Takedown Report

25 returning college wrestlers to watch in the 2019-20 season

The 2019-2020 wrestling season means the return of 2019 NCAA champions Spencer Lee, Nick Suriano, Yianni Diakomihalis, Mekhi Lewis, Zahid Valencia and Anthony Cassar, along with nearly 50 other 2019 All-American wrestlers. This year’s field breeds a whole new set of storylines and excitement with all eyes on Minneapolis for the 2020 wrestling championship.  
FILM STUDY: Relive how Spencer Lee beat Jack Mueller in the 2019 NCAA finals
Penn State won the team race last year with 137.5 points behind championship performances from Cassar, Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal, but the graduation of Penn State’s three-time NCAA champions Nolf and Nickal left an opening in the 157- and 197-pound weight classes for the Nittany Lions. Those points will be missed by head coach Cael Sanderson and company, but a new set of incoming and returning talent is anxious to fill those spots. Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Iowa all also earned trophies in Pittsburgh last year and those teams have restocked with new top elite wrestlers and will be aiming to take down the defending champs. 
Here are 25 returning wrestlers to watch, including at least two athletes from each weight class. Incoming freshman are not included on this list. These athletes are in weight class order but are not ranked specifically. They were selected based on previous NCAA tournament performance and potential to finish near the top of the podium in 2020.  Rest of the story at

July 23, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized