2023 Journeymen Collegiate Classic Brackets, Rankings, & Schedule
The Journeymen Collegiate Classic features 30 ranked wrestlers this year. Here are the brackets, rankings, and a schedule for this year’s loaded event
The Journeymen Collegiate Classic is a staple in the first month of the NCAA wrestling season. This year’s event features stars from #1 Penn State, #5 Cornell, #7 Arizona State, #9 NC State, and more. All of this year’s ranked wrestlers are listed below along with complete pools and a schedule for the event.
2023 Journeymen Collegiate Classic
Over 30 Ranked Wrestlers, 10 In The Top 4
This year’s Journeymen Collegiate Classic field is loaded with 30 ranked wrestlers including 10 who are ranked in the top four in their respective weight classes. Complete NCAA rankings are available here.
125 Pool A – #7 Brett Ungar, Cornell
125 Pool A – #27 Diego Sotelo, Harvard
125 Pool B – #30 Robert Howard, Penn State
133 Pool A – #1 Vito Arujau, Cornell
133 Pool A – #6 Connor McGonagle, Lehigh
133 Pool A – #7 Michael Colaiocco, Penn
133 Pool A – #25 Mason Leiphart, Franklin & Marshall
141 Pool A – #2 Beau Bartlett, Penn State
141 Pool A – #21 Jesse Vasquez, ASU
141 Pool A – #7 CJ Composto, Penn
141 Pool A – #10 Vince Cornella, Cornell
141 Pool B – #11 Malyke Hines, Lehigh … rest of story … Flowrestling.org/2023-journeymen-collegiate-classic-brackets-rankings-schedule
Oklahoma State-NC State Wrestling Dual Altered
STILLWATER – The wrestling dual between Oklahoma State and NC State has been changed from a neutral site matchup to a home-and-home series contested at campus sites, it was announced today.
The dual was originally scheduled to take place at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily on December 30, but the two programs mutually decided on the change. Oklahoma State will now travel to Raleigh to face the Wolfpack on January 5, 2024 with NC State making a return trip to Stillwater at a date to be determined.
For more information on Cowboy Wrestling, visit okstate.com or @CowboyWrestling on X.
OKstate.com/news/cowboy-wrestling-oklahoma-state-nc-state-wrestling-dual-altered
And
Wolfpack Wrestling and Oklahoma State to Compete in Home and Home Duals
Two of nation’s top programs to meet in Reynolds on Jan. 5
NC State and OklahomaState, two of the most successful programs in college wrestling, will square off in homeand home duals in 2024 and 2025. The Cowboys will compete in Raleighon Jan. 5, 2024, and the Wolfpack will make the trip to Stillwater in 2025. The teams were originally slated to compete in Italy in December but decided jointly to replace that matchup with the home and home competitions. The Wolfpack entered the season with nine straight top-20 NCAA finishes, including back-to-back top 10 finishes in 2022 and 2023. The Cowboys, who have won five national titles under renowned head coach John Smith, finished 18th. In this week’s NWCA Coaches Poll, the Pack is ranked third nationally while the Cowboys sit at 11th.
NC State head coach PatPopolizio, now in his 12th season at the helm of the program, competed for Smith at Oklahoma State from 1998-2002, helping lead the Cowboys to top-five national finishes in each of his four seasons with the program. “We’re very excited about the opportunity for two of the top programs in college wrestling to compete in front of the two best fanbases in college wrestling,” said Wolfpack head coach Pat Popolizio. “Oklahoma State has a rich and successful history with 34 NCAA titles and it’s huge for our program to bring a team of that caliber to Reynolds. I know the atmosphere will be electric.” … rest of story and details at … GOpack.com/Wolfpack-wrestling-and-oklahoma-state-to-compete-in-home-and-home-duals
A look at the 13 new rules in college wrestling this season
With wrestling season just around the corner, there have been some changes that fans should know about. The NCAA has made 13 rule changes regarding things as small as facial hair to changes in how a match is scored.
Facial hair
There is no restriction for facial hair on wrestlers.
Medical forfeits
The first medical forfeit results in a loss on the wrestler’s individual season record. The exception is when a medical forfeit occurs immediately following an injury default. This new rule discourages wrestlers from using the medical forfeit when not injured. Before, wrestlers could medically forfeit, and their record would not be affected.
