InterMat Staff

Pope John XXIII

Temecula Valley

Berlin Brothersvalley

I started this last year and found it to be another good way to look at the overall conference and highlight individuals, teams, and a preview for the upcoming season. While some of the weight classes have multiple title contenders, others appear to be a little more open and harder to predict. With that, let’s see how the Big 12 is looking this season. #10) 157 lbs 2024 All-Americans: None Ranked Wrestlers: #7 Ryder Downey (UNI), #9 Teague Travis (OKST), #11 Paniro Johnson (ISU), #14 Cobe Siebrecht (SDSU), #17 Vinny Zerban (UNCO), #25 Jared Hill (WYO), #28 Kaleb Larkin (ASU), #32 J Conway (MIZZ) The only weight without an All-American still has an impressive amount of depth and potential contenders. Returning Big 12 Champ Ryder Downey returns after a breakout 2024 and bloodround finish. Paniro Johnson was a conference champ in 2023 at 149 lbs and returns at 157 looking to repeat. He had a solid redshirt year amidst the now-dropped gambling probe, with an overtime sudden victory loss to Cael Swensen being the only loss. Teague Travis and Vinny Zerban also had breakout years last season but struggled in the postseason with DNP finishes. Siebrecht is an intriguing addition to the Big 12 and SDSU. After qualifying in 2023 he didn’t compete last season but filled a spot after a Cael Swensen injury. Jared Hill has quietly been a two-time qualifier for OU. He has excelled at the Big 12 tournament to earn a bid and will look to do that again at Wyoming. Kaleb Larkin and J Conway are new faces in their respective lineups. Larkin has sky-high expectations after a stellar freestyle season in 2024. Conway had appearances in four duals last season and faced off against Mekhi Lewis, Chris Moore, Cody Chittum, and Ryder Downey. This weight doesn’t have national accolades just yet, but that could look quite different by the end of the year with a number of young wrestlers. #9) 133 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #5 Evan Frost (ISU) Ranked Wrestlers: #17 Cleveland Belton (OU), #21 Julian Chlebove (ASU), #24 Dominick Serrano (UNCO), #26 Derrick Cardinal (SDSU), #28 Julian Farber (UNI), #32 Kade Moore (MIZZ), #33 Kyle Burwick (NDSU) A weight with only one returning All-American, this weight is filled with wrestlers ranked near the bubble looking to take the next step this year. Evan Frost became the conference’s first All-American at this weight not named Daton Fix since Seth Gross in 2018. Cleveland Belton and Julian Chlebove have both had success as veterans but are looking to contend for a podium spot this season. Belton made the bloodround last season while Chlebove was a first-time qualifier. Dom Serrano had a great regular season and is one of my sleeper picks to look out for this season. He finished third at Big 12’s and went from 5-13 at Nebraska in 2022 to 23-6 at UNCO after a redshirt year. Derrick Cardinal made a similar jump from his first season, improving his win percentage over 20%. Kyle Burwick and Julian Farber are both seniors and the types of wrestlers no one wants to get matched up with in the first round. Kade Moore is another sleeper at this weight. Last season, he pinned Sam Latona and had a 10-9 loss to Vito Arujau to give a glimpse of his ceiling. He had an off-the-mat incident that kept him out for almost six weeks and struggled after returning in the postseason. When healthy, his dynamic style makes him one to watch. Frost is the clear favorite to repeat at this weight but has some intriguing talent to challenge him along the way and attempt to make the podium. #8) 197 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #4 Rocky Elam (MIZZ) Ranked Wrestlers: #8 Zach Glazier (SDSU), #16 Wyatt Voelker (UNI), #17 Joey Novak (WYO), #21 Luke Surber (OKST), #24 Bradley Hill (OU), #33 Christian Carroll (ISU) There’s only one returning All-American with Rocky Elam, but several contenders behind him. If Elam can stay healthy then he is a title contender, trading wins over Stephen Buchanan and Jacob Cardenas last season. Zach Glazier was a Big Ten runner-up at Iowa and immediately allowed SDSU to reload with another contender. Wyatt Voelker, Joey Novak, Bradley Hill, and Christian Carroll are four young wrestlers who have a lot of upside to enter the podium conversation by year's end. Luke Surber struggled with injuries last season but has the wins and style that keeps him in the conversation for upsets every year. With only seven ranked wrestlers this weight is low now, but could look top-heavy for the Big 12 tournament. #7) 149 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #3 Ty Watters (WVU), #7 Anthony Echemendia (ISU) Ranked Wrestlers: #16 Gabe Willochell (WYO), #18 Colin Realbuto (UNI), #23 Willie McDougald (OU), #27 Logan Gioffre (MIZZ), #28 Alek Martin (SDSU), #33 Maxwell Petersen (NDSU) This weight is another top-heavy one but has two potential title contenders. Ty Watters was one of the most impressive true freshmen last season. He finished 4th at NCAA’s, won Big 12’s, and had an absurd 69% bonus rate. Echemendia was also a Big 12 champ, but at 141. There’s a chance he will return to that weight, but right now it’s looking like he will look to repeat up at 149. Sign me up for a potential Watters vs Echemendia match this season. After the top two, there’s great depth and some interesting names to look out for. Gabe Willochell thrived in the postseason last year, upsetting Willie McDougald and making the round of 16 at NCAA’s. Colin Realbuto returns as an intriguing prospect to outplace his current ranking after an Olympic redshirt. Willie McDougald has a tendency to get some solid upsets along with unexpected losses. If the former Big 12 finalist can put it together he can go on a run. Gioffre was another Missouri wrestler who struggled with injury, breaking ribs and wrestling with a flak jacket in the postseason. He had a big win over Jaden Abas in a dual and tight matches with several All-Americans. Alek Martin qualified for the first time last season and had a solid win over Gabe Willochell. Maxwell Petersen stepped into the lineup with an injury to Kellyn March and was razor close to qualifying as a freshman. This weight has great depth at the top with Watters and Echemendia but don’t be surprised to see some of these lower-ranked wrestlers get upsets and make their way into the top half or higher. #6) 165 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #4 Peyton Hall (WVU) Ranked Wrestlers: #6 Cam Amine (OKST), #7 Terrell Barraclough (UVU), #23 Cam Steed (MIZZ), #26 Connor Euton (ISU), #28 Jack Thomsen (UNI), #29 Tate Picklo (OU), #30 Nicco Ruiz (ASU), #32 Clayton Ulrey (UNCO) Last season this was one of the strongest weight classes in the Big 12; headed into this season there aren’t as clear title contenders but a good mix throughout. Peyton Hall is the only returning All-American at this weight and the current favorite to win his first Big 12 title. Cam Amine is as experienced as they come and surprisingly these two All-Americans haven’t faced off yet. The wildcard at the top of the weight is Terrell Barraclough, who consistently impressed while spot-starting at PSU and will have an opportunity to establish himself and UVU’s new coaching staff. Seven of the ranked wrestlers at this weight are outside the top 20 with a number of new faces which is why this weight class isn’t higher. Steed, Euton, and Ruiz are all new faces expected this season. Steed and Ruiz are two wrestlers I’m on the hype train for and think they will have opportunities to work into the top 16 or higher this year. Picklo is a massive question mark after missing the tournament at 174 last season. If the weight cut is tolerable, he could have highlight matches throughout the year. #5) 285 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #2 Wyatt Hendrickson (OKST), #4 Cohlton Schultz (ASU) Ranked Wrestlers: #6 Yonger Bastida (ISU), #24 Seth Nitzel (MIZZ), #25 Michael Wolfgram (WVU), #26 Sam Mitchell (WYO), #28 Luke Rasmussen (SDSU) One of two weight classes with only seven ranked wrestlers, this weight is buoyed by three potential title contenders at the top. Hendrickson, Schultz, and Bastida all suffered upsets at the NCAA tournament after strong regular seasons. Hendrickson and Bastida battled in the Big 12 finals with Bastida coming out on top, but failing to make the podium. Schultz didn’t look 100%, at times, but finished sixth and could be in line for a healthy bounceback year. Look for these three to battle for the top spot in the Big 12 and a shot at returning champ Greg Kerkveliet. After those three there are a handful of more experienced wrestlers with one new starter in the mix. Nitzel has had solid wins behind Zach Elam and will get a shot this season. Wolfgram is a two-time qualifier but missed out last season. Mitchell qualified at 197 at Buffalo last season and could give Wyoming a strong bookend this season. Rasmussen didn’t qualify last season but had a win over Nitzel and showed flashes in his first year in the lineup. While I don’t expect these four to challenge for a title this season, they all have some interesting upside and could be important point scorers if they can qualify this year. #4) 141 lbs 2024 All-Americans: None Ranked Wrestlers: #1 Andrew Alirez (UNCO), #7 Cael Happel (UNI), #10 Jesse Vasquez (ASU), #11 Jordan Titus (WVU), #12 Josh Edmond (MIZZ), #13 Tagen Jamison (OKST), #18 Mosha Schwartz (OU), #29 Kellyn March (NDSU), #31 Haiden Drury (UVU) The margins are thin at this level, and I went back and forth on how high to place this weight class. On one hand, you have 2023 national champ Andrew Alirez returning and looking to repeat and have five wrestlers ranked in the top 12. At the same time, there are no returning All-Americans from last season at the moment, with Echemendia being the only possibility. Cael Happel and Josh Edmond both made the bloodround last season and finished 2nd/3rd at Big 12’s. Jesse Vasquez and Jordan Titus struggled with injuries last season but had solid wins. Tagen Jamison had a stellar regular season, including a victory over Echemendia in the dual. Mosha Schwartz was someone I had penciled in as a strong contender, but an early injury ended his season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the top seven place this year. Added to the depth of this weight are two now veterans with Kellyn March and Haiden Drury. March was another wrestler who suffered an injury last year at 149. He is making the move to 141 and his 2023 season where he went 24-9 shows what his ceiling could be. Haiden Drury started his year at 133, but made the move up to 141 in mid-December. He didn’t qualify but with a full offseason at the weight could make him another Wolverine to look out for this year. #3) 174 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ), #4 Cade DeVos (SDSU) Ranked Wrestlers: #6 Dean Hamiti (OKST), #9 Gaven Sax (OU), #14 Jared Simma (UNI), #23 Brody Conley (WVU), #30 Cael Valencia (ASU) This weight returns Big 12 champ and All-American Cade DeVos but is strengthened even more with the addition of two-time NCAA champ and four-time All-American Keegan O’Toole. While those two will be a popular conference finals pick, there’s a good group behind them that will present new challenges. Dean Hamiti is expected to make the move up after a bloodround finish last season, and the weight change could supercharge his high-paced offense even more. Gaven Sax was a conference finalist last season, albeit in a different singlet. Another NDSU to OU transfer, Sax is reunited with Roger Kish and looking to make the podium after a breakout season last year. Right behind him are some young wrestlers looking to make a similar jump. Jared Simma both made the bloodround in his first year as a starter and Brody Conley is one of my sleeper picks to take a jump this season. Cael Valencia is a two-time qualifier and an intriguing prospect who has the potential to go on a run or score some upsets. This weight class has a good mix of top-end talent and young depth that will be contenders for seasons to come. #2) 184 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #2 Parker Keckeisen (UNI), #3 Dustin Plott (OKST), #5 Bennett Berge (SDSU) Ranked Wrestlers: #15 Colton Hawks (MIZZ), #17 Evan Bockman (ISU), #24 Dennis Robin (WVU), #27 Nathan Haas (CBU), #29 DJ Parker (OU) This weight returns not only three All-Americans but both national and Big 12 finalists from last season with Keckeisen and Plott. Right behind them is Bennett Berge, who surged to a 4th place finish last year as a freshman. With Keckeisen and Plott being seniors, look out for Berge to attempt to establish himself as a title contender this year and in the future. Closer than the rankings may show are Colton Hawks and Evan Bockman. Hawks wasn’t the starter for most of the season but won the spot late and had a bloodround finish at NCAA’s. He had some odd losses balanced by wins over Isaiah Salazar and Will Feldkamp. Bockman is making the descent to 184 after becoming a three-time qualifier at 197 for Utah Valley last season. Either of these wrestlers has the ability to challenge those at the top and score some upsets along the way. Dennis Robin was controversially not awarded an At-Large bid after going 2-2 at Big 12’s but having a solid 16-9 record. Nathan Haas missed out on qualifying as well but had a highlight major decision over Ryder Rogotzke. DJ Parker is a sleeper I’m keeping an eye on. After starting as a true freshman in 2022, he was a qualifier in 2023 for NDSU. He transferred with Kish last season and redshirted without wrestling any matches. Parker had some solid wins in 2023 and a number of tight losses to qualifiers and All-Americans. Depending on how his development went last season I expect him to outperform his current ranking. Overall this is another weight led with great strength at the top and multiple potential title challengers. Add in a number of wrestlers behind them that could climb the rankings and make a podium run and this is easily one of the strongest weights for the conference. #1) 125 lbs 2024 All-Americans: #1 Richie Figueroa (ASU), #3 Jore Volk (WYO), #6 Tanner Jordan (SDSU) Ranked Wrestlers: #7 Troy Spratley (OKST), #9 Stevo Poulin (UNCO), #15 Jett Strickenberger (WVU), #18 Noah Surtin (MIZZ), #28 Trever Anderson (UNI), #33 Antonio Lorenzo (OU) This weight was not only one of the craziest weights in years last season, but it was stacked in the Big 12 with this year being no different. Returning champ Richie Figueroa leads the weight, followed closely behind by All-Americans Jore Volk and Tanner Jordan. Troy Spratley is a popular finals pick with the new coaching staff and made the bloodround last season. Stevo Poulin struggled in the regular season but peaked at NCAA’s with a bloodround finish. Noah Surtin had wins last year over Jore Volk, Tanner Jordan, and Nico Provo but an injury-filled February led to an 0-2 finish at NCAA’s. Strickenberger and Anderson are huge wildcards. All three had high-level wins but some lower-ranked losses kept them lower in the rankings. If any of these three get hot at the right time, they can make a run. Antonio Lorenzo is a question mark after transferring to OU but not wrestling in any matches last season. He’s a two-time qualifier so look for him to make an impact for the Sooners this season. This weight class is bound to be chaotic again, with any number of Big 12 wrestlers having the potential to finish on top.

