InterMat Staff

With a very abridged week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there were minimal changes in the national rankings. Expect the opposite next week as we have the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and SIU Edwardsville’s Cougar Clash on the schedule. These rankings should get turned on their head next Tuesday. The biggest change was moving redshirt freshman Max McEnelly into the top-four at 184 lbs after his sudden victory win over returning NCAA fourth-place finisher Bennett Berge. McEnelly remains undefeated and this was his first win that did not come via technical fall. He also was unbeaten in 2023-24, while redshirting. As a result of McEnelly’s bump, Minnesota jumped into the third spot in the team tournament rankings. The Gophers last earned an NCAA team trophy in 2014 (2nd) so it’s neat to have them back in contention. With Minnesota occupying the third slot in the team tournament standings, the Big Ten has the top four squads in that particular ranking. For the full set of rankings, Click Here:

Alright, so we’ve had a few articles looking back at the history of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (placers and the 2023 tournament). Now, let’s get to the matter at hand! The 2024 tournament. This year’s version of CKLV will be the deepest regular-season tournament of the 2024-25 season. It probably won’t be quite as stacked as last year, but that’s picking nits at this point. There should be excellent bouts at every weight and deep brackets full of potential upsets. Before getting to actual previews, we’ve highlighted a match that we’re hoping to see at each of the ten weights. All of them include key contenders that are expected to compete (as of Monday afternoon). Some have been included because they are another chapter in a good rivalry, others are intriguing because we’ve never seen that particular matchup. 125 - #2 Caleb Smith (Nebraska) vs. #3 Matt Ramos (Purdue) At this point, we’d be surprised to see top-ranked Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) in action after getting dinged at the Daktronics Open a few weeks ago. With Figueroa out of the picture, a Caleb Smith/Matt Ramos bout could be the best possible bout in this weight. These two met twice and split in 2023-24 - with the first time coming in Vegas. Ramos was the top seed in 2023 and was stunned in the quarterfinals by Nico Provo (Stanford). After securing a spot in the top eight, Ramos was defeated by Smith in an epic bout that required tiebreakers. Ramos would get a measure of revenge with a 5-2 victory in the same round of consolations at the Big Ten Championships. Despite Ramos holding the fourth seed at nationals and Smith receiving the #15, it was Smith who made the NCAA podium with a sixth-place finish and Ramos who came up a match shy. Both of these past All-Americans come to Vegas in good form and unbeaten. Smith has a Navy Classic title to his name and Ramos won the Tiger Style Invite. With Figueroa’s status uncertain, this could be for the de facto #1 spot at the weight. 133 - #4 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) vs. #9 Tyler Knox (Stanford) Dylan Ragusin versus Evan Frost (Iowa State) is a potential match that features returning All-Americans and Frost is ranked higher than Tyler Knox; however, this is a match we’ve already seen and it was lopsided in favor of Ragusin. A potential bout against the redshirt freshman, Knox, is one we have not seen. Knox used Vegas as a coming-out party last year when he upset Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) in round one and posted four more wins over NCAA qualifiers before settling into fifth place. The Stanford staff resisted the urge to pull Knox from redshirt and he only saw action in two other events after Vegas (and didn’t have the same level of success). Knox has been excellent in the early going this year, stunning NCAA runner-up Drake Ayala (Iowa) and posting a solid win over Zeth Romney (Cal Poly) in his most recent outing. Ragusin got on the NCAA podium for the first time in 2024, but has been a figure within the top ten for most of his collegiate career. He started the campaign off with 20 straight wins, a streak that included three tournament titles - the most notable being the Midlands. Back in 2021, Ragusin won the CKLV at this weight class. He was fifth in 2022. Last year, he did not enter. 141 - #4 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) vs. #6 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) Ok, so I’m flip-flopping a bit. I didn’t mention Ragusin/Frost because “we’ve already seen it,” but at 141 lbs I’m eager to see the fourth chapter in the Brock Hardy/Cael Happel rivalry. Last year, the two met in Vegas and in a dual meet, both of which were won by Happel. Both contests featured a ton of scoring. In Vegas, Happel came out on top in a 15-13 barnburner in the consolation semis. Just over a month later, Happel prevailed 11-8 in sudden victory. Going back to the previous CKLV (2022), it was Hardy who cruised to a 6-1 win in the finals over Happel. This was after Happel stunned multiple ranked competitors on his way to the championship match. Hardy has been able to earn All-American honors in both of his NCAA appearances, taking sixth in 2023, before his third-place finish in Kansas City. Despite his regular season success, Happel is still looking to earn his first All-American award after falling in the NCAA bloodround in 2024. Whether we see this match or not, these two are also slated to tangle again in dual action in early January. 149 - #1 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) vs. #5 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) And again, we have a potential rematch in the works. Ridge Lovett was the top-ranked 149 lber a year ago and ran through an impressive CKLV weight class that featured many of the top contenders at the weight class. One of them was Caleb Henson who Lovett took down early in the first period and made that stand on the way to a 4-3 decision. A few months later, their paths would cross again, in the NCAA semifinals. This time it was Henson who narrowly escaped, 1-0. The next day he would win an NCAA title, while Lovett slid down to sixth place. Based on the totality of his 2023-24 season, a fifth-place ranking seems a bit low for Lovett; as he had a bad Friday and Saturday at the NCAA Tournament, but does have wins over many of the key players at this weight. In addition to winning in Vegas, Lovett also captured his first Big Ten title last season - after making the finals back in 2021. He also was a national finalist in 2022. Henson’s title made him the second national champion in Virginia Tech’s program history. He also has earned All-American honors in each of his two seasons in Blacksburg, without taking a redshirt year. Both of these wrestlers come into Vegas unbeaten. Henson has yet to wrestle in a bout that’s been closer than nine points. Lovett is 3-0, but had to grind out a win over two-time All-American Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina). 157 - #3 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) vs. #6 Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa) We’ve mentioned it a couple of times already and will probably do so again, but 157 lb is officially wide open after injuries to #1 Jacori Teemer (Iowa) and #2 Meyer Shapiro (Cornell). Teemer is expected to be shelved for a significant amount of time, while Shapiro’s absence is more indefinite. He was not on the initial entry list submitted by Cornell. With the two top wrestlers at this weight questionable, someone else has to step up, right? It could be either of these two wrestlers, Antrell Taylor or Ryder Downey. Though it’s another Nebraska/UNI matchup, these two have yet to meet because Taylor spent the 2023-24 campaign up at 165 lbs. Interestingly enough, neither of these wrestlers got on the CKLV podium last year, but this time they’ll be viewed as favorites. Downey went 2-2 (but did have two good wins: Paddy Gallagher/Trevor Chumbley) as did Taylor. Downey went on to win a title in a star-studded Big 12 weight class. In doing so, he had to outlast Cody Chittum (Iowa State) in an epic overtime contest. NCAA losses to multi-time All-Americans Jared Franek (Iowa) and Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) kept him off the podium. Taylor was fifth in a loaded 165 lb Big Ten weight class which led to him receiving the eighth seed at nationals. He wrestled up to that seed and earned All-American honors as a freshman. 165 - #3 Peyton Hall (West Virginia) vs. #5 Terrell Barraclough (Utah Valley) This could be the first of potentially four meetings between veterans Peyton Hall and Terrell Barraclough. Since both are in the Big 12 conference and WVU is on UVU’s schedule, they could clash both times, plus another at nationals. Terrell Barraclough has been one of the great stories during the first month of the 2024-25 season. After spending five years behind some excellent teammates at Penn State, Barraclough decided to use his final year of eligibility in his home state and wrestle for Utah Valley. He has proven to be a star for first-year head coach Adam Hall - as he attempts to get the program off the ground. Barraclough is already 9-0 on the year with wins over two past All-Americans, could Peyton Hall be number three? Hall was prominently seen at the NWCA All-Star Classic where he pinned Stanford’s Hunter Garvin in one of the more entertaining matches of the evening. Last year, Gavin majored Hall at the NCAA Championships, but not before the Mountaineer wrestler secured his spot on the NCAA podium for a second time. Hall is aiming to become the first WVU wrestler since Greg Jones in 2005 to earn All-American honors three times. We’ll talk more about it later this week, but there are plenty of potential obstacles from this match happening, as the wrestlers ranked #6-#10 nationally, at this weight, are all slated to attend. 