Mat-side video review
The referee now has the authority to confirm or overturn all calls or missed calls during a video-review challenge. Previously, if points were scored from each wrestler in a situation when a challenge occurred, and the scoring of the match was changed during the review, all points after the challenged call were removed for either wrestler. Now, points scored after a review change may be kept or scored differently. Coach’s video-review challenge
Eliminates the control of mat violation and team-point deduction for a delayed video review.
Hand-touch takedown
Previously, if a wrestler touched the mat with a hand from the rear standing positions, a takedown would be awarded. Now, wrestlers are awarded reaction time in all positions.
Near fall
A three near-fall points option has been added this year. Wrestlers can now earn two points for two seconds, three points for three seconds and four points for four seconds.
Takedown scoring
Takedowns are now worth three points instead of two. This rewards the wrestler willing to be more offensive.
Tournament team scoring
True placement matches cannot alter the final team score.
Assessing match penalties
Removes the required match stoppage after a wrestler is penalized for an illegal hold when there is no presence of injury.
Waist and ankle ride stalling
Expands the five-second count to include all situations in which the offensive/advantaged wrestler grabs the bottom wrestler’s ankle.
On-the-mat stalling
Specifies the offensive wrestler must work toward obtaining near-fall points and/or pin to avoid stalling. … rest of story and rule changes at … Ocolly.com/big12sports/A-look-at-the-13-new-rules-in-college-wrestling-this-season
Wrestling in Mississippi!
Oak Grove High School debuts wrestling team
PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – An old sport has made its debut in Oak Grove.
Thursday night, the high school hosted its first ever wrestling match.
“The kids here are the ones that wanted a wrestling program,” Oak Grove coach Brandon Lozdoski said. “We kind of found each other, in a sense. A group of students wanted a wrestling team. They found me as a coach through the local gym, and I accepted the job.”
Lozdoski moved to the Pine Belt from Detroit and noticed a lack of wrestling programs throughout the state. He gauged enough interest to start the Oak Grove program, but the team’s closest competition is outside of the Pine Belt. “We travel about an hour, hour-and-a-half each time,” Lozdoski said. “We got Mendenhall as the closest to the north. And in the south, you got programs in Ocean Springs and Vancleave. “We are really just trying to build in this community. Mendenhall is the closest I can get.”
The team practices for about two hours each day, and the sport is something senior Jaren Spiers has been missing. “I’m originally from Utah, and I grew up wrestling for about 10 years,” he said. “It’s always been a part of my life, and I’ve really missed it every since.” Spiers says after about five years away from the sport, it didn’t take long for him to get back in the groove. “There’s a few things that I needed to learn, but all of my old techniques came back to me pretty easily.”
With the program still new to the area, Lozdoski says the team is having to adjust its expectations.
“It’s a sport that takes a lot of accountability, and you have to be disciplined,” he said. “These kids aren’t used to holding themselves to a weight limit. You’ve got to know what you’re eating. You’ve got to know what you weigh before you go to bed. You’ve got to know what you’re putting in your body.”
Coaches say they hope the team will inspire other Pine Belt schools to add wrestling. … rest of story and video at … WDAM.com/Oak-grove-high-school-debuts-new-wrestling-team
Five Things You Need To Know About NCAA Division II Wrestling This Season
Seven of the 10 NCAA Division II wrestling champions from last season are back, including a upperweight duo that led Central Oklahoma to a national title.
No division in college wrestling has seen more turnover at the top in recent years than Division II. Three different schools have won titles in the past three seasons and the top-four team trophies have been split between perennial powers and upstarts that are quickly establishing themselves as title contenders.
Here’s a look at what to watch this season:
Team To Beat
Central Oklahoma ran away with the national title in March, finishing 43 points ahead of second-place Lander, and the Bronchos are in pursuit of a repeat in 2024. Coach Todd Steidley’s roster includes five returning All-Americans, led by two-time national champion Dalton Abney (197) and reigning heavyweight champ Shawn Streck. Abney is a three-time national finalist with a 76-6 career record. He’ll anchor the lineup until Streck returns in the second semester. Additionally, the Bronchos return All-Americans Dylan Lucas (141), Gabe Johnson (157), and Anthony DesVigne at 184 pounds. “No one has won it this year and we don’t have anything to defend,” Steidley said. “We’re moving forward with that mindset and trying to be prepared for March.”
