The 草莓网站在线看 Division I wrestling championship goes from March 21-23 at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Here are 10 things to know before the action gets started.
1. How do you spell H-O-D-G-E?
For Penn State's Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal, this season has been a case of 'what you can do, I can do better.' The Penn State seniors have combined to win four 草莓网站在线看 titles and compiled an incredible 217-6 collegiate record, including a 51-0 mark as seniors.
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS: Brackets, schedule, qualifiers and latest news for DI championships
Nolf, from Yatesboro, Pennsylvania, is PSU鈥檚 all-time pins leader with 59 and is 112-3 for his career, including a 26-0 mark in 2018-19. Nickal (25-0), from Allen, Texas, is 105-3 for his career with 56 pins. Nolf lost in the 草莓网站在线看 finals in 2016 to Illinois鈥 Isaiah Martinez, but has routed the 157-pound field the last two 草莓网站在线看 meets. Nickal lost in the 2016 174-pound 草莓网站在线看 final to Ohio State鈥檚 Myles Martin, but returned the favor in dramatic fashion last March to win his second title.
Both Nolf and Nickal are seeded No. 1 this week and are each favored to win a third 草莓网站在线看 championship. Most would agree, the Hodge Trophy, collegiate wrestling鈥檚 version of the Heisman Trophy, is a battle between these two 鈥渢ake-no-prisoner鈥 seniors.
One more to round out the evening -- who else but Bo and his latest title!
鈥 Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST)
Others, on the outside looking in, include Iowa鈥檚 Alex Marinelli, Cornell鈥檚 Yianni Diakomihalis, PSU鈥檚 Mark Hall, and Ohio State鈥檚 Myles Martin.
2. Battle of attrition
Talk of the 133-pound division has included 鈥渂est ever,鈥 the 鈥渢oughest weight class in the history of the world,鈥 and 鈥渢he deepest weight in recent history.鈥 However you describe it, at the end of the day 鈥 or three days for that 鈥 whoever wins this bracket in Pittsburgh will have earned it. From the opening whistle Thursday there are going to be nothing but big-time matches. The bottom half of the bracket reads like some sort of All-Star meet with national finalists, All-Americans, and, basically, a bunch of really good wrestlers.
SELECTION SHOW: See all the qualifiers announced
Oklahoma State freshman Daton Fix (30-1) is the top seed; he won a Junior World Championship in freestyle before college. Michigan鈥檚 Stevan Micic is unbeaten and a finalist in 2018. Third-seeded Nick Suriano of Rutgers was an 草莓网站在线看 finalist at 125 last March.
Pittsburgh rookie Micky Phillippi is the only man to beat Fix this season. Ohio State鈥檚 Luke Pletcher was an All-American in 2018. Minnesota鈥檚 Ethan Lizak is a two-time All-American and an 草莓网站在线看 finalist in 2017. How stacked is this weight? Wyoming sophomore Montorie Bridges, the Big 12 runner-up, was an All-American last March. He鈥檚 seeded 12th this week. And what鈥檚 even better? Only two of the top eight seeds are seniors 鈥 Lizak, at No. 6, and Missouri John Erneste, at No. 8.
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鈥 草莓网站在线看 Wrestling (@ncaawrestling)
2019 草莓网站在线看 DI No. 1 SEED
Daton Fix -
That is the short list. Do not be surprised when there are matches going longer than seven minutes, and video-reviews galore. If participants do not bring their 鈥淎鈥 game to Pittsburgh they will be watching from the stands on Saturday.
3. Roar of the Nittany Lions
Penn State has a stranglehold on the Division I field. Head coach Cael Sanderson has a group with sights set on the 草莓网站在线看 record 170 points Dan Gable鈥檚 final Iowa squad scored in 1997. Those Hawkeyes had five individual champions. PSU heads to Pittsburgh with Nolf (26-0), Vincenzo Joseph (23-1 at 165), Mark Hall (26-0 at 174), Shakur Rasheed (19-0 at 184), Nickal (25-0), and Anthony Cassar (25-1 at 285) all seeded either 1 or 2 in their respective brackets. Sophomore Nick Lee (27-2) is the third seed at 141 pounds, while rookie Roman Bravo-Young (21-4 at 133) and Brady Berge (18-3 at 149) are each seeded inside the top 12. Six in the finals and two other All-Americans means Sanderson鈥檚 bunch will challenge Gable鈥檚 1997 group.
Fans can watch our Pre-草莓网站在线看 tourney media day live online for free yes wooo!