174 - #3 Cade DeVos (South Dakota State) vs. #5 Dean Hamiti (Oklahoma State) The Big 12 is loaded at 174 lbs and features three of the top-five wrestlers in the nation - all of whom are past All-Americans. Two are expected to compete in Vegas as Cade DeVos and Dean Hamiti could meet for the first time. Cade DeVos is the defending CKLV champion at this weight, while Dean Hamiti will make his first career appearance at this event. He spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Wisconsin and never participated in the CKLV. While he doesn’t have a CKLV title, Hamiti has won the Midlands once and the Midlands substitute - the MatMen Open. During his time at Wisconsin, Hamiti earned All-American honors twice and appeared in the Big Ten finals twice - winning in 2023. Hamiti’s bid for a third straight All-American award came to an abrupt halt last year in the NCAA bloodround when he fell to Oklahoma State’s Izzak Olejnik, the 2023 CKLV champion at 165 lbs. Now, Hamiti is wearing the orange and black and presumably training in the RTC with Olejnik. DeVos not only won the CKLV Invitational in 2023, but parlayed that success into a Big 12 championship and the second seed at the NCAA Championships. After a quarterfinal loss to Lennox Wolak, DeVos wrestled his way onto the podium and then defeated Wolak for fifth place. DeVos has only seen action in two duals so far this season; however, both resulted in wins over ranked opposition. Hamiti has been utterly dominant in his four matches this season with a major decision mixed with two techs and a fall in four matches. It will be interesting to see if he and Dustin Plott have improved drastically working closely with David Taylor and crew. Oklahoma State and South Dakota State do not dual in 2024-25, so we’d have to wait until the Big 12 Championships to see a rematch. 184 - #2 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs. #3 Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) This is an NCAA finals rematch from last season. Parker Keckeisen posted a 14-5 major decision over Dustin Plott to claim his national title and finish a run of bonus point wins in all five of his NCAA bouts. He also won by an identical 14-5 score in the Big 12 finals, as well. These two did not meet in Vegas last year as Dustin Plott lost a barnburner to Lenny Pinto in the quarterfinals and had to wrestle back for third - which he did and he defeated Pinto in his final match. Like his teammate at 174 lbs, I’m eager to see if the work with David Taylor has helped bridge the gap between Plott and Keckeisen. Obviously, with a pair of major decisions in the postseason, there’s a lot of work to be done. Keckeisen is officially 2-0 on the year with a pair of high-quality wins. In his first bout of the season, he downed returning All-American Bennett Berge (South Dakota State), 8-3. In a much-anticipated dual with Missouri back in his home state of Wisconsin, Keckeisen posted a 17-4 major decision over NCAA Round of 12 finisher Colton Hawks. Keckeisen also competed in the main event at the NWCA All-Star Classic and suffered a close loss to four-time national champion Carter Starocci of Penn State. 197 - #1 AJ Ferrari (CSU Bakersfield) vs. #3 Jacob Cardenas (Michigan) We’re still waiting on official confirmation that AJ Ferrari will be among the entries for CSU Bakersfield at the CKLV. If so, it would represent the deepest field of competition for Ferrari before NCAA’s. Ferrari took the mat for the Roadrunners in week one of the regular season and picked up two quality wins, but has yet to wrestle since. There are some rumblings that he may not be in action. A solid 5-0 win over an opponent like #21 Nick Stemmet (Stanford) has shown that Ferrari is close to being back to the caliber of wrestler that won a 2021 NCAA title as a true freshman. Jacob Cardenas was fourth at the 2023 CKLV and matched that same finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships. It was his second career All-American honor after taking eighth in 2023. Cardenas the undergraduate portion of his career competing for Cornell. He would not have had any Ivy League eligibility remaining for the 2024-25 campaign and was forced to transfer if he wanted to use his additional year. That’s where the University of Michigan comes in. The Wolverines had gone through two consecutive seasons without a national qualifier at 197 lbs, so they had a need for a wrestler of Cardenas’ caliber. The early returns for Cardenas at his new school have been excellent. He has tech’ed his only three dual opponents and outscored them by a combined 51-1 margin. 285 - #3 Wyatt Hendrickson (Oklahoma State) vs. #6 Isaac Trumble (NC State) There are plenty of options available for great heavyweight matchups this week, but we’ll go with a potential battle between two U23 world champions, Wyatt Hendrickson and Isaac Trumble. Since this is the first year that Trumble is competing at heavyweight, the two haven’t met in the college ranks. They likely have some sort of familiarity with each other as both were on the 2023 U23 world team together. Hendrickson has been as good as ever in his new home. In his most recent dual outing, he posted an 11-5 win over All-American Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) in a match that was not as close as the scoreboard might indicate. Schultz could be in the CKLV field, as well. Aside from the Schultz win, Hendrickson has also tallied two techs and a fall this season. Trumble earned the starting slot for the Wolfpack after unseating Owen Trephan, winner of the last two ACC Championships. Despite a loss via fall to Schultz, Trumble already has notched wins over a pair of 2024 All-Americans, Yaraslau Slavikouski (Rutgers) and Taye Ghadiali (Campbell.). Ghadiali was a third-place finisher last year and is expected to be in the field this year, too. A meeting between these two could be a great show for fans as both are offensive-minded big men.

