Favorite college wrestlers of all-time

[MPhillips]

2 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

I am shocked Myles Martin and Stieber missed this list 

Probably way more egregious things to be shocked about...

[NotThatDave]

2 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

going to show my age here.

DT, PSU

Hamiti, Wisconsin/okie state

Jordan Oliver, Okie state

Meyer Shapiro, Cornell

Zahid Valencia, ASU

Sebastian Rivera, Northwestern

Nick Picc, Okie state

Ed Ruth, PSU

Quentin wright, PSU

Nashon Garrett, Cornell

Austin Desanto, Drexel/Iowa

Kyle douglas dake, Cornell

Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech

Mitchell Messenbrink, PSU

Joey Dance, Virginia tech

Zeke Moisey, WVU/Nebraska 

Bubba jenkins, PSU/ASU

KOT, Missouri

 

Is it that difficult to type out "Oklahoma"?

[MPhillips]

13 minutes ago, NotThatDave said:

Is it that difficult to type out "Oklahoma"?

He doesn't have any Oklahoma guys listed, just OKST...

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

Would be interesting to see a compilation of this in a week.  Great topic.

[Truzzcat]

37 minutes ago, NotThatDave said:

Is it that difficult to type out "Oklahoma"?

I am honored this was your first post.

[Gus]

In no particular order

Randy Lewis

Brett Metcalf

John Smith

Quentin Wright

Ed Ruth

Spencer Lee

Jason Nolf

Tanner Sloan

Seth Gross

Zahid Valencia

Dylan Ness

Bryce Andonian

Reece Humphrey

Vito Arujua

Keegan O'toole

Edited Monday at 10:10 PM by Gus

[BruceyB]

3 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

Joey Dance, Virginia tech

Joey Dance was a lot of fun to watch.

[BruceyB]

5 hours ago, lu1979 said:

7 - B Hardy - Nebraska

Hardy seems to be an outlier on your list.. just curious why he makes it in?

[BruceyB]

1 hour ago, ExBSUfan said:

Adam Hall

Andrew Hochstrasser

Jason Chamberlain

Ben Cherrington

Larry Quissel

Tyler Sherfey

Kirk Smith

Kirk White

Bo Rushton

Ben Vombaur

Scott Jorgensen

Jesse Brock

Charles Burton

Cash Edwards

Chris Owens

 

No love for Jake Schwartz?

[roguetrader]

WADE SCHALLES because he entertained the (small) crowds out in Western Pennsylvania every match.

He had a bridge for his missing front incisor, he'd take that out before the match and smile, a big assed, gap-toothed grin, while he was competing. and usually pinning his foe. Hulk Hogan sort of stole his act, IMHO

After Wade...
Bo Nickal, Jason Nolf and Zane Retherford were fun to watch. Anthony Casar, but too little of him.

Carleton Haselrig, Jon Trenge, Carey Kolat, Kyle Dake, and Bryce Andonian for the thrill ride.

[Threadkilla]

Zain

Barry Davis

Clar Anderson

Q Wright

Nolf

Nickel

Cael

Ruth

Kolat

Hasselrig

Lewboo

Cenzo

Askren

Jim Jordan

Edited Monday at 11:01 PM by Threadkilla

[Fadzaev2]

3 hours ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

Spoiler/Apology: Given that I only became interested in college wrestling in 2018 my list is very PSU heavy.

In no particular order, though I saved Number 1 for the end:

Nick Lee (saw live)
Jason Nolf (live)
Zain Retherford (live)
Bo Nickal (live)
Cael Sanderson (via clips)
Dan Gable (via clips)
Spencer Lee (live)
Dan Hodge (via conversations with Mike Chapman)
Vito Arujau (live)
Tom Brands (via clips)
Kyle Snyder (live)
Mike Macchiavello (live in an elevator, actually two elevators)
Mark Hall (live)
Vincenzo Joseph (live)

Numero Uno - Kyle Todrank

He danced on Jason Nolf and lived (barely) to talk about it

 

I have to chuckle, because I have a great "elevator" story with Darrion Calwell!

 

[Fadzaev2]

Man, these lists are great....you can, in some cases, tell the area guys are from...but that's OK....this is interesting!!

[Fadzaev2]

18 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Would be interesting to see a compilation of this in a week.  Great topic.

It will be interesting!!!  Looking forward to more posts/input.

[Bigbrog]

Dave Schultz - Easily my all-time favorite

The rest in no particular order:

- Lee Kemp

- Matt Demaray

- Spencer Lee

- Gable Steveson

- Ben Askren

- Donny Pritzlaff

- Kenny Monday

- The recent/current PSU greats (I lump them all together as they were and are an entertaining bunch)

- Alex Deringer

- Cael Sanderson

- Dan Gable

- Bruce Baumgartner

- Kyle Dake

- Keegan O'Toole

[jackwebster]

Yianni Diakomihalis

Vito Arujau

Mitch Clark

Chris Fleeger

Alan Gelogaev

Keith Gavin

Johnny Thompson

Corey Cooperman

Keith Nix

Alan Fried

Pat Santoro

David Taylor

Carl Sanderson

Ben Askren

Jason Nolf

 

 

 

 

[BloodRound]

Going off of my time spent keeping up with the sport at the collegiate level, it only really spans the last decade or so.  That being said, I find that the favorites that come to mind were either people with compelling storylines or just straight up dominance...

