With nothing better to do than sleep at 2:45 a.m., I figured I’d jot a few lines about what’s been happening this evening.

 

I’m packed up and ready to head to Omaha. Yes, I’m heading out on Thursday. Like tomorrow. For those of you sleeping under a rock, there are more national tournaments than “the big one” in Omaha next weekend. After finishing up with the Division III championships, I’m making a six-hour run from the Twin Cities to Omaha in preparation for the Division II championships hosted at UNO.

 

I had a chance to write a rather lengthy preview today (you can read it on TheMat.com) and I’m excited for the tournament. UNO, despite my posturing that it’s anyone’s tournament, is the heavy, heavy favorite.

 

I sat down this afternoon in between boiling ziti and working on some dinner, to fill out roughly half of the Division II brackets. I’ll fill out the rest of them tomorrow (well, later today) and post them here for people to pick apart.

 

Now, while I’m gearing up for the Division II tournament, Wednesday was the big day for college wrestling fans, as they found out not only the at-large berths into the Division I championships, but the brackets as well. Already, Thursday Morning Quarterbacks (if that is a term, well, it is if you’re a MAC Football fan) are filling out brackets, boldly picking upsets and posturing their opinions as to who will be the ultimate sleeper in Omaha at the Qwest Center.

 

I again, will be filling out the complete bracket and posting it here for you guys to throw darts at. Why? I dunno, I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.

 

Anyway, if you go to TheMat.com, you’ll see the Division I Championship Special Section. In that section, you’ll find some breakdowns with facts and figures provided to me by Pat Tocci at the NWCA. He’s the guy who told you who was in the tournament on the NCAA webcast. He works tirelessly, and I do mean tirelessly, for the sport of wrestling. With my pending marriage coming up in two months, I wonder how Pat’s stayed married all this time, because he puts mountains of effort into promoting and working with factions to help improve the sport and its visibility.

 

Now, enough about my old boss … I wonder why my sleeping habits are messed up. Could it be the eight years working nights at a daily newspaper? Too much time at Brendee’s in Lancaster shooting darts and watching “just one more inning” of a Mets-Phillies game? Or perhaps the video editing from last year’s Wrestling 411 finally caught up to me.

 

Nah, it’s that whole glutton for punishment thing again. Sorting, fact-finding and posting information in the wee hours of the morning is nothing new. But it’s not for me to admire, it’s for you, the wrestling fan, to feast upon. So have a look at the coverage section and check out some interesting notes – like a breakdown of the home states (Pennsylvania has the most) and hometowns (guess who’s No. 1 there?) and of course, the brother combos and a breakdown by win percentage.

 

We’ll be creating the Division II special section tomorrow, as Craig Sesker and I arrive in Omaha.

 

More updates when we get there, but I’ve gotta be up and out the door in about four hours. Ack. It’s now 2:55 a.m. … do you know where your brackets are?

Tags: omaha brackets 

What do I know about Division II wrestling? For starters, it's an exciting tournament that should return to form in Omaha. Last year, I attended my first Division II championships and saw some great action, but there was just that "not so great" feeling when realizing the tournament was pushed into a rec center-type gym, with basketballs bouncing and guys doing squats in the gym overlooking the mats during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.

Now, I don't proclaim to be the world's foremost expert on Division II, but I like filling out brackets. So here's my Top 8 at each of the 10 weight classes in Division II. Feel free to pick them apart, because after all, if you're picking them apart, you're reading them, right?!

I don't live off the rankings when making picks. Sometimes its a gut feeling, sometimes it's just an upset stomach. I'm sure people who know Division II better than I are going to go "WHAT THE!" It's expected. I'm throwing a lot of past results out the window, because what does a previous match mean at this level? Zippo.

For the record, I have no association with any Division II wrestling program. I've covered D2 matches around the country the last 10 years, but the nearest Division II program to my hometown is ... like six hours away. I'm also not buoyed by regionalism. I've lived in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Colorado. That being said ...

And these are never personal. And I might have no idea what I'm talking about.

125 pounds
1. Arsenia Barksdale (Adams State)
2. Seth Wright (New Mexico Highlands)
3. Matt Oliver (Newberry)
4. Tyler Mumbulo (Upper Iowa)
5. Tommy Edgmon (Fort Hays State)
6. Terrell McKinney (Nebraska-Omaha)
7. Russell Weakley (UNC Pembroke)
8. Kenny Trumbetta (Seton Hill)

133 pounds
1. Cody Garcia (Nebraska-Omaha)
2. Shane Valko (Pitt-Johnstown)
3. Naveed Bagheri (San Francisco State)
4. Laramie Shaffer (Augustana)
5. Corey Bowers (Gannon)
6. Joe Morrison (Nebraska-Kearney)
7. Kyle Pedretti (Upper Iowa)
8. Scott Berens (Central Oklahoma)

141 pounds
1. Mario Morgan (Nebraska-Omaha)
2. Jeremy Parker (Limestone)
3. Josh Hensley (Adams State)
4. Jay Sherer (Augustana)
5. Andre Harrison (Fort Hays State)
6. Adam Hluschak (East Stroudsburg)
7. Cory Bloodgood (Central Missouri)
8. Gabe Suarez (St. Cloud State)