Navy head coach Cary Kolat hits on a variety of topics including some lineup battles for tonight's wrestle-off's, David Key becoming his first All-American at Navy, the new faces on the Navy staff, the schedule for the 2024-25 season, the Star Match, and NIL/recruiting in this landscape. Listen to the full interview with Coach Kolat:

This year’s preview will not include the typical, boring “here’s the lineup for each team.” Half the time, these lineups change by the 2nd semester anyway. Let’s ask some questions about the conference, as a whole, including one directed at each team. 1. What will the first-ever Ivy League Wrestling Conference Championship look like? With the championships being held at Princeton this year, what will the atmosphere be like? What sort of attendance can we expect? With only six teams participating, one would imagine the numbers being less than the 17-team EIWA conference championships. Not that any of this matters, just questions I am thinking about. With a single-day tournament, in lieu of the EIWA multi-day event, maybe more fans will make the trip when things like a hotel may not be required. For some diehard wrestling fans like me, we will attend EIWAs on Friday March 7th, and Saturday, March 8th at Lehigh University and then attend the Ivy Championships on Sunday, March 9th. Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania high school state championships run from Thursday through Saturday of the same weekend. Coaching staffs have already complained about this timing – as it puts a damper on a fantastic recruiting weekend. Once more details emerge, we can revisit this one. 2) Will BROWN improve on last season’s lone NCAA qualifier? Last season, Michael Joyce took many by surprise by qualifying for NCAAs. He went on a run at the conference tournament to place fourth in a loaded bracket. He was the first qualifier for the Bears since 2019 – where zero wrestlers on the team last season were on the 2019 roster to witness it. Coach Jordan Leen explained to me how Joyce has lit a fire for many of these guys to follow in his footsteps. Brown has been hard at work in many aspects to improve the program’s results while building a winning culture. NCAA qualifiers are just the first step in the process. To answer the question, Brown had a handful of EIWA place finishers who missed out on an allocation by a placement or two. Expect Hunter Adrian to be in the mix to qualify at 133 lbs. He was eighth at EIWAs while wrestling as the starter for multiple years. At 157 lbs, Blake Saito placed fifth at EIWAs, which is typically good enough to qualify for NCAAs in most years. Last year was an exception, unfortunately. Alex Semenenko placed tenth in a bracket that qualified the top eight and saw the ninth-place finisher earn the first alternate bid. Even if multiple qualifiers do not happen this season, it will only be a matter of a few years until Brown catches up with the rest of the conference. Coach Leen and his staff are building something special. 3) Will the new staff at COLUMBIA continue its upward trajectory? Columbia has been improving every year under former Head Coach Zach Tanelli. Tanelli’s departure for Virginia Tech left a vacant position at the helm. Rutgers’ longtime assistant, Donny Pritzlaff, accepted the job along with a brand new staff. He took on Jeff Buxton, Sebastian Rivera, and Greg Bulsak to take control of the Lions. With a brand-new staff and many wrestlers forced to find new homes due to Ivy League eligibility rules, the Lions will have many new faces. Kai Owen and Cesar Alvan look to be the only returning starters with previous NCAA tournament experience - (as Aaron Ayzerov and Jack Wehmayer will take Ivy shirts). Alvan took an Olympic redshirt last season and will be slated to be up one weight at 165 lbs this season. Much like Brown, we may need to give this team a few years to develop young talent and get some recruiting classes under their belt. If there’s one thing that Columbia has always done well, it’s a tough schedule. This year is no different. Expect a young lineup to take a few lumps this season. The Lions will be fun to follow this year, but keep your eye on them in the upcoming years. 4) Does CORNELL have the firepower to earn a team trophy again? With only one All-American returning from last season, it’s hard to imagine they have the points to do so. Meyer Shapiro is the lone All-American with a third-place finish after racking up a ton of bonus point wins. Chris Foca has seen the podium in the past – he will be back again. Two-time NCAA Champ, Vito Arujau, graduated while two-time All-American Jacob Cardenas has run out of eligibility in the Ivy League and will compete at Michigan this season. Obviously, these are some big shoes to fill. However, the line-up is full of so many wrestlers who have been so close. Brett Ungar has been a top-12 finisher in the past. This year, he will be up a weight class at 133lbs. Vince Cornella has seen a top-16 finish before missing NCAAs last season with an injury. Julian Ramirez has won two EIWA titles, finishing in the top 12 three times in his career. He’s been ranked as high as #3 in the nation. Some new faces will include Greg Diakomihalis slated to be the full-time starter at 125lbs. Although he has experience, being an everyday wrestler is something that will be new to him. Freshmen like Simon Ruiz (174 lbs) and Mike Dellagatta (197 lbs) will be first-time starters looking to contribute to team points at both conferences and nationals. Expect to see Ethan Fernandez (149 lbs) return to NCAAs after winning EIWAs a season ago. Ashton Davis will be the heavyweight this season looking to score points at NCAAs as well. 5) Is this the year HARVARD earns its first All-American since 2012? The Crimson had high hopes for Phil Conigliaro the past few seasons. Finishing in the round of 12, he was one match away from a podium finish. They had a talented heavyweight in Yara Slavikouski, who barely missed the podium also. Although he earned NWCA All-American honors in 2020 during the canceled tournament, it just is not the same as wrestling the gruesome three-day event and earning it the old-fashioned way. The drought is the longest since Jay Weiss took over the program over 30 years ago. At one time, Harvard had at least one podium finisher from 2002 – 2012 except in the 2005 season. The last All-Americans from Harvard were Walter Peppelman and Steven Keith in 2012, both finishing in 8th place. The best opportunity to end this streak is probably Diego Sotelo at 125lbs. Last season, he had wins over All-Americans, Anthony Noto of Lock Haven and Jore Volk of Wyoming. At the NCAA Championships, he came in as the 28th seed and knocked off #5 Volk in the first round. Volk wrestled all the way back to earn seventh while Sotelo ended the season in the top 16. He’s been to NCAAs twice now and is looking to finish on the podium in his senior year. With the way the 125 lbs weight class was last year (and looks to be this year), you cannot count anybody out. He can scramble with the best, and his skills on the mat are exceptional. If he can stay healthy, expect to see him on the podium. 6) Will PENN produce an All-American as they co-host NCAAs? Penn, along with Drexel, will co-host the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia. You know they will want to be well-represented, as is the case for any host school. As if this isn’t enough motivation, this will be the last time we see Roger Reina as the Head Coach. He will be stepping down after the season. The Quakers will want him to go out with a bang, Although, they had eight qualifiers last season – they only accumulated six wins at the championships. CJ Composto claimed AA honors in 2022 and will look to repeat that achievement. We’ll see a proven winner in Nick Incontrera, back for another season at 174 lbs. He’s been ranked in the top 10 for much of the past two seasons. They have the capacity to put at least one person on the podium in front of the home crowd. Plus, with many returning NCAA qualifiers, it’s very possible to have someone catch fire at the right time and earn All-American honors. We see it every year. With new coaches, Matt Valenti (slated to become the head coach next season) and Darian Cruz, expect a bump from the lightweights. Doug Zapf was a fan favorite as a competitor – he’s now on staff showing the young guns the ropes on how to push the pace and press the action. This team will be primed and ready come March. 7) Who will be the new face(s) of PRINCETON wrestling? The Tigers of Princeton University have been an impressive story to follow over the last decade plus. The program is undergoing a bit of a revamp. Long-time coach Chris Ayres moved out west to take the job at Stanford. He took his assistant Sean Gray with him. That opened the door for Joe Dubuque to become the Head Coach after serving as the head assistant under Ayres for a while. He brings in a whole new staff in Anthony Ashnault, Cody Brewer, and Nate Jackson. Jackson has been an assistant in the past while training at the RTC as well. The wrestling team has seen a bit of change also. The Tigers have gained so much attention thanks to guys like Pat Glory. Pat was a multiple-time All-American, and NCAA Champion. He’s since graduated and moved into post-wrestling life. We can’t forget about Quincy Monday, who graduated in 2023 after being a multiple-time All-American. These two really led the way for Princeton, helping propel the program into the national spotlight. This year’s lineup does not have the notoriety of years past, at least on paper. Yet. With so much young talent waiting to showcase, how many guys will make an immediate impact on the national stage? Luke Stout has been to NCAAs multiple times – will he break through and earn a spot on the podium? Kole Mulhauser and Ty Whalen have made names for themselves – will it be their turn? Princeton has multiple options to be a new “face” or “faces.” Many are excited to see what Marc-Anthony McGowan will bring to the table at 125lbs after missing last year due to injury. The excitement for the program has always been there, and maybe now more than ever with a new staff on board. Plus, with so many potential breakout stars – it adds to the excitement. 8. How many NCAA allocations will we expect? When the Ivy League was still part of the EIWA last season, they accounted for 29 of the 62 qualifiers for the conference. Now that they are a six-team conference, will these allocations hold? On paper, they seem to have lost a lot of firepower. Your gut reaction is to expect less this year. Simple math would show that’s an incredible feat – as nearly half of the overall participants (29 of 60) would qualify for NCAAs. On the face of it, that seems awfully high. It’s a personal opinion that last year’s luxury of a large conference tournament may have helped them achieve more qualifiers – simply due to a higher probability of a bracket-buster causing havoc. With a small conference tournament this season, many of the wrestlers may need to lean more on a better body of work throughout the season in lieu of qualifying via automatic placement at conferences. Position battles, injury bugs, or any reason for missing mat time will be more critical at the end of the year. Lastly, when at-large bids are discussed after conference weekend, adding an additional conference into the mix is another aspect. Remember, placement at your conference tournament is a factor, albeit a small factor. This gives more “wild card” options for the algorithm to choose from. 9) Which weight class will be the deepest? Looking at potential lineups, 125 lbs jumps out to me. It’s entirely possible we see five qualifiers from this weight in Philadelphia. Three potential starters have already qualified, plus Cornell’s Diakomihalis and Princeton’s McGowan make five studs in this weight. Bah of Columbia was at 133lbs last year and had some good battles. Moving down to his natural weight makes him a complete wild card. Joyce of Brown, Sotelo of Harvard, and Gallagher of Penn will look to return to NCAAs once again. This will be a fun class to watch and see how it plays out. 10) What do the lineups look like? That’s a great question! See potential line-ups below. These are super early projections, and we will know more once they see mat time.

