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Session Two Notes: Five age-group World champions reach 285-pound quarterfinals; Two Jersey high schools have most qualifiers
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Gable Steveson of Minnesota scores another takedown during day one at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
Five Age-Group World Champion Heavyweights reach quarterfinals
Young wrestlers who compete at a high level in the international styles often become excellent college wrestlers. Just look at 285 pounds, where five past age-group World Champions for Team USA are in the draw, all expected to do very well. No. 1 seed and Olympic champion Gable Steveson of Minnesota won two Cadet World titles (2015 and 2016) and a 2017 Junior World title in freestyle. No. 2 seed Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State was a 2017 Cadet World champion in Greco-Roman. No. 3 seed Tony Cassioppi of Iowa was a 2021 U23 World champion in freestyle. No. 4 seed Greg Kerkvliet of Penn State was a 2017 Cadet freestyle World champion. No. 7 Mason Paris of Michigan was a 2019 Junior World champion in freestyle. All five of the past World champions have reached the quarterfinals, with a match between Schultz and Parris set for Friday morning. Parris was second at the 2021 NCAAs, while Schultz placed fourth. Of the five, two have already been on Senior World Teams, Steveson (a 2020 Olympic champion, of course), and Schultz (on the 2021 Senior World Greco-Roman Team).
Jersey wrestling? Two of their high schools have the most qualifiers
New Jersey has great wrestling. Just ask a wrestler from the Garden State. (Actually, you don’t have to ask them, they will tell you anyway). The school with the most qualifiers this year is Blair Academy with seven, followed by Bergen Catholic with six. Four high schools have three qualifiers, led by Michigan’s own Detroit Central Catholic, along with Montini Catholic (Ill.), Nazareth (Pa.) and Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.)
Five-time NCAA Div. I Placewinners? Yes, we might get two this year
Due to the NCAA decision to allow the 2021 year not to count towards eligibility, we could see our first five-time NCAA placewinners. Both hope to finish their careers as champions. Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman, who started his career at Missouri, has place 5th-4th-3rd-2nd. Myles Amine, who has always been at Michigan, has gone 4th-3rd-3rd-3rd. This does not include those who were NWCA All-American selections during the cancelled 2020 season.
Gotta love college sports information directors for fun facts
When you are looking for some neat facts at the NCAA Championships, many college sports information post key facts on their teams. Here are a few from today.
• Rutgers All-American Greg Bulsak won his 100th career match with his session one victory at 197 pounds over Jacob Cardenas of Cornell, 7-0.
• Missouri All-American Keegan O’Toole secured the fastest pin of his career this morning in 52 seconds over Caleb Fish of Michigan State at 165 pounds. It was also the fastest pin of Session I.
• Iowa State hosted the first NCAA Wrestling Championships in 1928. This morning, when returning NCAA champion David Carr secured a 21-6 tech fall over Derek Holschlag of UNI at 157, it was the 1,600th all-time win by a Cyclone wrestler at the NCAA Championships. (No, we won’t ask you to name them all).
Session II upsets – lower seed beats higher seed in match
133 - No. 25 Brian Courtney (Virginia) dec. No. 9 Michael Colaiocco (Pennsylvania), (Dec 8-7)
197- No. 21 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) (SV-1 6-4)
157 - No. 17 Hunter Willits (Oregon State) dec. No. 1 David Carr (Iowa State) 22-1 (TB-1 2-1)
141 - No. 15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina) dec. 2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) (SV-1 4-2)
197 - No. 13 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) dec. No. 4 Patrick Brucki (Michigan) (Dec 6-3)
141 - No. 12 CJ Composto (Pennsylvania) dec. No. 5 Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) (TB-1 5-4)
285 - No. 12 Christian Lance (Nebraska) dec. No. 5 Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) (Dec 5-4)
125 - No. 11 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) dec. No. 6 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) (Dec 9-3)
149 - No. 11 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 6 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) (Dec 16-11)
125 – No. 10 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) dec. No. 7 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) (Dec 3-2)
149 - No. 10 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) dec. No. 7 Joshua Heil (Campbell) (Dec 8-1)
165 - No. 9 Peyton Hall (West Virginia) dec. No. 8 Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) (Dec 7-3)
184 - No. 9 Zach Braunagel (Illinois) pin No. 8 Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) (Fall 6:47)
285 - No. 9 Lucas Davison (Northwestern) dec. No. 8 Matt Stencel (Central Michigan) (Dec 9-2)
Five Age-Group World Champion Heavyweights reach quarterfinals
Young wrestlers who compete at a high level in the international styles often become excellent college wrestlers. Just look at 285 pounds, where five past age-group World Champions for Team USA are in the draw, all expected to do very well. No. 1 seed and Olympic champion Gable Steveson of Minnesota won two Cadet World titles (2015 and 2016) and a 2017 Junior World title in freestyle. No. 2 seed Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State was a 2017 Cadet World champion in Greco-Roman. No. 3 seed Tony Cassioppi of Iowa was a 2021 U23 World champion in freestyle. No. 4 seed Greg Kerkvliet of Penn State was a 2017 Cadet freestyle World champion. No. 7 Mason Paris of Michigan was a 2019 Junior World champion in freestyle. All five of the past World champions have reached the quarterfinals, with a match between Schultz and Parris set for Friday morning. Parris was second at the 2021 NCAAs, while Schultz placed fourth. Of the five, two have already been on Senior World Teams, Steveson (a 2020 Olympic champion, of course), and Schultz (on the 2021 Senior World Greco-Roman Team).
Jersey wrestling? Two of their high schools have the most qualifiers
New Jersey has great wrestling. Just ask a wrestler from the Garden State. (Actually, you don’t have to ask them, they will tell you anyway). The school with the most qualifiers this year is Blair Academy with seven, followed by Bergen Catholic with six. Four high schools have three qualifiers, led by Michigan’s own Detroit Central Catholic, along with Montini Catholic (Ill.), Nazareth (Pa.) and Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.)
Five-time NCAA Div. I Placewinners? Yes, we might get two this year
Due to the NCAA decision to allow the 2021 year not to count towards eligibility, we could see our first five-time NCAA placewinners. Both hope to finish their careers as champions. Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman, who started his career at Missouri, has place 5th-4th-3rd-2nd. Myles Amine, who has always been at Michigan, has gone 4th-3rd-3rd-3rd. This does not include those who were NWCA All-American selections during the cancelled 2020 season.
Gotta love college sports information directors for fun facts
When you are looking for some neat facts at the NCAA Championships, many college sports information post key facts on their teams. Here are a few from today.
• Rutgers All-American Greg Bulsak won his 100th career match with his session one victory at 197 pounds over Jacob Cardenas of Cornell, 7-0.
• Missouri All-American Keegan O’Toole secured the fastest pin of his career this morning in 52 seconds over Caleb Fish of Michigan State at 165 pounds. It was also the fastest pin of Session I.
• Iowa State hosted the first NCAA Wrestling Championships in 1928. This morning, when returning NCAA champion David Carr secured a 21-6 tech fall over Derek Holschlag of UNI at 157, it was the 1,600th all-time win by a Cyclone wrestler at the NCAA Championships. (No, we won’t ask you to name them all).
Session II upsets – lower seed beats higher seed in match
133 - No. 25 Brian Courtney (Virginia) dec. No. 9 Michael Colaiocco (Pennsylvania), (Dec 8-7)
197- No. 21 Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) (SV-1 6-4)
157 - No. 17 Hunter Willits (Oregon State) dec. No. 1 David Carr (Iowa State) 22-1 (TB-1 2-1)
141 - No. 15 Kizhan Clarke (North Carolina) dec. 2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) (SV-1 4-2)
197 - No. 13 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) dec. No. 4 Patrick Brucki (Michigan) (Dec 6-3)
141 - No. 12 CJ Composto (Pennsylvania) dec. No. 5 Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) (TB-1 5-4)
285 - No. 12 Christian Lance (Nebraska) dec. No. 5 Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) (Dec 5-4)
125 - No. 11 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) dec. No. 6 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) (Dec 9-3)
149 - No. 11 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 6 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) (Dec 16-11)
125 – No. 10 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) dec. No. 7 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) (Dec 3-2)
149 - No. 10 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) dec. No. 7 Joshua Heil (Campbell) (Dec 8-1)
165 - No. 9 Peyton Hall (West Virginia) dec. No. 8 Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) (Dec 7-3)
184 - No. 9 Zach Braunagel (Illinois) pin No. 8 Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) (Fall 6:47)
285 - No. 9 Lucas Davison (Northwestern) dec. No. 8 Matt Stencel (Central Michigan) (Dec 9-2)