Contenders named for 50th Ken Kraft Midlands; Share your favorite memory & vote on the Greatest Midlands Wrestler

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Midlands Tournament Committee has announced the top contenders for the 50th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships. The contenders list does not represent the final seeds and are subject to change.

Final brackets for the event will be released the morning of Saturday, Dec. 29.

"We've had an overwhelming response regarding team and individual entries for the 50th Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships" Northwestern head coach Drew Pariano said. "The field is deep and in several weight classes, you will see between 12 and 15 nationally-ranked wrestlers compete for a coveted Midlands title. We are looking forward to hosting this historic event."

Make your plans now to attend the historic 50th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships at Welsh-Ryan Arena! Tickets for the Dec. 29-30 event are available by calling 888-GO-PURPLE.

A complete list of tournament contenders is as follows:

125:
1 Cory Clark, Iowa, Unattached
2. Jesse Delgado, Illinois
3. Jarrod Patterson, Oklahoma, Unattached
4. Trent Sprenkle, North Dakota State
5. Jarrod Garnett, Virginia Tech
6. Anthony Zanetta, Pittsburgh, Unattached
7. Nathan Kraisser, North Carolina
8. Christian Cullinan, Central Michigan
9. Shane Gentry, Maryland
10. Dominick Malone, Northwestern
11. Mark Rappo, Penn
12. Steve Bonnano, Hofstra

Other Contenders:
Sean Boyle, Michigan
Jared Germaine, Eastern Michigan Joe Roth, Central Michigan
Thomas Gilman, Iowa , Unattached
Joey Palmer, Oregon State
Patrick Rollins, Oregon State
Dylan Peters, Northern Iowa
Tyler Iwamura, Cal St. Bakersfield
Evan Silver, Stanford

133:
1. Scott Sentes, Central Michigan
2. Dan Dennis, Hawkeye WC
3. AJ Schopp, Edinboro
4. Ryan Mango, Stanford, Unattached 5. Mason Beckman, Lehigh, Unattached
6. Cody Brewer, Oklahoma
7. Levi Wolfensperger, Northern Iowa
8. Shelton Mack, Pittsburgh
9. Levi Mele, Northwestern
10. Daryl Thomas, Illinois
11. Geoffrey Alexander, Maryland
12. Cashe' Quiroga, Purdue

Other Contenders:
Tom Kelliher, Wisconsin Val Rauser, Utah Valley John Meeks, Iowa State Joey Ward, North Carolina

141:
1. Kendric Maple, Oklahoma
2. BJ Futrell, Illinois
3. Devin Carter, Virginia Tech, Unattached
4. Michael Mangrum, Oregon State
5. Mitchell Port, Edinboro
6. Zach Neibert, Virginia Tech
7. Tyler Graff, Wisconsin
8. Evan Henderson, North Carolina
9. Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern, Unattached
10. CJ Cobb, Penn
11. Camryn Jackson, Michigan
12. Luke Goettl, Iowa State

Other Contenders:
Tyler Small, Kent State, Unattached
Luke Vaith, Hofstra

149:
1. Montell Marion, Unattached
2. Donnie Vinson, Binghamton
3. Scott Sakaguchi, Oregon State
4. Ivan Lopouchanski, Purdue
5. Nick Lester, Oklahoma
6. Nick Brascetta, Virginia Tech
7. Steve Santos, Columbia
8. Eric Grajales, Michigan
9. David Habat, Edinboro
10. Justin Accordino, Hofstra
11. Shane Welsh, Lehigh
12. Tanner Hiatt, Northern Iowa

Other Contenders:
Josh Wilson, Utah Valley
Cole Schmitt, Wisconsin
Donnie Corby, Central Michigan

157:
1. Jason Welch, Northwestern
2. James Fleming, Clarion
3. Joey Napoli, Lehigh
4. Walter Peppelman, Harvard
5. RJ Pena, Oregon State
6. Jesse Dong, Virginia Tech
7. Matt Lester, Oklahoma
8. Jake O'Hara, Columbia
9. David Bonin, Northern Iowa
10. Taylor Walsh, Indiana
11. Tommy Churchard, Purdue
12. Dillon Bera, Wisconsin Parkside

Other Contenders:
Ian Miller, Kent State, Unattached
Aaron Sulzer, Eastern Michigan
Lucas Smith, Central Michigan

165:
1. Peter Yates, Virginia Tech
2. Bekzod Abdurakhmonov Golden Eagle WC
3. Bubby Graham, Oklahoma
4. Steve Monk, North Dakota State
5. Conrad Polz, Illinois
6. Pierce Harger, Northwestern
7. Mark Lewandowski, Buffalo
8. John Gresheimer, Edinboro
9. Tyler Wilps, Pittsburgh
10. Ryan LeBlanc, Indiana
11. Taylor Massa, Michigan
12. Jackson Morse, Illinois, Unattached