Tell a friend to tell a friend, she’s baaaaack, and so is the MACtion. There has been a lot of wrestling this past month. So, let’s get into it! George Mason remains undefeated, 6-0 George Mason is 6-0 on the season, remaining undefeated. They’re the only undefeated team in the country to have six duals under them this early into the season. This is their second-best start to a season. Yes, they did even better than this back in the 22-23 season when they opened their season going 8-0. George Mason has beaten Bloomsburg (42-0), Millersville (54-0), Williams College (37-6), Edinboro (21-18), Clarion (26-9), and SIUE (32-8). Ohio beats B1G opponent Wisconsin on Nov. 1, 25-14 Both redshirt junior and 2024 All-American, Peyten Kellar and redshirt freshman Kaden Jett won tough overtime matches. At 141 pounds, Jett won 5-2, while Kellar had a close 8-7 victory at 157 pounds. Before redshirt sophomore Austin Starr gave Ohio a decisive 15-1 major decision at 197 pounds, the Bobcats and Badgers were close. The team's win was cemented when redshirt senior Jordan Greer defeated Gannon Rosenfeld of Wisconsin by a major decision of 13-4 at 285 pounds. Lock Haven shuts out Bloomsburg, 48-0 It was Lock Haven's first shutout since the 2018–19 season. All ten matches were won by the Bald Eagles, who also won six of seven with bonus points. Anthony Noto (133), Wyatt Henson (141), and Lucas Kapusta (149) all had consecutive technical falls. Nick Stampoulos (157), Caden Dobbins (165), and James Lledo (197) all prevailed by major decision, while Ethan Miller ended the evening with a decision at 285. Lock Haven also benefited from three forfeits that evening, Sean Logue, (125), Tyler Stoltzfus (174), and Colin Fegley (184). Additionally, it was the tenth consecutive victory over the Huskies. NIU defeats Rider for the first time in program history, 20-19 The last two matches were the deciding factor. The Huskies lost the next five matches to the Broncs after winning the first three, which included two bonus points. The Huskies were within two points at 19-17 after Spencer Mooberry earned a victory by fall, and Jacob Christensen held out for a 3-1 decision to give NIU the W. Rider wins first dual of the season over Wisconsin, 28-12 Steyn De Lange set the tone for the dual at 197 pounds by defeating Niccolo Colucci 4-3 after a fierce battle. McKenzie Bell, at 141 pounds, started things off by defeating Brock Bobzien 10-4. Both Isaac Dean and Sammy Alvarez performed takedown clinics, earning tech falls. At 157 pounds, Colton Washleski earned a pin against Luke Mechler. At 165 pounds, Enrique Munguia maintained the Broncs' momentum by defeating Cale Anderson via major decision, 9-0. After an exciting comeback against Luke Condon, Michael Wilson, weighing 174 pounds, sealed the dual for the Broncs. After falling behind 9-3, Wilson went double under to win 10-9 and formally seal the Rider win. Clarion’s standout, John Worthing John Worthing (174) of Clarion is their standout wrestler. He is their only wrestler in the starting lineup with one loss thus far in the season, currently sitting at 5-1. His lone loss to Michigan’s Joseph Walker. Worthing ended his 23-24 season going 19-10, placing third at the MAC tournament. He was also an NCAA qualifier from the 2023 tournament. Lock Haven Knows Wrestling The Bald Eagles have had winners at every tournament they’ve entered thus far this season. Connor Eck (157) went undefeated at Journeymen and won the Millersville Open. They ended the Princeton Open with one winner, Wyatt Henson (141), and five finalists, Anthony Noto (133), Lucas Kapusta (149), Nick Stampoulos (157), Colin Fegley (184), and Tucker Hogan (197). Lock Haven also won the PRTC team title with 149.5 points. Noto, Bassett (165), Fegley, and Hogan were all champions with 11 other placers. To start December, Lock Haven’s Gable Strickland wrestled unattached and won the Mat-Town Open (hosted by Lock Haven). Rider’s standout, Isaac Dean Isaac Dean (184) of Rider is one of their standouts. The Broncs hosted the West Virginia Mountaineers on Nov. 14 at Rider. Dean beat WVU’s Ian Bush who at the time was ranked #22, 4-2. Dean is now in the Intermat rankings at 31st in the country. Dean went 13-14 on the 23-24 season. He is currently 6-2 on the season. MAC Wrestlers in the rankings 133 #14 Anthony Noto (Lock Haven) 141 #23 Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) 149 #22 Sammy Alvarez (Rider) #26 Ryan Burgos (Edinboro) 157 #5 Peyten Kellar (Ohio) #17 Johnny Lovett (Central Michigan #20 Colton Washleski (Rider) #25 DJ McGee (George Mason) #33 Nick Stampoulos (Lock Haven) 165 #24 Evan Maag (George Mason) #32 Enrique Munguia (Rider) 174 #17 Alex Cramer (Central Michigan) #23 Garett Thompson (Ohio) #32 John Worthing (Clarion) #33 Tyler Stoltzfus (Lock Haven) 184 #24 Malachi DuVall (George Mason) #28 Colin Fegley (Lock Haven) #31 Isaac Dean (Rider) 285 #19 Daniel Bucknavich (Cleveland State) #22 Jordan Greer (Ohio) #24 Bryan Caves (Central Michigan) #31 Jacobi Jackson (Northern Illinois)