149 pounds
1. Craig Becker (UW-Parkside)
2. Esai Dominguez (Nebraska-Omaha)
3. T.J. Hepburn (Nebraska-Kearney)
4. Mitch Smith (West Liberty State)
5. Nate Herda (Augustana)
6. Latra Collick (Newberry)
7. Derek Stolarzyk (Upper Iowa)
8. Kevin McElhaney (Gannon)

157 pounds
1. Danny Grater (Fort Hays State)
2. Sean Byrnes (Newberry)
3. George Ivanov (Nebraska-Omaha)
4. Andy Lamancusa (Mercyhurst)
5. John Sundgren (St. Cloud State)
6. Marcus Edgington (Augustana)
7. Michael Williams (UNC Pembroke)
8. Dillon Bera (UW-Parkside)

165 pounds
1. Josh Shields (Mercyhurst)
2. Travis Eggers (Upper Iowa)
3. Ryan Pankoke (Nebraska-Omaha)
4. Tad Merritt (St. Cloud State)
5. Gavin Nelson (Augustana)
6. Blake Malloy (Fort Hays State)
7. Victor Carazo (Grand Canyon)
8. Kyle Keane (Pitt-Johnstown)

174 pounds
1. Marty Usman (Nebraska-Kearney)
2. J.J. Davis (UNC Pembroke)
3. Aaron Denson (Nebraska-Omaha)
4. Mitch Norton (Upper Iowa)
5. Curtis Chenoweth (Newberry)
6. Shamus O'Grady (St. Cloud State)
7. Chris Barrick (Shippensburg)
8. Matt Bailes (Central Missouri)

184 pounds
1. Austin Boehm (Nebraska-Omaha)
2. Bryant Blanton (Newberry)
3. Tim Darling (Kutztown)
4. Shane Mallory (East Stroudsburg)
5. Derek Skala (St. Cloud State)
6. Charlie Pipher (Western State)
7. Derek Ross (Nebraska-Kearney)
8. Lucas Haag (UW-Parkside)

197 pounds
1. Jacob Marrs (Nebraska-Omaha)
2. Donovan McMahill (Western State)
3. Keeno Griffin (Newberry)
4. Ty Copsey (Augustana)
5. Kyle Sand (Adams State)
6. Mitch Knapp (West Liberty State)
7. Luke Munkelwitz (St. Cloud State)
8. Scott Snyder (Kutztown)

285 pounds
1. Brady Wilson (Minnesota State-Mankato)
2. Elijah Madison (Nebraska-Omaha)
3. Dustin Finn (Central Oklahoma)
4. Charlie Alexander (Western State)
5. Jacob Kahnke (St. Cloud State)
6. Steven Franklin (San Francisco State)
7. Frank "Niall" McGrath (Gannon)
8. Kevin Bolinsky (Kutztown)

Tags: omaha brackets brackets 

 

With the humbling experiment that was my Division II picks, why not subject myself to even more punishment by going round-by-round and picking things for the NCAA Division I championships. I mean, really, everyone has just as much of a chance to get more picks right based on their own favorite teams and personal associations than any of the “experts,” but we do it because it’s fun.

 

I spent time Monday night at my less than stellar digs at the Carol Hotel in Omaha filling out Division I brackets. I looked at the possibility of an upset, because they happen, and how things might shake out. Do I have reasons for things? I’d like to think so, but here’s my full view of how I think things could end up when we kick off the tournament.

 

 

Am I crazy? Have I lost it with some of these? Log-in and leave your opinions below.

 

 

 

125

1. Angel Escobedo (Indiana)

2. Troy Nickerson (Cornell)

3. Anthony Robles (Arizona State)

4. Matt McDonough (Iowa)

5. Zach Sanders (Minnesota)

6. Brad Pataky (Penn State)

7. James Nicholson (Old Dominion)

8. Andrew Long (Iowa State)

 

Quarters

Escobedo over Pataky

Robles over Long

McDonough over Sanders

Nickerson over Nicholson

 

Semis

Escobedo over Robles

Nickerson over McDonough

 

Round of 12

Sanders over Kjar

Nicholson over Garnett

Pataky over Notte

Long over Martinez

 

133 pounds

1. Jayson Ness (Minnesota)

2. Franklin Gomez (Michigan State)

3. Daniel Dennis (Iowa)

4. Mike Grey (Cornell)

5. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)

6. Tyler Graff (Wisconsin)

7. Steve Mytych (Drexel)

8. Boris Novachkov (Cal Poly)

 

Quarters

Ness over Graff

Oliver over Mytych

Gomez over Fisk

Grey over Dennis

 

Semis

Ness over Oliver

Gomez over Grey

 

Round of 12

Novachkov over Fisk

Dennis over Bell

Graff over Sentes

Mytych over Mitcheff

 

141 pounds

1. Reece Humphrey (Ohio State)

2. Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State)

