Close battle expected once again at Big Ten Championships
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Ohio State senior Logan Stieber is shooting for his fourth straight Big Ten tournament title. USA Wrestling file photo.
How evenly matched are the best teams in the nation’s toughest wrestling conference?
Five of the top seven ranked teams in the country wrestle in the Big Ten Conference.
Another hard-fought, edge-of-your-seat battle is expected at the Big Ten Championships, set for Saturday and Sunday at Ohio State’s St. John Arena in Columbus.
Iowa is ranked No. 2 nationally in WIN’s tournament rankings. Minnesota is ranked third, Illinois fifth, Ohio State sixth and Penn State seventh. The Nittany Lions have won the last four league titles.
“I think it will be a great team race again,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said on Tuesday. “Every match is huge and that makes for a great event. You’ve got to make every match count and make every second count. Bonus points are going to be huge and could decide who wins this tournament.”
In addition to the five Big Ten teams ranked in the top 10 nationally, Wisconsin is ranked 12th, Nebraska 13th, Northwestern 14th and Michigan 15th.
That’s nine teams ranked in the top 15 in the country.
“It’s going to be a great tournament – it always is,” Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said on Tuesday. “If everyone wrestles to their seeds, it’s a one- or two-point race for first in the team race. It’s going to be close. It’s going to come down to those close matches and who gets those takedowns in the last 30 seconds of a match. It’s so competitive. It’s going to be a very tough tournament.”
The Big Ten has secured 86 automatic qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships, set for March 19-21 in St. Louis. An additional 70 at-large spots from all conferences for the NCAA tournament will be awarded on Wednesday, March 11.
The Big Ten has earned five automatic qualifying spots at 125, 12 at 133, eight at 141, seven at 149, eight at 157, eight at 165, 10 at 174, 10 at 184, nine at 197 and nine at 285.
The two-day tournament begins Saturday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The finals are set for 3 p.m. Sunday and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
The Big Ten tournament will feature 14 teams for the first time after Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference this season.
Iowa has won 34 Big Ten tournament titles, including three straight from 2008-10 before Penn State won the last four championships. The Nittany Lions have also won the last four NCAA titles. Iowa won three straight national titles from 2008-10 after Minnesota won NCAAs in 2007.
The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten regular season dual-meet title after going unbeaten in league duals. Iowa is ranked No. 2 nationally after falling to Missouri 18-12 in the National Duals finals on Feb. 22. Missouri is now ranked No. 1.
“The cliché thing to say would be that this is what you live for and train for,” Iowa coach Tom Brands told reporters Wednesday in Iowa City. “We’re at the Big Ten Championships, and that’s the most important thing on our schedule to this point and every year it’s the second most important thing when it’s all done. It’s a qualifier and we’ve got to do well to put ourselves in position (for NCAAs).”
Iowa seniors Nick Moore (165 pounds) and Mike Evans (174) both placed second at the 2014 Big Tens. Teammate Bobby Telford (285) was third with Cory Clark fourth, and Josh Dziewa (141) and Nathan Burak (197) each placing fifth. Clark was an All-American at 125 last year and is now at 133 this year.
Telford, a two-time All-American, has placed second, third and third in three previous Big Ten tournaments.
“These are the best tournaments of the year and the most important tournaments of the year,” Telford said. “We’re ready to rock and roll. Our team is ready to go, and it’s time to make a statement.”
The Hawkeyes also have sophomores ranked in the top 10 nationally with Thomas Gilman (125) and Sammy Brooks (184). Gilman won a Junior World bronze medal in 2014 and Brooks is a past Junior World Team member. Iowa freshman Brandon Sorensen is ranked No. 3 nationally at 149.
Gilman, Sorensen and Brooks are No. 1 pre-seeds for the Big Ten tournament. None of the three have wrestled a match in this tournament.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been there before, or if you’re a veteran or an All-American or a Big Ten champion,” Brands said. “It doesn’t matter what your seed is – you’ve got to go to work. They need to take care of business at Big Tens to set themselves up (for NCAAs).”
Ohio State senior Logan Stieber, a three-time NCAA champion, is seeking his fourth Big Ten title. Just 13 wrestlers have won four Big Ten titles. Stieber, a past Junior World silver medalist, is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 nationally at 141.
“Logan’s set such a great example here, on and off the mat,” Ryan said. “He obviously has a chance to do something really special at Big Tens and NCAAs, but what makes him so special is he’s very focused on what our team is doing. He’s been a great leader for us.”
Ohio State won its only Big Ten tournament title in 1951, but the Buckeyes will be competing at home in wrestling-rich Ohio this weekend.
“We’re obviously looking forward to wrestling at home,” Ryan said. “You know the surroundings, you’re sleeping in your own bed, you’re in a comfortable environment and you have your home crowd behind you. We’re excited about wrestling in front of our fans here.”
Logan Stieber’s younger brother, Hunter, is a two-time All-American. Hunter Stieber, who competes at 149, has been slowed by injuries this season. He won a Big Ten title in 2013.
The Buckeyes also have a trio of stud freshmen in Kyle Snyder (197), Bo Jordan (165) and Nathan Tomasello (125). Snyder is ranked No. 3 nationally, Jordan is fourth and Tomasello seventh. Snyder won a Junior World freestyle title in 2013.
Logan Stieber, Jordan and Snyder are No. 1 pre-seeds for the tournament.
“We got hit with significant injuries at several different weight classes this season,” Ryan said. “Despite the injuries, all of our starters are still in the lineup. Some aren’t as far along as others, but we’ve got everyone back now.”
Minnesota senior Dylan Ness, a two-time NCAA runner-up, won a 2013 Big Ten title at 149. He’s competed at 157 the past two seasons. Ness is ranked No. 2 nationally.
The Gophers also have proven performers in fellow seniors Chris Dardanes (133), Nick Dardanes (141), Logan Storley (174) and Scott Schiller (197).
Chris Dardanes is ranked No. 1 nationally and is a No. 1 pre-seed. Nick Dardanes and Storley are ranked fourth nationally and Schiller fifth. Storley and Schiller both finished third at the 2014 NCAA tournament.
Nick Dardanes dropped a narrow 10-9 decision to Logan Stieber in a late-season dual meet. Nick Dardanes is the No. 2 pre-seed behind Stieber at 141.
“Those seniors definitely know what to expect and they’re ready to go,” Minnesota coach J Robinson said Wednesday. “There is a sense of urgency for them because this is their last shot and those guys understand that. I know they’re excited to get out there and compete.”
Minnesota is seeking its first Big Ten tournament title since earning back-to-back league titles in 2006 and 2007. The Gophers won six conference tournament titles from 1999-2007 before Iowa and Penn State combined for the last seven championships.
“On paper, you have to look at Iowa and Ohio State as the favorites based on seeds,” Robinson said. “Big Tens are a little different than NCAAs because you have more guys scoring points in the Big Ten tournament than you do at nationals. It’s going to be another tough Big Ten tournament and we’re looking forward to it.”
Penn State’s Matt Brown won a Big Ten title in 2013. Brown was second at NCAAs that season. Brown is ranked No. 2 nationally.
Nittany Lion teammate Morgan McIntosh (197) placed second at the league tourney last year. McIntosh is ranked fourth in the country. Penn State’s Jimmy Gulibon (133) also has had a strong season and is ranked No. 5 in the country.
Brown and McIntosh are No. 2 pre-seeds and Gulibon is No. 3.
“We’re in good spirits, we’re healthy and our team is set,” Sanderson said. “Our guys are hungry and excited for this opportunity. Our kids believe and I believe we’re wrestling better than we have all year and this is the time to do that.”
Illinois senior Jesse Delgado has won the last two Big Ten titles at 125. Delgado, a two-time NCAA champion who was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2013 Big Tens, has been slowed by injuries this season. Delgado is the No. 2 pre-seed at 125 behind Gilman, who beat Delgado the last time they wrestled at the Midlands last season.
Fighting Illini freshman Isaiah Martinez is ranked No. 1 in the country at 157. He is the No. 1 tournament pre-seed.
2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern, a sophomore, is seeking his second straight league title at 149. Tsirtsis is a past Junior World Team member. He is the No. 2 pre-seed behind Sorensen at 149.
The Wildcats also have past NCAA finalist Mike McMullen (285) in their lineup. McMullan has placed third, second and third at the NCAA tournament. He was second at the 2013 Big Ten tournament. McMullan is the No. 3 pre-seed at heavyweight.