Warrior Run

Faith Christian Academy

Faith Christian Academy

Mounds View

Burrell

Vacaville

North Penn-Liberty

West Chester East

Chambersburg

Lowell

Los Gatos

We are officially in CKLV week! That’s the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the toughest regular season tournament in the nation. It’s only a few days away. Last year, the CKLV reasserted itself as the best tournament in the sport. While it held the unofficial title for a few years prior, the 2023 tournament was an embarrassment of riches - so loaded it was almost comical. Not only was it the best regular season tournament of the year, but you’d have to go back over a decade to find a tournament that compares to it. National powers Iowa and Penn State typically eschew competition at the CKLV. Still, they were the only teams that finished in the top ten at the 2024 NCAA Championships that were not in Vegas last December. We’ll have more on that later. This morning, we’re looking at the 2023 CKLV and how it correlated to the 2024 NCAA Championships. With the results from the 2024 national tournament available, we have even more tools to accurately demonstrate just how difficult the 2023 tournament actually was. This is in reference to wrestlers who were in action at the 2023 CKLV: 2024 NCAA Champions (4): Jesse Mendez (Ohio State - 141), Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech - 149), David Carr (Iowa State - 165), Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa - 184) 2024 NCAA Champions who didn’t win 2023 CKLV (2): Caleb Henson, David Carr 2024 NCAA Finalists at 2023 CKLV (8): Mendez, Henson, Carr, Keckeisen, Jacori Teemer (Arizona State - 157), Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State - 184), Trent Hidlay (NC State - 197), Lucas Davison (Michigan - 285) 2024 NCAA All-Americans on the 2023 CKLV Podium (30): Caleb Smith (Nebraska - 125), Jore Volk (Wyoming - 125), Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State - 125), Kai Orine (NC State - 133), Evan Frost (Iowa State - 133), Mendez, Ryan Jack (NC State - 141), Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina - 141), Brock Hardy (Nebraska - 141), Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State - 141), Ridge Lovett (Nebraska - 149), Henson, Kyle Parco (Arizona State - 149), Casey Swiderski (Iowa State - 149), Peyton Robb (Nebraska - 157), Teemer, Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech - 157), Daniel Cardenas (Stanford - 157), Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State - 165), Carr, Hunter Garvin (Stanford - 165), Cade DeVos (South Dakota State - 174), Keckeisen, Plott, Hidlay, Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State - 197), Jacob Cardenas (Cornell - 197), Davison, Taye Ghadiali (Campbell - 285), Nick Feldman (Ohio State - 285) 2024 NCAA All-Americans Who Competed and didn't make the top-eight at 2023 CKLV (7): Quinn Kinner (Rider - 149), Meyer Shapiro (Cornell - 157), Peyten Kellar (Ohio - 157), Antrell Taylor (Nebraska - 165), Shane Griffith (Michigan - 174), Trey Munoz (Oregon State - 184), David Key (Navy - 184) The 157 lb bracket was considered the gold standard for the 2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Here’s the skinny on 157 in Vegas last year. Total All-Americans in the 157 lb bracket (returning and eventual) (8)- Robb, Teemer, Andonian, Cardenas, Shapiro, Kellar, Ed Scott (NC State), Will Lewan (Michigan) Other notables that have yet to earn All-American status: Cody Chittum (Iowa State), Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State), Joey Blaze (Purdue), Cael Swensen (South Dakota State), Tommy Askey (Appalachian State), Ryder Downey (Northern Iowa). Looking at NCAA seeding at 157 lbs - the #1 was Levi Haines of Penn State. Seeds #2-#9 were all entered in the monster bracket in Vegas. #2 Teemer, #3 Shapiro, #4 Scott, #5 Downey, #6 Cardenas, #7 Kellar, #8 Robb, and #9 Lewan. Oftentimes, we can look at a match or tournament and say it’s a potential preview of an NCAA final or semifinal. The 2023 CKLV actually had a preview of a pair of 2024 Semifinals. NCAA Semifinals previews (2): 149 lbs - Lovett over Henson in the CKLV finals. Henson reversed the result 1-0 in the NCAA semifinals. 157 lbs - Teemer over Cardenas in the CKLV semis (14-6). Teemer also won the NCAA semis (12-2) Of the 80 placewinners from the 2023 CKLV Invitational, only nine failed to qualify for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Looking deeper into those numbers, there were three true freshmen who placed but were kept in redshirt. (Tyler Knox/Lorenzo Norman/Sonny Sasso). Paddy Gallagher, Matthew Olguin, and Travis Wittlake were well on their way before suffering season-ending injuries. As hard as it is to believe, the 2023 CKLV could have been even more loaded than it actually was. There were a handful of top wrestlers whose teams participated in Vegas, but they didn’t wrestle. They include 2 NCAA Champions (Richie Figueroa, Vito Arujau), 5 Finalists (Figueroa, Arujau, Daton Fix, Austin Gomez, and Rocco Welsh), and 12 AA’s (the finalists plus - Dylan Ragusin - Michigan, Mekhi Lewis - Virginia Tech, Lennox Wolak - Columbia, Bennett Berge - South Dakota State, TJ Stewart - Virginia Tech, Wyatt Hendrickson - Air Force, Cohlton Schultz - Arizona State). NCAA Team finishes by CKLV Teams 2) Cornell, 3) Michigan, 4) Iowa State, 6) Arizona State, 7) Virginia Tech, 8. Ohio State, 9) Nebraska, 10) Oklahoma State, 11-tie) NC State, 13) South Dakota State, 14) Northern Iowa, 16) Stanford 2023 CKLV Team Finishes 1) Iowa State - 130.5, 2) Nebraska - 125.5, 3) Ohio State - 123.5, 4) NC State - 115, 5) Oregon State - 98.5, 6) Cornell - 93.5, 7) Stanford - 85.5, 8. Michigan - 81.5, 9) Oklahoma State - 78.5, 10) South Dakota State - 74

