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2023 NCAA Championships

2023 NCAA Championships: By The Numbers

Our annual analytical deep dive into the greatest college wrestling competition of the year.

It’s time for our annual analytical deep dive into the greatest collegiate competition of the year, the NCAA D1 Wrestling Championships! We’ve been doing these blogs for a while now and are thrilled to bring you another new edition of this celebrated series!

Previous NCAAs By The Numbers: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014

We’ve also got heaps more coverage of the 2023 tournament, so check out the following links if you are looking for something you don’t see in this blog.

More glorious NCAA Championships coverage: Brackets | Results | Live Blog | Upsets | ReturnIng Points | Team Race | Eligibility Tracker | Toughest Half Bracket | Best Freshmen

Now on to the wonderful charts, graphs, maps, tables, chairs, breakfast cereals, and what have you. 

We will start with All-Americans by conference. Here are the totals since 2012. I even moved all the teams around, so AAs for Missouri are now all counted for the Big 12, even though Mizzou was in the MAC for most of that time period. Also all the old EWL teams are now in the MAC, etc. 

Note that Ivy League teams did not compete in the 2021 season (thanks, stupid covid, my least favorite of all the coronaviruses) so the EIWA numbers are abnormally low that year. … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/articles/10778346-2023-ncaa-championships-by-the-numbers

NCAA Wrestling Weekend That Was: Examining Spencer Lee’s legacy and more from Tulsa

Semifinal loss stings, but doesn’t diminish his accomplishments

The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Okla., was filled with greatness, intensity and surprise. Everything we have come to expect from the biggest wrestling event in the world. Here is the Wrestling Weekend That Was, NCAA edition.

Spencer Lee’s legacy

Iowa’s Spencer Lee earned his fourth All-America honor at the NCAA tournament, giving him five All-America honors when added to the National Wrestling Coaches Association award in 2020. The conclusion to a stellar career wasn’t what Lee, the Hawkeye program and fans hoped and expected.

Purdue’s Matt Ramos shocked the college wrestling world (yes, cliché and all) by pulling the biggest modern national tournament upset with a semifinal win.

Cornell University’s Yianni Diakomihalis, a friend of Lee’s, who won his fourth NCAA title Saturday, said he didn’t know what to think of the outcome.

“He’s been one of those guys that’s been very dominant, probably more dominant than I’ve been,” Diakomihalis said of Lee. “You gotta feel for him a little bit, right? I’m kind of in a similar position. The whole arena is waiting for you to lose. Maybe they’re not cheering against you, but secretly in the back of their head, it gets a little louder when the other guy is going to score. It’s tough. It’s tough having that for Spencer, and you can’t help but feel for him a little bit. It’s tough to have that taken from you.”

Lee’s loss stung, along the lines of Lincoln McIlravy/Steve Marianetti, Jason Kelber/Terry Brands and Dan Gable/Larry Owings. It doesn’t overshadow a career that included 98 career wins, three Big Ten Wrestler of the Year awards, three conference titles, two Hodge trophies and the AAU James E. Sullivan award, while consistently battling knee injuries, which may have impacted his final season as well. It would be short-sighted to hang everything on his last performance, or him not wrestling the final day for whatever reason. One that may, or may not, be revealed later.

Lee isn’t, and shouldn’t, be defined by any win or loss. … rest of the story at Gazette.com/hawkeye-wrestling/ncaa-wrestling-weekend-that-was-examining-spencer-lees-legacy-and-more-from-tulsa

PSU should appreciate Sanderson’s greatness

The Penn State wrestling team won its 10th national championship in the last 12 contested NCAA Championships over the weekend in Tulsa.

Think about that. Think about how unbelievable that is. Think about what the program was like before Cael Sanderson took over as head coach.
I don’t know if Penn State fans and administration fully appreciate how fortunate they are to have Sanderson coaching the wrestling team.

Matches at Rec Hall are a happening. There have been sellouts at 66 straight matches at Rec Hall. Sellouts have occurred in 75 of the last 77 home matches, including nine of 11 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State fans have come to expect greatness from the program. Many of those fans who squeeze into Rec Hall on Friday nights or Sunday afternoons know what it takes to continue the dynasty — how much it takes to remain as college wrestling’s powerhouse.

But I’ve been wondering how much fans who really don’t pay a great amount of attention until the NCAAs appreciate what Sanderson has done. … rest of story at Altoonamirror.com/sports/psu/2023/03/sanderson-doesnt-get-enough-love/

Wrestling Mailbag: NCAA tournament recap, Spencer Lee, catching Penn State, ISU, UNI, more

Had a lot of questions regarding Iowa wrestling and the state of the program and whether or not an overhaul is needed if the Hawkeyes want to compete with Penn State moving forward, so let’s just go ahead and knock this one out at the top, because I have some thoughts on this.