3. Alex Krom (Maryland)

4. Montell Marion (Iowa)

5. Chris Diaz (Virginia Tech)

6. Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh)

7. Mike Thorn (Minnesota)

8. Elijah Nacita (Cal State-Bakersfield)

 

Quarters

Krom over Nacita

Humphrey over Bailey

Diaz over Thorn

Parks over Nauman

 

Semis

Humphrey over Krom

Parks over Diaz

 

Round of 12

Thorn over Mangrum

Nauman over Lipp

Nacita over Novachkov

Marion over Bailey

 

149 pounds

1. Brent Metcalf (Iowa)

2. Kyle Ruschell (Wisconsin)

3. Lance Palmer (Ohio State)

4. Frank Molinaro (Penn State)

5. Matt Kyler (Army)

6. Kyle Terry (Oklahoma)

7. Kyle Borshoff (American)

8. Kevin LeValley (Bucknell)

 

Quarters

Palmer over Stephens

Ruschell over Molinaro

Kyler over Terry

Metcalf over D’Alie

 

Semis

Ruschell over Palmer

Metcalf over Kyler

 

Round of 12

Terry over Fleming

LeValley over D’Alie

Borshoff over Stephens

Molinaro over Chamberlain

 

157 pounds

1. J.P. O’Connor (Harvard)

2. Jesse Dong (Virginia Tech)

3. Cyler Sanderson (Penn State)

4. Adam Hall (Boise State)

5. Steve Fittery (American)

6. Chase Pami (Cal Poly)

7. Bryce Saddoris (Navy)

8. Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota)

 

Quarters

O’Connor over Saddoris

Sanderson over Fittery

Dong over Schlatter

Hall over Pami

 

Semis

O’Connor over Sanderson

Dong over Hall

 

Round of 12

Schlatter over Brown

Pami over Moley

Saddoris over Vernon

Fittery over Erisman

 

165 pounds

1. Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)

2. Dan Vallimont (Penn State)

3. Jonathan Reader (Iowa State)

4. Colt Sponseller (Ohio State)

5. Jarrod King (Edinboro)

6. Nick Marable (Missouri)

7. Andy Rendos (Bucknell)

8. Alex Meade (Oklahoma State)

 

Quarters

Howe over Rendos

Sponseller over Reader

Vallimont over Marable

King over Meade

 

Semis

Howe over Sponseller

Vallimont over King

 

Round of 12

Marable over Young

Meade over Grayson

Rendos over Morningstar

Reader over Schmelyun

 

174 pounds

1. Mack Lewnes (Cornell)

2. Jay Borschel (Iowa)

3. Stephen Dwyer (Nebraska)

4. Chris Henrich (Virginia)

5. Josh Patterson (Binghamton)

6. Ben Bennett (Central Michigan)

7. Colby Covington (Oregon State)

8. Mike Benefiel (Oklahoma State)

 

Quarters

Lewnes over Covington

Dwyer over Glasser

Henrich over Benefiel

Borschel over Bennett

 

Semis

Lewnes over Dwyer

Borschel over Henrich

 

Round of 12

Benefiel over Henderson

Bennett over Manuel

Covington over Blanton

Patterson over Glasser

 

184 pounds

1. Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)

2. Kirk Smith (Boise State)

3. John Dergo (Illinois)

4. Max Askren (Missouri)

5. Mike Cannon (American)

6. David Erwin (Penn State)

7. Louis Caputo (Harvard)

8. Phil Keddy (Iowa)

 

Quarters

Smith over Caputo

Cannon over Foster

Kilgore over Askren

Dergo over LeBlanc

 

Semis

Smith over Cannon

Kilgore over Dergo

 

Round of 12

Askren over Craig

Keddy over LeBlanc

Caputo over Pucillo

Erwin over Foster

 

197 pounds

1. Jake Varner (Iowa State)

2. Hudson Taylor (Maryland)

3. Craig Brester (Nebraska)

4. Jesse Strawn (Old Dominion)

5. Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)

6. Brent Jones (Virginia)

7. Cam Simaz (Cornell)

8. Eric Lapotsky (Oklahoma)

 

Quarters

Varner over Beatty

Jones over C. Simaz

Taylor over Lapotsky

Brester over Strawn

 

Semis

Varner over Jones

Taylor over Brester

 

Round of 12

Lapotsky over Haynes

Strawn over Orozco

Brandvold over Beatty

C. Simaz over Gelogaev

 

285 pounds

1. Dan Erekson (Iowa)

2. Mitch Montiero (Cal State-Bakersfield)

3. David Zabriskie (Iowa State)

4. Mark Ellis (Missouri)

5. Jared Rosholt (Oklahoma State)

6. Zach Rey (Lehigh)

7. Nathan Everhart (Indiana)

8. Jarod Trice (Central Michigan)

 

Quarters

Zabriskie over Ellis

Erekson over Dudziak

Montiero over Rey

Rosholt over Trice

 

Semis

Erekson over Zabriskie

Montiero over Rosholt

 

Round of 12

Rey over Steele

Trice over Berhow

Ellis over Brantley

Everhart over Dudziak

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