Nebraska’s James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) won Big Ten titles in 2014. Green is a three-time All-American who won a silver medal at the 2014 University World Championships. Kokesh, a two-time All-American, is unbeaten and ranked No 1 nationally this season.
Kokesh is the No. 1 pre-seed at 174 and Green is listed No. 3 at 157. Kokesh placed fourth at the 2014 NCAA tournament and Green finished third.
Barring an upset, and if the pre-seeds stay the same, Kokesh would meet Storley in the Big Ten semifinals and Green would face Ness in the semis.
Kokesh beat Storley in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Storley beat Kokesh twice at the 2014 NCAAs. Green beat Ness in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Ness upset the top-seeded Green in the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals.
Wisconsin heavyweight Connor Medbery is ranked No. 2 nationally and sophomore All-American Isaac Jordan is fifth at 165. Badger sophomore Ryan Taylor, third in the 2014 Big Tens at 125, is ranked No. 3 nationally at 133.
Medbery is the No. 1 pre-seed at 285 with Jordan and Taylor both No. 2 in their respective weight classes.
Michigan heavyweight Adam Coon, a 2014 Junior World medalist in freestyle and Greco-Roman, is ranked No. 6 nationally at heavyweight. Coon is the No. 2 Big Ten pre-seed at 285. Teammate Dom Abounader is the No. 2 pre-seed at 184.
Indiana’s Taylor Walsh, a Midlands champion this season, is ranked No. 6 nationally at 165.
There are four freshmen – Sorensen, Martinez, Bo Jordan and Snyder – who are No. 1 pre-seeds.
Big Ten Conference Championships
March 7-8, St. John Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Event Schedule
Saturday, March 7
10 a.m. Eastern – Session I
6 p.m. – Session II
Sunday, March 8
1 p.m. – Session III
3 p.m. – Championship finals
Tournament Pre-Seeds
125
1. Thomas Gilman, IOWA
2. Jesse Delgado, ILL
3. Nathan Tomasello, OSU
4. Tim Lambert, NEB
5. Jordan Conaway, PSU
6. Conor Youtsey, MICH
7. Garrison White, NU
8. Luke Welch, PUR
133
1. Chris Dardanes, MINN
2. Ryan Taylor, WIS
3. Jimmy Gulibon, PSU
4. Johnni DiJulius, OSU
5. Cory Clark, IOWA
6. Zane Richards, ILL
7. Danny Sabatello, PUR
8. Rossi Bruno, MICH
9. Eric Montoya, NEB
10. Scott Delvecchio, RU
11. Geoff Alexander, MD
12. Dom Malone, NU
13. Garth Yenter, MSU
14. Alonzo Shepherd, IND
141
1. Logan Stieber, OSU
2. Nick Dardanes, MINN
3. Anthony Abidin, NEB
4. Steven Rodrigues, ILL
5. Anthony Ashnault, RU
6. Josh Dziewa, IOWA
7. Jameson Oster, NU
8. Nick Lawrence, PUR
9. Kade Moss, PSU
10. George Fisher, MICH
11. Javier Gasca III, MSU
12. Shyhiem Brown, MD
13. Jessie Thielke, WIS
14. Sean Brown, IND
149
1. Brandon Sorensen, IOWA
2. Jason Tsirtsis, NU
3. Hunter Stieber, OSU
4. Ken Theobold, RU
5. Alec Pantaleo, MICH
6. Zack Beitz, PSU
7. Justin Arthur, NEB
8. Rylan Lubeck, WIS
157
1. Isaiah Martinez, ILL
2. Dylan Ness, MINN
3. James Green, NEB
4. Brian Murphy, MICH
5. Doug Welch, PUR
6. Josh Demas, OSU
7. Mike Kelly, IOWA
8. Anthony Perrotti, RU
9. Luke Frey, PSU
10. Louis Mascola, MD
11. Luke Blanton, IND
12. TJ Ruschell, WIS
13. Ben Sullivan, NU
14. Travis Curley, MSU
165
1. Bo Jordan, OSU
2. Isaac Jordan, WIS
3. Taylor Walsh, IND
4. Pierce Harger, NU
5. Jackson Morse, ILL
6. Garett Hammond, PSU
7. Nick Moore, IOWA
8. Nick Wanzek, MINN
9. Austin Wilson, NEB
10. Pat Robinson, PUR
11. Nick Visicaro, RU
12. Garrett Sutton, MICH
13. Roger Wildmo, MSU
14. Justin Alexander, MD
174
1. Robert Kokesh, NEB
2. Matt Brown, PSU
3. Mike Evans, IOWA
4. Logan Storley, MINN
5. Zach Brunson, ILL
6. Mark Martin, OSU
7. Chad Welch, PUR
8. Frank Cousins, WIS
9. Taylor Massa, MICH
10. Nathan Jackson, IND
11. Josh Snook, MD
12. Phil Bakuckas, RU
13. Nick Proctor, MSU
184
1. Sam Brooks, IOWA
2. Dom Abounader, MICH
3. Ricky Robertson, WIS
4. Brett Pfarr, MINN
5. Kenny Courts, OSU
6. TJ Dudley, NEB
7. Nikko Reyes, ILL
8. Matt McCutcheon, PSU
9. John Rizqallah, MSU
10. Patrick Kissel, PUR
11. Anthony Pafumi, RU
12. Mitch Sliga, NU
13. Matt Irick, IND
14. Tony Gardner, MD
197
1. Kyle Snyder, OSU
2. Morgan McIntosh, PSU
3. Scott Schiller, MINN
4. Nathan Burak, IOWA
5. Aaron Studebaker, NEB
6. Max Huntley, MICH
7. Alex Polizzi, NU
8. Timmy McCall, WIS
9. Braden Atwood, PUR
10. Nick McDiarmid, MSU
11. Jeff Koepke, ILL
12. Hayden Hrymack, RU
13. Rob Fitzgerald, MD
14. Luke Sheridan, IND
285
1. Connor Medbery, WIS
2. Adam Coon, MICH
3. Mike McMullan, NU
4. Bobby Telford, IOWA
5. Jimmy Lawson, PSU
6. Michael Kroells, MINN
7. Spencer Myers, MD
8. Billy Smith, RU
9. Nick Tavanello, OSU
10. Brooks Black, ILL
11. Collin Jensen, NEB
12. Chris Nash, MSU
13. Garret Goldman, IND
14. Gelen Robinson, PUR
How evenly matched are the best teams in the nation’s toughest wrestling conference?
Five of the top seven ranked teams in the country wrestle in the Big Ten Conference.
Another hard-fought, edge-of-your-seat battle is expected at the Big Ten Championships, set for Saturday and Sunday at Ohio State’s St. John Arena in Columbus.
Iowa is ranked No. 2 nationally in WIN’s tournament rankings. Minnesota is ranked third, Illinois fifth, Ohio State sixth and Penn State seventh. The Nittany Lions have won the last four league titles.
“I think it will be a great team race again,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said on Tuesday. “Every match is huge and that makes for a great event. You’ve got to make every match count and make every second count. Bonus points are going to be huge and could decide who wins this tournament.”
In addition to the five Big Ten teams ranked in the top 10 nationally, Wisconsin is ranked 12th, Nebraska 13th, Northwestern 14th and Michigan 15th.
That’s nine teams ranked in the top 15 in the country.
“It’s going to be a great tournament – it always is,” Ohio State coach Tom Ryan said on Tuesday. “If everyone wrestles to their seeds, it’s a one- or two-point race for first in the team race. It’s going to be close. It’s going to come down to those close matches and who gets those takedowns in the last 30 seconds of a match. It’s so competitive. It’s going to be a very tough tournament.”
The Big Ten has secured 86 automatic qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships, set for March 19-21 in St. Louis. An additional 70 at-large spots from all conferences for the NCAA tournament will be awarded on Wednesday, March 11.
The Big Ten has earned five automatic qualifying spots at 125, 12 at 133, eight at 141, seven at 149, eight at 157, eight at 165, 10 at 174, 10 at 184, nine at 197 and nine at 285.
The two-day tournament begins Saturday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The finals are set for 3 p.m. Sunday and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
The Big Ten tournament will feature 14 teams for the first time after Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference this season.
Iowa has won 34 Big Ten tournament titles, including three straight from 2008-10 before Penn State won the last four championships. The Nittany Lions have also won the last four NCAA titles. Iowa won three straight national titles from 2008-10 after Minnesota won NCAAs in 2007.
The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten regular season dual-meet title after going unbeaten in league duals. Iowa is ranked No. 2 nationally after falling to Missouri 18-12 in the National Duals finals on Feb. 22. Missouri is now ranked No. 1.
