Konquest

JW got arrested multiple times for alcohol related incidents, something Williams takes personal responsibility for and doesn't dispute. At a certain point, a coaches' hands are tied when it comes to dismissing a student-athlete. Much better wrestlers, including national finalists/champions, have been kicked off their teams.

"Steveson" There is only one "n" "McEnelly" NOT "McNelly" "Keckeisen" there is no "h" even though it sounds that way.

Oakley from UNC has had some pretty nice wins in the last several weeks. Minto from Nebraska came out of nowhere as well.

Stephen Little would like a word

All time is Zain Retherford, Mike Sheets, Ethan Lizak, AJ Schopp. Currently Ridge Lovett (his teammate Brock Hardy ain't too shabby either).

184

How impressive was it that Cael Sanderson called out people who beat Sasso this year flexing like they beat the previous version of him. He's not the same and it is what it is, D1 sports is a big business, no room for sentimentality. Wrestling is tough as hell for someone in perfect health, and the fact that he came back to wrestle division one after a close range gunshot wound to the abdomen is absolutely insane. The closest thing I can think of is when Doyle Trout lost his leg in a car crash and wrestled a dual for Wyoming a few years later. The little social media thing where the buckeyes said who on the team would make the best coach, and damn near EVERYONE on the team said "Sasso" was telling of how highly his teammates and coaches think of him.

I think an interesting question is this: If Parker Keckeisen loses a close NCAA final to Carter Starocci, where does he rank all-time among 1x NCAA champs? I'd certainly put him up there with Alan Fried, Andrew Howe, etc. as one of the best ever 1x champs. Also, if PK were to beat Starocci and stop him from becoming 5x champ, is he in Hodge contention with guys like Gable, Mesenbrink who have no legit challengers? Or does the winner of this match get MOW at the tournament and Gable gets the Hodge?

No. Most were AWA attendees well before high school. Also, right now I'd give the edge to Max (Mequon/North Shore location) as far as D1 wrestlers. But all these kids have been training with each other for a long time. It's not surprising that Mesenbrink's closest match recently was with Scoles. Agreed on the "late bloomer" stuff, too, with some of these guys. Scoles would've whipped Mesenbrink in high school. Aeoden Sinclair or Connor Mirasola would've whooped Keckeisen in high school.

You say this sarcastically but it literally happened to Peyton Robb a few years ago...

NCAA finals? Psssh. Tech-heisen would feast on Arnold's legs.

There hasn't been a weight with as much separation between the top 2 and the rest of the field since the year that Dake and Taylor were both at 165. The wildcard though is McEnelly as he has smashed everyone, too, and they don't hit Penn State or UNI (or Oklahoma State) to see how he stacks up. I am a Husker fan/Allred fan and I have no problem admitting that he got smashed by McEnelly and Starocci and made into a meme by Keckeisen. I could see an Allred/Arnold rematch for 5th or 7th at NCAAs. It would take some crazy events for anything other than Starocci and Keckeisen in the finals, with McEnelly and Plott for 3rd.

Lincoln McIllravy sat for a good portion of his final championship season with concussions.

Barraclough?

He's a true tweener. I feel bad for these guys who walk around at 220-230 and can't be themselves at either weight.

If I were choosing a wrestler for young wrestlers to emulate it would be Parker Keckeisen. Every match of his has multiple things you can point to in terms of hustle, toughness, AND mat IQ. I always loved the guys who were one trick ponies...dudes who do one thing, be it a move or a position, so well that you know exactly what they're going to do and they just dare you to stop it. Jake Patacsil, James Flemming "The Snapper", AJ Schopp, Hell, Dylan Ness had a ton of success and he didn't know how to sprawl!

The Nolf-IMAR NCAA final was amazing. When I was a teenager the Joe Wiliams/Ernest Benion NCAA final was a pretty awesome one. Also loved the NCAA final when Steve Marianettii upset MacIllravy at CHA.

The Panther train literally built their own practice facility at an off-campus warehouse last season. Yesterday they whooped #4 Nebraska. Case closed.

When David Taylor and J'Den Cox were opponents at 86kg, Taylor started HS at about 90 lbs, and Cox started HS wrestling at 215. Interesting Trivia.

If you look at the Instagram accounts of college wrestlers, there are plenty of pictures of them at parties and bars, but rarely holding drinks. It's possible to go out and socialize without partaking, you know. Do the "dry" team rules mean that athletes can't go out? I heard a Bo Nickal interview where he said that he went to the bar a lot because his GF (now wife) worked there but he never actually drank in college.

Where will Sinclair land in rankings? Wins over Salazar and Braunagel point to a top 15 ranking IMHO... Or does Mizzou keep Sinclair in RS and put someone else in? Do they have depth at 197 behind Elam and Sinclair? They are not going to challenge for a trophy so does it make a difference?

Parker was the #1 guy in his weight on the USA dream team poster and had a win over Starocci (among others) in high school. He was a huge, huge recruit for UNI, far from "unheralded". I think this perception is because UNI doesn't have the legacy and media share like the other two big programs in Iowa, and because he's an "eat/sleep/wrestle" kind of guy who never pops off on social media about anything other than food and Bible verses.

Paddy Gallagher

FWIW Wolbert's brother Quinton is a sophomore 125 lber at UW La Crosse, and they are both pretty short dudes. I don't think he's going to hit some major growth spurt and be a 157 or something like that. I'd guess 141. If John Smith were still the coach, I'd say he'd be 125/133 LOL.

Anything from Askren Wrestling Academy in terms of summer camps is going to be less than 2 hours from Chicago area.