Top contenders announced for 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern wrestling head coach Drew Pariano and tournament director Tim Cysewski have announced the pre-seeds for the 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, where the elite meet to compete. The annual event will feature many of the nation’s top wrestlers at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 29 & 30.


Tickets to the event are available now online at NUSports.com or by calling 888-GO-PURPLE. Fans are encouraged to join the conversation via social media by using the hashtag #Midlands52.


The contenders list does not represent the final seeds and is subject to change. Final brackets will be released on Dec. 28.

125

1 Jesse Delgado, Illinois

2. Thomas Gilman, Iowa

3. Joey Dance, Virginia Tech

4. Darian Cruz, Lehigh (Unattached)

5. Josh Martinez, Air Force

6. Josh Rodriguez, North Dakota State

7. Brandon Jeske, Old Dominion

8. Kory Mines, Edinboro

9. Shayne Wireman, Eastern Michigan

10. Barlow McGee, Missouri (Unattached)

11. Stevan Micic, Northwestern (Unattached)

12. Ryak Finch, Grand View

Lucas Malmberg, Messiah College

133

1. AJ Schopp, Edinboro

2. Cory Clark, Iowa

3. Jarrod Garnett, Lehigh Valley Athletic Club

4. Mason Beckman, Lehigh

5. Zane Richards, Illinois

6. Geoffrey Alexander, Maryland

7. Ryan Taylor, Wisconsin

8. Danny Sabatello, Purdue

9. Kevin Norstrem, Virginia Tech

10. Robert Deutsch, Rider

11. Caleb Richardson, Penn

12. Ian Nickell, CSU Bakersfield

Tyler Clark (Unattached)

Dominick Malone, Northwestern

Josh Alber, Northern Iowa (Unattached)

141

1. Mitchell Port, Edinboro

2. Devin Carter, Virginia Tech

3. Richard Durso, Franklin & Marshall (Unattached)

4. Josh Dziewa, Iowa

5. Chris Mecate, Old Dominion

6. Todd Preston, Harvard

7. Shyheim Brown, Maryland

8. Mitch Bengsten, North Dakota State

9. Stephen Rodriquez, Illinois

10. Alex Kocer, South Dakota State

11. Joey McKenna, Lehigh Valley Athletic Club

12. Brandon Wright, Grand View

Jesse Thielke, Wisconsin

Nick Lawrence, Purdue

Jordan Laster, Princeton

Chuck Zeisloft, Rider

Jameson Oster, Northwestern

Alfred Bannister, Maryland

149

1. Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern

2. David Habat, Edinboro

3. Brody Grothus, Iowa

4. Lenny Richardson, Old Dominion

5. Adam Krop, Princeton

6. CJ Cobb, Penn

7. BJ Clagon, Rider

8. Brandon Sorensen, Iowa

9. Laike Gardner, Lehigh (Unattached)

10. Ryan Lubeck, Wisconsin

11. Sal Mastriani, Virginia Tech

12. Kyle Langenderfer, Illinois

Kevin Birmingham, Davidson

Nick Barber, Eastern Michigan

Gustavo Martinez, Grand View

157

1. Isaiah Martinez, Illinois

2. Cody Pack, South Dakota State

3. Markus Scheidel, Columbia

4. Justin Staudenmayer, Brown

5. Mike Kelly, Iowa

6. Chad Welsh, Rider

7. Brandon Zeerip, Eastern Michigan

8. Doug Welch, Purdue

9. Edwin Cooper, Iowa

10. Andrew Morse, Northern Illinois

11/12. TBD based on entries

165

1. Isaac Jordan, Wisconsin

2. Taylor Walsh, Indiana

3. Nick Moore, Iowa

4. Pierce Harger, Northwestern

5. Jackson Morse, Illinois

6. Nestor Taffur (Unattached)

7. Tristan Warner, Old Dominion

8. Adam Fierro, CSU Bakersfield

9. Jesse Stafford, Air Force

10. Jon Schleifer, Princeton

11. Connor Brennan, Rider

12. Pat Robinson, Purdue

Pat Smith, Minnesota

Connor McMahon, SIU-Edwardsville

174

1. Mike Evans, Iowa

2. Zac Brunson, Illinois

3. Zach Epperly, Virginia Tech

4. Bryce Hammond, CSU Bakersfield

5. Kurtis Julson, North Dakota State

6. Alex Meyer, Iowa

7. Brock Gutches, Southern Oregon

8. Nate Jackson, Indiana

9. Burke Paddock, Iowa

10. John Sebastian, Northwestern (Unattached)

11. Chad Welch, Purdue

12. Connor Lefever, Wabash

184

1. Lorenzo Thomas, Penn

2. Jack Dechow, Old Dominion

3. Sammy Brooks, Iowa

4. Hayden Zillmer, North Dakota State

5. Ophir Bernstein, Brown

6. Vic Avery, Edinboro

7. Nikko Reyes, Illinois

8. Ricky Robertson, Wisconsin

9. Austin Gabel, Virginia Tech

10. Clint Morrison, Rider

11. Brett Harner, Princeton

12. Zach Hernandez, Columbia

Patrick Kissel, Purdue

Riley Lefever, Wabash

197

1. Nathan Burak, Iowa (Unattached)

2. Alex Polizzi, Northwestern

3. Abram Ayala, Princeton

4. Braden Atwood, Purdue

5. Nathan Rotert, South Dakota State

6. Timmy McCall, Wisconin

7. Joe Rau, Minnesota Storm

8. Jared Haught, Virginia Tech

9. Lucas Sheridan, Indiana

10. James Fox, Harvard

11. Vince Pickett, Edinboro

12. Shawn Scott, Northern Illinois

Kevin Beazley, Old Dominion

Anthony Abro, Eastern Michigan

Shane Siefert, UW Whitewater

Frank Mattiace, Penn (Unattached)

Canaan Bethea, Penn

285

1. Mike McMullan, Northwestern

2. Bobby Telford, Iowa

3. Connor Medbery, Wisconsin

4. Ty Walz, Virginia Tech

5. Evan Knutson, North Dakota State

6. Tyler Deuel, Binghamton

7. Jacob Henderson, Old Dominion

8. J.J. Everard, South Dakota State

9. Ray O'Donnell, Princeton

10. David Ng, Harvard

11. Garrett Ryan, Columbia

12. Brooks Black, Illinois

Marcus Malechek, Air Force