The Big Ten Network today announced the 2024-25 Big Ten wrestling broadcast schedule, as the nation's premier wrestling conference looks for an 18th consecutive NCAA Championship. This season, 24 duals and Big Ten Wrestling Championships coverage will air live on the Big Ten Network and the FOX Sports App, with more than 80 contests airing on B1G+. Coverage begins on Saturday, Nov. 9, with No. 2 Iowa hosting No. 15 Stanford from Iowa City. Conference wrestling on BTN begins on Friday, Dec. 6, with a matchup between No. 12 Illinois and No. 30 Indiana. Coverage continues in the new year with a primetime doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 10, featuring No. 14 Michigan hosting No. 27 Maryland at 6 p.m. ET, followed by Michigan State traveling to face No. 1 Penn State at 8 p.m. ET. Throughout January and February, Friday night wrestling will be featured on BTN with primetime matchups between the best programs in the country, including a battle between No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Iowa at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 31. Other highlights of the wrestling season on BTN include a tripleheader on Friday, Feb. 7, beginning with No. 1 Penn State hosting No. 14 Michigan at 6 p.m. ET. The second leg of the tripleheader features No. 3 Nebraska visiting No. 2 Iowa at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Wisconsin hosting No. 29 Purdue at 10 p.m. ET. To conclude the conference schedule on BTN, No. 29 Purdue hosts No. 3 Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by a non-conference matchup between No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 2 Iowa at 8:30 p.m. ET. Additional coverage includes the return of On The Mat, BTN's multi-platform, behind-the-scenes look at Big Ten wrestling. Fans can also follow @B1GWrestling on X, Instagram and YouTube for updates throughout the season. All television programming on BTN can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices on the FOX Sports App, with a complete schedule below. According to Intermat's preseason rankings, 12 Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 30, including the top three teams in the poll. Defending national champion Penn State leads the way at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Nebraska, No. 7 Ohio State, No. 9 Minnesota, No. 12 Illinois, No. 14 Michigan, No. 18 Rutgers, No. 26 Northwestern, No. 27 Maryland, No. 29 Purdue and No. 30 Indiana. 2024-25 Big Ten Network Wrestling Television Schedule (All Times ET) Day Date Away Team Home Team Time (ET) Saturday Nov. 9 Stanford at Iowa TBD Friday Dec. 6 Illinois at Indiana 5 p.m. Friday Jan. 10 Maryland at Michigan 6 p.m. Friday Jan. 10 Michigan State at Penn State 8 p.m. Saturday Jan. 11 Minnesota at Nebraska 4:30 p.m. Sunday Jan. 12 Rutgers at Ohio State 6 p.m. Friday Jan. 17 Illinois at Iowa 7 p.m. Friday Jan. 17 Penn State at Nebraska 9 p.m. Friday Jan. 24 Nebraska at Michigan 6 p.m. Friday Jan. 24 Penn State at Rutgers 8 p.m. Saturday Jan. 25 Ohio State at Iowa 2 p.m. Friday Jan. 31 Iowa at Penn State 7 p.m. Friday Jan. 31 Wisconsin at Nebraska 9 p.m. Saturday Feb. 1 Ohio State at Michigan 2 p.m. Saturday Feb. 1 Northwestern at Indiana 4 p.m. Sunday Feb. 2 Rutgers at Minnesota 1 p.m. Friday Feb. 7 Michigan at Penn State 6 p.m. Friday Feb. 7 Nebraska at Iowa 8 p.m. Friday Feb. 7 Purdue at Wisconsin 10 p.m. Friday Feb. 14 Penn State at Ohio State 7 p.m. Friday Feb. 14 Iowa at Minnesota 9 p.m. Sunday Feb. 16 Michigan at Michigan State Noon Sunday Feb. 23 Nebraska at Purdue 6:30 p.m. Sunday Feb. 23 Oklahoma State at Iowa 8:30 p.m. Saturday March 8 Session 1 at B1G Championships 11 a.m. Saturday March 8 Session 2 – Semifinals at B1G Championships 8 p.m. Sunday March 9 Championships at B1G Championships 5:30 p.m.