Top Contenders
Lander, West Liberty and St. Cloud State figure to be in the title chase in March. In its fourth season of competition, Lander surged to a runner-up finish. There’s no more flying under the radar for the Bearcats, especially with a roster that includes 2022 national champion Zeth Brower (141) and returning All-Americans James Joplin (125), Elijah Lusk (133), David Hunsberger (165) and Juan Edmond-Holmes (285). “We know we are going to get everybody’s best shot every time they compete against someone in a Lander singlet,” Lander coach R.C. LaHaye said. “We are using that as motivation to do all of the little things right so when they start shootin’ we’re ready.”
Coach Danny Irwin has had the West Liberty Hilltoppers on the doorstep to a title in recent years. They finished fourth in 2021, third in 2022 and sixth this past season. The Hilltoppers hope this is the year they put all the pieces together and take home a title.
West Liberty is led by returning 184-pound national champion Ty McGeary. He’ll be joined by returning All-Americans Vincent Scollo (133) and Alec Cook (165). West Liberty also has high expectations for returning national qualifiers Jamar Williams (157) and Francesco Borsellino (285). Perennial contender St. Cloud State expects to be in the title race once again in 2024. The Huskies are coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships — eighth straight top-four finish at the national tournament.
Coach Steve Constanzo’s team is led by returning champion Nick Novak at 157 pounds. … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/Five-things-you-need-to-know-about-ncaa-division-ii-wrestling-this-season…
UNC WRESTLING SWEEPS DUALS OVER BUFFALO, NO. 13 ARIZONA STATE
BETHLEHEM, PA. – The North Carolina wrestling program swept its matches Saturday at WrangleMania, defeating Buffalo (32-7) and No. 13 Arizona State (22-16). To start the day against the Bulls, Carolina won eight of 10 matches in the dual, highlighted by back-to-back falls early and one technical fall to close the matchup. Caden McCrary (133) and Lachlan McNeil (141) sparked the Tar Heels early, with consecutive first period pins. Making his season debut, Cade Lautt (285) capped off the victory for Carolina with the tech fall. The group of Spencer Moore (125), Jayden Scott (149), Danny Nini (157), Gavin Kane (184) and Max Shaw (197) all were victorious by decision.
Against the Sun Devils, Carolina collected two major decisions, one technical fall, one injury default and one decision in the effort. Moore (125), McNeil (141), Sonny Santiago (157), Shaw (197) and Lautt (285) finished on the winning side for the Tar Heels. … complete match scores at … GOheels.com/wrestling-sweeps-duals-over-buffalo-no-13-arizona-state
#1 Lander Wrestling Places Ten at Mountaineer Open
BOONE, N.C. – The top-ranked Lander Wrestling team opened tournament season on Saturday as they took part in the Mountaineer Open hosted by App State. The Bearcats brought 13 wrestlers and had ten of them place in the top four against a field filled with Division I athletes, including four first place finishes by Anthony Yacovetti, Brandon Matthews, David Hunsberger, and Juan Edmond-Holmes.
#10 Anthony Yacovetti had a dominant day as he placed first in the 197-pound class by recording three pins in all three of his matches. He opened the tournament with a pin of Edison Flores of Gardner-Webb in 5:27. He followed that up with a 26-second pin of Amarion Wilson of Greensboro College and then pinned Gunnar Polle of App State in 4:14.
#12 Brandon Matthews had three bonus point wins as well in his first-place run. After a 2:08 pin of Luke Gregory of Greensboro College he recorded back to back shutout tech falls of wrestlers from Gardner-Webb and North Carolina.
#2 Hunsberger had to pins in less than 45 seconds in his first two matches and followed that up with a 18-2 tech fall and a 20-11 major decision over Nick Grizales from App State.
#2 Holmes also had bonus point wins in all of his matches as he finished 3-0 with a 17-1 tech fall, a 16-3 major decision, and a 1:07 pin.
Isham Peace, Jack Tangen, Kaden Kuenzi, and Nate Bukovich each placed second for the Bearcats.
Peace followed up his pin against Limestone with back to back pins to open the day before falling in a narrow 4-2 decision in the finals.
Kuenzi picked up a 36-second pin in his first match and followed that up with a 5-2 decision in the semifinals before dropping in the finals in a 7-2 decision. … rest of story at … Landerbearcats.com/Lander-wrestling-places-ten-at-mountaineer-invitational
Five Things You Need To Know About NAIA Wrestling This Season
Grand View and Life are set to stage another battle, a collection of top stars return, several top newcomers are joining the NAIA wrestling mix this season.
NAIA wrestling is back with a lot of familiar storylines heading into the season. Grand View and Life University are set to stage another championship battle, a collection of top stars are back, several decorated newcomers are joining the mix and some new programs are debuting this season.
