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Indiana Tech:
 
From a year of experience to Fargo All-Americans, Indiana Tech is a place where women’s wrestling is beginning to thrive. Having a roster of 53 athletes, the Warriors are looking to be a top five team at this year’s National Duals Tournament. Head Coach Paul Rademacher has brought in an underrated freshman class and is on the hunt to have seven All-American’s this season.
 
Notable Freshman Recruits:
Riley Dempewolf of McCutcheon, 4x Indiana State Champion, 2x Junior Duals All-American
Makayla Young of Bellefontaine Chieftain (OH), World Team Member
Adriana Sanchez of Purdue Polytechnic, State Runner-up
Cydney Bassett of Purdue Polytechnic, State Runner-up
Andrea Hernandez of Bellmont, State Runner-up
Trinity Coyne of Bellmont, State Runner-up
Haley Thompson of Columbia City, State Runner-up
 
With a recruiting class this stacked, it puts some pressure on the current lineup that Rademacher has been working with for the past few years. One of the biggest impacts in the room has been how large the Warrior’s roster has become. Having 53 athletes on a team with the ability to only take 12 to the NAIA Championships, makes for some great competition internally. Rademacher believes his recruiting class is “under the radar,” due to the pandemic not allowing these women to compete at the national level.
 
Another goal of Rademacher’s is to finish as a top eight team at the NAIA National Tournament this season, a legitimate goal with these returning starters and captains.
 
Returning All-Americans:
Tehani Soares of Shadow Ridge (NV), 4th place
Sam Snow of Los Alamitos (CA), 4th place
Elly Kuzma of Carlson (MI), 7th place
 
These few have been setting the example of what it takes to get to that next level that Rademacher is talking about. The Warriors have been putting in time in the offseason to really take advantage of the big strides they took last season. With a big dual win over Campbellsville, a new confidence has lit a fire in the room says Rademacher. With workout plans and some structure this offseason, they will likely exceed their goals.
 
Rademacher is more than ecstatic that the IHSAA is recognizing women’s wrestling as an emerging sport. He believes that opportunity to wrestle in college is something that every female wrestler should take advantage of, even if it’s not in Fort Wayne.
 
The Warriors are getting bigger and better by the year, and it does not look like they are slowing down anytime soon.
 
Trine:
Trine University hires on new head coach, Theresa Rankin, to tackle the 2022–2023 season for the Lightning. Rankin, being a seasoned veteran and All-American, came in this June and is already seeing growth in the room. With a small team, they will have more than enough one-on-one time to make something spark. The Lightning brought on three freshman this offseason and are excited to see what the future holds for them.
 
Freshman Recruits:
Charissa Fauber (West Lafayette, IN)
Emma Seiler (Auburn, IN)
Keira Wilson (Elkhart, IN)
 
Fauber, coming off a shoulder injury, is a firecracker on the mat says Rankin. Placing second in freestyle at the 2021 ISWA State Finals, she will a great asset for Trine in the coming years. Rankin, also excited about Seiler and Wilson, is really trying to get her newcomers to soak in everything about wrestling so they are better prepared when competition begins.
 
Speaking of competition, Riley Morrison (TX) qualified for nationals as a sophomore last season and is sharpening her skillset for a potential podium finish. Also coming back for their junior season is Michelle Sanchez (IL). Rankin believes Sanchez could potentially make it to nationals this year with the amount of talent she brings to the table. Lastly, Ashton Francis (NY) could also find herself at nationals if she focuses on her craft.
 
Although this team is young, Rankin is ready to strengthen weaknesses and take the Lightening to the next level.
 
Alara Boyd:
Being one of, if not, the best female wrestler to ever come out of Indiana, Alara Boyd of Yorktown continues to make history and could see herself with another National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling title this season. Being a three-time National Collegiate Women’s Championships finalist, Boyd has proven time and time again that she is able to compete with the best. Staying at 143lbs this season, Boyd is “staying consistent” with her training and lifestyle to stay at the top. Boyd highlights how important the little things are when trying to compete for national titles. Simple things like eating right and going to bed at a decent hour are sacrifices she is willing to make to win.
 
Boyd is well known around the state of Indiana, but left to attend McKendree University, ranked #2 in the 2021-2022 NWCA’s women’s coaches’ rankings. When she joined the Bearcats, Boyd was pushed out of her comfort zone a bit. She is a firm believer that people grown when they are uncomfortable, which is why she has enjoyed her time at McKendree. A challenge she has had to face since enrolled is having to prioritize her time. Having to juggle wrestling and school, it is tough to stay on top of everything, especially when wrestling all around the world. Attributing her success to her parents, Boyd is grateful for the support she receives.
 
“Keep Going,” is Boyd’s ask of all young female wrestlers. She dreams of seeing women’s wrestling sanctioned in Indiana and the only way for that to happen is to keep growing the sport.
 
Boyd will continue to dominate and will wrestle in the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 22nd on FloWrestling. Be sure to tune in and support Boyd on her journey to greatness.

Indiana Tech:
 
From a year of experience to Fargo All-Americans, Indiana Tech is a place where women’s wrestling is beginning to thrive. Having a roster of 53 athletes, the Warriors are looking to be a top five team at this year’s National Duals Tournament. Head Coach Paul Rademacher has brought in an underrated freshman class and is on the hunt to have seven All-American’s this season.
 
