Diamonds in the rough.. worst high school credentials to make the D1 podium?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

On 7/10/2025 at 2:44 PM, Tripnsweep said:

I might be wrong, but I think Brian Picklo was a Big Ten champion and All American. He never qualified for state I believe. He was a big judo guy though, and walked on at Michigan State. 

Great nomination.  I feel the judo came AFTER the wrestling though.  Was a swimmer before wrestling.

[Snoqualmie18]

17 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I'm pretty sure that someone said that when he won the Coast Guard tournament as a freshman, it was the first tournament he had ever won.  Maybe exaggeration, but I wouldn't be surprised.  Coast Guard had most of the Ivies and most D1, D2, and D3 teams in New England with a couple other teams thrown in.  Oklahoma State came one year.

That wouldn't surprise me.  He came from a pretty tough part of NJ at the time (Paulsboro, Absegami, Delsea, Highland, etc.).  Pretty sure the 2 regional finalists ahead of him that year were Delsea and Paulsboro.  I think he started his career out at Wagner before transferring to Seton Hall the next year.  Started out every match with a 1 to 2 point lead.  He was going to escape and get riding time if you were dumb enough to choose down.  He might even choose top on you, too.  You needed to score at least 1 takedown on him to win. 

Coast Guard tourney was interesting because the winner of the 'winners' bracket would wrestle the winner of the consolation bracket (with the loser of the finals going back to wrestle the winner of consolation bracket for the right to wrestle the winner again).  If winner of the winner's bracket lost in that next match, they'd have a deciding match after that round was done.   There was typically a 16 man bracket, so to win, you had to win at least 5 (unless you had a bye in first round).   I am probably not remembering correctly, but there was 1 weight where 2 guys met in the first finals (feel like saying Brown and Central CT State).  Brown guy won that first finals, Central CT State beat winner of the consolation bracket and then Brown guy twice to win the whole tourney.  Quick math would have him winning 6 and losing 1.  I am sure there are other situations like that where eventual winner lost in semis and went on a roll.   

[jdalu75]

On 7/12/2025 at 1:00 AM, BruceyB said:

Yeah, that was really my intention. Most of the people the fit my original question are likely not known outside of fans of the program they wrestled for. Not many 1x low AAs backgrounds are well known by general wrestling fans.

I was originally wondering how many walk-on type guys that maybe loved the sport but didn't start until high school/never had high level coaching before college made huge jumps and actually saw success at the D1 level.

 

Looking at my Lehigh files that go back more than 50 years now (somehow I don't look any different than I did back then) -- these are guys with no state or prep titles who placed at NCAAs.  Some were blue chip recruits anyway, most weren't.

Mike Lieberman, 2x Natl Preps 2nd, NCAA 1st, 3rd in 1975-76 (the last collegian to beat Chris Campbell).

Tihamer Toth-Fejel, California 3rd one time, NCAA 5th in 1976.

Denny Reed, PA A 4th and 2nd, NCAA 7th in 1980 (pinned A/A's to start and finish in his only NCAA tournament); I don't know that he was considered the team's starter at 142 until tournaments.

Chris Ayres, 69-25 in NJ, 19-7 with Blair, no places, NCAA 6th in 1999.

Mark Dufresne, NJ 4th once, 6-17 as a freshman at Lehigh, once wrestled both JV and varsity on the same afternoon at Army, NCAA 6th in 2000 as a senior.

John Van Doren, NJ 2nd and 3rd, NCAA 3rd and 5th.

Dave Esposito, NJ 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, NCAA 3rd and 2nd.

Chris Vitale, PA AAA 5th and 2nd, NCAA 7th.

Mario Stuart, PA AAA 3rd and 2nd, NCAA 5th and 4th.

Current Lehigh Associate Head Coach Brad Dillon, PA AAA 5th and 3rd, NCAA 5th (after the worst OT screwing in NCAA history) and 4th.

Derek Zinck, PA AAA 5th, 5th, 2nd, NCAA 8th and 5th.

