I just rewatched the 2018 NCAA Finals and I believe it has to be in the running for the best Nationals of all time.
Reasons:
1. An amazing number of wrestlers that qualify or at least merit serious consideration for the top 100 of all time. Spencer Lee, Yianni, Zain, Nolf, Cenzo and Imar, Mark Hall and Zahid (with an asterisk), Bo Nickal and Kyle Snyder. That's literally half the finalists and only Zain and Zahid missed the finals in any year in which the finals occurred (once for both). Don't count the guys from this year (Lee, Cenzo, Hall and Valencia) for this year and you have 31 finals appearances in 33 opportunities between the 10 wrestlers. Staggering.
2. The individual story lines. Two true freshman titlists. Zain and Snyder in their last go-rounds. Zahid and Hall in the first of two finals meetings after a semis meeting the year before. Cenzo and Imar in their second finals meeting with Cenzo hanging only the third defeat of Imar's career. Penn State bringing back five previous year's finalists - only time that happened. Snyder and Coon's 2017-18 season rubber match. Nolf coming back from injury and medically defaulting out of the B1G tourney.
3. And the back and forth team race, coming down to what I think is the most dramatic moment in National finals history - Bo rubberbanding Miles Martin to secure the team title.
Reasons:
1. An amazing number of wrestlers that qualify or at least merit serious consideration for the top 100 of all time. Spencer Lee, Yianni, Zain, Nolf, Cenzo and Imar, Mark Hall and Zahid (with an asterisk), Bo Nickal and Kyle Snyder. That's literally half the finalists and only Zain and Zahid missed the finals in any year in which the finals occurred (once for both). Don't count the guys from this year (Lee, Cenzo, Hall and Valencia) for this year and you have 31 finals appearances in 33 opportunities between the 10 wrestlers. Staggering.
2. The individual story lines. Two true freshman titlists. Zain and Snyder in their last go-rounds. Zahid and Hall in the first of two finals meetings after a semis meeting the year before. Cenzo and Imar in their second finals meeting with Cenzo hanging only the third defeat of Imar's career. Penn State bringing back five previous year's finalists - only time that happened. Snyder and Coon's 2017-18 season rubber match. Nolf coming back from injury and medically defaulting out of the B1G tourney.
3. And the back and forth team race, coming down to what I think is the most dramatic moment in National finals history - Bo rubberbanding Miles Martin to secure the team title.
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