InterMat: Inside info from the N.W.C.A
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Division I Championships
Scottrade Center
March 20-22, 2008
2007 Champion: Gregor Gillespie, Edinboro
Printable Bracket | Interactive Bracket
One of the toughest, if not the toughest weight in the country is 149 pounds. Most of the battles ensued in the rugged Big Ten where top-seeded Brent Metcalf of Iowa blistered through the regular season. His only loss came to #7 Darrion Caldwell of N.C. State in November. Since, Metcalf's been dominant and won the Big Ten title over #2 Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota in one of the most highly-anticipated matches of the year. It'll be Metcalf's first NCAA championship after redshirting at Virginia Tech and losing last season due to the well-documented battle between Tom Brands and Virginia Tech A.D. Jim Weaver.
Schlatter, a two-time All-American, missed more than a month with a leg injury and will come in seeded below #1 for the first time in his career. A national champion as a true freshman in 2006, Schlatter was upset in the semifinals last year by eventual champion Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro.
A loss in the EIWA finals to Penn's Cesar Grajales cost Harvard's J.P. O'Connor a shot at the #2 seed, but he'll still be in the same half with Schlatter as O'Connor is one of five returning All-Americans seeded at the weight. O'Connor's only other loss was in the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational to Caldwell, a match that didn't count for seeding purposes due to the lack of a skin check.
Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska won the Big 12 and comes in at the #4 despite not placing last season. Burroughs is another wrestler who likely lost out on some seed points because of Vegas, but still ends up seeded over last year's runner-up Josh Churella of Michigan, who comes in at #5.
Bubba Jenkins of Penn State comes in #6 after moving down from 157 pounds where he qualified last season. Jenkins is in a good position in the draw and will want to stay away from Metcalf, who's dominated him twice this season.
Caldwell's wins in Vegas were wiped from the seeding criteria, but three losses to lower-ranked opponents ultimately played into his #7 seed. What's that #7 seed mean? A potential Round of 16 matchup with Scott Ervin of Appalchian State.
Returning All-American Lance Palmer of Ohio State will be the #9 and will see #8 Jake Patacsil of Purdue in the Round of 16 should they both avoid upsets. Patacsil's dangerous on top, while Palmer is always in good position and is incredibly tough to score on. The winner will get Metcalf in the quarters.
Churella will see #12 Morgan Atkinson of Cal State-Fullerton in the Round of 16 should both move on, while Ryan Lang, last year's finalist at 141 pounds, will be a very dangerous #11 seed.
The Bad Draw
InterMat's close-up on wrestlers the top seeds don't want to see right off the bat.
Cesar Grajales, Penn -- The EIWA champion picks his moments to score and when he does, he's usually successful when he shoots. He's 8-3 against NCAA qualifiers with notable wins over O'Connor and two over Boston University's Mike Roberts.
Don Fisch, Rider -- One of three tough draws from the CAA, Fisch made the semifinals at 141 pounds last season and was just inches from reaching the finals. Since moving up to 149, Fisch has eight losses, but all are to qualifiers at the weight. Anytime a returning All-American isn't seeded, it's unfavorable for the opponent.
Kyle Fried, Binghamton -- A first-time Division I qualifier, Fried was upset in the pigtail round of the CAA tournament and then came back to take true second, beating BU's Roberts in the process. One of Fried's best wins this year was against Iowa State's Mitch Mueller.
Matt Cathell, Delaware State -- It's a rarity to be worried about anyone from the East Region, but Del State's lone entry, Cathell, has a style that makes him very tough to wrestle. A lanky wrestler with a solid series of bars and tilts from the top position, don't be surprised if Del State scores points at the NCAA championships for the first time in ... well, quite a while.
Adam Hall, Boise State -- Talented redshirt freshman from Idaho, Hall's motor never stops and he'll always be charging and charging hard. The Pac-10 runner-up, Hall makes his first tournament and isn't someone you want to see to start the day. This kid comes to wrestle EVERY match.
Will Rowe, Oklahoma -- "The Thrill" is making a trip to the NCAA's at a more realistic weight after wrestling up at 157 pounds last season. This is repetitive, but Big 12 + unseeded ... you get the idea.
Top 12 Seeds
1. Brent Metcalf (Iowa, So.)
2. Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota, Jr.)
3. J.P. O'Connor (Harvard, So.)
4. Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska, So.)
5. Josh Churella (Michigan, Sr.)
6. Bubba Jenkins (Penn State, So.)
7. Darrion Caldwell (N.C. State, So.)
8. Jake Patascil (Purdue, Jr.)
9. Lance Palmer (Ohio State, So.)
10. Scott Ervin (Appalachian St., Sr.)
11. Ryan Lang (Northwestern, Sr.)
12. Morgan Atkinson (Cal State-Fullerton, Sr.)
2007 Placement Results
(Courtesy wrestlingstats.com)
Finals: Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) dec. Josh Churella (Michigan) 3-1, SV.
3rd: Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) dec. Lance Palmer (Ohio State) 1-0.
5th: J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) dec. Tyler Turner (Wisconsin) 6-4.
7th: Matt Coughlin (Indiana) dec. Jordan Leen (Cornell) 11-6.
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