Buchanan

West Scranton

We’re less than 24 hours from the calendar turning over to December! A month of the college wrestling season is in the books. Instead of looking back at November, we’re looking forward to December and the top duals that await. We know that December will be a good month for duals as the Journeymen Collegiate Duals have become a staple of the college wrestling world in late-December; however, there is more than just the Collegiate Duals looming. Speaking of December, tomorrow is the first, and one of our “duals to watch” takes place then. Don’t let the Thanksgiving hangover let you forget about the top-20 clash between Minnesota and South Dakota State. December 1st - #7 Minnesota at #17 South Dakota State Match(es) to watch: 184/197 lbs This is a dual that fans of both teams will enjoy as South Dakota State has recruited well in Minnesota and has many Minnesota natives on their roster. Minnesota has won the last 12 duals in this series and the last time South Dakota State defeated head coach Damion Hahn’s alma mater (1974-75), Hahn had not been born. Minnesota freshman Max McEnelly has flown under the radar but has been one of the most impressive redshirt freshmen this season. He has earned a tech fall in all six of his appearances this year and now has risen to #9 in the nation. Opposing him will be returning All-American #4 Bennett Berge. At 197 lbs, you have a pair of returning Big Ten finalists with Zach Glazier and Isaiah Salazar. Salazar won a B1G crown at 184 lbs last season, but has moved up in weight and has been just as good. Glazier came over from Iowa and posted a solid win over #16 Wyatt Voelker (Northern Iowa). December 6th - #2 Iowa vs. #25 Army West Point @ Kansas City, Missouri Match to watch: 285 lbs Army West Point has shown a willingness to wrestle anywhere at any time. Hence they picked up a dual against Iowa a few years ago, while en route to wrestle Iowa State. This time the schools will meet in a neutral-site dual in Missouri. So far, we’ve seen two-time U20 world medalist Ben Kueter against a title contender (Yonger Bastida) and a couple of heavyweights still trying to find their footing. How about a ranked, returning NCAA qualifier in Lucas Stoddard? Stoddard was stunned at the Black Knight Invitational by Michigan State’s Max Vanadia but rebounded well and will be a good barometer for Kueter. December 6th - #11 Illinois at #28 Indiana Match to watch: 133 lbs Normally, the Big Ten dual season gets underway in January, but here’s the first conference dual of the season and it contains a handful of intriguing matchups. Seven of the ten weights could feature ranked-versus-ranked bouts. The one we’ve decided to highlight features a pair of wrestlers #2 Lucas Byrd and #24 Angelo Rini, who have a rivalry that goes way back! The two met in the quarterfinals of the Ohio DI State tournament in 2017 (while both were freshmen) in a bout won by Byrd 11-6. He would go on to take third and Rini was fifth. I’m sure these two probably battled many times before this, as well. Let’s have another chapter in 2024. December 8th - #1 Penn State vs. #23 Lehigh @ Allentown, PA Match to watch: 133 lbs Earlier this week, Lehigh announced that this match had already sold out Allentown’s PPL Center. The last time these two teams met at the PPL Center it drew just under 9900 fans. There are a handful of quality matches slated for this dual; however, we’ve singled out 133 lbs because it features two top contenders, #1 Ryan Crookham and #10 Braeden Davis, and neither has seen much action yet this season. As freshmen, Crookham finished third in the nation at 133 lbs and Davis was the Big Ten champion at 125 lbs. December 8th - #18 Rutgers vs. Princeton Match to watch: 197 lbs New Jersey bragging rights will be on the line as Rutgers and Princeton clash in what has turned out to be a fun rivalry. Now you have the greatest wrestler to come from the Rutgers program, Anthony Ashnault, on the Princeton coaching bench. For on-mat storylines, turn to the big guys at 197 lbs with Luke Stout and John Poznanski clashing in a meeting of top-15 ranked wrestlers. The two met in the 2023 dual meet and Ponznanski came away with an 8-4 decision win. December 13th - #4 Oklahoma State at #19 Oklahoma Match to watch: 141 lbs Bedlam will only occur once this season - rather than the customary home-and-home series that these two teams have enjoyed in the past. We’ll see if that becomes a trend. 