NCAA D-I Wrestling Thread

[ngineer]

We're just over a month away from the start of NCAA wrestling season. A number of FCS schools have wrestling programs that are seen as national powers (perennial top 20)...Cornell, Lehigh, NDState, UNI, SDState, Penn plus some newbies making some noise i.e., Campbell. How do you see your team faring this coming season, both as dual team and a tournament team? With the new "portal" some teams appear to trying to make instant noise, but I wonder how effective mass transfers can impact a program...for good or for ill?

[ngineer]

Journeyman Tournament being held in Bethlehem on Sunday at Liberty High School (cap. 3,200) so plenty of seats. Looks like as strong grouping to see how the early measuring sticks look.

[ngineer]

Lehigh red shirt, Ryan Crookham stunned the wrestling world on Sunday with an 8-4 win over Vito Arujau of Cornell! Arujau is the NCAA D-I defending national champ at 133 AND won the World Championship this past summer! Lehigh fans were delirious and doing a lot of 'research' to determine if this is the greatest wrestling upset, not only in school history but NCAA history. Bigger than Owings over Gable? Certainly the setting was not at dramatic at the Journeyman Tournament held in Freedom High School's gym in Bethlehem, Pa, but the field was very strong. Lehigh also had 6 finalists. The win creates a quandary for the coaches as to the line up, as Connor McGonagle, who was ranked 5th last year, but missed the NCAA due to default injury in the EIWA qualifying tournament, returns for his senior and final year. Crookham beat McGonagle in an intra-squad match last week 6-3. Could well bump McG up to 141...but,, returning AA Hines is there and many question whether he is big enough to bump to 149. Although the season is early, and injuries have a tendency to raise their ugly heads starting next month, Lehigh could have as many as five All-Americans this year. It has to get done 'on the mat', but this season is beginning to look very interesting.

[ngineer]

Word is out that the Ivy League is withdrawing from the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association next year. EIWA is the oldest collegiate wrestling conference in the nation, begun by Yale, Columbia, Penn and Princeton in 1905. Lehigh joined the EIWA in 1910 and has looooong rivalries with the Ivies, especially Penn, Princeton and Cornell. Yale and Dartmouth dropped wrestling approximately 30 years ago, leaving 6 teams. While the will certainly still schedule some of the EIWA schools as OOC matches, it will be interesting to see how this will impact "available slots" that the NCAA will allocate to both the new Ivy League wrestling conference and the reduced EIWA, which currently consists of 17 schools. The departure will leave the EIWA with 11, unless some other college(s) seeks to join. Rider University is on possibility to make an even 12, which certainly helps in bracketing out a league championship tourney. I find it difficult to see how the Ivy will benefit from this move.

[dbackjon]

Word is out that the Ivy League is withdrawing from the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association next year. EIWA is the oldest collegiate wrestling conference in the nation, begun by Yale, Columbia, Penn and Princeton in 1905. Lehigh joined the EIWA in 1910 and has looooong rivalries with the Ivies, especially Penn, Princeton and Cornell. Yale and Dartmouth dropped wrestling approximately 30 years ago, leaving 6 teams. While the will certainly still schedule some of the EIWA schools as OOC matches, it will be interesting to see how this will impact "available slots" that the NCAA will allocate to both the new Ivy League wrestling conference and the reduced EIWA, which currently consists of 17 schools. The departure will leave the EIWA with 11, unless some other college(s) seeks to join. Rider University is on possibility to make an even 12, which certainly helps in bracketing out a league championship tourney. I find it difficult to see how the Ivy will benefit from this move.

It will interesting what happens with the other wrestling conferences with the changes in conference make up.

Stanford would go to the ACC
Arizona State to the Big 12
Does Oklahoma stay in the Big 12 for Wrestling?
What happens to the other Pac 12 Wrestling schools - Oregon State, Cal Poly SLO, CSU-Bakersfield and UALR

[ngineer]

Lehigh travels to Penn State Sunday afternoon and can be seen on BIG network. I would be surprised if we can grab more than 3 bouts, but I’m looking more to see our guys fight each bout. Should be competitive in the first three and the final two. Hope the middle five show me something.

[ngineer]

Lehigh travels to Penn State Sunday afternoon and can be seen on BIG network. I would be surprised if we can grab more than 3 bouts, but I’m looking more to see our guys fight each bout. Should be competitive in the first three and the final two. Hope the middle five show me something.

