Rankings in November and December can be hit and miss. Coaches and student-athletes are still trying to figure out who wrestles where in the lineup, some moving up a weight or two, others dropping down one. Freshmen, over the next two months, will also announce their arrival in Open tournaments.
RELATED: Penn State wrestling looks almost unbeatable. Here are 3 teams that could unseat the champs
The 2018-19 season hit the mats last weekend. Here's a look at the top 10 in each weight class heading toward the second week of November.
125 POUNDS
Home sweet home.
— Northwestern Wrestling (@NUWrestle)
Take a tour of the new Welsh-Ryan Arena 😼
1 – Spencer LEE (Iowa, SO) … Claimed 2018 title as a freshman
2 – Sebastian RIVERA (Northwestern, SO) … Sixth at the 2018 NCAAs
3 – Ronnie BRESSER (Oregon State, SR) … Gave Lee one of his two losses in 2017-18
4 – Zeke MOISEY (Nebraska, SR) … A new home for the 2015 NCAA finalist
5 – Nick PICCININNI (Oklahoma State, JR) … All-American in 2017
6 – Louie HAYES (Virginia, SO) … NCAA quarterfinalist as a rookie in 2018
7 – Sean RUSSELL (Minnesota, SR) … New address for the 2017 All-American
8 – Ryan MILHOF (Arizona State, SR) … Part of Sun Devils’ resurgence
9 – Connor SCHRAM (Lehigh, GR) … Former All-American at Stanford
10 – Connor BROWN (Wisconsin, SO) … Came to Madison with new coach Chris Bono
133 POUNDS
1 – Seth GROSS (South Dakota State, SR) … 29-1 as a junior and a national champion in 2018
2 – Steven MICIC (Michigan, JR) … Fell to Gross in the 2018 NCAA final; 26-3 as a sophomore
3 – Nick SURIANO (Rutgers, JR) … NCAA finalist at 125 pounds last March
4 – Tariq WILSON (North Carolina State, SO) … Unseeded all the way to third in the nation
5 – Luke PLETCHER (Ohio State, JR) … A fine 30-4 mark and fourth at NCAAs last season
6 – Scott PARKER (Lehigh, SR) … A two-time All-American for the Mountain Hawks
7 – Ethan LIZAK (Minnesota, SR) … 2016 finalist, fourth a year ago at 125 pounds
8 – Montorie BRIDGES (Wyoming, SO) … Eighth as a rookie in 2018
9 – John ERNESTE (Missouri, SR) … Tough finish to a great 27-4 junior campaign
10 – Austin DeSANTO (Iowa, SO) … 30 wins at Drexel; Should be a fan favorite in Iowa City
141 POUNDS
is 1-0 🙌
— #TigerStyle (@MizzouWrestling)
📸 Mat Snaps 👇 🐯🤼
1 – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (Cornell, SO) … Something special; 34-1 and champ as a rookie
2 – Joey McKENNA (Ohio State, SR) … One point from making the finals in 2018
3 – Jaydin EIERMAN (Missouri, JR) … Scores points in bunches
4 – Kaid BROCK (Oklahoma State, JR) … Two-time All-American at 133 pounds
5 – Nick LEE (Penn State, SO) … Top six at nationals as a first-year starter
6 – Chad RED (NEBRASKA, SO) … All the way back from first-round NCAA loss to seventh
7 – Sa’Derian PERRY (Old Dominion, JR) … Fresh start after Eastern Michigan ended wrestling
8 – Mitch McKEE (Minnesota, JR) … Round of 12 man at 133 pounds last March
9 – Michael CARR (Illinois, SO) … One win from All-American as a rookie
10 – Mason SMITH (Arizona State, JR) … Transfer from Central Michigan
149 POUNDS
The pre-season work is done, now it’s time to & compete! Princeton Open this Sunday in Jadwin!
— Princeton Wrestling (@tigerwrestling)
1 – Matthew KOLODZIK (Princeton, JR) … Not since 1951 has Princeton had a NCAA champ
2 – Anthony ASHNAULT (Rutgers, SR) … Twice a NCAA semifinalist
3 – Micah JORDAN (Ohio State, SR) … Two-time All-American, including 157 pounds in 2018
4 – Grant LEETH (Missouri, SO) … Lost a 1-0 NCAA QF match to Kolodzik in Cleveland
5 – Boo LEWALLEN (Oklahoma State, JR) … Inserted mid-season, never looked back
6 – Justin OLIVER (North Carolina State, SR) … All-American in 2016 for Central Michigan
7 – Max THOMSEN (Northern Iowa, JR) … Fifth at NCAAs in 2017; Round of 12 in 2018
8 – Pat LUGO (Iowa, JR) … Two-time NCAA qualifier at Edinboro
9 – Brock ZACHERL (Clarion, SR) … Round of 12 at 141 pounds last season
10 – Mitch FINESILVER (Duke, SR) … Champ at Hokie Open on Sunday
157 POUNDS
National TV Dates Announced for Penn State Wrestling!
— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST)
1 – Jason NOLF (Penn State, SR) … Not 100-percent last March. Still better than the rest
2 – Hayden HIDLAY (North Carolina State, SO) … Only loss came to Nolf in NCAA final
3 – Tyler BERGER (Nebraska, SR) … Two-time All-American; third in 2018
4 – Alec PANTALEO (Michigan, SR) … Twice an All-American
5 – Josh SHIELDS (Arizona State, JR) … Pennsylvania native finished seventh in 2018
6 – Ryan DEAKIN (Northwestern, SO) … 32 wins as a rookie
7 – John VAN BRILL (Rutgers, SR) … 11-9 OT loss in Round of 12 in 2018
8 – Ke-Shawn HAYES (Ohio State, JR) … Round of 12 at 149 pounds last season
9 – Kennedy MONDAY (North Carolina, SO) … 10-7 loss to Hidlay in Hokie final
10 – Paul FOX (Stanford, SR) … All-American in 2017
165 POUNDS
Well, that was fun
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling)
1 – Vincenzo JOSEPH (Penn State, JR) … Two seasons, two NCAA titles
2 – Evan WICK (Wisconsin, SO) … 29 wins and third at NCAAs as a rookie
3 – Chance MARSTELLER (Lock Haven, SR) … 45-4 and fourth last March
4 – Alex MARINELLI (Iowa, SO) … All the way to the NCAA semis as a first-year starter
5 – Jon Jay CHAVEZ (Cornell, SR) … Made US Greco squad over the summer
6 – Joe SMITH (Oklahoma State, JR) … Redshirt in 2017-18 after two All-America finishes
7 – Logan MASSA (Michigan), JR) … Tough sophomore campaign; expect more in 2018-19
8 – Isaiah WHITE (Nebraska, JR) … Former DII champion; Round of 12 in Cleveland
9 – Bryce STEIERT (Northern Iowa, JR) … One-point loss to Wick on Sunday
10 – Branson ASHWORTH (Wyoming, SR) … 72 victories combined the last two seasons
174 POUNDS
Gold Defeats Maroon In Annual Intrasquad
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling)
1 – Zahid VALENCIA (Arizona State, JR) … Perfection in 2017-18
2 – Mark HALL (Penn State, JR) … NCAA king in 2017 lost to Valencia in 2018 finals
3 – Myles AMINE (Michigan), JR) … Only loss at 2018 NCAAs to Valencia
4 – Daniel LEWIS (Missouri, SR) … Three times an All-American
5 – Jordan KUTLER (Lehigh, JR) … Seeded fourth at 2018 NCAAs, finished sixth
6 – David McFADDEN (Virginia Tech, JR) … Fifth at 165 pounds last March
7 – Chandler ROGERS (Oklahoma State, SR) … Another weight change for two-time All-American
8 – Michael KEMERER (Iowa, JR) … Twice an All-American at 157 pounds
9 – Taylor LUJAN (Northern Iowa, JR) … 30 wins a year ago
10 – Ben HARVEY (Army West Point, JR) … One win from All-America status in 2018
184 POUNDS
Blistering speed from Myles Martin.
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling)
1 – Myles MARTIN (Ohio State, SR) … 2016 NCAA champion fell in 2018 finals
2 – Emery PARKER (Illinois, SR) … All the way back to third after first round loss in 2018
3 – Taylor VENZ (Nebraska, SO) … 29 wins as a rookie; fourth in first trip to nationals
4 – Zack ZAVATSKY (Virginia Tech, SR) … Sixth at 2018 NCAAs
5 – Max DEAN (Cornell, SO) … Familiar name in Cornell red
6 – Shakur RASHEED (Penn State, SR) … Seventh at 197 pounds last season
7 – Ryan PREISCH (Lehigh, SR) … OT loss in 2018 quarters; Round of 12
8 – Drew FOSTER (Northern Iowa, SR) … All-American in 2017
9 – Nick REENAN (North Carolina State, SO) … Redshirted in 2017-18
10 – Chip NESS (North Carolina, SR) … Beat Parker in first round of 2018 NCAAs
197 POUNDS
1 – Bo NICKAL (Penn State, SR) … 184-pound finals victory in 2018 a highlight for the ages
2 – Kyle CONEL (Kent State, SR) … Fan favorite in Cleveland
3 – Kollin MOORE (Ohio State, JR) … Top seed in 2018, finished fourth
4 – Jacob HOLSCHLAG (Northern Iowa, JR) … Battled back from first round loss to fifth
5 – Willie MICKLUS (Iowa State, SR) … Back in Iowa after three All-America seasons for Mizzou
6 – Preston WEIGEL (Oklahoma State, SR) … If healthy, he’s dangerous; All-American in 2017
7 – Chris WEILER (Lehigh, SO) … Round of 12 as a rookie for Mountain Hawks
8 – Jacob WARNER (Iowa, RFR) … Junior World Team in freestyle
9 – Patrick BRUCKI (Princeton, SO) … Won a good bracket at Princeton on Sunday
10 – Nathan TRAXLER (Stanford, SO) … Won a pair of matches at 2018 NCAAs
285 POUNDS
Wrestle-offs Nov 1-2 at the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex at 3:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Admission is FREE.
— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)
1 – Sam STOLL (Iowa, SR) … Heavyweights happy to see OSU’s Snyder gone
2 – Nick NEVILLS (Penn State, SR) … Overtime loss to Stoll in Cleveland
3 – Jordan WOOD (Lehigh, SO) … One of the few underclassmen near the top
4 – Derek WHITE (Oklahoma State, SR) … Round of 12 in Cleveland
5 – Youssif HEMIDA (Maryland, SR) … Hemida’s coach a great heavyweight in his day
6 – Jere HEINO (Campbell, SR) … Excitement about wrestling in the Carolinas again
7 – Tanner HALL (Arizona State, SR) … Third at 2017 NCAAs
8 – Thomas HAINES (Lock Haven, SR) … Can score a ton of points
9 – Billy MILLER (Virginia Tech, SR) … Three-time NCAA qualifier for Edinboro
10 – Matthew VOSS (George Mason, SR) … Won title at Hokie Open over the weekend