Iowa took second at the NCAA Championships last weekend. If you’ve been reading or listening at all this season, that was largely the expectation, at least to me. Others might disagree, but in October, I figured a comfortable and decisive second-place finish at the NCAA Championships would be a successful season.

It was always going to take a monster effort for the Hawkeyes, or anybody, to catch Penn State in a tournament setting. It was possible, sure, but a lot needed to go right.

When the dust settled Saturday, Iowa did take second, but not very comfortably, beating third-place Cornell by 6 points and fourth-place Ohio State by 12. On top of that, the Hawkeyes finished 55 points behind Penn State, team champs for the 10th time in the last 12 NCAA tournaments.

Despite all of that … I thought Iowa wrestled pretty well over the weekend, all things considered. … rest of story at Desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa/wrestling/2023/03/21/wrestling-mailbag-ncaa-championships

March 26, 2023 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Honors

Bartos, Niffenegger, Pecora Highlight 2023 All-PSAC Wrestling Teams

The Mercyhurst duo of senior Eric Bartos and freshman Jake Niffenegger, along with Pitt-Johnstown head coach Pat Pecora, all earned major awards for the 2023 All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Teams.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Mercyhurst duo of senior Eric Bartos and freshman Jake Niffenegger, along with Pitt-Johnstown head coach Pat Pecora, all earned major awards for the 2023 All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Teams, the league office announced Wednesday. Along with the major award winners, First, Second, and Third-Team All-Conference selections were announced.
 
All-conference teams and major award winners are decided by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
 
Mercyhurst senior Eric Bartos captures the 2023 Athlete of the Year honor after a stellar season In which he went 31-4 overall and earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships. He was the Super Region 1 champion at 133 pounds and also added a pristine 7-0 record In PSAC dual meets. Bartos was previously named the PSAC Freshman of the Year at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season and has compiled a career record of 114-35 throughout his time as a Laker.
 
Mercyhurst’s Jake Niffenegger earns Freshman of the Year honors following a breakout first season for the Lakers. The native of Cincinnati, Ohio placed seventh at 141 pounds at the NCAA Division II Championships to earn All-American honors.  He finished the year with a 25-9 record and was the 141-pound Super Region 1 champion. Niffenegger’s award makes it back-to-back Freshman of the Year honors for Mercyhurst, with Dillon Walker claiming the award for the 2021-2022 season.
 
Pat Pecora earns his third consecutive conference Coach of the Year honor in the PSAC and fourth overall of his career after another standout season for the Mountain Cats. Pecora was a finalist from Super Region 1 for the NCAA Division II National Men’s Wrestling Coach of the Year and led Pitt-Johnstown to a 7-0 conference dual meet record (15-0 overall) and the program’s 25th NCAA Regional Title. UPJ earned its seventh consecutive conference championship and eight Mountain Cat wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships. … rest of story at PSACsports.org/news/2023/3/21/bartos-niffenegger-pecora-highlight-2023-all-psac-wrestling-teams

Cardinale’s Toughness and Persistence Leads to Another All-America Season

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The fact that Killian Cardinale became a 125-pound All-American last weekend at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is not that remarkable.
 
West Virginia University has had 35 of them in its long history, including Cardinale himself, who finished seventh at nationals in 2021 after transferring from Old Dominion.
 
The Mountaineers have had multiple All-Americans and national champions, too. No, what makes Cardinale’s accomplishment so remarkable is how he did it – basically on one leg!
 
Just four weeks after having surgery to repair his meniscus, and only a couple of months after missing the early portion of the season because of painful stress reactions in his toes, Cardinale soldiered on to become West Virginia’s eighth multiple All-American, joining the likes of Zeke Moisey, Brandon Rader, Vertus Jones, Whitey Chlebove, Mike Mason, Mark Banks and, yes, the incomparable Greg Jones.
 
Cardinale’s journey to the podium is a painful reminder that wrestling can be a grueling sport, physically and emotionally.
 
Who didn’t see the clip posted on social media recently of Spencer Lee’s mother, Cathy, smashing her glasses to pieces and throwing them to the ground in disgust when her son lost in the 125-pound semifinals, denying him a fourth national championship?
 
Cardinale did. That’s his weight class. The guy who knocked Cardinale out of the championship round in the quarterfinals, Purdue’s Matt Ramos, is also the guy who upset Lee. … rest of story at WVUsports.com/news/2023/3/24/Cardinales-toughness-and-persistence-leads-to-another-all-america-season

Behind Vito’s Rise from Self-Doubts to NCAA Champ

In a flash, Cornell’s Vito Arujau attacked the far leg of Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young, plucked his right ankle, elevated, and drove the opposite direction to score his second takedown of the 133-pound NCAA final. That clip has become one of the most prominent of the NCAA Tournament, and at the moment, all ESPN analyst Jordan Burroughs could say was, “Wow.”