“The cliché thing to say would be that this is what you live for and train for,” Iowa coach Tom Brands told reporters Wednesday in Iowa City. “We’re at the Big Ten Championships, and that’s the most important thing on our schedule to this point and every year it’s the second most important thing when it’s all done. It’s a qualifier and we’ve got to do well to put ourselves in position (for NCAAs).”
Iowa seniors Nick Moore (165 pounds) and Mike Evans (174) both placed second at the 2014 Big Tens. Teammate Bobby Telford (285) was third with Cory Clark fourth, and Josh Dziewa (141) and Nathan Burak (197) each placing fifth. Clark was an All-American at 125 last year and is now at 133 this year.
Telford, a two-time All-American, has placed second, third and third in three previous Big Ten tournaments.
“These are the best tournaments of the year and the most important tournaments of the year,” Telford said. “We’re ready to rock and roll. Our team is ready to go, and it’s time to make a statement.”
The Hawkeyes also have sophomores ranked in the top 10 nationally with Thomas Gilman (125) and Sammy Brooks (184). Gilman won a Junior World bronze medal in 2014 and Brooks is a past Junior World Team member. Iowa freshman Brandon Sorensen is ranked No. 3 nationally at 149.
Gilman, Sorensen and Brooks are No. 1 pre-seeds for the Big Ten tournament. None of the three have wrestled a match in this tournament.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been there before, or if you’re a veteran or an All-American or a Big Ten champion,” Brands said. “It doesn’t matter what your seed is – you’ve got to go to work. They need to take care of business at Big Tens to set themselves up (for NCAAs).”
Ohio State senior Logan Stieber, a three-time NCAA champion, is seeking his fourth Big Ten title. Just 13 wrestlers have won four Big Ten titles. Stieber, a past Junior World silver medalist, is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 nationally at 141.
“Logan’s set such a great example here, on and off the mat,” Ryan said. “He obviously has a chance to do something really special at Big Tens and NCAAs, but what makes him so special is he’s very focused on what our team is doing. He’s been a great leader for us.”
Ohio State won its only Big Ten tournament title in 1951, but the Buckeyes will be competing at home in wrestling-rich Ohio this weekend.
“We’re obviously looking forward to wrestling at home,” Ryan said. “You know the surroundings, you’re sleeping in your own bed, you’re in a comfortable environment and you have your home crowd behind you. We’re excited about wrestling in front of our fans here.”
Logan Stieber’s younger brother, Hunter, is a two-time All-American. Hunter Stieber, who competes at 149, has been slowed by injuries this season. He won a Big Ten title in 2013.
The Buckeyes also have a trio of stud freshmen in Kyle Snyder (197), Bo Jordan (165) and Nathan Tomasello (125). Snyder is ranked No. 3 nationally, Jordan is fourth and Tomasello seventh. Snyder won a Junior World freestyle title in 2013.
Logan Stieber, Jordan and Snyder are No. 1 pre-seeds for the tournament.
“We got hit with significant injuries at several different weight classes this season,” Ryan said. “Despite the injuries, all of our starters are still in the lineup. Some aren’t as far along as others, but we’ve got everyone back now.”
Minnesota senior Dylan Ness, a two-time NCAA runner-up, won a 2013 Big Ten title at 149. He’s competed at 157 the past two seasons. Ness is ranked No. 2 nationally.
The Gophers also have proven performers in fellow seniors Chris Dardanes (133), Nick Dardanes (141), Logan Storley (174) and Scott Schiller (197).
Chris Dardanes is ranked No. 1 nationally and is a No. 1 pre-seed. Nick Dardanes and Storley are ranked fourth nationally and Schiller fifth. Storley and Schiller both finished third at the 2014 NCAA tournament.
Nick Dardanes dropped a narrow 10-9 decision to Logan Stieber in a late-season dual meet. Nick Dardanes is the No. 2 pre-seed behind Stieber at 141.
“Those seniors definitely know what to expect and they’re ready to go,” Minnesota coach J Robinson said Wednesday. “There is a sense of urgency for them because this is their last shot and those guys understand that. I know they’re excited to get out there and compete.”
Minnesota is seeking its first Big Ten tournament title since earning back-to-back league titles in 2006 and 2007. The Gophers won six conference tournament titles from 1999-2007 before Iowa and Penn State combined for the last seven championships.
“On paper, you have to look at Iowa and Ohio State as the favorites based on seeds,” Robinson said. “Big Tens are a little different than NCAAs because you have more guys scoring points in the Big Ten tournament than you do at nationals. It’s going to be another tough Big Ten tournament and we’re looking forward to it.”
Penn State’s Matt Brown won a Big Ten title in 2013. Brown was second at NCAAs that season. Brown is ranked No. 2 nationally.
Nittany Lion teammate Morgan McIntosh (197) placed second at the league tourney last year. McIntosh is ranked fourth in the country. Penn State’s Jimmy Gulibon (133) also has had a strong season and is ranked No. 5 in the country.
Brown and McIntosh are No. 2 pre-seeds and Gulibon is No. 3.
“We’re in good spirits, we’re healthy and our team is set,” Sanderson said. “Our guys are hungry and excited for this opportunity. Our kids believe and I believe we’re wrestling better than we have all year and this is the time to do that.”
Illinois senior Jesse Delgado has won the last two Big Ten titles at 125. Delgado, a two-time NCAA champion who was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2013 Big Tens, has been slowed by injuries this season. Delgado is the No. 2 pre-seed at 125 behind Gilman, who beat Delgado the last time they wrestled at the Midlands last season.
Fighting Illini freshman Isaiah Martinez is ranked No. 1 in the country at 157. He is the No. 1 tournament pre-seed.
2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern, a sophomore, is seeking his second straight league title at 149. Tsirtsis is a past Junior World Team member. He is the No. 2 pre-seed behind Sorensen at 149.
The Wildcats also have past NCAA finalist Mike McMullen (285) in their lineup. McMullan has placed third, second and third at the NCAA tournament. He was second at the 2013 Big Ten tournament. McMullan is the No. 3 pre-seed at heavyweight.
Nebraska’s James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) won Big Ten titles in 2014. Green is a three-time All-American who won a silver medal at the 2014 University World Championships. Kokesh, a two-time All-American, is unbeaten and ranked No 1 nationally this season.
Kokesh is the No. 1 pre-seed at 174 and Green is listed No. 3 at 157. Kokesh placed fourth at the 2014 NCAA tournament and Green finished third.
Barring an upset, and if the pre-seeds stay the same, Kokesh would meet Storley in the Big Ten semifinals and Green would face Ness in the semis.
Kokesh beat Storley in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Storley beat Kokesh twice at the 2014 NCAAs. Green beat Ness in the 2014 Big Ten semis before Ness upset the top-seeded Green in the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals.
Wisconsin heavyweight Connor Medbery is ranked No. 2 nationally and sophomore All-American Isaac Jordan is fifth at 165. Badger sophomore Ryan Taylor, third in the 2014 Big Tens at 125, is ranked No. 3 nationally at 133.
Medbery is the No. 1 pre-seed at 285 with Jordan and Taylor both No. 2 in their respective weight classes.
Michigan heavyweight Adam Coon, a 2014 Junior World medalist in freestyle and Greco-Roman, is ranked No. 6 nationally at heavyweight. Coon is the No. 2 Big Ten pre-seed at 285. Teammate Dom Abounader is the No. 2 pre-seed at 184.
Indiana’s Taylor Walsh, a Midlands champion this season, is ranked No. 6 nationally at 165.
There are four freshmen – Sorensen, Martinez, Bo Jordan and Snyder – who are No. 1 pre-seeds.
Big Ten Conference Championships
March 7-8, St. John Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Event Schedule
Saturday, March 7
10 a.m. Eastern – Session I
6 p.m. – Session II
Sunday, March 8
1 p.m. – Session III
3 p.m. – Championship finals
Tournament Pre-Seeds
125
1. Thomas Gilman, IOWA
2. Jesse Delgado, ILL
3. Nathan Tomasello, OSU
4. Tim Lambert, NEB
5. Jordan Conaway, PSU
6. Conor Youtsey, MICH
7. Garrison White, NU
8. Luke Welch, PUR
133
1. Chris Dardanes, MINN
2. Ryan Taylor, WIS
3. Jimmy Gulibon, PSU
4. Johnni DiJulius, OSU
5. Cory Clark, IOWA
6. Zane Richards, ILL
7. Danny Sabatello, PUR
8. Rossi Bruno, MICH
9. Eric Montoya, NEB
10. Scott Delvecchio, RU
11. Geoff Alexander, MD
12. Dom Malone, NU
13. Garth Yenter, MSU
14. Alonzo Shepherd, IND
141
1. Logan Stieber, OSU
2. Nick Dardanes, MINN
3. Anthony Abidin, NEB
4. Steven Rodrigues, ILL
5. Anthony Ashnault, RU
6. Josh Dziewa, IOWA
7. Jameson Oster, NU
8. Nick Lawrence, PUR
9. Kade Moss, PSU
10. George Fisher, MICH
11. Javier Gasca III, MSU
12. Shyhiem Brown, MD
13. Jessie Thielke, WIS
14. Sean Brown, IND
149
1. Brandon Sorensen, IOWA
2. Jason Tsirtsis, NU
3. Hunter Stieber, OSU
4. Ken Theobold, RU
5. Alec Pantaleo, MICH
6. Zack Beitz, PSU
7. Justin Arthur, NEB
8. Rylan Lubeck, WIS
157
1. Isaiah Martinez, ILL
2. Dylan Ness, MINN
3. James Green, NEB
4. Brian Murphy, MICH
5. Doug Welch, PUR
6. Josh Demas, OSU
7. Mike Kelly, IOWA
8. Anthony Perrotti, RU
9. Luke Frey, PSU
10. Louis Mascola, MD
11. Luke Blanton, IND
12. TJ Ruschell, WIS
13. Ben Sullivan, NU
14. Travis Curley, MSU
165
1. Bo Jordan, OSU
2. Isaac Jordan, WIS
3. Taylor Walsh, IND
4. Pierce Harger, NU
5. Jackson Morse, ILL
6. Garett Hammond, PSU
7. Nick Moore, IOWA
8. Nick Wanzek, MINN
9. Austin Wilson, NEB
10. Pat Robinson, PUR
11. Nick Visicaro, RU
12. Garrett Sutton, MICH
13. Roger Wildmo, MSU
14. Justin Alexander, MD
174
1. Robert Kokesh, NEB
2. Matt Brown, PSU
3. Mike Evans, IOWA
4. Logan Storley, MINN
5. Zach Brunson, ILL
6. Mark Martin, OSU
7. Chad Welch, PUR
8. Frank Cousins, WIS
9. Taylor Massa, MICH
10. Nathan Jackson, IND
11. Josh Snook, MD
12. Phil Bakuckas, RU
13. Nick Proctor, MSU
184
1. Sam Brooks, IOWA
2. Dom Abounader, MICH
3. Ricky Robertson, WIS
4. Brett Pfarr, MINN
5. Kenny Courts, OSU
6. TJ Dudley, NEB
7. Nikko Reyes, ILL
8. Matt McCutcheon, PSU
9. John Rizqallah, MSU
10. Patrick Kissel, PUR
11. Anthony Pafumi, RU
12. Mitch Sliga, NU
13. Matt Irick, IND
14. Tony Gardner, MD
197
1. Kyle Snyder, OSU
2. Morgan McIntosh, PSU
3. Scott Schiller, MINN
4. Nathan Burak, IOWA
5. Aaron Studebaker, NEB
6. Max Huntley, MICH
7. Alex Polizzi, NU
8. Timmy McCall, WIS
9. Braden Atwood, PUR
10. Nick McDiarmid, MSU
11. Jeff Koepke, ILL
12. Hayden Hrymack, RU
13. Rob Fitzgerald, MD
14. Luke Sheridan, IND
285
1. Connor Medbery, WIS
2. Adam Coon, MICH
3. Mike McMullan, NU
4. Bobby Telford, IOWA
5. Jimmy Lawson, PSU
6. Michael Kroells, MINN
7. Spencer Myers, MD
8. Billy Smith, RU
9. Nick Tavanello, OSU
10. Brooks Black, ILL
11. Collin Jensen, NEB
12. Chris Nash, MSU
13. Garret Goldman, IND
14. Gelen Robinson, PUR
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Three wrestle-offs for U.S. ANOC World Beach Games Team set for June 24 at Rathbun Lake in Mystic, Iowa
Results of first bout of their Final X Series in all three disciplines; second matches set for 6 p.m. ET
National Team True Third Place Match results, prior to Final X
19 National Team true third matches added prior to Final X in Newark, N.J., June 10