Though it seems the COVID years have extended eligibility indefinitely for many, we saw the departure of several ACC stars after last season. The strength and depth of many programs have also led to additional exodus via the transfer portal. We’ll take a look today at a couple wrestlers from each school that we could see breakthrough this season. These are all wrestlers who I can see making a jump to the next level for them--be that qualifying for NCAAs, making the podium at NCAAs, or seeing them wrestling on Saturday night in Philly. Duke Connor Barket has been named a captain for the season and has embraced the leadership role within the program. He had an up-and-down season finishing with a 17-14 record. I trust that with the run of success that Coach Lanham and Coach Erikson have had with the heavyweights in Raleigh, we could see another standout in the making. Vincent Lee is one of the bigger recruits for the Blue Devils in recent years. He was a New Jersey State Champion at 215 last season and we could see him starting for Duke at 184 as a true freshman this year. North Carolina Spencer Moore has been a solid starter at the bottom weight for the Tar Heels for two years, notching several ranked wins. He was small as a true freshman but has grown into the weight well. He will come into this season with a veteran mentality and will be well-situated in a pretty deep weight in the conference. Sonny Santiago was one of the biggest surprises for the Tar Heels last season. He finally settled at 157 after bouncing between 149 and 165, and the consistency was good for him. He picked up a huge win over Ed Scott and was an ACC Finalist, qualifying for his first NCAA Tournament. NC State Matty Singleton came to Raleigh as a highly-rated recruit out of Georgia. He started his freshman season at 165, which was not an optimal weight for him. He finished at 10-7 on the year and was 2-1 in ACC duals. He competed in one tournament at 184 during his redshirt season and went 3-0. Singleton will step in at 174 this year and will be a threat for an ACC title. Isaac Trumble used his redshirt year to hit the weight room and make the ascent to 285; the Nebraska native was a two-time NCAA qualifier at 197. He had a very productive redshirt year, earning a U23 World Title at 97kg, then followed that up with a Midlands title at 285 and finished the freestyle season with a runner-up finish at the Olympic Team Trials. Trumble has already shown how dangerous he can be at 285 and should immediately be considered a podium contender. Pittsburgh Luca Augustine has been on the edge of breaking through for the past two seasons when he was a two-time NCAA qualifier. He is 30-18 in his two years as a starter and doesn’t really have any “bad” losses. Coach Gavin has been speaking very highly of his offseason and I like his trajectory and how he lines up in the weight within the conference. Mac Stout is another wrestler that the coaching staff has highlighted as making big gains in the offseason. He had a strong freshman season going 22-8 and finishing 1-2 at the NCAA tournament. Five of his losses last season were to All-Americans with his final loss in sudden victory to John Poznanski. With the graduation of Trent Hidlay, 197 will be a highly competitive weight in the ACC and Stout is well-positioned to fight for the title. Stanford Nico Provo has put up two 20-win seasons and qualified for the NCAA tournament in both of his seasons as a starter. He will transition into the new conference in a solid weight class, but has the goods to establish himself in the top tier quickly. Nick Stemmet has steadily improved in his time in Palo Alto and is a three-time NCAA qualifier. He will be looking to break through to end his career on the podium in Philly. He had a strong season last year finishing at 31-10 overall and 1-2 at the NCAA tournament. I’m interested to see how he fares in the new conference competition. Virginia Marlon Yarbrough announced himself to the country last year with wins over All-Americans Sam Latona and Aaron Nagao and found himself in a dogfight with Nasir Bailey at NCAAs. Yarbrough made big strides last season and is in position to break through to wrestling on Saturday in Philly. The lightweights coming out of the Cavalier room could really surprise some people this year. Jack Gioffre is another of those lightweights who is primed to make some big gains this season. Jack and his twin brother Michael were both big recruits out of Buchanan, with both winning California State Championships their senior year. Jack was 14-7 last season--like a large chunk of the UVA lineup, he missed extended time due to injuries. He has looked great and healthy through the postseason and will be in contention for an ACC title. Virginia Tech Rafael Hipolito may be the only wrestler in the country who could take over a weight from Bryce Andonian and be able to match his freakish athletic ability and big-move potential. Hipolito is still growing his wrestling arsenal - which is a scary thought. After spending his early years earning world titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he transitioned to wrestling during his sophomore year in high school. He was 11-4 in his freshman season, including a 1-1 record in ACC duals. Keep a close eye on Hipolito, his potential is through the roof. Connor McGonagle is the lone transfer to make this list but he has a load of potential in his final year in Blacksburg. He was a two-time NCAA qualifier for Lehigh at 141 but had his best season at 133 in 2022-2023. He was 12-3 overall but was injured at the EIWA tournament and turned down his third NCAA qualifying berth. He wrestled now-teammate Sam Latona at the NWCA All-Star Classic last year, winning 7-5 in tiebreakers in a great battle between the two. With Latona making the move up to 141, McGonagle will play a big role in the team success of the Hokies at 133.