Bravo-Young, a two-time defending national champion, had no answer for the power of Arujau on those clean finishes, which included a second-period reversal to his back where RBY stood little chance.

But to the surprise of many, RBY, who is billed as perhaps the sport’s quickest athlete, also seemed to have no good response for the incredible speed of Arujau. The visual of Bravo-Young looking helpless to Arujau’s leg attacks was striking.

The Cornell junior also out-powered Oklahoma State three-time NCAA runner-up Daton Fix and made it look easy in an 11-3 major in the semis. Two different opponents, two different styles, and Arujau took the action to both of them in dominant performances.

“He’s world-class, I’ve been saying it a long time,” Cornell coach Mike Grey said. “Those two guys, they’re fast and powerful. Vito is just stronger and faster than Daton and RBY.” … rest of story at Intermatwrestle.com/articles/26618Wrestling+News

Yianni D on Becoming a 4x NCAA Champion & Making History

Yianni D is now just the 5th ever 4x NCAA Champion after earning another title at 149lbs this weekend. Today, friend of the show Yianni came back on to talk all about the tournament, his season, his career & what’s next. 

We talk through: 

March 26, 2023 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CAROLINA INSIDER INTERVIEW: AUSTIN O’CONNOR

Two-time NCAA champion Austin O’Connor of the Carolina wrestling team joined hosts Jones Angell and Adam Lucas in-studio this week to discuss his recent national championship last weekend in Tulsa, his career and much more. … rest of story and video at GOheels.com/news/2023/3/22/wrestling-carolina-insider-interview-austin-o-connor

March 26, 2023 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Vote For Women’s College Wrestler Of The Year

Be sure to vote for this year’s women’s college wrestler of the year

by Gary Abbott

The finalists have been named for the first USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year Award.

The award will be selected by a vote from three major constituent groups: wrestling journalists, women’s college head coaches, and fans. Each of these groups will account for one-third of the vote.

The six finalists were all undefeated college nationals champions: NAIA champions Lexi Basham of Texas Wesleyan, Dymond Guilford of the University of the Cumberlands, Adaugo Nwachukwu of Iowa Wesleyan and Peyton Prussin of Life, plus NCWWC champion (NCAA institutions) Marissa Gallegos of Colorado Mesa and Yelena Makoyed of North Central.

Fan vote for 2023 Women’s College Wrestler of the Year

Women’s college varsity wrestlers from all of the recognized college organizations were eligible, including NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA/junior college programs. The finalists were selected by a committee overseeing the award program, featuring representatives of the media, college coaches, and wrestling fans. These six wrestlers were selected from a pool of 13 college national champions who were identified as potential candidates after the national tournaments were completed.

Fan voting opens today (Tuesday, March 21) and runs through Sunday, March 28. The announcement of the first winner of USA Wrestling’s Women’s College Wrestler of the Year will be on Tuesday, March 28.

Fan vote for 2023 Women’s College Wrestler of the Year

USA Wrestling’s goal is to elevate the new award to have the significance and impact as other college athletic awards, such as the Dan Hodge Trophy for men’s college wrestling, the Heisman Trophy for college football, … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/articles/10777913-vote-for-womens-college-wrestler-of-the-year

March 26, 2023 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2023 NCAA Championship EIWA Recap

The 2023 NCAA Wrestling season ended last weekend. History was made, crazy upsets happened, and many fell short of their goals. Fortunately, and unfortunately, many EIWA wrestlers fell into all three categories. It was incredible to see the highest of highs and lowest of lows all under one roof, within seconds of each other – sometimes by the same person! In honor of the seven EIWA All-Americans, below is a list of 7 things to recap from the wild weekend in the Midwest!

#1 – First, congrats to the 3 NCAA Champions from the EIWA. Patrick Glory, of Princeton, returned to the NCAA finals coming away with gold this time around. The entire country assumed we’d see Glory take on Spencer Lee in the finals. But, due to the “Pin Heard ‘Round the World,” this was not the matchup we saw. Glory beat Ramos of Purdue – giving Princeton their first NCAA champ in 72 years. Talk about history! Remember when he almost moved up a weight class during the year? I’m assuming the right decision was made to stay down at 125 lbs…. Glory’s eligibility is done with but expect to see him on the freestyle circuit and try to make the U.S. team for the next Olympic cycle.

Vito Arujau, of Cornell, won the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award after winning the 133lbs title, knocking off 2X defending champ Roman Bravo-Young of Penn State. Vito’s road to the final included avenging a loss to Virginia Tech’s Latona (who was the only wrestler this year to beat Vito). Vito’s dominant semifinal win over 3X runner-up, Daton Fix, probably shocked many. He won via major decision, … rest of story at Intermatwrestle.com/articles/Wrestling+News

March 26, 2023 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment