament, falling to fourth after being ranked in the Top 5 most of the season.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the weight is how #8 Roger Kish of Minnesota will face. Kish, a two-time All-American and 2006 finalist, has been battling injuries all season and hasn't been 100 percent since the National Duals. He'll draw Brent Chriswell of Arizona State, the Pac-10 champion, in the 8-9 match should the two open with wins.
The Bad Draw
InterMat's close-up on wrestlers the top seeds don't want to see right off the bat.
Ian Murphy, Cal State-Fullerton -- Ranked in the Top 12 for much of the season, Murphy will make his first trip to the NCAA championships after missing last year's second half with eligibility issues. He's 4-5 against NCAA qualifiers, with three of those wins in the Pac-10.
Vince Jones, Nebraska -- Not the most impressive record against qualifiers, Jones' biggest wins are over Phil Bomberger of Penn State, Roger Kish of Minnesota and Jack Jensen of Oklahoma State. Dangerously unseeded from the Big 12, he's not a draw other unseeded wrestlers want to see.
Chris Honeycutt, Edinboro -- After winning the spot at 184 pounds, true freshman Chris Honeycutt has been one of the most exciting wrestler to watch this season for the Fighting Scots. A winner of 21 matches, he was ranked for much of the season and finished second in the EWL to Kurt Brenner of West Virginia.
Ryan Goodman, N.C. State -- A two-time NCAA qualifier at 197 pounds, Goodman dropped to 184 pounds. His performance has been marginal, coming in with 12-4 mark after coming to the wrestling room after another season on the Wolfpack football squad. He's 1-3 against qualifiers but has the talent to pose real problems.
Lior Zamir, Penn -- The EIWA champion avenged a loss to Army's Scott Ferguson in the finals of the conference tournament. He's split two matches with Pac-10 champion Brent Chriswell, but has losses to Rocco Caponi of U.Va. as well. He's battle-tested and capable.
Top 12 Seeds
1. Jake Varner (Iowa State, So.)
2. Mike Pucillo (Ohio State, So.)
3. Tyrel Todd (Michigan, Jr.)
4. Christian Sinnott (Central Michigan, Sr.)
5. Josh Weitzel (Oklahoma, Sr.)
6. Raymond Jordan (Missouri, Jr.)
7. Phil Keddy (Iowa, So.)
8. Roger Kish (Minnesota, Sr.)
9. Brent Chriswell (Arizona State, Fr.)
10. Kirk Smith (Boise State, Fr.)
11. Rocco Caponi (Virginia, Jr.)
12. Jack Jensen (Oklahoma State, Sr.)
2007 Placement Results
(Courtesy wrestlingstats.com)
Finals: Jake Herbert (Northwestern) dec. Jake Varner (Iowa State) 6-1
3rd: Roger Kish (Minnesota) dec. Alex Clemsen (Edinboro) 3-2
5th: Tyrel Todd (Michigan) FALL Mike Pucillo (Ohio State) 4:34
7th: Louis Caputo (Harvard) dec. Josh Arnone (Cornell) 2-0.
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