Staying Home (157-285)

By Jason Bryant
jbryant@intermatwrestle.com

Life's not fair, and apparently, neither is the qualifying process for the NCAA Championships from the smaller conferences. With the Big 12 clamoring for more bids, smaller conferences also want the NCAA to remove the cap to give them more bids to the nationals. Each year, quality wrestlers are sitting in the stands or back in their dorms and apartments wondering what else they had to do over the course of a season to get that wild card. Was it because of a bad weekend they're sitting home? Is their school in a transitional year? Here are the top wrestlers in 2007-08 that won't be heading to the Division I championships ... for one reason or another. In all, 15 ranked wrestlers heading into the conference championships failed to qualify.

157 pounds
Craig Henning, Wisconsin
The most notable wrestler in the nation not to qualify was easily Craig Henning. Last year’s NCAA runner-up was upended by fourth-seeded C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota in the Big Ten quarterfinals, then inexplicably lost in the consolation round to Purdue’s Nick Bertucci 8-3 in a tiebreaker. That loss meant Henning would not place in the top eight and couldn’t be placed on the board for a wildcard. Tough way for the talented senior to end his career after coming close to winning the NCAA championship a year ago.
Feb. 26 Rank: #5
Record: 22-5
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (8): Jordan Leen (Cornell), Jason Johnstone (Ohio State), Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State), Ryan Morningstar (Iowa), Jeff Marsh (Michigan), Matt Kocher (Pittsburgh), Michael Chandler (Missouri), Tyler Sherfey (Boise State).

Nate Patterson, Binghamton
Three real solid wins to go along with 27 overall made Patterson a potential wildcard selection, but ultimately the depth of the CAA won out. Patterson had an early win over Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, but fell to him in the dual and he couldn’t repeat his upset over returning All-American Ryan Hluschak of Drexel in the CAA semifinals. A strong third, but not tough enough of a weight to take three.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 27-12
CAA Place: 3rd
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (3): Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra), Ryan Hluschak (Drexel), Chris Stout (American)

Chad Terry, Oklahoma
After emerging as the starter at 157 pounds, Terry spent the last few weeks of the season ranked in the Top 20. With all five wrestlers in the Big 12 ranked during the season, Terry ended up being the odd man out, along with Chris Oliver, in the Big 12 qualifier. Terry will have two more years to get to the show, but his record will show a win over only one NCAA qualifier – Chattanooga’s Seth Garvin.
Feb. 26 Rank: #17
Record: 18-7
Big 12 Place: 5th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (1): Seth Garvin (UT-Chattanooga).

Chris Oliver, Nebraska
Started the season 13-2 and then went on a slide starting at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Over the last month and a half of the season, he would win just two matches (post-National Duals) and was saddled with some terrible losses, including a loss to Rider’s Rob Morrison and an embarrassing 33-17 four-point technical fall against Hofstra’s Jonny Bonilla-Bowman. On the bright side, he did finish the season with a win.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 16-12
Big 12 Place: 4th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (3): Dave Nakasone (Lehigh), Tyson Reiner (Northern Iowa), Newly McSpadden (Oklahoma State).

165 pounds
Tyler Safratowich, Minnesota
With seven qualifiers a weight in the Big Ten and two additional wildcards, returning NCAA qualifier Tyler Safratowich didn’t have to overperform to again qualify, but he did have to perform. Unfortunately, he chose the one time in the tournament where he had to have a win and came up short in an upset loss to Jake Donar of Wisconsin in the seventh-place match at the Big Ten tournament. Ranked 11th, Safratowich was beaten by Matt Coughlin of Indiana and then sent to the 7th-place match by Penn State’s Dave Rella. The Donar fall was the death knell. Although Safratowich was a high probability for a wildcard selection, 149-pounder Kurt Kinser of Indiana and 125-pounder Mark McKnight of Penn State were the selections.
Feb. 26 Rank: #11
Record: 28-10
Big Ten Place: 8th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (8): Ryan Patrovich (Hofstra) twice, Donnie Jones (West Virginia), Steve Brown (Central Michigan), Jake Dieffenbach (Oklahoma State), Jake Donar (Wisconsin), Luke Manuel (Purdue).

Colt Sponseller, Ohio State
The true freshman opened up the season 15-0 before being handed his first loss of the year by three-time All-American Eric Tannenbaum of Michigan. Sponseller would fall in the final dual meet of the year to Tyler Safratowich of Minnesota and head into the Big Ten Tournament 16-2. He then lost to Roger Smith-Bergsrud of Illinois and Luke Manuel of Purdue and failed to place. Half of his wins this season are over NCAA qualifiers).
Feb. 26 Rank: #12
Record: 16-4
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (8): Jake Donar (Wisconsin), Byron Sigmon (UNC Greensboro), Kurt Gross (Kent State), Donnie Jones (West Virginia), Brandon Carter (Central Michigan), Dave Rella (Penn State), Matt Coughlin (Indiana), Jarrod King (Edinboro).