141 lbs is the weight we’ll target here as the top seven at the weight seem pretty well entrenched; however, after those seven is a bit of a revolving door. Someone needs to step up. Both of the wrestlers in this dual are capable of ending up on the podium. Tagen Jamison showed it at the CKLV last season and in spurts along the way. Mosha Schwartz has had some really solid wins over the course of his career, but he’s just had to stay healthy. December 13th - #6 Ohio State at #29 Pittsburgh Match to watch: 285lbs Ohio State generally looks like a pretty bad matchup, on paper, against Pittsburgh. Anywhere where the Panthers are strong, Ohio State appears to be as strong or better. One of the fun matchups in this dual is at heavyweight with returning All-American Nick Feldman and Pittsburgh’s Dayton Pitzer. Pitzer looked like he might be able to challenge for a spot on the podium in 2023-24; however, he was slowed down by an injury. Pitzer famously burst on the season at the 2022 Midlands with wins over All-American’s Cohlton Schultz and Trent Hillger. December 15th - #26 Wyoming at #1 Penn State Match to Watch: 125 lbs This will be the first significant test for Penn State super-freshman Luke Lilledahl. He’ll square off with 2024 NCAA seventh-place finisher Jore Volk. These two are not strangers, as Lilledahl defeated Volk in the 2023 U20 World Team Trials best-of-three finals. Lilledahl won that meeting and went on to defeat the reigning U20 world champion Volk, before making the U20 world finals himself. Volk is looking to get back on track after an 0-2 road trip to Oklahoma last weekend. December 19th - #5 Virginia Tech at #4 Oklahoma State Match to Watch: 174 lbs The Virginia Tech Hokies could be the team responsible for handing David Taylor his first loss as Oklahoma State’s head coach. One of the bouts that could swing the dual in either direction is the 174 lb contest - one that pits a pair of All-Americans against each other. Dean Hamiti and Lennox Wolak have yet to meet in college, because Hamiti spent his first three years competing at 165 lbs. Since both of these teams have committed to the CKLV Invitational, there’s a chance that they clash in Vegas less than two weeks before his dual. The match after 174 lbs, also features a pair of returning AA’s with TJ Stewart and Dustin Plott. December 20th - #17 South Dakota State vs. #29 Pittsburgh @ Lawrenceville, New Jersey Match to Watch: 174 lbs South Dakota State boasts the highest returning wrestler at 174 lbs from the 2024 NCAA Tournament - Cade DeVos. DeVos will get tested by Luca Augustine, a two-time national qualifier who appears as if he may be taking the “next step” to solidify himself as a podium contender. Pittsburgh already has an upset victory after knocking off Lehigh, could the Jackrabbits be next? Going match-by-match through this dual, it should be very close and has a few toss-up matches. December 20th - #17 South Dakota State vs. #24 Maryland @ Lawrenceville, New Jersey Match to Watch: 184 lbs South Dakota State isn’t out of the woods just yet. They’ll have to contend with a ranked Maryland team at this Rider quad, as well. Despite the rankings advantage on the Jackrabbits side, Maryland appears to be a rough matchup for SDSU, provided all of their usual starters are available. One match to focus on is the 184 lb bout between All-American Bennett Berge and Jaxon Smith. Smith was a match shy of All-American honors in 2023 at 197 lbs, but is in his first year at the lower weight. Early returns have Smith with bonus points in all four of his matches this season. December 20th - #24 Maryland at #29 Pittsburgh @ Lawrenceville, New Jersey Match to Watch: 141 lbs Finally, we wrap up the Rider quad with a meeting between these squads who were briefly ACC rivals in 2013-14. In each of the last two seasons, these two squads have traded wins with one another. Maryland shocked Pitt early in the 2022-23 season, and the Panthers returned the favor last season. This is another one I could see coming down to the final bout. Instead of focusing on some wrestlers we’ve already mentioned, I’ll look at the 141 lb match-up. This pits a pair of redshirt freshmen against each other - Anthony Santaniello for Pitt and Dario Lemus of Maryland. Santaniello hopped into the rankings after his win over Lehigh veteran Malyke Hines. Lemus has been impressive in his own right, but is still looking for a signature victory. Also expect good matches at 133, 157, 184, and 285 lbs. December 21st - #6 Ohio State vs. #12 Iowa State @ Nashville, Tennessee Match to Watch: 133 lbs Iowa State is still trying to find themselves and get all of their best wrestlers in the lineup at once, so hopefully they’ll be on their way at the time of the Collegiate Duals. With that in mind, we’ll focus on the 133 lb bout between All-American Evan Frost and Nic Bouzakis. These two did not meet last season, but Frost made the finals of the CKLV Invitational and Bouzakis was third. The Buckeye was upset in the first round and battled back