Here is a look at 10 wrestlers (non-freshmen) coming off redshirt that will be in the hunt for All-American honors and NCAA titles in 2015.
Hunter Stieber finished third at the NCAAs in 2013 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Hunter Stieber is without question the most accomplished collegiate wrestler coming off redshirt. His career has been overshadowed a bit by older brother Logan, a three-time NCAA champion, but the younger Stieber has put together an impressive college wrestling resume. Unlike Logan, Hunter wrestled in the NCAAs as a true freshman and earned All-American honors with a sixth-place finish. As a sophomore, Hunter entered the 2013 NCAAs in Des Moines with an undefeated record and earned the No. 1 seed. He was defeated in the semifinals by Mitchell Port of Edinboro, but came back strong to finish third. With Logan at 141 pounds, Hunter has moved up to 149 pounds. He finished his redshirt season with a perfect 18-0 record. Hunter Stieber will begin the 2014-15 season as one of the favorites to win the NCAA title at 149 pounds.
Alan Waters (Missouri)
Alan Waters has been one of Missouri's top wrestlers since he arrived in Columbia in 2010. In 2013, Waters put together a tremendous season and came into the NCAAs with an undefeated record, which earned him the top seed at 125 pounds. He wound up finishing fourth, losing to Penn State's Nico Megaludis in the semifinals and Cornell's Nahshon Garrett for third place. It was his first All-American finish after disappointing NCAA tournament performances the previous two seasons. As a true freshman, Waters was seeded 10th at the 2011 NCAAs and finished 1-2. As a sophomore, Waters came into the NCAAs seeded third and was eliminated from the tournament in the round of 12. This past season he competed at 133 pounds while redshirting and finished sixth at the Midlands, with all three of his losses coming to All-Americans.
Taylor Massa reached the round of 12 as a true freshman (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Taylor Massa has been a known commodity around the country ever since he won his first Cadet National Triple Crown in 2008. After an undefeated high school wrestling career at St. Johns (Mich.), Massa was called on to start immediately for the Wolverines in 2012-13. He put together a productive true freshman season, finishing fifth at the Big Tens and qualifying for the NCAAs at 165 pounds. At the NCAAs he fell one win shy of earning All-American honors, losing in the round of 12 to Iowa State's Michael Moreno. Massa posted a 17-1 record this past season as a redshirt, with his lone loss coming to Iowa's Nick Moore, 4-3, at the Midlands. He recently placed fifth at the U.S. Open at 74 kilos.
Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech)
With Devin Carter coming off redshirt this past season, Virginia Tech coach Kevin Dresser had three All-Americans between two weight classes -- 141 pounds and 149 pounds -- with Carter, Zach Neibert, and Nick Brascetta. The only wrestler of the three with an available redshirt season was Brascetta. After an eighth-place finish at the 2013 NCAAs at 149 pounds, Brascetta moved up a weight class to 157 pounds for his redshirt season. He finished fifth at the Midlands, with his most notable win coming over Wisconsin's Isaac Jordan, who earned All-American honors in March. Brascetta spent time at the Olympic Training Center in January.
George DiCamillo (Virginia)
George DiCamillo, a two-time Ohio state champion, was the nation's No. 20 overall recruit in 2012 and stepped in Virginia's lineup immediately as a true freshman at 133 pounds in 2012-13. He achieved arguably the best freshman season in Virginia history. He became the program's first freshman ACC champion since 1995. DiCamillo set Virginia's freshman single-season wins record with 33. He also became the first Virginia freshman to earn a seed (No. 11) at the NCAAs. DiCamillo was upset in the first round of the NCAAs, but bounced back to win three straight matches before losing in the round of 12 to Oklahoma State's Jon Morrison. He did not compete this past season as a redshirt.
Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh)
Nathaniel Brown has qualified for the NCAAs in each of his first two seasons in Lehigh's lineup. However, as a true freshman Brown was unable to compete at the NCAAs due to injury. He won an EIWA title as a sophomore at 174 pounds, and earned a No. 9 seed at the NCAAs. He finished 1-2 in Des Moines and failed to place. Brown is coming of a successful redshirt season at 184 pounds. He finished third at the Midlands, with his only loss in the tournament coming to Maryland's Jimmy Sheptock in sudden victory.
Josh Demas fell in the NCAA quarterfinals to Derek St. John (Photo/Simon Jimenez, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Josh Demas has had a roller-coaster career at Ohio State, battling inconsistent performances and injuries, but has been productive, qualifying for the NCAAs twice at 157 pounds in as many seasons in the lineup. Demas has beaten several quality wrestlers throughout his time in Columbus, including Derek St. John, R.J. Pena, Dylan Alton, Danny Zilverberg, and Brian Realbuto. In 2013, Demas had a strong postseason. He finished fourth at the Big Tens, and two weeks later reached the NCAA quarterfinals. Demas is expected to be a key contributor for the Buckeyes in 2014-15.
Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland)
Geoffrey Alexander is a two-time NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds with two seasons remaining at Maryland. Alexander went 2-2 at the 2013 NCAAs in Des Moines, with his final loss coming to another wrestler on this list, George DiCamillo. Alexander is coming off an impressive redshirt season in which he built a record of 25-2, won four tournament titles, and notched wins over four NCAA qualifiers.
Randy Cruz (Lehigh)
In 2013, Randy Cruz found a spot in Lehigh's lineup at 133 pounds midway through his true freshman season. He went on to become Lehigh's first true freshman EIWA champion since 1980. Cruz went 1-2 at the NCAAs, but finished his true freshman season with 33 wins. This past season while redshirting he wrestled all but one tournament at 141 pounds, and finished the season with a record of 18-8. His lone tournament at 133 pounds was the Midlands, where he failed to place as the No. 12 seed.
John MeeksJohn Meeks is the only wrestler on this list without NCAA tournament experience. After becoming one of the most accomplished prep wrestlers ever in wrestling-rich Iowa, Meeks was expected to make an immediate impact as a true freshman for Iowa State at 133 pounds. But Meeks struggled with consistency in his first season in the Cyclone lineup, and eventually finished the season with a .500 record. He spent his redshirt season acclimating himself to 141 pounds.
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