Penn State, Wisconsin-Parkside, and Wesleyan wrestlers top first Most Dominant Wrestler standings

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has released updated standings for the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Awards that will be awarded in March at the respective Division I, II and III Wrestling Championships.

The inaugural NCAA Wrestling Awards were presented at the 2012 wrestling championships. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes that have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular and postseasons.

For falls and tech falls to be counted they must come against opponents in the same division. Ties in the two categories are broken based on the aggregate time.

This week debuts the Most Dominant Wrestler award standings, which requires a 15-match minimum in the division to qualify.

Last year’s winner, Zain Retherford of Penn State has put himself in a strong position to repeat by scoring an average of 5.67 team points per match, to lead his teammates Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal who also average more than five points per match.

Nick Becker of Wisconsin-Parkside is the leader in Division II with an average of 4.80 points at 174 pounds to edge heavyweight Jarrod Hinrichs of Nebraska-Kearney by .06 points per match.

Division III is the closest competition so far with only .01 points separating leader Isaiah Bellamy of Wesleyan (Connecticut) with 5.28 points per match at heavyweight over Wartburg 157-pounder Mike Ross at 5.27.

The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by adding the total number of points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled. Points per match are awarded as follows.

Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss)
Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss)
Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss)
Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss)

Penn State 157-pounder Nolf holds a lead in aggregate time to break a tie with 149-pound teammate Retherford for the lead in Division I falls with 15 each.

In Division II, Central Oklahoma 165-pounder Mason Thompson continues to hold the lead with his 12 falls, which is one more than Tiffin 184-pounder Hayden Bronne.

Bellamy has staked his lead in the Most Dominant Wrestler standings by leading all divisions with 17 falls, while Michael DiNardo of Johnson & Wales (Rhode Island) has 16.

Jamel Morris of NC State was the first Division I wrestler to reach double digits in tech falls with 10 this season in 38:07 as he maintains the national lead by aggregate time over Cam Sykora of North Dakota State.

Nick Vandermeer of Lake Erie has reclaimed sole possession of the tech fall lead in Division II with eight.

Jay Albis of Johnson & Wales (Rhode Island) has stormed to the Division III lead in tech falls with 15 at 133 pounds.