through the consi’s. This could be a match that happens this year in Vegas, as well. Ohio State hasn't gotten their ideal lineup on that match, as well. They could have All-American Carson Kharchla back at 174 lbs for this event. December 21st - #6 Ohio State vs. #22 North Carolina @ Nashville, Tennessee Match to Watch: 149 lbs We’re sure that two-time All-American Lachlan McNeil will be for the Tar Heels. McNeil has already taken a pair of losses with a rough early-season schedule. In his last dual, McNeil outlasted Illinois super-freshman, Kannon Webster. Common sense would think McNeil versus All-American Anthony Echemendia for this dual (which would be great). There are some rumors in Cyclone Land that there may be some weight movement in the works for ISU. Should those rumors come to fruition, maybe we see McNeil against Paniro Johnson? I’m good with either! December 22nd - #16 Little Rock vs. #13 Missouri @ Nashville, Tennessee Match to Watch: 197 lbs Missouri has taken their lumps in the early portion of the season and has yet to unveil their ideal lineup. One of those missing pieces has been four-time All-American Rocky Elam. If healthy, Elam is a legitimate national title threat. Last year, Elam only had 11 matches prior to the postseason. It appears he may have a similar number in his final year of eligibility. Little Rock can counter with an All-American of their own in Stephen Little. Despite both making the podium last year, they did not meet at all. Should Elam not be available, this close dual could win Little Rock’s way. December 22nd - #1 Penn State vs. #13 Missouri @ Nashville, Tennessee Match to Watch: 174 lbs Once we were sure that national champions Levi Haines and Keegan O’Toole were moving up to 174 lbs, this match instantly became one of the “must-watch” potential matches of the year. With a win over UNI on Tuesday, O’Toole ran his 2024-25 record to 8-0 with bonus points in all eight contests. Haines hasn’t been as active but just as dominant with a 4-0 mark and a win over returning Big 12 champion and All-American Cade DeVos in the NWCA All-Star Classic. This dual could also have strong matches at 125, 141, 165, 184, and 197. December 22nd - #1 Penn State vs. #16 Little Rock @ Nashville, Tennessee Match to Watch: 133 lbs Two of the best true freshmen in the nation last year were Little Rock’s Nasir Bailey and Penn State’s Braeden Davis. Bailey compiled a 29-4 record and won a Pac-12 title before finishing fourth in the country. Davis won his first 14 matches in a Penn State singlet and a Big Ten championship; however, he came up a match shy of placing in Kansas City. We haven’t seen Davis much yet at 133 lbs, so we’ll still be learning about him at a higher weight as this match takes place. By this time Penn State freshman Josh Barr could have established himself more and could make for a great match against Stephen Little at 197 lbs. December 21st - Campbell vs. #20 West Virginia @ Florida Match to Watch: 133 lbs West Virginia looks like a solid favorite against Campbell, but one of the matches that could favor the Camels is the 133 lb contest between #21 Dom Zaccone and #26 Jett Strickenberger. Zaccone has been a consistent force for Campbell for the last few years. He could be an outside podium threat in a very deep 133 lb weight class. Strickenberger started the year at 125 lbs, but has since moved up to 133. At 125 lbs, Strickenberger finished third in the Big 12 and was a top-20 seed at nationals. This is another bout that could take place at the CKLV. December 22nd - #8 NC State at #10 Cornell Match to Watch: 125 lbs This is perfect timing for this dual between top-ten opponents. Cornell is without two of their veterans Julian Ramirez (165) and Chris Foca (184) for the first semester due to Ivy League eligibility rules. They will reportedly be able to wrestle in this dual. Additionally, Cornell has been nursing some injuries to key components in their lineup. The NC State dual might be a spot where we see the closest thing to a postseason lineup for the Big Red, thus far. Had we written this article before the season, I don’t think 125 lbs would have been a weight we would have circled as “must-watch” but here we are! Vincent Robinson has been one of the pleasant surprises for NC State and nationwide. Robinson is currently 11-0 with five wins over wrestlers currently in the national rankings. Greg Diakomihalis has been excellent himself. Finally free to compete at his ideal weight, Diakomihalis is unbeaten in nine matches. Of course, both teams are slated to attend the CKLV so this could be a match we’ve already seen by the time late-December rolls around.

Prospect

Galt

Sierra Vista

Prattville

Rancho Bernardo

Olathe North

Millard South