The Mountain Hawks fought well against there Nit Pickers, winning the three bouts I had hoped we would win. A few others, well out-ranked, came out fighting and put up respectable show. Crookham controlled match against #4 Nagau and keep his #1 ranking. Beard with a major decision at 197 should move up in the rankings from #9. Next up, it doesn't get much easier as Lehigh flies out to Oklahoma State on 12/8.

[ngineer]

Lehigh now ranked #15 in 'tournament strength". Somewhat odd, with an 0-3 record. All three losses to top 15 dual meet strength teams: PENN STATE #1, Okie State #11 and Pitt #15. School on break for exams. Sheridan Tournament with 8 teams will be held at Lehigh's Stabler Arena on 12/22. EIWA schedule then kicks in come January with some big show downs in Grace Hall "The Snake Pit", with Cornell, Penn and Navy in January. Former 3x All-American at 177/185, Colin Kilrain, will be honored at the Navy match. Would have been a multiple national champ had a certain wrestler named Banach not been in the way. However, Kilrain went on to become a Navy Seal in the mid-1980's and went up the ranks retiring last year as Vice Admiral and had leadership roles in several major 'events' around the world, culminating with being in an advisory role to the President during the planning and execution of the bin Laden "take down"(couldn't pass up the pun). Finished career being assigned as assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He will be speaking after the Navy match at the Lehigh Wrestling Club Annual Dinner, touching on what Lehigh, his teammates and coaches meant to him in his development. Colin was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 in Stillwater, OK. It has been said the greatest dual match ever wrestled in Grace Hall was in 1978 when Kilrain, then a freshman, went head to head with future multi-national champ Mark Lieberman in the annual "wrestle-offs" during end of preseason!

[Laker]

IVY League adding postseason wrestling tournament (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/ivy-league-adding-postseason-wrestling-tournament/ar-AA1lLjxB)

[ngineer]

Yes, starting next year. Damn shame. The six of them (Dartmouth, Yale dropped wrestling years ago...even though Yale was one of the four originators in 1904) will go off and fun in their little circle. I expect the EIWA to add at least one school to make an even 12 team league for next season. Rider University a leading candidate, with Morgan State mentioned as well.

[ngineer]

Lehigh wins 2 Midlands titles with freshman Stanich at 125 and Beard at 197. First time in school history winning two titles in one Midlands tournament!
Second half of season looking more promising..

[ngineer]

The Lehigh "mojo" has returned!! Dominating 29-13 win over Binghamton last Friday with Beard dominating DePrez at 197 and Taylor winning big at 285 over a guy who he lost to last year. Both Binghamton guys were ranked in top 10. THEN, Saturday the came from behind and beat #9 Cornell, 17-16. I highly recommend watching the match on FloWrestling. You get the whole atmosphere of "Grace Hall Magic". Lehigh may have four or five guys now ranked in the top 10, and two are freshmen. This coming weekend will be a big with rivals Penn on Friday night in Grace, followed by Navy at 2pm on Saturday. ...and followed by a dinner by the Lehigh Wrestling Club with the guest speaker retired Vice Admiral Colin Kilrain, 3x All-American at 177 and 190 where he finished third each year, losing to some guy named Banach of Iowa..(;-). Kilrain went on the become a Navy Seal rising through the ranks leading several Seal teams, directing Special Ops around the world, and assigned to the NSC, CIA and the White House as Director of the Counter-terrorism Office in 2011-13. A tremendous person and leader. Should be a special weekend.

[ngineer]

Lehigh cracks the Top 10 in tournament ratings and has risen to #15 in dual meet rankings. Four wrestlers now ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes: 125, 133, 197 and 285. Three others in the second ten. Now, can the Mountain Hawks continue to mojo this weekend with stiff competitors Penn and Navy coming to town?

[ngineer]

After a wildly successful weekend, Lehigh is knocking on the door of the Top 10. After beating Cornell and solid wins over Penn and Navy, Mountain Hawks have four guys now ranked in the top 8 with legitimate title chances in three of them. With a couple others expected to score points at NCAA's, Lehigh could be looking at one of its best finishes in past 15 years. At present, the entire starting line up is due back next year. Retired Vice Admiral Kilrain spoke to both Lehigh and Navy teams before the match and did the honors in the coin flip before the match start. He gave an impressive and inspirational talk at the Lehigh Wrestling Club Annual Dinner afterward before 200 people. He was Director of Counter-terrorism in the White House in 2011-13 when some 'significant' activity was occurring on the other side of the world. Followed by stints at the CIA, National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I wouldn't be surprised to see his name mentioned as an upcoming leader in our Homeland Security or similar position within the national security framework. Check out the video on the National Wrestling Hall of Fame website as part of his induction about ten years ago.

