NCAA Wrestling Championships Thread
March 21st, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
Wow I screwed up the Twitter link. Here do this one instead
March 21st, 2024 at 11:45 AM ^
It's on and poppin, Sanderson time!
March 21st, 2024 at 11:58 AM ^
• Michigan will send nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, including six returning NCAA All-Americans in Michael DeAugustino (125 pounds), Austin Gomez (149), Will Lewan (157), Cameron Amine (165), Shane Griffith (174) and Lucas Davison (Hwt). Griffith is an NCAA champion, winning at 165 pounds in 2021, and a three-time All-American. Amine is also a three-time All-American, Lewan and Davison are two-time All-Americans, while DeAugustino and Gomez both claimed fourth place in 2022.
• Two Wolverines are set to make their NCAA Championships debut this week in Kansas City: freshman Sergio Lemley (141 pounds) and senior/junior Jaden Bullock (184).
Source: Team Page
March 21st, 2024 at 12:20 PM ^
Michigan's first round matchups:
125: #18 Michael DeAugustino (11-6) v #15 Caleb Smith, Nebraska (21-9)
133: #5 Dylan Ragusin (24-2) v #28 Michael Colaiocco, Pennsylvania (15-10)
141: #8 Sergio Lemley (18-7) v #25 Cleveland Belton, Oregon State (18-7)
149: #6 Austin Gomez (9-2) v #27 Jack Crook, Harvard (15-9)
157: #9 Will Lewan (12-7) v #24 Chase Saldate, Michigan State (25-6)
165: #10 Cameron Amine (14-7) v #23 Derek Fields, NC State (15-4)
174: #4 Shane Griffith (14-3) v #29 Alex Faison, NC State (13-12)
184: #12 Jaden Bullock (18-10) v #21 Brian Soldano, Rutgers (15-10)
285: #10 Lucas Davidson (18-4) v #23 Lucas Stoddard, Army (23-14)
March 21st, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Ragusin wins his opener (9-7 D), DeAgustino loses his (4-1 SV)
March 21st, 2024 at 12:52 PM ^
Appreciate the update.
Lemley just won a close one 10-8, had a late takedown to take a slim lead and then rode out, got the riding point. Had there been an escape he'd be in SV.
Back to work for me now so no more updates, hope someone else can.
He's a monster. Only a freshman. Bright future ahead
Gomez wins a crazy one at 149, 17-12. Five takedowns for Gomez, including 3 in the first period.
157: Will Lewan defeats MSU's Chase Saldate, 4-3. That's 4 wins in the first 5 weight classes for Michigan wrestlers. (My last update until this evening; work sometimes has to come first)
just checked the PSWC page and looks like 6 made it thru the first round, with Bullock and Davison still left. So DeAugustino the only M wrestler dropping to the consolations
Not a bad result so far, given that DeAugustino was in the only underdog* matchup.
*He was lower-ranked than his opponent, although not by much. Not sure how much that matters in wrestling, but doesn't seem like him dropping the first match is an upset, at least.
Triple post? Been a while since I've done that. Another triple post:
Because I just committed the triple post offense...
March 21st, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Is it a race for 2nd place like pretty much every other year?
March 21st, 2024 at 12:49 PM ^
yea basically, penn state has 10 wrestlers qualified, 4 #1s, 2 #2s, and Carter Starocci, the 3x NCAA champ, is ranked #9 because he's been dealing with injuries. So...yea it'd be a massive upset if they didn't win the team race. But still, 10 champs to be crowned, plus all americans! plenty for Michigan to wrestle for
Gotta love Sanderson's loose approach with focus on mental aspects of the sport and modernized techniques. Top 10 sport moment for me was when Bo Nickal pinned Myles Martin to secure the TEAM championship, "that's what we do!" Most emotion you will ever see out of Cael. Respect to Myles Martin, he's a bad man!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpiIsmt4w3o
Check out this post match interview and tell me it doesn't hype you up! This happened the same night Jordan Poole hit the buzzer beater, I woke my family up twice that night. LOVE me some Cael Sanderson! Always focus on the TEAM success.
Wrestling has seemingly always been a race for 2nd place (in terms of the team championship). One school just seems to dominate for a time:
- 1928 (1st year of the Championships) to 1968: Oklahoma State won 26 of the 38 team titles. There were 3 years where the Championships weren't held, due to the War.
- 1969 to 1974: Iowa State won 4 of 6.
- 1975 to 2000: Iowa won 20 of 26.
- 2001 to 2007: Minnesota and Oklahoma State split all the titles.
- 2008 to 2010: Iowa went on another 3-year run.
- 2011 to 2023: Penn State won 10 of 12 (Championships weren't held in 2020).
There's a STRONG positive feedback loop with the top wrestling programs. The top wrestlers gravitate to the best coaches. The best want to train with the best. Wrestlers often stick around town after graduating, so they're available to train with: Olympians like Jake Varner, David Taylor, and Kyle Snyder all live and train in State College. Etc. It's a damn tough ceiling to break through, even for Top 5 programs, which U-M has been on the edges of the Top 5 of late.
Hard to predict how long Cael Sanderson will stick around --- he's only 44 years old now so theoretically could coach another couple decades. But guys like that often seek out different challenges. And Dan Gable retired as Iowa Head Coach in 1999 at only 49 (and then Iowa fell off to "merely" a very very good program).
But for the time being --- PSU is effectively a machine. Much like 1980s-1990s Iowa.
I would like to hereby nominate Mason Graham to be a late substitution, and to just come in and destroy people.
Corum was also a HS wrestler, who credited it with helping his FB. it's a great sport.
Did not know that. Thanks for the info.
3rd place witb 10.5 team points. Nebraska and Penn State tied with 13.
97s and heavyweights still to go in rd1.
Pin at hvywt. Great start!
Afternoon session results:
125: #18 Michael DeAugustino LOST, 4-1 (sv)
133: #5 Dylan Ragusin WON, 9-7
141: #8 Sergio Lemley WON, 10-8
149: #6 Austin Gomez WON, 18-12
157: #9 Will Lewan WON, 4-3
165: #10 Cameron Amine WON, 4-1
174: #4 Shane Griffith WON, 17-2 (tech fall 7:00)
184: #12 Jaden Bullock WON, (injury forfeit 6:43)
285: #10 Lucas Davidson WON, (fall 4:37)
That's 8 advancement points plus 5.5 bonus points, good for third place right now (not that the standings mean much at this point):
1. Penn State (15.5)
2. Nebraska (14)
3. Michigan (13.5)
4. Iowa State (13)
5. Ohio State (12.5)
Session #2 coming up this evening, the schedule is highlighted by 3 head-to-head matchups against the Cornhuskers. Overall, Michigan will be favored in 4 of their 8 winners bracket matches.
CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND
133: #5 Dylan Ragusin (25-2) v #21 Ethan Oakley, App State (27-7)
141: #8 Sergio Lemley (19-7) v #9 Brock Hardy, Nebraska (20-8)
149: #6 Austin Gomez (10-2) v #22 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming (21-10)
157: #9 Will Lewan (13-7) v #8 Peyton Robb, Nebraska (22-6)
165: #10 Cameron Amine (15-7) v #7 Izzak Olejnik, Oklahoma State (25-5)
174: #4 Shane Griffith (15-3) v #13 Justin McCoy, Virginia (18-5)
184: #12 Jaden Bullock (19-10) v #5 Lenn Pinto, Nebraska (23-4)
285: #10 Lucas Davidson (19-4) v #7 Taye Ghadiali, Campbell (33-3)
CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND
125: #18 Michael DeAugustino (11-7) v #31 Tyler Klinsky, Rider (20-13)
Bullock is 0-3 against Pinto, last loss in SV at the B10 Championsjips
Lewan is 2-2 against Robb, but lost the last 2 this season
Lemley and Hardy split their matches this year
ESPN2 at 7PM EST.
Also HULU+
Good start to session 2.
March 21st, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^
Into the quarterfinals:
Ragusin 133 lbs
Gomez 149 lbs
Amine 165 lbs
Griffith 174 lbs
Davison 285 lbs
The only favorite by seed is Griffith. But I like Ragusin and Gomez to win and make the semifinals. Davison has a good chance too.
I feel pretty good about Griffith winning it all at 174 lbs. Starocci (PSU - 3 time national champ) is far from 100% and Griffith is savvy as hell and a former national champ.
March 21st, 2024 at 10:57 PM ^
Final results from session 2:
CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND
133: #5 Dylan Ragusin WON, 11-5
141: #8 Sergio Lemley LOST, 4-10
149: #6 Austin Gomez WON, (fall 4:57)
157: #9 Will Lewan LOST, 6-11
165: #10 Cameron Amine WON, 4-1 (sv)
174: #4 Shane Griffith WON, 5-1
184: #12 Jaden Bullock LOST, 2-4
285: #10 Lucas Davison WON, 8-0 (maj dec)
CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND
125: #18 Michael DeAugustino WON, 9-3
Team standings:
1. Penn State (34.5)
2t. Iowa State (24.5)
2t. Iowa (24.5)
4t. Michigan (22)
4t. NC State (22)
Very impressive showing so far by Lucas Davison at 285; he's responsible for 5 of Michigan's 22 points with a fall and a major decision win..
March 21st, 2024 at 10:58 PM ^
Pairings for the Friday afternoon session. Michigan in 5 quarterfinals but will be the underdog in 4 of the 5 matches.
CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
133: #5 Dylan Ragusin (26-2) v #4 Dylan Shawver, Rutgers (24-5)
149: #6 Austin Gomez (11-2) v #3 Jackson Arrington, NC State (20-3)
165: #10 Cameron Amine (16-7) v #2 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State (24-0)
174: #4 Shane Griffith (16-3) v #28 Jared Simma, Northern Iowa (17-9)
285: #10 Lucas Davison (20-4) v #2 Yonger Bastida, Iowa State (26-0)
CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND
125: #18 Michael DeAugustino (12-7) v #17 Brett Ungar, Cornell (18-8)
141: #8 Sergio Lemley (19-8) v #7 Cael Happel, Northern Iowa (21-8)
157: #9 Will Lewan (13-8) v #26 Johnny Lovett, Central Michigan (27-9)
184: #12 Jaden Bullock (19-11) v #22 Gavin Kane, North Carolina (20-10)
I always get confused on wrestlebacks, but DeAugustino has an extra consolation match before everyone else's, right?
Apparently not, this is all the same round. Starting with this session though the consolation bracket has two rounds for every 1 round in the championship bracket.