Here’s a look at what to watch this season:
Team To Beat
Grand View won its 11th national title in 12 years in March, and while the Vikings remain the favorite, this could be one of the tightest team races in NAIA history this year. Grand View returns six starters, including national champions Owen Braungardt at 197 and Greg Hagan at 285. The Vikings have three other wrestlers who placed third or better at the national tournament coming back, including national finalists Carson Taylor at 133 and Isaiah Luellen, who is moving up from 174 to 184. “We’re looking forward to finding out what’s unique about this team,” Grand View coach Nick Mitchell said. “After graduating a lot of seniors from last year’s team, it will be fun to see who steps up as leaders for us in all aspects.”
Top Contenders
With the current projected starters, Life University is neck-and-neck with Grand View, although that is likely to change for both teams by the second semester. Life is led by returning national champion Brevin Balmeceda at 149 and 2022 national champion Zane Lanham at 197. Along with those two, the Running Eagles return five other returning or former All-Americans. Life tested itself at the always-tough Southeast Open to start their season. “Our guys fought hard and had some good moments, but we also had some moments that opened our eyes,” Life coach Omi Acosta said. “I have high expectations for this team and we still have a long way to go to reach our goals.”
Several other teams are in the trophy chase, along with Grand View and Life. Southeastern and Menlo — which finished third and fourth, respectively, at the NAIA Championships in March, will be in the hunt again. Campbellsville, Morningside, and Ottawa each have balanced teams, which will require all starters to pull their weight to earn a trophy. Lindsey Wilson, Montana State-Northern, Doane, and Cumberland each have a few big hitters who can help win a team trophy if they reach their potential.
Top Returning Stars
There’s no shortage of returning stars at the NAIA level this season. … rest of story at … Flowrestling.org/Five-things-you-need-to-know-about-naia-wrestling-this-season
And
2023-24 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 – No. 1 (November 9)
Nov 09, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Life (Ga.) claimed the No. 1 spot in the first regular season NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 rating. Menlo (Calif.) and Grand View (Iowa) both sit at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Southern Oregon climbed this week, up two spots to No. 4 as William Penn (Iowa) hangs onto the fifth spot. Four new teams joined the top 20 this week with Vanguard (Calif.) in at No. 14, Missouri Valley in at No. 15, Ottawa (Kan.) at No. 17, and Lourdes (Ohio) at No. 20.
Rating Methodology
- The ratings were voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the five conferences.
- Two days prior to the national rating, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 individuals from each weight class in the conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
- The top 20 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 20 points for each first place vote, 19 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
- The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
- Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes.”
- For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.
| RANK | LAST TIME | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | Life (Ga.) | 197 |
| 2 | 1 | Menlo (Calif.) | 191 |
| 3 | 3 | Grand View (Iowa) | 179 |
| 4 | 6 | Southern Oregon | 169 |
| 5 | 4 | William Penn (Iowa) | 153 |
And
2023-24 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 – No. 1 (November 9)
Nov 09, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first regular season NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20, Grand View (Iowa) found themselves in a similar position leading the nation. Life (Ga.) continued in second place followed by Southeastern (Fla.) in third and Menlo (Calif.) in fourth. Morningside (Iowa) moved into the Top 5, edging out Doane (Neb.) who moved up five spots. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Marian (Ind.) also leaped up the standings with Saint Mary (Kan.) being ranked for the first time this year.
Rating Methodology
- The rating was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the eight conferences/groups.
- Two days prior to the national rating, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 individuals from each weight class in his conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
- The top 25 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 25 points for each first place vote, 24 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
- The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
- For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.
| Rank | Last Time | Team | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Grand View (Iowa) | 239 |
| 2 | 2 | Life (Ga.) | 217 |
| 3 | 3 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 169 |
| 4 | 4 | Menlo (Calif.) | 148 |
| 5 | 6 | Morningside (Iowa) | 136 |
Wolfpack Wrestling and Oklahoma State to Compete in Home and Home Duals
Two of nation’s top programs to meet in Reynolds on Jan. 5
NC State and OklahomaState, two of the most successful programs in college wrestling, will square off in homeand home duals in 2024 and 2025. The Cowboys will compete in Raleighon Jan. 5, 2024, and the Wolfpack will make the trip to Stillwater in 2025. The teams were originally slated to compete in Italy in December but decided jointly to replace that matchup with the home and home competitions.