We’re right in the middle of the collegiate preseason which means coaches around the country are starting to figure out how their 2024-25 lineup might sort itself out. Sure, they have their own personal depth charts and preferences for how an ideal lineup could play out, but it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the injury bug bites. Other times there’s a late, unexpected weight change. Or maybe a freshman is even better than expected. However these things may occur, this time of year can also be used to sort out lineup battles between teammates. The best teams tend to have at least a couple of second-stringers who are capable of pushing starters and potentially taking their spots. Below are 12 scenarios where a team has multiple quality options at a particular weight. Pay attention as these battles might get decided in the coming weeks or they might play out for a portion of the regular season. Iowa State (133 lbs) - Evan Frost/Kysen Terukina Last season’s 125 lb starter, Kysen Terukina, is moving up for Iowa State and will have to go through All-American Evan Frost to earn the starting role in his final year of eligibility. Terukina is a three-time national qualifier who comes into the season with a 43-28 career record. Last year, Terukina picked up wins over two eventual All-Americans (Eric Barnett/Tanner Jordan). Frost did not come into the 2023-24 season with as much fanfare as many freshmen; however, he quickly established himself as a key player at the weight. He was a runner-up at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and Big 12’s before taking sixth place at NCAA’s. Oklahoma State (133 lbs) - Cael Hughes/Reece Witcraft Aside from 125 lbs, the first four weights for Oklahoma State could contain some moving parts. The veteran is Reece Witcraft who has been a team player and moved up and down between 125 and 133 throughout his collegiate career. Witcraft can get the job done and has proven as much with a pair of NCAA berths on the resume. Last year, while filling in for Daton Fix, Witcraft posted a win over #21 Julian Chlebove (Arizona State) at the CKLV Invitational. Cael Hughes is a redshirt freshman who was ranked #8 overall in the Class of 2023. Hughes was excellent while redshirts and accumulated a 12-1 record between 133 and 141 lbs. Hughes certainly has the talent to warrant a preseason ranking; however, most of his action last year came against non-DI competition. Iowa State (141 lbs) - Jacob Frost/Zach Redding The larger of the two Frost twins, Jacob, will also be in a battle for a starting spot in the Cyclone lineup. This weight is expected to be open with All-American Anthony Echemdenia moving up to 149 lbs. Jacob saw action in a pair of duals last season and in one open tournament - going 5-2 overall. Zach Redding is a veteran who has qualified for nationals twice for the Cyclones and even made the NCAA Round of 12 in 2023 at 133 lbs. Redding has gone up and down, as needed, throughout his ISU career. Last season, he was at 149 lbs and notched a win over the eventual EIWA champion Ethan Fernandez (Cornell). These two met in the wrestle-offs last year and Frost recorded a 10-5 victory. Lehigh (141 lbs) - Malyke Hines/Carter Bailey The returning starter for Lehigh at 141 lbs is four-time national qualifier Maylke Hines, who started the preseason ranked #20 in the nation and is a past EIWA champion. Hines was a NCAA Round of 12 finisher in 2023 at this weight. Last season for Hines was highlighted by a Princeton Open to start the season and a pair of wins over past All-American CJ Composto (Penn). After spending his first two years moving between 125 and 133, Carter Bailey jumped up to 141 lbs and turned in his finest collegiate season, to date. At the F&M Open, Bailey pinned national qualifier Kal Miller (Maryland) and edged teammate Connor McGonagle (Lehigh) in sudden victory. He finished the year with a 21-8 record. Iowa (141 lbs) - Ryder Block/Cullan Schriever 141 lbs is one of a few weights for Iowa without a clear-cut favorite. They have Cullan Schriever, a veteran who has been their starter for stretches of the season, but never in the postseason - down at 133 lbs. Schriever has been able to generally beat the guys you’d expect him to beat, but hasn’t consistently been able to knock off the real All-American threats. Ryder Block was a top-30 recruit from the Class of 2023 who finished his high school career with back-to-back Junior National freestyle titles in Fargo. Block came to Iowa as a 149 lber but did not see any action during his redshirt year in 2023-24. He’s said to be moving down to challenge at 141 with multi-time All-American transfer Kyle Parco now at 149. We don’t have any college history to go on for Block, but he’ll likely be a good 141 lber if the weight cut isn’t much of an issue. North Dakota State (149 lbs) - Maxwell Petersen/Gavin Drexler This is a battle between a pair of wrestlers who have never made the NCAA Tournament; however, each has shown flashes during the prior campaign, where it looks like they could be on their way to nationals. Maxwell Peterson is the returning starter and coming off a 20-10 redshirt freshman year. He finished eighth at the Big 12 Championships and lost a consolation quarterfinal matchup to Willie McDougald (Oklahoma) in sudden victory with an NCAA berth hanging in the balance. Throughout the regular season, Petersen had wins over two eventual qualifiers. Gavin Drexler was 14-9 as a redshirt freshman at 141 lbs and also had two wins over national qualifiers - one of which came over All-American Vance Vombaur (Minnesota). Drexler ended up missing the podium at the Big 12 Championships. Penn State (157 lbs) - Tyler Kasak/Alex Facundo Of course, a former 149 lber (or even 141 lber) meeting a former 165 lber in the middle at 157 lbs! You know the story already, Tyler Kasak was called into action early last season after a season-ending injury to All-American Shane Van Ness. Up a weight and in his true freshman year, Kasak lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and battled all the way back to finish third. Facundo was an even more highly-regarded recruit than Kasak and was 19-6 as a true freshman at 165 lbs. He had an overall solid season that was obscured by an 0-2 finish at NCAA’s. Facundo took the 2023-24 campaign off as an Olympic redshirt. Kasak has a redshirt available, so that could be an option. Indiana (165 lbs) - Tyler Lillard/Derek Gilcher Indiana had the same situation last year - a young Tyler Lillard and a veteran Derek Gilcher; however, the dilemma sorted itself out as Gilcher suffered a season-ending injury in late-December at the Sheridan Invitational. Lillard went on to finish ninth in a deep Big Ten weight class and pick up a win in Kansas City. Lillard starts the preseason ranked #15 in the nation. Gilcher is a 2023 national qualifier, who looked excellent in his return over the summer at U23’s. These two met last year at the Keystone Classic and Gilcher prevailed 4-1, before winning the tournament. Iowa (174/184 lbs) - Patrick Kennedy/Gabe Arnold/Nelson Brands This could be the most interesting and followed positional battle of any this preseason. Patrick Kennedy is the returning starter for the Hawkeyes at 174 lbs. He was 18-8 last season and finished fifth in the Big Ten. At Nationals, Kennedy was a match shy of earning All-American honors which has made for two trips to the Big Show without an All-American honor in either. Gabe Arnold was a top-20 recruit from the Class of 2023 who ultimately redshirted last season, but was strategically deployed in key dual situations. In his first two dual appearances, Arnold picked up wins over returning All-Americans….up at 184 lbs. The second of the two was a crucial piece in defeating Iowa State. Arnold also picked up a win over the eventual EIWA champion and NCAA semifinalist Lennox Wolak (Columbia) during his run through the Soldier Salute. If that isn’t enough, Nelson Brands has a final year of eligibility and has stated his desire to compete at 174. Brands was fifth in the nation at the weight, in 2023, but missed all of last season due to a gambling suspension. Should all three continue to pursue the 174 lb weight class, it could leave a massive hole at 184. Brands has competed there in the past and with his age and injury history, eliminating an extra ten pounds from a weight cut could be a prudent move. However, it shakes out, Iowa should still have a high All-American threat at both 174 and 184 lbs. Virginia Tech (197 lbs) - Andy Smith/Sonny Sasso At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the incumbent, Andy Smith, would start for Virginia Tech at 197 lbs and Sonny Sasso would take a redshirt. After Sasso’s sixth-place showing at the CKLV Invitational, that plan wasn’t so clear. Sasso picked up five wins over wrestlers who were ranked at the time and fell only to top-ten opponents. A few weeks later, Sasso was used in a dual meet and picked up a very solid win over national qualifier Nick Stemmet (Stanford). Ultimately, the Virginia Tech staff resisted the urge to use Sasso and it proved to be a good call. Smith stunned Big Ten runner-up Zach Glazier (South Dakota State) in the opening round at nationals and advanced to the bloodround. Virginia Tech (285 lbs) - Hunter Catka/Jimmy Mullen It will be interesting in the Hokie upperweights with 197 having two great options and the same at heavyweight. Like his teammate Smith, Hunter Catka had a fine regular season, but saved his best for the NCAA Tournament. Catka fell in the first round but reeled off three straight wins (two with bonus points) to wrestle in the Round of 12. Jimmy Mullen was a top-15 recruit in the Class of 2023, who was able to redshirt but still amassed a 15-4 record. Mullen got the nod in the all-important dual against NC State, but suffered a close loss. Among his 15 wins were two of NCAA qualifiers. NC State (285 lbs) - Isaac Trumble/Owen Trephan So, both NC State and Virginia Tech have multiple high-quality options at 285 lbs? Can we have a heavyweight tag team matchup during their dual? Owen Trephan is the returning starter. He’s the winner of the last two ACC championships at this weight. Both wins helped him earn a top-eight seed at the last two NCAA Tournaments; however, he wasn’t able to advance farther than the consolation Round of 16 in either appearance. Trephan’s most impressive win from the 2023-24 campaign came at the Collegiate Duals where he downed super-freshman Nick Feldman (Ohio State), 8-6. Isaac Trumble qualified for nationals twice at 197 lbs before taking an Olympic redshirt during the 2023-24 season. At the same time, Trumble’s freestyle career really took off. He dominated his way through the U23 World bracket - his closest match was a nine-point win in the opening round. Trumble then earned a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open and made the finals of the Olympic Trials.

Walnut

Bakersfield

The University of Michigan got on the board for Class of 2026 recruiting yesterday evening as they received a verbal commitment from in-state product Blake Cosby (Dundee, MI). Crosby was in action over the weekend at the Super 32 and advanced to the finals of the 150 lbs weight class. Cosby came into the tournament tabbed as the #19 overall recruit in the Class of 2026. His performance in Greensboro helped him move up to fourth in the nation at 150 lbs. This summer at Fargo marked the breakout point nationally for Cosby. Prior to Junior Nationals, Cosby was not on the Class of 2026 Big Board. He changed that with a fifth-place finish in Junior freestyle. That was Cosby’s second career All-American honor in Fargo. In 2023, Cosby was eighth in 16U freestyle at 145 lbs. Within his home state’s boundaries, Cosby has been a two-time Michigan D3 state finalist and a one-time champion - winning in 2024 at 144 lbs. Cosby is the highest-ranked Michigan native in the Class of 2026, so it was important for the Wolverines to keep him home. Before committing to Michigan, Cosby also took a visit to Big Ten foe Purdue in late-September. In Ann Arbor, Cosby projects to wrestle at the 165 lb weight class. Michigan currently has redshirt freshman Beau Mantanona slated to start at the weight. With two more seasons before Cosby hits campus and a potential redshirt year, that’s plenty of time for Mantanona to potentially move up. For all of Michigan’s recruits from the Class of 2025 and 2026, Click Here.

