Favorite college wrestlers of all-time

[Phantom]

On 1/6/2025 at 12:49 PM, BAC said:

Tough one, but:

 

Dave Schultz

Mike Cole

Carlton Haselrig

Cary Kolat

David Taylor

Keith Gavin

JaMarr Billman

Ben Askren

Cael Sanderson

Reece Humphrey

Jordan Burroughs

Chris Fleeger

Brian Snyder

Jordan Oliver

Bryce Andonian

Lil Easton love...Billman Sr. High school year and Freshman PSU year was awesomeness..

[jackwebster]

1 hour ago, Phantom said:

Lil Easton love...

But I haven't seen Cuvo yet. Is his inclusion beyond the pale?

[Fadzaev2]

9 hours ago, jackwebster said:

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

 

 

 

 

Wow.....a couple of interesting picks here, especially Fleeger and Nix....Nix was tough, but had a short career....got hurt his sophomore year....I want to say Big Ten finals....wrestling nemesis Jack Griffin and Griffin hit a cutback and that is where the injury came.  Griffin became an NCAA Champion, and Nix was an NCAA runnerup the year before, losing to Jack Cuvo in the finals.

Edited 17 hours ago by Fadzaev2

[Bardamu911]

easily Zahid Valencia.

[WildTurk]

On 1/6/2025 at 1:06 PM, 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

 

24?

[jackwebster]

7 hours ago, Fadzaev2 said:

.Nix was tough

I first saw Nix wrestle at the 4A East Region tournament in 1987(?). I remember bc he had to wrestle Mike Bodily from Bixby (my hometown) in the finals. From the whistle it looked like somebody put two pissed-off tom cats in a pillow case. Nix won, and I had a new favorite wrestler.

Bodily won a rematch in the state final, (denying Nix a fourth state title, I think).

[jackwebster]

9 hours ago, Fadzaev2 said:

Wow.....a couple of interesting picks 

Yeah, some of these are niche, but all show a one-of-one understanding about what it means win a wrestling match. Never met him, but Fleeger seemed like a bully and a prick ... in all the right ways: the superducks and inside trips were cool, but he excelled on top with near wrist and far claw/half. He just humiliated good kids. I coached at a bourgie suburban HS and had a bunch of nice kids who had never been in a fist fight. I wanted kids like Fleeger.

Gelogaev brought an elbow-tie-duck with him to OSU, and it actually worked (a rarity in Stillwater at that point). He also completely disrespected tough guys' underhooks; he just let them pound it in and threw them on their heads.

Santoro was an inspiration because he was so much taller and skinnier than his opponents, just like me. He wrestled from a tie ... on a knee: a complete no-no according to every midget coach I ever had. 

Anyway, there's a similar story to every pick. Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by jackwebster

[Jason Bryant]

The first guys I enjoyed watching/covering while they were in college

Hazewinkel
Coleman Scott
Mocco
Mack Reiter
Trenge
Byron Tucker

My college roommates

and oddly, Dave Shunamon

[jackwebster]

9 minutes ago, Jason Bryant said:

Coleman Scott

His dual match against Slaton kinda sums up my (stereotypical/homer?) impression of the OSU / Iowa rivalry as a whole: the technically superior cowboys are perpetually on the verge of getting hosed. 

Real question: In Dapper Dan match, Scott wrestled with supreme confidence. I don't thi k I ever saw tgat level of confidence again. He won, but he didn't bully people in college.  Am I mistaken?

Edited 7 hours ago by jackwebster

[nhs67]

 

[Fadzaev2]

4 hours ago, jackwebster said:

I first saw Nix wrestle at the 4A East Region tournament in 1987(?). I remember bc he had to wrestle Mike Bodily from Bixby (my hometown) in the finals. From the whistle it looked like somebody put two pissed-off tom cats in a pillow case. Nix won, and I had a new favorite wrestler.

Bodily won a rematch in the state final, (denying Nix a fourth state title, I think).

I figured you had seen him in high school....he was a top recruit for Jay Robinson.  The injury was unfortunate.....Jack Griffin is a great guy.

[Fadzaev2]

2 hours ago, jackwebster said:

Yeah, some of these are niche, but all show a one-of-one understanding about what it means win a wrestling match. Never met him, but Fleeger seemed like a bully and a prick ... in all the right ways: the superducks and inside trips were cool, but he excelled on top with near wrist and far claw/half. He just humiliated good kids. I coached at a bourgie suburban HS and had a bunch of nice kids who had never been in a fist fight. I wanted kids like Fleeger.

Gelogaev brought an elbow-tie-duck with him to OSU, and it actually worked (a rarity in Stillwater at that point). He also completely disrespected tough guys' underhooks; he just let them pound it in and threw them on their heads.

Santoro was an inspiration because he was so much taller and skinnier than his opponents, just like me. He wrestled from a tie ... on a knee: a complete no-no according to every midget coach I ever had. 

Anyway, there's a similar story to every pick. Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

Good stuff!!!  I never saw Gelogaev hit ducks....lot's of upper body and footsweeps, but John Smith was hitting elbow tie ducks when he was in college and used them anytime he could....of course he shot from space a lot too.  So I don't understand you comment on the duckunder???  As a sidenote, had a great time walleye fishing with John Smith on Lake Erie in 1989 during the World Cup, which he was competing in.......long story, but a great one.  Kind of like my Darrion Caldwell on the elevator story.....lol.  Fadzaev

[Fadzaev2]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

 

OK....Carelton Haselrig

[Truzzcat]

5 hours ago, WildTurk said:

24?

26!

[jackwebster]

6 minutes ago, Fadzaev2 said:

 So I don't understand you comment on the duckunder??? 

I worded it poorly: what I meant was that one of OSU's signature techniques -- elbow-tie-duck -- hadn't been all that effective for the team for a minute. But, Gelogaev could hit it. He started with an inside the on left andvsorta baited the guy to grab his right wrist. As the dude started reaching for the wrist, AG pushed his inside the away, causing this opponent to roll to his own inside tie ... giving AG elbow control on his left side. As he gripped elbow control to break the thumb, he slide his head to the opposite side (the right side) while pulling his captured right wrist away. As AG pulled the wrist and changed sides withe his head, he stepped with his right foot, pulled the elbow, and did the classic OSU elbow control duck to the left.

I understand that the description is absurd. I'll find a vid in a moment.

 

[Bigbrog]

13 hours ago, Fadzaev2 said:

Wow.....a couple of interesting picks here, especially Fleeger and Nix....Nix was tough, but had a short career....got hurt his sophomore year....I want to say Big Ten finals....wrestling nemesis Jack Griffin and Griffin hit a cutback and that is where the injury came.  Griffin became an NCAA Champion, and Nix was an NCAA runnerup the year before, losing to Jack Cuvo in the finals.

Totally forgot about Fleeger...he was awesome to watch!

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

16 hours ago, jackwebster said:

But I haven't seen Cuvo yet. Is his inclusion beyond the pale?

he was in mine

[JimmyCinnabon]

Since wrestling was only invented circa 2011 I'll give you mine.

 

PSU guys (in order)

Vincenzo Joseph

Jason Nolf

Bo Nickal

David Taylor

Andrew Alton

RBY

Ed Ruth

Aaron Brooks

 

Non-PSU guys (no particular order)

Logan Steiber

Jordan Oliver

Austin DeSanto

Parker Keckeisen

 

 

[666]

On 1/6/2025 at 8:50 PM, Ohio Elite said:

Dustin Schlatter sits on top of my list...

Too bad injuries wrecked his career. That kid should've been a 4 timer.