Honorable mention to Robert Hamlin, 4x VT 1st, 2x New England 1st, NCAA 2nd, 4th, 2nd -- I believe he's the only A/A in Vermont's history.  Nicknamed The Vermontster (a few years later Connor McGonagle of New Hampshire wisely passed on the proposed nickname of The New Hampster).

Scott Parker, PA AAA 4th, 3rd, 2nd, NCAA 8th and 7th.

Ryan Preisch, 2x PA AA 3rd, NCAA 4th.

[Antitroll2828]

CJ Composto was a 2x placer in hs 3rd and 5th and is already a 2x AA with a chance to be a 3xer and just won u23 pan ams

[NewYooper]

On 7/11/2025 at 11:36 PM, Gus said:

Brian Picklo is likely the best answer for that. Brock Lesnar would also be a good choice as I think his best HS finish was 3rd in SD (not a powerhouse wrestling state). 

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Wait a minute.  Lewboo, Lincoln Mac and the Scherr brothers would like a moment of your time.  When compared to states much larger in size, yes. But it usually works that way.

[Gus]

14 hours ago, NewYooper said:

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Wait a minute.  Lewboo, Lincoln Mac and the Scherr brothers would like a moment of your time.  When compared to states much larger in size, yes. But it usually works that way.

I am from SD and am as big of a fan of SD wrestling as anyone. There have been good (even great!) wrestlers that have come through SD but the facts of reality are that is you are not winning an SD state title you are definitely not high on the national scene. 

[BloodRound]

21 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

CJ Composto was a 2x placer in hs 3rd and 5th and is already a 2x AA with a chance to be a 3xer and just won u23 pan ams

His story has been a really great one to watch as a Jersey wrestling fan.  I think he was a lock to win a state title as a senior before injuries derailed him that season. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

On 7/14/2025 at 1:22 PM, Snoqualmie18 said:

That wouldn't surprise me.  He came from a pretty tough part of NJ at the time (Paulsboro, Absegami, Delsea, Highland, etc.).  Pretty sure the 2 regional finalists ahead of him that year were Delsea and Paulsboro.  I think he started his career out at Wagner before transferring to Seton Hall the next year.  Started out every match with a 1 to 2 point lead.  He was going to escape and get riding time if you were dumb enough to choose down.  He might even choose top on you, too.  You needed to score at least 1 takedown on him to win. 

Coast Guard tourney was interesting because the winner of the 'winners' bracket would wrestle the winner of the consolation bracket (with the loser of the finals going back to wrestle the winner of consolation bracket for the right to wrestle the winner again).  If winner of the winner's bracket lost in that next match, they'd have a deciding match after that round was done.   There was typically a 16 man bracket, so to win, you had to win at least 5 (unless you had a bye in first round).   I am probably not remembering correctly, but there was 1 weight where 2 guys met in the first finals (feel like saying Brown and Central CT State).  Brown guy won that first finals, Central CT State beat winner of the consolation bracket and then Brown guy twice to win the whole tourney.  Quick math would have him winning 6 and losing 1.  I am sure there are other situations like that where eventual winner lost in semis and went on a roll.   

Very good memory of how the tournament ran with one small error (I think).  It was true double elimination, EXCEPT in the second final. So situations existed where both the champ and second placer had one loss (at least in my day.)  I always thought they should wrestle again in that case so that one guy had two losses.  Example: My roommate lost to the EIWA champ on day 1.  EIWA champ lost to a good Central CT kid.  My roommate comes back and this time majors the EIWA champ.  Roommate puts a beating on Central kid in (second) finals and was crowned the tournament champ.  While I was happy for my roommate, I did think it was a little unfair that both he and the Central kid had one loss but the Central kid was named runner-up.

Of course it is possible that the rules changed over the years...

[Antitroll2828]

1 hour ago, BloodRound said:

His story has been a really great one to watch as a Jersey wrestling fan.  I think he was a lock to win a state title as a senior before injuries derailed him that season. 