Other Contenders:
Mike Ottinger, Central Michigan
Mike Moreno, Iowa State
Ramon Santiago, Rider

174:
1. Jordan Blanton, Illinois
2. Josh Asper, Maryland
3. Robert Kokesh, Nebraska
4. Lee Munster, Northwestern
5. Dan Yates, Michigan
6. Stephen West, Columbia
7. Nathaniel Brown, Lehigh
8 John Martin-Cannon, Buffalo
9. Bryce Hammond, CSU-Bakersfield
10. Cody Caldwell, Northern Iowa
11. Nick Bonaccorsi. Pittsburgh
12. James Brundage, Rider

Other Contenders:
Kyle Kwiatt, Ohio Northern
Tanner Weatherman. Iowa State
Austin Gabel, Virginia Tech
Kurtis Julson, North Dakota State

184:
1. Robert Hamlin, Lehigh
2. Ben Bennett, Central Michigan
3. Jimmy Sheptock, Maryland
4. Travis Rutt, Oklahoma, Unattached
5. Ryan Loder, Northern Iowa
6. Josh Ihnen, Nebraska
7. Max Thomuseitt, Pittsburgh
8. Tony Dallago, Illinois
9. Joe Rau, Elmhurst College
10. Boaz Beard, Iowa State
11. Lorenzo Thomas, Penn, Unattached
12. Alex Utley, North Carolina

Other Contenders:
Mac Stoll, North Dakota State
Ty Vinson, Oregon State

197:
1. Dustin Kilgore, Kent State
2. Matt Wilps, Pittsburgh
3. Hudson Taylor, Lions WC
4. Mario Gonzalez, Illinois
5. Nate Schiedel, Binghamton
6. Taylor Meeks, Oregon State
7. Braden Atwood, Purdue
8. Christian Boley, Maryland
9. Max Huntley, Michigan
10. Kyven Gadsen, Iowa State
11. James Fox, Harvard
12. Alex Polizzi, Northwestern

Other Contenders:
Derrick Borlie, Virginia Tech
Jackson Hein, Wisconsin
Antonio Giorgio, North Carolina
Caleb Kolb, Nebraska
Angelo Malvestuto, Buffalo

285:
1. Jarod Trice, Central Michigan 2. Adam Chalfant, Indiana
3. Mike McMullan, Northwestern
4. Chad Hanke, Oregon State
5. Zach Thomusseit, Pittsburgh
6. Connor Medbery, Wisconsin
7. Pat Walker, Illinois
8. Ernest James, Edinboro
9. Matt Meuleners, Northern State
10. Matt Gibson, Iowa State
11. Eric Thompson, Grandview
12. Ben Apland, Michigan

Other Contenders:
Spencer Myers, Maryland, Unattached
Dan Scherer, Stanford
David Marone, Virginia Tech

This year's field includes more than 30 Division I teams, including 14 that placed in the top-25 at the 2012 NCAA Championships.

Northwestern also welcomes several newcomers to Midlands this year. Michigan, who won the first edition of the tournament in 1963, returns to Midlands for the first time since 2002. Oregon State, North Carolina and Binghamton were also added to the 50th anniversary field while Big Ten foe Nebraska returns after a year absence.

Seven conference squads will be represented at Midlands as Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin are included in this year's field.

NCAA Division I Teams:
Binghamton
Buffalo
Central Michigan
Clarion
Columbia
Eastern Michigan
Edinboro
Harvard
Hofstra
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa State
Kent State
Lehigh
Maryland
Michigan
Nebraska
North Dakota State
Northern Illinois
Northern Iowa
Northwestern
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon State
Penn
Pittsburgh
Purdue
Princeton
Rider
Stanford
Virginia Tech
Wisconsin

With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the tournament, organizers want to know, what have been your favorite Midlands memories over the past 49 years? Tell us your memories and you could win a FREE commemorative Midlands t-shirt!

Send in your Midlands Memories

There has been a vote for the greatest Midlands wrestler ever. The semifinals is set:
Tom Brands (Iowa) vs. Dan Gable (Iowa State)
Cael Sanderson (Iowa State) vs. Bruce Baumgartner (Indiana State)

Vote for Greatest Midlands Wrestler

There is a new Midlands website, launched in time for the 50th anniversary. Visit this at

Official Midlands website

2012 KEN KRAFT MIDLANDS CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
50th ANNIVERSARY
At Evanston, Ill, Dec. 29 - 30

Saturday, December 29
9:30 a.m. - Session I
7:00 p.m. - Session II

Sunday, December 30
12:00 noon - Semifinals, Consolations, 7th Plade Matches
6:30 p.m. - Parade of Champions
7:00 p.m. - Finals (1st, 3rd and 5th place bouts)