Most improved from frosh to senior year - recent examples?

[Fletcher]

So many HS kids are now coming into college with wins over AAs and NCAA champs already under their belt and reaching AA status as freshman. It makes me wonder if development in college is a thing of the past. 

What are some recent examples of guys who were not good as freshman but reached AA status by senior year? Off the top of my head, Dan Dennis jumps out, but that was decades ago.

Edited September 26 by Fletcher

[jchapman]

Anthony Cassar

[Idaho]

Drew Foster was something like 11-24 his first two years....then finished as a national champ. 

[jchapman]

Michael Macchiavello

[Idaho]

4 minutes ago, jchapman said:

Michael Macchiavello

Another one with a losing record his first couple of years. I think his national title was his only AA finish as well. 

 

[Fletcher]

23 minutes ago, jchapman said:

Anthony Cassar

In his first year competing (So) he was 16-2. I think he was pretty good from the start.

[jchapman]

3 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

In his first year competing (So) he was 16-2. I think he was pretty good from the start.

That was his fourth year of college and he wasn't the varsity wrestler for the postseason.  

[1032004]

Mach and Foster have to be 2 of the best recent examples.  I guess you could put Cassar in there, he did have several not good losses his redshirt year.

[PortaJohn]

Little further back but would Brock Lesnar count?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

13 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Mach and Foster have to be 2 of the best recent examples.  I guess you could put Cassar in there, he did have several not good losses his redshirt year.

Which redshirt? Didn't he have 2 or 3?

[jchapman]

15 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Which redshirt? Didn't he have 2 or 3?

Yes, he redshirted, then two medical redshirts

[Idaho]

2 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Little further back but would Brock Lesnar count?

JC 5th to D1 national champ is a big jump.

[nhs67]

2 hours ago, jchapman said:

Yes, he redshirted, then two medical redshirts

Two medicals that he left on the table.

We will never know because we only got to see him compete through his Soph season of eligibility.

[nhs67]

3 hours ago, 1032004 said:

Mach and Foster have to be 2 of the best recent examples.  I guess you could put Cassar in there, he did have several not good losses his redshirt year.

I think Macch and Foster are the examples to use.

[BigRedFan]

JJ Chavez (Cornell) went 0-1 freshman year, 0-0 his sophomore year, and 23-6 his junior year, finishing 7th at NCAAs.  Didn't wrestle his senior year.

(if you want to see what a GR specialist can do, watch the end of his match against Buffalo (listen to the Buffalo crowd briefly yell in anticipation):
 

 

 

[Gus]

He was a huge recruit out of high school but Andrew Alirez improved a ton between sophomore and junior year. 

[CalWrestler]

Jordan Burroughs was 16-13 his first year.

[boconnell]

Derek White from RS to Senior

6-3

4-3

11-8

23-4

30-2 lost in the finals

[nhs67]

9 hours ago, CalWrestler said:

Jordan Burroughs was 16-13 his first year.

Also going from 149 to 157 to 165.

6 hours ago, boconnell said:

Derek White from RS to Senior

6-3

4-3

11-8

23-4

30-2 lost in the finals

See above.  White also put on pounds.

[MadChill]

Kerry McCoy?

Freshman record at 190: 19-17

Sophomore at HWT: 21-0 (NCAA 1st)

Junior at HWT: 43-1 (NCAA 3rd)

Senior at HWT: 41-0 (NCAA 1st)