Addison Nuding, Duke
Won 29 matches this year for Duke including Virginia’s Michael Chaires, but fell to fourth in the ACC tournament. Lost to Chaires in the ACCs as well as Virginia Tech’s Matt Epperly.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 29-10
ACC Place: 4th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Chad Porter (Liberty), Byron Sigmon (UNC Greensboro)

Michael Chaires, Virginia
Had a stellar freshman campaign, winning 32 of 41 matches in his first year in Charlottesville. Reached the finals of the Southern Scuffle, finished fifth at the Penn State Open and won the Virginia Intercollegiate State Championship. Seven losses came to NCAA qualifiers. Chaires wasn’t the only one stunned by Matt Epperly in the ACC Championships, but in a situation where only 14 bids are at stake, Chaires will have to wait until next year.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 32-9
ACC Place: 3rd
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers: Dave Rella (Penn State), Kurt Swartz (Boise State), Matt Epperly (Virginia Tech).

Max Dean, Oklahoma
A three-time NCAA qualifier at Indiana, Dean used his final year of eligibility as a graduate student at Oklahoma. Ranked off and on during the season, Dean finished 5th in the Big 12, losing to three nationally-ranked wrestlers … actually, three Top 10 wrestlers. With only one “bad” loss on the season, Dean had a beef with not getting in, which would have made him a four-time NCAA qualifier.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 19-10
Big 12 Place: 5th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Pat Pitsch (Arizona State), Jon Reader (Iowa State)
                    
174 pounds
Dave Erwin, Penn State
After starting the year 16-1 and winning tournament titles at Michigan State, Mat Town and the Penn State Open, redshirt sophomore Dave Erwin had settled nicely into the 174-pound weight class. Then came the Big Ten tournament and an upset loss to Indiana’s Trevor Perry, an opponent Erwin had defeated twice already this season. Erwin was bounced from the tournament by Illinois’ John Dergo. All 10 of Erwin’s losses this season are to NCAA qualifiers.
Feb. 26 Rank: #16
Record: 23-10
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (5): Trevor Perry (Indiana) twice, Alex Caruso (Lehigh), Steve Anceravage (Cornell), Aron Scott (Iowa State).

Nick Corpe, Purdue
An up-and-down season which saw Purdue’s Nick Corpe win more than he lost, the Boilermaker junior lost momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament and was knocked out by Wisconsin’s Dan Clum and didn’t place.
Feb. 26 Rank: #17
Record: 24-13
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (4): Charlie Pienaar (Eastern Michigan), Ethan Headlee (Pittsburgh), Chris Henrich (Virginia), Gabe Dretsch (Minnesota)

Justin Herbert, Franklin & Marshall
The F&M junior had a chance to qualify on his home mats in Lancaster at the EIWA Championships, but it was Bucknell’s Shane Riccio that prevented him from A) making the semifinals and B) qualifying. Herbert, who was in the top ten in the nation in falls this season, had beaten Riccio earlier in the year and had started the year winning 19 of his first 20 matches.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 27-5
EIWA Place: 6th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Shane Riccio (Bucknell), Aaron Kelly (Liberty).

184 pounds
Josh Arnone, Cornell
A shoulder injury kept the returning All-American out of the Cornell lineup until January and even then, Arnone saw limited success. After reaching the EIWA semis, he defaulted out of the tournament after an injury against Penn’s Lior Zamir.
Feb. 26 Rank: #17
Record: 8-2
EIWA Place: 6th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (1): Matt Gevelinger (Brown).

Eric Chine, Kent State
The upset loss to Eastern Michigan’s Charlie Pienaar sealed the fate of Eric Chine. The nationally-ranked Flash had a very good season, but as stated earlier, the MAC upsets will keep some good kids home … and Chine is one of those good kids. Chine placed in every tournament he wrestled this season.
Feb. 26 Rank: #20
Record: 32-12
MAC Place: 3rd        
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (5): Scott Ferguson (Army), Jesse Strawn (Old Dominion), Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro), Lior Zamir (Penn), Charlie Pienaar (Eastern Michigan).

Mickey Moran, Buffalo
A few solid wins and 32 on the season are nothing to sneeze at. Moran had a good career at Buffalo.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 32-10
MAC Place: 4th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Scott Ferguson (Navy), Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro)

John Barone, Duke
Despite not qualifying for the tournament, Barone set the single-season win mark at Duke with 35 and did pick up some quality wins along the way, but not all of the quality wins were against NCAA qualifiers. The depth of the ACC at 184 left Barone home, with two qualifiers and as many as three wrestlers ranked in conference at any one time. Best win of the year came over Indiana’s Marc Bennett, who actually didn’t qualify.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 35-8
ACC Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers: None

Josh Haines, Maryland
Ranked for much of the year, Haines, an injury-prone junior, ended up 16-9 on the season. Some good wins, some ugly losses. A concussion ended his season at the ACC tournament after losing to N.C. State’s Ryan Goodman, a two-sport competitor for the Wolf Pack.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 16-9.
ACC Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (3): Austin Trotman (Appalachian State), Tyrel Todd (Michigan), Doug Umbehauer (Rider).