I agree and him being a public school kid makes it even better , as far as his sr year goes I think he’d had a solid chance but you had 3x champ oliveri at 132 and 3x champ Clark at 138 , Composto always found himself in the toughest bracket in AC 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

On 7/14/2025 at 2:55 PM, jdalu75 said:

 

Honorable mention to Robert Hamlin, 4x VT 1st, 2x New England 1st, NCAA 2nd, 4th, 2nd -- I believe he's the only A/A in Vermont's history.  Nicknamed The Vermontster (a few years later Connor McGonagle of New Hampshire wisely passed on the proposed nickname of The New Hampster).

 

I believe the "Maine-iac" may have been more appropriate.

[BloodRound]

17 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

I agree and him being a public school kid makes it even better , as far as his sr year goes I think he’d had a solid chance but you had 3x champ oliveri at 132 and 3x champ Clark at 138 , Composto always found himself in the toughest bracket in AC

Wow.  I forgot about those two being there.  It is wild to think that neither Clark nor Olivieri have gotten on the podium yet in their careers.

[Antitroll2828]

38 minutes ago, BloodRound said:

Wow.  I forgot about those two being there.  It is wild to think that neither Clark nor Olivieri have gotten on the podium yet in their careers.

Yea I can’t believe Clark was never even a starter in college that’s a mystery to me , I think Joey O finally started looking like his old self last year and should be in the r12 at minimum this year again . Also don’t forget Oliveri had his redshirt pulled mid season 2 different times because of Alvarez and his weight issues, I think if they stuck with the original plan for him he’d be an AA already …99 percent sure Clark and Olivieri are first cousins 

[BloodRound]

4 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Yea I can’t believe Clark was never even a starter in college that’s a mystery to me

He has started twice in his RU career!  2x NCAA qualifier, narrowly losing to Paniro in wrestlebacks this year.

[russ1847]

Shane Cartegena Walsh has a chance to make this list.  R16 last year.  Finished 6th as a senior in NJ.  Made regions 2 times and qualified for states only once.

[Antitroll2828]

42 minutes ago, russ1847 said:

Shane Cartegena Walsh has a chance to make this list.  R16 last year.  Finished 6th as a senior in NJ.  Made regions 2 times and qualified for states only once.

Yea he has a good chance as does Brock Zurawski from rider 1x NJ 7th place finisher and was MAC champ and knocked off wyatt Volker at ncaas as a freshman last season

Edited Wednesday at 07:48 PM by Antitroll2828

[BloodRound]

16 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

17 hours ago, russ1847 said:

Shane Cartegena Walsh has a chance to make this list.  R16 last year.  Finished 6th as a senior in NJ.  Made regions 2 times and qualified for states only once.

Yea he has a good chance as does Brock Zurawski from rider 1x NJ 7th place finisher and was MAC champ and knocked off wyatt Volker at ncaas as a freshman last season

SCW's ascent to this status was one that nobody around the Jersey Shore could've seen coming.  Hope he keeps up the momentum.

Zurawski did it as an undersize 97 too!  Apparently bumped up after losing a wrestle-off to Dean.  Wonder if he goes to 84 this season or not.

[Antitroll2828]

1 hour ago, BloodRound said:

SCW's ascent to this status was one that nobody around the Jersey Shore could've seen coming.  Hope he keeps up the momentum.

Zurawski did it as an undersize 97 too!  Apparently bumped up after losing a wrestle-off to Dean.  Wonder if he goes to 84 this season or not.

SCW has made the jumps a lot of people expected Anthony white to make , it’s been pretty cool to see him beat out a 3x state champ and top 10 recruit 

 

zurawski can probably go whatever weight he wants ,rider is weak at both weights , I could see Zurawski at 184 with De lang at 197 , or maybe a young guy with potential like Zearfoss at 184 and Zurawski filling out some and going 197 again ,I just hope rider doesn’t lose him to a big program eventually like they did with Dean