鈥 Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST)
1:45 to 2:15 pm 鈥 Head coach Cael Sanderson press availability
Watch live!:
2:20 to 3 pm -- Nittany Lion 草莓网站在线看 qualifier availability
Watch live!:
A year ago, PSU totaled 141 陆 in winning the 2018 草莓网站在线看 team title. The 2017 group finished with 146 陆 points, the Nittany Lions鈥 highest total during their run of seven championships in the last eight years. The program鈥檚 first 草莓网站在线看 title, in 1953, saw Charles Speidel鈥檚 team score 21 points and edge Oklahoma by six points.
4. The challengers
The two OSUs, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, Cornell, North Carolina State, Minnesota? Can any of these teams challenge the reigning champs?
Oklahoma State finished the dual season unbeaten and with a seventh consecutive Big 12 Conference crown. The Cowboys, winners of 34 草莓网站在线看 team titles but none since 2006, bring nine wrestlers to Pittsburgh led by top seeds Fix and heavyweight Derek White (28-1). OSU also has unbeaten Nick Piccininni (30-0 at 125) and Preston Weigel (11-0 at 197) seeded inside the top three. Finalists and All-Americans are required and John Smith鈥檚 group has the potential to out all nine of its entries on the podium. Two-time All-American Joe Smith received no favors at 165 pounds; the junior might square off with top-seeded Alex Marinelli of Iowa in the first round.
Ohio State traded haymakers with PSU for three days in 2018 and came up just short, totaling 133 陆 in Cleveland. Minus Nathan Tomasello and Kyle Snyder, Tom Ryan鈥檚 squad is not as solid but still a formidable tournament group. Four Buckeyes 鈥 Joey McKenna (20-2 at 141), Micah Jordan (25-2 at 149), Martin (20-0 at 184), and Kollin Moore (19-2) 鈥 are seeded No. 1 or 2 with Martin the top man in his bracket. Pletcher (23-5 at 133) is also a veteran of 草莓网站在线看 wars.
WRESTLING AWARDS: Penn State has 3 in Division I top 5
Iowa will depend on the unbeaten Marinelli (23-0 at 165) and 2018 草莓网站在线看 champion Spencer Lee (18-3 at 125). Rookie 197-pounder Jacob Warner (17-4) and sophomores Austin DeSanto (18-4 at 133) and Kaleb Moore (20-5 at 157) will have to make some noise. Heavyweight Sam Stoll (9-5) will have to find some health to advance deep in his bracket.
Michigan has plenty of firepower with Micic (16-0 at 133), Alec Pantaleo (18-7 at 157), Logan Massa (20-5 at 165), and Myles Amine (17-3 at 174). Rookie heavyweight Mason Parris has won 29 matches.
Missouri鈥檚 hopes rest on Jaydin Eierman (23-3 at 141) and three-time All-American Daniel Lewis (24-1 at 174) leading a group that will have to wrestle well above their seeds.
Rob Koll brings another quality Cornell group to an 草莓网站在线看 meet. 2018 草莓网站在线看 champ Yianni Diakomihalis (24-0) and rookie Vito Arujau (26-2 at 125), plus Max Dean (21-5 at 184) and Ben Honis (19-4 at 197) give the Big Red another probable top 10 showing.
5. Fantastic freshmen
Check out returning 141lb champion spotlight video! 馃惢馃敶鈿笍
鈥 Cornell Wrestling (@BigRedWrestling)
This year鈥檚 group of freshmen is stellar. The best of the class may be Junior World champion Gable Steveson, who entered the Big Ten finals at 30-0 before falling to PSU鈥檚 Cassar. Steveson, who suits up for Minnesota, is seeded third behind OSU鈥檚 White and Cassar in the 285-pound bracket. Wisconsin鈥檚 Trent Hillger (22-6) and Michigan鈥檚 Parris are also two first-timers worthy of attention.
The massive 133-pound field includes Fix, Phillippi, Bravo-Young, and Iowa State鈥檚 Austin Gomez, who is 21-5 and a dangerous No. 13 seed. Two at 125 pounds, Arujau and Princeton鈥檚 Patrick Glory (26-4), are seeded inside the top eight, while Oklahoma鈥檚 Dom Demas (29-7) won the Big 12 title at 141 pounds.
The 149-pound bracket includes five rookies worthy of note, including North Carolina鈥檚 Austin O鈥機onnor (29-5), PSU鈥檚 Berge, Oklahoma State鈥檚 Kaden Gfeller (28-4), Penn鈥檚 Anthony Artalona (26-5), and Missouri鈥檚 Brock Mauller (29-2).