The Wolfpack entered the season with nine straight top-20 NCAA finishes, including back-to-back top 10 finishes in 2022 and 2023. The Cowboys, who have won five national titles under renowned head coach John Smith, finished 18th. In this week’s NWCA Coaches Poll, the Pack is ranked third nationally while the Cowboys sit at 11th.
NC State head coach PatPopolizio, now in his 12th season at the helm of the program, competed for Smith at Oklahoma State from 1998-2002, helping lead the Cowboys to top-five national finishes in each of his four seasons with the program. “We’re very excited about the opportunity for two of the top programs in college wrestling to compete in front of the two best fanbases in college wrestling,” said Wolfpack head coach Pat Popolizio. “Oklahoma State has a rich and successful history with 34 NCAA titles and it’s huge for our program to bring a team of that caliber to Reynolds. I know the atmosphere will be electric.”
The Jan. 5 dual is slated for a 7 pm start. … rest of story … GOpack.com/Wolfpack-wrestling-and-oklahoma-state-to-compete-in-home-and-home-duals
Helen Maroulis exclusive: “Wrestling helped me to heal”
In 2019, two-time Olympic medallist and three-time world champion Helen Maroulis was on the verge of retiring from wrestling after sustaining numerous concussions throughout her career. But the 32-year-old told Olympics.com that her focus on her mental health, dancing, and love of the sport, helped bring her back to the top of the wrestling world.
Helen Maroulis is on a spectacular medal-winning streak. In September, at the 2023 Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade, Maroulis won bronze in the women’s 57-kilogram class — her 17th medal at a major international tournament in the last 15 years. It’s an incredible achievement for the 32-year-old American, one that is testament to her skill, character and sheer force of will – especially when you consider all that Maroulis has battled through these past four years: anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), vertigo, light sensitivity, and suicidal thoughts. Several of these issues developed as a result of the numerous concussions Maroulis has sustained throughout her career, which would eventually push her to the brink of leaving the sport altogether … rest of story at … Olympics.com/Helen-maroulis-exclusive-interview-wrestling-helped-me-heal
And
Little sis Jaclyn Bouzakis is making a name for herself
By Mike Finn
As the youngest of three siblings in a well-known wrestling family, Jaclyn Bouzakis is neither a spoiled brat nor princess to her older brothers Nic and Vince. Even at age 15, Jaclyn already knows that she is her own person, especially on the wrestling mat. “Growing up, I was always referred to as Nick’s little sister or Vince’s little sister,” she said. “When I was little, that was OK because they were pretty big names and had accomplished a lot. But I want to accomplish my own goals and make a name for myself. I want to become my own person and not be referred to as someone else’s little sister. I am Jaclyn Bouzakis.” Jaclyn is a freshman at Wyoming Seminary, which sits five miles from her home in Shavertown, Pa. She has tons of respect for Nick — also a U20 World bronze medalist and 133-pound redshirt freshman at Ohio State — and Vince, a junior at Wyoming Seminary and ranked No. 3 by WIN at 150 pounds after winning a Junior national freestyle championship this past summer in Fargo, N.D.
This story appeared in the Nov. 2 issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe. The next WIN will be printed Nov. 22.
On the mat, Jaclyn also has her accomplishments, including winning a U17 World bronze medal this past summer and most recently a Super 32 Challenge title at 95 pounds last month in Greensboro, N.C. She was also ranked No. 2 nationally in the USA Wrestling/Flowrestling/NHOF preseason poll. She also understands she is different than her brothers when it comes to wrestling. “Nick has always been like short, stocky and muscular,” she said. “Vince is the total opposite in that he’s more tactical and smoother. Growing up with them, I became a combination of both. When you see us wrestle, there are three different styles.”
She knows she has to stay grounded to find mat success. “I try to stay humble,” she said. “I know what I may be doing is pretty great, but there are so many more things I am working towards. Each thing I win and everything I succeed in is one more step in the big picture, which is wrestling at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. That is my biggest goal, but I can’t get there until I finish the smaller steps.” There is certainly a lot more to this young woman than just succeeding on the mat. She shows a maturity well beyond her years. “Growing up and watching my brothers and trying to do what they’ve done, it kind of made me snap into reality faster,” she said. “Especially when my other brother passed away from cancer on the brainstem.”
She is referring to her late brother Greco, who died in 2016 at the age of 5 from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma; a story that has inspired many in wrestling, including Nick who continues to wear a stocking cap with the words “Team Greco” after many of his wrestling matches. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Little-sis-jaclyn-bouzakis-is-making-a-name-for-herself
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 