Collica earned a 5-3 victory over NCAA fourth-place finisher Brandon Sorenson of Iowa in the semifinals before topping NCAA third-place finisher and 2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis 6-1 in the finals.
"It's big," Collica told USA Wrestling's Craig Sesker. "It gives me a lot of confidence."
With 2014 NCAA runner-up Josh Kindig graduating, Collica says he expects to move down to his more natural weight of 149 pounds. Kindig is the lone NCAA qualifier graduating from an Oklahoma State team that qualified nine wrestlers to the NCAAs and placed seventh.
"Our team's going to be really good," Collica said. "I think it could be our year. We've got to get the right guys at each weight, but for right now it looks like we're going to be in contention for a title."
Tyler Graff, a four-time All-American at Wisconsin, did not surrender a point in winning the title at 57 kilos. In the finals he earned a 10-0 technical fall over 2014 All-American Darian Cruz. Graff was named Outstanding Wrestler of the competition.
Adam Coon picked up five technical falls and one fall en route to winning the title at 125 kilos. Coon was a Junior World bronze medalist in both freestyle and Greco-Roman last year. He will compete in the U.S. World Team Trials in freestyle on the senior level after earning a wildcard at 125 kilos.
The University of North Carolina had a pair of champions in Evan Henderson (65 kilos) and Ethan Ramos (74 kilos). Henderson, a 2014 All-American who redshirted this past season, was dominant throughout the competition, earning technical falls in all six of his matches, including the finals where he blanked Anthony Abidin 10-0. Ramos, an All-American as a freshman this past season, claimed his title by pinning returning University Nationals champion Ian Miller in the second period in a match that saw 15 points scored in the opening period.
Earl Hall with the Paulson twinsZac Brunson came through to win the title at 80 kilos, beating Stanford All-American Jim Wilson 11-1 in the finals. Brunson was dominant in the par terre position throughout the event and earned a technical fall over all six opponents he faced in Akron.
"I go out not just to win but to dominate," Brunson told Sesker. "So if I can get on the mat and put points on the board I'm going to have fun. My scores will demonstrate that."
Hayden Zillmer defeated a Junior World medalist and three All-Americans en route to claiming the title at 86 kilos. In the finals he won 12-5 over Ethen Lotfhouse, a two-time All-American at Iowa.
Nathan Burak, a two-time All-American at Iowa, was untested in winning the title 97 kilos. In six matches, Burak had five technical fall shutout victories. In the finals he won 12-1 over Austin Schafer.
Finals Results:
57 kilos: Tyler Graff tech. fall Darian Cruz, 10-0
61 kilos: Earl Hall dec. Rossi Bruno, 7-0
65 kilos: Evan Henderson tech. fall Anthony Abidin, 10-0
70 kilos: Anthony Collica dec. Jason Tsirtsis, 6-1
74 kilos: Ethan Ramos pinned Ian Miller, 4:11
80 kilos: Zac Brunson tech. fall Jim Wilson, 11-1
86 kilos: Hayden Zillmer dec. Ethen Lofthouse, 12-5
97 kilos: Nathan Burak tech. fall Austin Schafer, 12-1
125 kilos: Adam Coon tech. fall Chad Johnson, 10-0
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