[ngineer]

Coming down the stretch as teams start adjusting lineups for their conference tournaments. EIWA shaping up to be a major race between Cornell and Lehigh, with Navy, Penn, and Princeton lurking should anyone falter. Lehigh squeezed by Army at West Point, 21-16, and has remaining bouts with Bucknell and Princeton in Grace Hall, and at trip out to Tempe, AZ to take on Arizona State before the EIWA tourney starts on March 8-9 at Bucknell's Sojka Pavilion.

[ngineer]

Lehigh throttled Bucknell 31-11 Friday night in the Snake Pit. Stanich (125), Beard (197) and Taylor (285) had tech falls. Beard has been dominant and should be in the top3 next week.

[ngineer]

Lehigh throttled Bucknell 31-11 Friday night in the Snake Pit. Stanich (125), Beard (197) and Taylor (285) had tech falls. Beard has been dominant and should be in the top3 next week.

Stanich now ranked #2, Beard #6. Taylor #7 and Crookham (133) #1. Beard should be in the top 3 imo. three other grapplers are ranked in the top 25 with Hines at #14, Brignola #24 and Logan #25. Tournament wise, Lehigh as a team ranked #7. Highest team ranking in 6 or 7 years. Two dual meets left. This coming Saturday at home versus Princeton, and close out of regular season in the desert versus Arizona State next week.

[ngineer]

Lehigh has now cracked to #7 in tournament rankings and has won 7 straight duals after losing the first three in December. With four guys now ranked in top 7, and the possibility of a few more point winners getting to Kansas City, this is one of the best shots Lehigh has had to finishing in the top 10 at NCAA's in some time. Of course, there is still an away dual at Arizona State and the EIWA Tournament (held at Bucknell this year) to manage without upsets or injuries....

[ngineer]

Dual meet season coming to an end with the NCAA qualifying tournaments set to occur the first full week of March. Lehigh had its seven game dual win streak snapped at Arizona State on Saturday. Besides a sluggish performance by a few, Coach Santoro decided to not have #1 ranked Crookham at 133 make the trip, but instead wrestled one match in the F&M Open. They have been very protective of Crookham the second half due to an ankle injury in January. The hope is that the 'protection' doesn't take the 'edge' off his preparation. 197, Mike Beard had another tech fall, his 15th which leads all of NCAA. After last year's disappointing finish, Beard had as had a superlative season going 23-1. a 'sleeper' at 285 is Nate Taylor, who has trimmed down this year and is now 'only' 275, but has become so much quicker to go with his power. Ranked #7, I wouldn't be surprised if he captured a higher finish in Kansas City, MO.

[ngineer]

EIWA Tournament starts tomorrow in Lewisburg, Pa. (Bucknell's Sojka Pavillion). Most see as a race between Lehigh and Cornell. Penn, Army and Navy as dark horses and, more likely, as spoilers pulling an upset here and there to blow open a bracket. Lehigh has four #1 seeds at 125, 133, 197 and 285, with three #3 seeds at 141, 149 and 157. IF we can hold serve on the seeds, that will be 7 NCAA qualifiers. I can also see us pull of an upset or two with 165 and 184.

[ngineer]

Season over with a better than expected finish at both EIWA and NCAA tournaments. Nipped by Cornell ny 4 points at aEIWA but qualified 8 to NCAA. Then finished 15th, just nipped by UNI, and had three All-Americans- Crookham (3), Stanich (5) and Beard(8). Entire teams returns next year, plus added competition from redshirts and fresh, so we’re hoping for bigger things at NCAA, which will be in nearby Philadelphia.

[ngineer]

While the 2024-25 schedule is not "finalized", yet; it has been confirmed that Lehigh will host Penn State this year in one of the longest collegiate wrestling rivalries. Match will be held in Allentown at the PPL Arena which, for wrestling will hold about 10,000. It is home to the Philadelphia Flyers' minor league team and hosts many state high school playoffs. Lehigh's largest on campus arena is Stabler, which for wrestling can hold 6,000. A sellout is expected, and I would suspect Lehigh fans will get first crack at the tickets. PSU, with it's huge alumni base, could fill the place itself.

