2x NCAA champion Austin O'Connor (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)Earlier last week, InterMat released its re-ranking for the high school Class of 2018. With recruiting on the mind, we decided to jump in and look at each individual weight class for the 2023 NCAA DI Championships.
As is customary in wrestling we'll start with the lower weights and work our way up.
This analysis will break down the 2023 NCAA qualifiers a weight class at a time, by their pre-collegiate ranking within their recruiting class, their year of high school graduation, transfers, home states, and, of course, rankings for the 2023 All-Americans.
We're halfway home after the 157 lb weight class. This is an extremely veteran-laden weight. Almost half of its entrants were from the high school Class of 2017 or 2018. Even so, there's a chance that all of the AA's, except NCAA champion Austin O'Connor return for the 2023-24 season.
An interesting quirk about this weight is that it featured a pair of freshmen, one true and another redshirt, that were ranked #1 and #2 in their respective recruiting classes. Neither were able to get on the podium this year. With such a loaded field returning, it will be difficult to do so next season.
125 lbs
133 lbs
141 lbs
149 lbs
2023 NCAA Qualifiers (157 lbs) by Recruiting Rankings
#1-#10
#1 (2020) Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State)
#2 (2022) Daniel Cardenas (Stanford)
#7 (2022) Levi Haines (Penn State)
#11-#30
#12 (2017) Austin O'Connor (North Carolina)
#14 (2020) Chase Saldate (Michigan State)
#15 (2017) Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State)
#18 (2020) Ed Scott (NC State)
#26 (2018) Anthony Artalona (Penn)
#28 (2018) Will Lewan (Michigan)
#28 (2019) Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)
#31-#50
#31 (2018) Peyton Robb (Nebraska)
#36 (2018) Kendall Coleman (Purdue)
#41 (2020) Derek Gilcher (Indiana)
#42 (2018) Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)
#48 (2018) Jared Franek (North Dakota State)
#51-#100
#78 (2018) Josh Humphreys (Lehigh)
#78 (2021) Cael Swensen (South Dakota State)
#74 (2019) Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern)
#94 (2019) Jason Kraisser (Iowa State)
#101-#200
#105 (2021) Vince Zerban (Northern Colorado)
#115 (2021) Peyten Kellar (Ohio)
#117 (2020) Andrew Clark (Rutgers)
#118 (2021) Jared Hill (Oklahoma)
#176 (2020) Tommy Askey (Appalachian State)
Not Ranked
Cesar Alvan (Columbia) 2021
Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven) 2018
Derek Holschlag (Northern Iowa) 2017
Nate Lukez (Army West Point) 2020
Garrett Model (Wisconsin) 2017
Corbyn Munson (Central Michigan) 2018
Peter Pappas (George Mason) 2017
Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa) 2019
Jacob Wright (Wyoming) 2017
2023 NCAA Qualifiers (157 lbs) by Recruiting Class
2017
Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State)
Derek Holschlag (Northern Iowa)
Garrett Model (Wisconsin)
Austin O'Connor (North Carolina)
Peter Pappas (George Mason)
Jacob Wright (Wyoming)
2018
Anthony Artalona (Penn)
Kendall Coleman (Purdue)
Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven)
Jared Franek (North Dakota State)
Josh Humphreys (Lehigh)
Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)
Will Lewan (Michigan)
Corbyn Munson (Central Michigan)
Peyton Robb (Nebraska)
2019
Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)
Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern)
Jason Kraisser (Iowa State)
Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa)
2020
Tommy Askey (Appalachian State)
Andrew Clark (Rutgers)
Derek Gilcher (Indiana)
Nate Lukez (Army West Point)
Chase Saldate (Michigan State)
Ed Scott (NC State)
2021
Cesar Alvan (Columbia)
Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State)
Jared Hill (Oklahoma)
Peyten Kellar (Ohio)
Cael Swensen (South Dakota State)
Vince Zerban (Northern Colorado)
2022
Daniel Cardenas (Stanford)
Levi Haines (Penn State)
Home States for 157 lb NCAA Qualifiers
California
Chase Saldate (Michigan State)
Jacob Wright (Wyoming)
Colorado
Daniel Cardenas (Stanford)
Florida
Anthony Artalona (Penn)
Illinois
Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern)
Kendall Coleman (Purdue)
Will Lewan (Michigan)
Austin O'Connor (North Carolina)
Vince Zerban (Northern Colorado)
Iowa
Derek Holschlag (Northern Iowa)
Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa)
Maryland
Jason Kraisser (Iowa State)
Massachusetts
Cesar Alvan (Columbia)
Michigan
Derek Gilcher (Indiana)
Corbyn Munson (Central Michigan)
Minnesota
Peyton Robb (Nebraska)
Cael Swensen (South Dakota State)
Missouri
Jarrett Jacques (Missouri)
New Jersey
Andrew Clark (Rutgers)
New York
Tommy Askey (Appalachian State)
Peter Pappas (George Mason)
North Dakota
Jared Franek (North Dakota State)
Ohio
Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)
Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven)
Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State)
Peyten Kellar (Ohio)
Oklahoma
Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State)
Jared Hill (Oklahoma)
Pennsylvania
Levi Haines (Penn State)
Nate Lukez (Army West Point)
Ed Scott (NC State)
West Virginia
Josh Humphreys (Lehigh)
Wisconsin
Garrett Model (Wisconsin)
157 lbs NCAA Qualifiers Signed by a Previous Program
Ashton Eyler (Iowa Central CC)
Jason Kraisser (Campbell)
Peter Pappas (Edinboro)
Jacob Wright (Fresno State)
Recruiting Rankings for 2023 All-Americans
1st: Austin O'Connor (North Carolina) - #12 in 2017
2nd: Levi Haines (Penn State) - #7 in 2022
3rd: Josh Humphreys (Lehigh) - #71 in 2018
4th: Jared Franek (North Dakota State) - #48 in 2018
5th: Ed Scott (NC State) - #18 in 2020
6th: Peyton Robb (Nebraska) - #31 in 2018
7th: Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) - #28 in 2019
8th: Will Lewan (Michigan) - #28 in 2018