Marc Bennett, Indiana
An 11-10 record is hardly a record one might consider a near-miss, but 2006 qualifier Mark Bennett was in the Big Ten. He’s got some bad losses and some decent wins, but came up just short. He was ranked for a short time during the season.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 11-10
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers: Josh Edmondson (UT-Chattanooga), A.J. Kissel (Purdue), Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)

Tyler Sorenson, South Dakota State
The only real reason here is Sorensen finished 12-2, third in the West Region and had a regular season win over regional champ Andy O’Laughlin of Northern Iowa. So Sorenson takes third, is ten wins over .500 and doesn’t qualify, while the region takes a wildcard with a losing record who finishes third and doesn't have double-figures in wins. Hmmm. The bid would have at least given the Jackrabbits an NCAA qualifier.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 12-2
West Region Place: 3rd
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Andy O’Laughlin (Northern Iowa), Jacob Devlin (Air Force).

197 pounds
Joe Williams, Michigan State
This might be hard to believe, but as one of the most highly-touted big men to come out of California in 2003, Michigan State’s Joe Williams never qualified for the NCAA Championship. As a freshman, Williams suffered season-ending injury, and the last two seasons he didn’t make it out. This year, was much of the same as Williams couldn’t break through the conference tournament to reach the NCAAs. Ranked 15th and moving up to a new weight class, Williams was solid in the early season. His record might have been slightly better had he not wrestled Northwestern’s Mike Tamillow repeatedly. Tamillow beat Williams four times this season.
Feb. 26 Rank: #15
Record: 24-13
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (4): Joe Fagiano (Indiana) twice, Justin Bronson (Minnesota), Logan Brown (Purdue),

Anthony Biondo, Michigan
Ranked for much of the season after solid performances at the Northeast Duals and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the rugged Big Ten schedule took its toll on the freshman. Biondo lost eight of his last nine matches to close out the season.
Feb. 26 Rank: #19
Record: 23-13
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (2): Daren Burns (UNC Greensboro), Andrew Anderson (Northern Iowa)

Brent Jones, Virginia
One of the most dangerous wrestlers in the nation at 197 pounds, Jones has been prone to pick up falls in bunches, it’s been his style since middle school (seriously). He was solid until going 6-5 in the last 11 matches of the season. He lost a semifinal to Dennis Drury of North Carolina, but still held a chance at a wildcard until falling 15-14 to D.J. Bruce of Virginia Tech in the third-place match, effectively ending his shot at making the tournament.
Feb. 26 Rank: #20
Record: 32-12
ACC Place: 4th
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (6): Richard Starks (Army), Joe Rovelli (Hofstra), Pat Bradshaw (Edinboro), Cayle Byers (George Mason), Thomas Shovlin (Penn), Daren Burns (UNC Greensboro),

Dennis Drury, North Carolina
Second in the conference after picking off Brent Jones in the semifinals, Drury is the first alternate from the ACC after picking up three victories over NCAA qualifiers this season.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 17-8
ACC Place: 2nd
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers: Pat Bradshaw (Edinboro), Joe Fagiano (Indiana), Thomas Shovlin (Penn),

285 pounds
Wade Sauer, Cal State-Fullerton
The returning All-American from Fullerton and All-Star Classic participant was injured in his last match of the season against Northern Colorado’s Reece Hopkin and was a scratch from the Pac-10 Tournament. Sauer, a junior, will return next season. Was ranked in the top five at the time of his injury.
Record: 26-4
Pac-10 Place: DNC
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (8): Ed Prendergast (Navy), Travis Gardner (Oregon State), Patrick Walker (Liberty), Charlie Alexander (Oregon), Dustin Rogers (West Virginia), Ryan Flores (Columbia), Nick Smith (Boise State)

Zach Hammond, Cornell
The Cornell junior broke his elbow in a late-season match with Penn’s Trey McLean and was unable to compete in the post-season. Was ranked in the Top 12 in the nation at the time of his injury.
Record: 18-6
EIWA Place: DNC
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (7): Trey McLean (Penn), Kyle Massey (Wisconsin), Zach Sheaffer (Pittsburgh), Jermail Porter (Kent State) twice, Ben Berhow (Minnesota),

John Laboranti, Penn State
Seven of John Laboranti’s losses came at or after the National Duals in what amounts to the Big Ten schedule eating up another quality wrestler. The Virginia Tech transfer opened up 15-1 while splitting starting time with Stephan Tighe but did win three opens – Michigan State, Mat Town and Penn State. Spent time this season ranked and was upset by Minnesota’s Ben Berhow in the consolations of the Big Ten Tournament to end his season.
Feb. 26 Rank: NR
Record: 22-9
Big Ten Place: DNP
Wins over NCAA Qualifiers (4): Rashard Goff (Cleveland State), Nate Thobaben (Army), Jon May (Nebraska), Nathan Everhart (Indiana).

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