Jason Tsirtsis

Mekhi Lewis

Dylan Shawver

Spencer Lee

Anthony Ashnault

Kyle Snyder

Chance Marstellar

Adam Coon

[BigRedFan]

Ben Darmstadt.  18 pins in his first full season at D1 (tied with Dake and behind only Gabe Dean in the Cornell record book).  One of the few guys who would choose top and against whom others would choose neutral.  Could get a pin from top, bottom, and neutral.  Was like wrestling an octopus with legs and arms everywhere.  "Famously" beat 4xAA and then-#2 Willie Miklus 9-0 with 6:11 riding time despite Miklus taking neutral to start the third.  MAGA:  "Make Assassin Great Again"

[BruceyB]

28 minutes ago, BloodRound said:

Going off of my time spent keeping up with the sport at the collegiate level, it only really spans the last decade or so.  That being said, I find that the favorites that come to mind were either people with compelling storylines or just straight up dominance...

Jason Tsirtsis

Mekhi Lewis

Dylan Shawver

Spencer Lee

Anthony Ashnault

Kyle Snyder

Chance Marstellar

Adam Coon

Jason Tsirtsis? Is your favorite hobby is watching paint dry? 

[Wildcat92]

No particular order:

Spencer Lee

Nick Lee

John Smith

Brent Metcalf

Brands Bros

Gable Steveson

Lincoln McIlravey

Cary Kolat

Jason Nolf

Zain Retherford

Mark Perry

Alex Dieringer

Carlton Haselrig

Cael Sanderson

Alan Fried

[BloodRound]

1 hour ago, BruceyB said:

Jason Tsirtsis? Is your favorite hobby is watching paint dry? 

That is why I clarified that storylines played a factor into determining my favorites.  His journey in college played out interestingly with all the personal things in his life considered.  I remember being very happy to see him end up on the podium in his final go at ASU.

[MPhillips]

2 hours ago, BigRedFan said:

Ben Darmstadt.  18 pins in his first full season at D1 (tied with Dake and behind only Gabe Dean in the Cornell record book).  One of the few guys who would choose top and against whom others would choose neutral.  Could get a pin from top, bottom, and neutral.  Was like wrestling an octopus with legs and arms everywhere.  "Famously" beat 4xAA and then-#2 Willie Miklus 9-0 with 6:11 riding time despite Miklus taking neutral to start the third.  MAGA:  "Make Assassin Great Again"

Great kid. Great family. Crazy old man. We coached many Ohio national teams together...

[AgaveMaria]

For NCAA wrestling it is Yojo Uetake of Oklahoma State and Curly Culp of Arizona State.

 

[BruceyB]

4 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

Great kid. Great family. Crazy old man. We coached many Ohio national teams together...

I've held off, but I'll jump in now. I would just like to clarify that my list is my favorite wrestlers to watch, and certainly not the 15 best wrestlers of all time. For that purpose, I'm going to eliminate anyone prior to 2000, because the amount of matches available are just too limited. I would say pure wrestling-wise, John Smith is my favorite of all-time, but there aren't enough matches, especially in college, to make the list.

In no particular order:

Keegan O'Toole - his cerebral style and ability to win scrambles is unbelievable. 

David Taylor - he just went out and drilled on nearly everyone leading to effortless looking techs

Joey Dance - his slickness, ankle rolling tic, superducks, etc. 

Vito Arujau - junior year's semi/final matches are two of the most impressive matches I can recall where he thumped two absolute monsters)

Alan Waters - I have no idea why, but I loved watching him wrestle. His stinginess on top and low singles always appealed to me

Nahshon Garrett - He was so crisp and explosive. I remember being so frustrated when he lost to Delgado. He blasted so hard through him that it actually led to Delgado being able to use the momentum to roll through with an ankle multiple times

Ben Askren - watching him methodically outscramble opponents when he was in an inferior position still blows my mind today, plus he just decked most of his lesser opponents

Logan Steiber - so good on his feet, and just an utter monster on top. I feel like with all of the PSU hammers that have come along, people forget how truly rare it was during the time to have people separate themselves from the field like Steiber, Ruth, DT, and Metcalf were.

Jordan Oliver - very few guys have had such a varied arsenal of offensive attacks in neutral, and he would cradle you up as well

Alex Dieringer - near-arm far leg was unstoppable

Kade Brock - slick as slick may come. boot scoots, ducks, inside trips, just a highlight reel type of guy

Reece Humphrey - nasty ducks, and freakishly athletic. I'll never forget his toss against Lou Ruggirello (below is the link.. skip to 8:10 for the highlight)

https://www.flowrestling.org/video/5121890-2-reece-humphrey-osu-vs-9-lou-ruggirello-hofstra

Spencer Lee - his dominance over the field will never cease to blow my mind. 125 has historically been a very difficult weight dominate, and that is what he did

Wyatt Hendrickson - just a highflyer, never a boring match with Wyatt on the mat

Brent Metcalf - watching him break guys through forward pressure and relentless attacks was incredible. he could be up 4-2 going into the third and would melt a guy and end up teching him

Honorable Mention:

Mitchell Mesenbrink

Coleman Scott

Dylan Ness

Michael Mangrum (as a PNW guy, we have few guys that are exciting at the D1 level)

Hunter Steiber

Just a disclaimer: Yes, DT is the only PSU wrestler on this list. He was the phenom from high school that went on to absolutely dominate in college sans freshman finals and Kyle Dake. The countless other dominant studs from PSU weren't my favorite to watch, because quite frankly, it was just PSU fatigue. It has nothing to do with their accomplishments or hierarchy of greatness. Watching yet another PSU wrestler dominate the field just wasn't my favorite to watch, regardless of how impressive they might be.

 

 

[Gus]

Someone that did not make my list of favorites but was highly entertaining to watch wrestle was Kurt Kinzer from Indiana. That guy would rip a headlock from anywhere on anyone at anytime. Interestingly, he is the son of Steve Kinzer who was a twenty time sprint car World of Outlaws racing champion (and Indiana HS state wrestling champion).