Dundee

Faith Christian Academy

Southern Regional

Trinity

Omaha Bryan

Center Grove

Fairport

Rochester Mayo

West Creek

York Institute

“I am committed to continuing our winning tradition both academically and athletically. I look forward to the work ahead with a focus on providing a championship caliber experience for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the entire Campbell family. The future is bright for Campbell Athletics.” Those are the words for Campbell University’s Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore shortly after being named the school’s athletic director in November 2022. Those words rang hollow just a day after the school’s wrestling team learned that they would have a significant amount of funding cut from them. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, the wrestling program will only be given three scholarships which is a sharp decrease from the nine they had been working with. In what seems to be an unusual move, wrestlers who wish to keep their scholarships would not be allowed to compete. InterMat reached out to AD Bazemore for comment on this story and/or more information about this situation and has yet to receive a response as of Tuesday morning. Men’s and women’s soccer, golf, tennis, and volleyball are also said to be impacted. This change comes on the heels of the school’s move from the Big South Conference to the Coastal Athletic Association (formerly the Colonial Athletic Association). The move put Campbell in a conference that stretches from Charleston, South Carolina to Boston, Massachusetts. It was likely supposed to boost the school’s profile in football and basketball but generally has added more in travel expenses for everyone else - a common thread in conference realignment. Another “big-picture” change that’s in play here is the announcement that college athletics must share revenue with their athletes. Campbell has reportedly "opted in" to participate in revenue sharing in the future. Administrators can stomach sharing revenue with football and basketball teams, but everyone else, not so much. That plays a part in this decision. The main theme here is that the school and the athletic department have grossly mismanaged their budget and overspent and athletes who had nothing to do with their incompetence are left holding the bag. In today’s NIL world, holding the bag is actually a good thing - in this context, it isn’t. In my seventeen years of covering collegiate wrestling, I’ve seen too many colleges drop wrestling. I could look up the number, but it would be just another painful stomach punch during a rough couple of days. Usually, when a program is dropped or the funding is severely cut, you have to step back and look at the wrestling program as a whole. There tend to be multiple factors that contribute to the death. Lack of competitiveness on the mat, lack of attendance or fan interaction/interest, an out-of-touch coaching staff, and a team that doesn’t get the job done in the classroom or on campus are all hallmarks of a program that gets dropped by the administration. With Campbell, none of those factors apply. Though they just missed out on the InterMat preseason team rankings, Campbell finished the 2023-24 season ranked #22 in the nation in duals. Since 2021-22, the team has combined to go 41-7 and 21-2 in SoCon matches. Last season ended with heavyweight Taye Ghadiali becoming the second All-American in school history. In the 2022-23 season, Campbell notched wins over two Big Ten teams. A year prior, they downed an ACC opponent and pulled an upset over #16 Lehigh. Campbell’s staff also got in done on the recruiting trail inking the #24 overall recruiting class in the country with six of the top-250 prospects in the country. The Campbell coaching staff and support staff have done an excellent job in making the team relevant for reasons outside of wins and losses. Their social media presence is excellent and always on the cutting edge - typically, displaying more humor than most team accounts. Campbell has also developed a partnership with UFC FightPass who has streamed a handful of their duals. The Campbell/UFC FightPass partnership hasn’t been limited to “just showing” matches, but the team has worked in conjunction with opponents to provide unique atmospheres to promote these duals. In 2022-23, Campbell wrestled Michigan and North Carolina in the “Battle at Bragg.” The teams squared off in a hangar at Pope Army Airfield on the base formerly known as Fort Bragg (now Liberty). Last year, Campbell and Army West Point had a similar dual. A few weeks later, Campbell defeated Wyoming in the “Battle in the Barn” The dual took place in a specially renovated barn at an altitude of 8,000 feet on Deerwood Ranch in Wyoming. This season, they are set to take on #3 Nebraska on the school’s baseball field. The bottom line is Campbell’s wrestling program has repeatedly thought out of the box to make their matches more than just another wrestling match, they’re trying to create events and build or increase their fanbase. Campbell has also taken care of business in the classroom. Over the last four years, they have been mentioned each time in the NWCA’s Team Scholar Athlete Awards - with the highest ranking coming in 2022 when their team GPA was fifth in the country at 3.484. The 2021 team was 15th, 2023 was 14th and the team was 28th last year. Campbell and Campbell’s staff have checked all of the appropriate boxes when it comes to doing their part in running a successful program, so why does this happen? As with most things in college athletics, the answer lies in money. Unless your team is generating massive amounts of money or you’re one of the select few blue-blood wrestling programs, this could happen to you. The wrestling team has already had to reportedly raise over six figures per year to make their operating budget and that was with nine scholarships. The sad reality is that there’s an unofficial playbook for administrators in these seemingly dire financial situations. It’s either eliminating programs without warning or floating the idea that programs will be dropped or funding will be severely cut - leading to donors stepping up and saving the program and endowing it for the future, thus easing financial burdens off of them. Of course, if the donors do not get to a level that is acceptable to the school, they can just eliminate the team and it’s another line item off the balance sheet. We’re thankful that AD Bazemore did not use option one. It irritates me that we’ll have to work with the second option again (see Stanford), but I’d rather the wrestling community have the option to save a program than not. Going forward, this may be a more common occurrence. Now, I’m here talking about worst-case scenarios. I know Campbell head coach Scotti Sentes a little bit. With nine scholarships or three, he’s still going to put his all into making Campbell a viable program and doing right by his student-athletes. But make no mistake, he’ll have his work cut out for him. There will likely be a handful of current wrestlers in the transfer portal and some talented recruits decommit. As of now, InterMat has seen six verbals for Campbell from the Class of 2025. InterMat reached out for a comment from the parent of a current Campbell starter who replied, “I’m at a loss honestly. I have no idea what my child should do. I don’t know how he protects himself. He has trusted the process, trusted the people in charge, and planned his college career in line with what made the most sense for him to be the best version of himself both on the mat and classroom. I know life lessons can be really rough… just hoping this doesn’t actually pan out to be one.” You also have to feel for current Campbell stars Anthony Molton and Shannon Hanna. Both were team members on the Old Dominion team that was dropped after the 2019-20 season. After leaving Old Dominion, Molton transferred to Fresno State, who dropped their team after the 2021 season. A brief look at Molton's resume by the uninformed eye might lead one to think he’s an example of what’s wrong with college athletics with two transfers - three schools in three years. Technically, they’d be right, but for the opposite reason. Molton is an example of being collateral damage for the failures of college administrators, over and over again. After a couple of minutes on Campbell University’s homepage, I stumbled across the school’s mission statement. There’s the statement itself, but after there are 12 points the University says it will do to fulfill the mission. I’d implore AD Bazemore and anyone involved with the decision-making process to re-read points #3 and #7. #3: influences development of moral courage, social sensitivity, and ethical responsibility. #7 encourages students to think critically and creatively. Are you holding yourself to the same standards that you’re holding these young men and women to? Think creatively and show moral courage, social sensitivity, and ethical responsibility. Back to our quote from AD Bazemore: “I am committed to continuing our winning tradition both academically and athletically. I look forward to the work ahead with a focus on providing a championship caliber experience for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the entire Campbell family. The future is bright for Campbell Athletics.” Make sure the future is indeed bright for Campbell athletics. Not just holding out hope that a magical football run or Final Four berth in basketball will save you. The wrestling team is one that has delivered the championship caliber experience for Campbell. Do your best to support them rather than gut the program. To donate and support Campbell wrestling please follow this link . Make sure wrestling scholarships are noted in your donation. Make your voice heard by the Campbell administration. While we are all emotional about this situation, please be respectful of AD Bazemore or any administrators to contact. Personal attacks only make the program look worse and likely decrease their desire to help.

Last week, we reported on Lehigh’s getting their first verbal from the Class of 2026 when #25 overall Cael Wiedemoyer (Faith Christian, PA) committed. Now, Lehigh has received a second and it’s from another elite prospect. The latest is #16 overall Keanu Dillard, who is currently ranked #1 in the nation at 120 lbs. Dillard is also from Lehigh’s backyard as he has won a pair of Pennsylvania AAA state titles for Bethlehem Catholic High School. Over the summer, Dillard represented the United States at U17 World Championships wrestling 55 kg in freestyle. Dillard ended up coming home from Jordan with a bronze medal. To make the world team, Dillard won the UWW U17 Trials for the first time. He was fifth at the tournament in 2023 and fifth in Greco-Roman in 2022. Other notable accomplishments for Dillard include a runner-up finish at 16U freestyle nationals in Fargo in 2022. A year ago, Dillard was sixth at the Super 32. The fit between Dillard and Lehigh appears to be a good one. The Mountain Hawks EIWA Champion and All-American at 125 lbs, Luke Stanich, is redshirting and moving up a weight (or two). Current projected starter Sheldon Seymour is headed into his junior year of competition. After Seymour, there doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut starter waiting in the wings. Just two years ago, Lehigh retained another top prospect from their home turf in Ryan Crookham. Crookham was as good as advertised in 2023-24 and will start the year ranked #1 in the nation at 133 lbs. Also, Lehigh’s last national champion (Darian Cruz) was a 125 lber from Bethlehem Catholic. Dillard took a visit to Lehigh on the weekend of September 28th and it was one of six schools he visited. Nebraska, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Virginia are the others. For Lehigh’s current verbal commitments from the Class of 2025 and 2026 - click here.

Bethlehem Catholic