Big Ten Lineup Look: Strong Leadership Returns For Northwestern

There will be a healthy contingent of new faces in the lineup for Northwestern this year with a very big boost from transfer Chris Cannon who returns to the lineup after being away for a year at Michigan. But there will also be a pretty big loss where Frankie Talshahar, who most thought would return this year after a medical redshirt, will still be out as he struggles with the same injury. So, while the excitement of the return of Cannon is high, it’s somber times for Talshahar. On top of that, they return all three NCAA qualifiers (Trevor Chumbley, Maxx Mayfield and Evan Bates). But as I said, there is a strong group in this lineup looking to make the 1-9 dual meet record a thing of the past and not an indication of the future. 
 
Potential Lineup
125: Dedrick Navarro 
133: Luis Bazan 
141: Chris Cannon
149: Sam Cartella 
157: Trevor Chumbley 
165: Maxx Mayfield 
174: Joseph Martin 
184: Jon Halvorsen 
197: Evan Bates 
285: Dirk Morley
 
Listen to Northwestern Head Coach Matt Storniolo discuss this year’s team and Cannon’s return:

Biggest Duals
1/12/25 – at Illinois
1/17/25 – vs Michigan
1/26/25 – vs Minnesota
2/16/25 – at Iowa
 
New additions to the lineup
125: Dedrick Navarro
133: Luis Bazan
149: Sam Cartella 
174: Joseph Martin
184: Jon Halvorsen
285: Dirk Morley
 
Summary: All the newcomers to the lineup wrestled primarily in open tournaments last season with Navarro and Cartella being the only guys to make an appearance in any dual meets last year. Navarro saw some time at 133 in the two dual meets he competed in and recorded a 10-4 win over NCAA qualifier Cayden Rooks of Indiana. Cartella had a very healthy redshirt season where he had over 30 matches and recorded bonus point wins when he was in the lineup against Purdue and Illinois. At 174, 184 and 285, Martin, Halvorsen and Morley all had limited competition wrestling only in open tournaments last season. The same can be said for Bazan at 133. 
 
Key Returners
141: Chris Cannon
157: Trevor Chumbley
165: Maxx Mayfield
197: Evan Bates
 
Summary: During my conversation with Coach Storniolo he said that Chris Cannon would be back in his old spot at 133, however, when asked who would take Frankie Talshahar’s spot at 141 he said, with a grin, they were still figuring it out. However, it looks like Cannon will be moving up to 141. Also, key returner Chumbley, Mayfield and Bates, who were all NCAA qualifiers last year, will be back in their old spots as well. The leadership of these four guys will be a very good boost for their lineup this year.