NEED HELP WITH YOUR BRACKETS?: Preview, predictions for each weight class at championships
Virginia Tech鈥檚 Mekhi Lewis (23-2 at 165) is another freestyle star, while Nebraska鈥檚 Mikey Labriola (26-6 at 174) and Warner are potential podium finishers.
Iowa鈥檚 Lee and Cornell鈥檚 Diakomihalis grabbed 草莓网站在线看 gold in their first appearance.
6. Back for more
Returning 草莓网站在线看 champions include: Spencer Lee (125), Yianni Diakomihalis (141), Jason Nolf (157), Vincenzo Joseph (165), Zahid Valencia (174), Bo Nickal (184), Mark Hall (174 in 2017), Myles Martin (174 in 2016). Five of those are seeded No. 1 and of that group there are just six losses, three by Iowa鈥檚 Lee, two by Arizona State鈥檚 Valencia, and one by PSU鈥檚 Joseph. Lee and Valencia are each seeded third with Joseph, a two-time 草莓网站在线看 champ, No. 2.
The defending champ enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed.
鈥 Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)
Pat Smith (Oklahoma State), Cael Sanderson (Iowa State), Kyle Dake (Cornell), and Logan Stieber (Ohio State) are the only wrestlers to win four 草莓网站在线看 titles. Lee, Diakomihalis, and Joseph are still on track to join that group.
7. Scarlet Knight No. 1?
The wrestling program at Rutgers has never had a Division I 草莓网站在线看 champion and just 16 All-Americans. Four of those top eight finishes belong to Suriano and Anthony Ashnault.
Suriano, after transferring to Rutgers from Penn State, advanced to the 125-pound 草莓网站在线看 final in 2018 where he fell to Iowa鈥檚 Lee. Now a junior, Suriano, from Paramus, New Jersey, is 24-3 and seed third at 133 pounds after winning a Big Ten title two weekends ago. He lost a marathon, video-review-filled match with Fix during the regular season and also fell to Micic in a dual meet. Ashnault, a fifth-year senior, has advanced to the 草莓网站在线看 semifinals twice and earned All-America status three times. The South Plainfield product is 27-0 and the top seed at 149 pounds.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: See every winner
8. Hands to the face
Officials have made an effort to cut down an aggressive hands-to-the-face calls in 2018-19. Rule 5, Section 3 in the 草莓网站在线看 Wrestling Rules and Interpretations states:
The Brackets!
鈥 草莓网站在线看 Wrestling (@ncaawrestling)
馃ぜ鈥嶁檪锔 鉃★笍
Unnecessary roughness involves physical acts that occur during a match. It includes any act that exceeds normal aggressiveness. It would include, but is not limited to, a forceful slap to the head or face, gouging or poking the eyes, a forceful application of a cross-face, a forceful trip, or a forearm or elbow used in a punishing way, such as on the spine or the back of the head or neck.
Unnecessary roughness penalties are assessed in conjunction with other technical violations as outlined in the Penalty Table. Points for unnecessary roughness shall be awarded in addition to points earned.
Debate, all week, will include coaches, officials, wrestlers, fans, and media. Here鈥檚 hoping no matches are determined by phantom 鈥渉ands-to-the-face鈥 calls.
9. 草莓网站在线看s in the Keystone State
Thirteen times the 草莓网站在线看 Wrestling Championships have been held in the state of Pennsylvania, the last in 2011 at Philadelphia. Penn State hosted in 1999, 1968, 1953, 1938, and 1930; Lehigh hosted in 1951, 1948, 1941, 1935 and 1933; Franklin & Marshall served as host in 1939. The 草莓网站在线看 meet has not been in Pittsburgh since 1957 when Port Robertson鈥檚 Oklahoma Sooners edged host Pittsburgh for the team title.
10. The Steel City
Pittsburgh is known as the Steel City for a reason. The U.S. steel industry鈥檚 golden age was from the late 1800s to the early 1900s and Pittsburgh was its hub. By 1911, the city produced half of the nation鈥檚 steel, including materials for New York鈥檚 Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge. During World War II, Pittsburgh provided 95 million tons of steel to the war effort. The Pittsburgh Steelers鈥 logo is adopted from the American Steel and Iron Institute in 1962. And, although it is called a Philly Cheesesteak, Primanti Brothers in downtown Pittsburgh also makes a fine sandwich.
Welcome to the City Of Champions!
鈥 City of Pittsburgh (@CityPGH)
