197
At first glance, 197 was clearing out this year. It appeared, with 3 Seniors among March’s All-Americans, having the top-2 guys (Machiavello and Haught) leave, and with only one returning wrestler from the R12, it would become a free-for-all till the dust started settling mid-season. Ends up, that’s not quite the case. Bo Nickal’s possible move to 197 (if my coin flip is any indication!), Willie Miklus’s (IAST, by way of MIZZ, and a 3-time AA, 6th and 7th at 184, then 8th at 197) receiving a 6th year, and a healthy Preston Weigel (OKST, AA in 2017) bolster the top-8 significantly. Returning AA’s from 2018 NCAA’s are; Kyle Conel (KENT, 3rd), Kollin Moore (tOSU, 4th), Jacob Holschlag (UNI, 5th), Ben Darmstadt (CORN, 6th), Shakur Rasheed (PSU, 7th), and Willie Miklus (MIZZ, 8th, now at IAST). Also returning are R12 guys Cash Wilcke (IOWA), and Chris Weiler (LEH), though Wilcke will be moving to 184, to join Rasheed (likely).
In addition, there’s a strong group that hope to be top-8 at NCAA’s, which includes; Tom Sleigh (VT, by way of BUCK), Blake Rypel (IND), Stephen Loiseau (DREX), Patrick Brucki (PRIN), Greg Bulsak (CLAR), and Corey Griego (ORST), among others. The class of the RSFR’s at 197 is Jacob Warner (IOWA).
197 is a very good looking weight class. One thing to remember, at the 2018 NCAA Tournament, three (3) unseeded wrestlers made it into the top-12, and two of those (Conel, 3rd, and Holshlag 5th) finished All-American. It’s the perfect example of why the matches are wrestled.
At first glance, 197 was clearing out this year. It appeared, with 3 Seniors among March’s All-Americans, having the top-2 guys (Machiavello and Haught) leave, and with only one returning wrestler from the R12, it would become a free-for-all till the dust started settling mid-season. Ends up, that’s not quite the case. Bo Nickal’s possible move to 197 (if my coin flip is any indication!), Willie Miklus’s (IAST, by way of MIZZ, and a 3-time AA, 6th and 7th at 184, then 8th at 197) receiving a 6th year, and a healthy Preston Weigel (OKST, AA in 2017) bolster the top-8 significantly. Returning AA’s from 2018 NCAA’s are; Kyle Conel (KENT, 3rd), Kollin Moore (tOSU, 4th), Jacob Holschlag (UNI, 5th), Ben Darmstadt (CORN, 6th), Shakur Rasheed (PSU, 7th), and Willie Miklus (MIZZ, 8th, now at IAST). Also returning are R12 guys Cash Wilcke (IOWA), and Chris Weiler (LEH), though Wilcke will be moving to 184, to join Rasheed (likely).
In addition, there’s a strong group that hope to be top-8 at NCAA’s, which includes; Tom Sleigh (VT, by way of BUCK), Blake Rypel (IND), Stephen Loiseau (DREX), Patrick Brucki (PRIN), Greg Bulsak (CLAR), and Corey Griego (ORST), among others. The class of the RSFR’s at 197 is Jacob Warner (IOWA).
197 is a very good looking weight class. One thing to remember, at the 2018 NCAA Tournament, three (3) unseeded wrestlers made it into the top-12, and two of those (Conel, 3rd, and Holshlag 5th) finished All-American. It’s the perfect example of why the matches are wrestled.