[ngineer]

While the 2024-25 schedule is not "finalized", yet; it has been confirmed that Lehigh will host Penn State this year in one of the longest collegiate wrestling rivalries. Match will be held in Allentown at the PPL Arena which, for wrestling will hold about 10,000. It is home to the Philadelphia Flyers' minor league team and hosts many state high school playoffs. Lehigh's largest on campus arena is Stabler, which for wrestling can hold 6,000. A sellout is expected, and I would suspect Lehigh fans will get first crack at the tickets. PSU, with its ickehuge alumni base, could fill the place itself.


Tickets now on sale to the public. Lehigh season ticket holders and Lehigh 'family' got early dibs since it is our home game, though being held in PPL Center. Tickets are moving fast and fully expect an SRO crowd for one of college wrestling's oldest, continuous rivalries. This will be the 112th match between the two rivals since 1911.

[ngineer]

The Brown & White match at Grace Hall is this Thursday night. Lehigh has a logjam at 141 which will be interesting to follow.

[ngineer]

EIWA has announced that Morgan State has been accepted into the Association starting this season. This will give good alignment with a 12 team conference, especially for the NCAA qualifying tournament. I suspect that there will be two conferences within the association for dual meet scheduling.
Morgan State will open its dual season at the famed “Snake Pit” at Lehigh on November 15.

[ngineer]

Lehigh opened its dual meet season Friday night with a 37-7 trouncing of Morgan State. It should have been a good experience for the Bears to experiences a loud and large crowd in Grace Hall. Lehigh only 'fielded' about 1/2 of its anticipated starting lineup, with most of the second half (top five upper weights) being still in a tryout phase. Lehigh will be without it's top 10 ranked 285 pounder, Nathan Taylor, for at least two months..and possible all season depending on rehab results, which takes away significant points for Lehigh is both dual and tournament settings. Lehigh currently ranked #14 in dual meets and #17 as a tournament team. Currently 4 wrestlers who are legitimate All-American material and couple who could be atop the podium come March.

Next up for Lehigh will be a dual at #23 Pitt, followed by a home dual against #1 Penn State at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa (cap. 10,000) on December 8.

[ngineer]

Mountain Hawks dropped a 21-12 decision to Pitt. Missing our Hwt., who tore his ACL/MCL in the Journeyman Tourney and out for the season. Was ranked #7. However, while "The Portal" can taketh away, it can also giveth. News of Taylor's injury spread quickly and within a couple days, Lehigh received and accepted a transfer of #10 ranked Owen Trephan from NC State. Lehigh would have been left with true freshman who is undersized. Trephan will be working towards a master's degree in completing his academic journey. However, he will not be eligible to compete until the second semester in January. Mt. Hawks sorely missed him against Pitt last weekend, and will next week against #1 Penn State, and the Sheridan Tournament in late December. But, Lehigh has renewed hope for the EIWA title hunt and achieving a high team placement at the NCAA's, which will be held in nearby Philadelphia in March.

[Laker]

I was at the Minnesota-Campbell match. Gable Stevesen is amazingly catlike for such a large man. His was the opening match of the meet, causing late arrivals to miss it.

[ngineer]

I was at the Minnesota-Campbell match. Gable Stevesen is amazingly catlike for such a large man. His was the opening match of the meet, causing late arrivals to miss it.

Did he need his cane?xsmiley_wix

[Laker]

Did he need his cane?xsmiley_wix

LOL! I'm still wondering how he is still eligible after going pro.

[ngineer]

No rules anymore. Money talks.

[ngineer]

Well, Lehigh got pasted by Penn State this afternoon before almost 10,000 in Allentown, PA's PPL Center. Only four or so of Lehigh's wrestlers gave competitive bouts, and only one was victorious--133 lb. #1 ranked Crookham. Several frosh/fy looked out of their element. Seymour gave a good accounting at 125 lb, and the frosh from Idaho at 165 wrestled, rather than wrestling not to give up a TF or Fall. Most disappointing was 197 lb., Beard ranked #6 losing to #20 ranked guy. Seemed to run out of gas half way through the match, which was a problem he's had in years past, but thought it had been dealt with. Without a heavyweight until January, the match ended in a whimper. One of the most disappointing shows put on b a Lehigh team in a long time. Time for Finals...followed by a 6 team tournament on December 20 at Stabler Arena, named after the "Father of Collegiate Wrestling", Billy Sheridan.