Notable Freshman Recruits:
Riley Dempewolf of McCutcheon, 4x Indiana State Champion, 2x Junior Duals All-American
Makayla Young of Bellefontaine Chieftain (OH), World Team Member
Adriana Sanchez of Purdue Polytechnic, State Runner-up
Cydney Bassett of Purdue Polytechnic, State Runner-up
Andrea Hernandez of Bellmont, State Runner-up
Trinity Coyne of Bellmont, State Runner-up
Haley Thompson of Columbia City, State Runner-up
 
With a recruiting class this stacked, it puts some pressure on the current lineup that Rademacher has been working with for the past few years. One of the biggest impacts in the room has been how large the Warrior’s roster has become. Having 53 athletes on a team with the ability to only take 12 to the NAIA Championships, makes for some great competition internally. Rademacher believes his recruiting class is “under the radar,” due to the pandemic not allowing these women to compete at the national level.
 
Another goal of Rademacher’s is to finish as a top eight team at the NAIA National Tournament this season, a legitimate goal with these returning starters and captains.
 
Returning All-Americans:
Tehani Soares of Shadow Ridge (NV), 4th place
Sam Snow of Los Alamitos (CA), 4th place
Elly Kuzma of Carlson (MI), 7th place
 
These few have been setting the example of what it takes to get to that next level that Rademacher is talking about. The Warriors have been putting in time in the offseason to really take advantage of the big strides they took last season. With a big dual win over Campbellsville, a new confidence has lit a fire in the room says Rademacher. With workout plans and some structure this offseason, they will likely exceed their goals.
 
Rademacher is more than ecstatic that the IHSAA is recognizing women’s wrestling as an emerging sport. He believes that opportunity to wrestle in college is something that every female wrestler should take advantage of, even if it’s not in Fort Wayne.
 
The Warriors are getting bigger and better by the year, and it does not look like they are slowing down anytime soon.
 
Trine:
Trine University hires on new head coach, Theresa Rankin, to tackle the 2022–2023 season for the Lightning. Rankin, being a seasoned veteran and All-American, came in this June and is already seeing growth in the room. With a small team, they will have more than enough one-on-one time to make something spark. The Lightning brought on three freshman this offseason and are excited to see what the future holds for them.
 
Freshman Recruits:
Charissa Fauber (West Lafayette, IN)
Emma Seiler (Auburn, IN)
Keira Wilson (Elkhart, IN)
 
Fauber, coming off a shoulder injury, is a firecracker on the mat says Rankin. Placing second in freestyle at the 2021 ISWA State Finals, she will a great asset for Trine in the coming years. Rankin, also excited about Seiler and Wilson, is really trying to get her newcomers to soak in everything about wrestling so they are better prepared when competition begins.
 
Speaking of competition, Riley Morrison (TX) qualified for nationals as a sophomore last season and is sharpening her skillset for a potential podium finish. Also coming back for their junior season is Michelle Sanchez (IL). Rankin believes Sanchez could potentially make it to nationals this year with the amount of talent she brings to the table. Lastly, Ashton Francis (NY) could also find herself at nationals if she focuses on her craft.
 
Although this team is young, Rankin is ready to strengthen weaknesses and take the Lightening to the next level.
 
Alara Boyd:
Being one of, if not, the best female wrestler to ever come out of Indiana, Alara Boyd of Yorktown continues to make history and could see herself with another National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling title this season. Being a three-time National Collegiate Women’s Championships finalist, Boyd has proven time and time again that she is able to compete with the best. Staying at 143lbs this season, Boyd is “staying consistent” with her training and lifestyle to stay at the top. Boyd highlights how important the little things are when trying to compete for national titles. Simple things like eating right and going to bed at a decent hour are sacrifices she is willing to make to win.
 
Boyd is well known around the state of Indiana, but left to attend McKendree University, ranked #2 in the 2021-2022 NWCA’s women’s coaches’ rankings. When she joined the Bearcats, Boyd was pushed out of her comfort zone a bit. She is a firm believer that people grown when they are uncomfortable, which is why she has enjoyed her time at McKendree. A challenge she has had to face since enrolled is having to prioritize her time. Having to juggle wrestling and school, it is tough to stay on top of everything, especially when wrestling all around the world. Attributing her success to her parents, Boyd is grateful for the support she receives.
 
“Keep Going,” is Boyd’s ask of all young female wrestlers. She dreams of seeing women’s wrestling sanctioned in Indiana and the only way for that to happen is to keep growing the sport.
 
Boyd will continue to dominate and will wrestle in the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 22nd on FloWrestling. Be sure to tune in and support Boyd on her journey to greatness.

By Blaze Lowery
Indiana University
 
The Hoosiers of Indiana University are stocking up on more talent for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Signing 11 recruits, this team is beginning to shape itself into a bit of a shock for the Big Ten Conference. Coming off a not-so-great ending to their previous season, the Hoosiers are in search of redemption. As they bring back many starters for this upcoming season, Head Coach Angel Escobedo and the squad will have the opportunity to prove that IU isn’t just a basketball school.
 
With the majority of the new recruiting class from out of state, one familiar name that rings a bell in southern Indiana is Gabe Sollars from Evansville Mater Dei. Having a great end to his high school career as a two-time state champion, Sollars could be the missing piece to the puzzle in Bloomington. Also joining the Hoosiers is two-time placer, Ben Phillips of Charlestown, who had a record of 142-22 throughout his high school career. Transfer, Clayton Fielden of Garrett, who has seen some mat time for Army, comes back to his home state to compete for the Hoosiers as well. Fielden could potentially crack the Hoosier lineup this season as he takes on Robert Major of Carmel for the 165lbs spot.
 
Bringing back the bulk of their starters from last season only gives this team more time to grow and compete at a higher level. Returning this season is Donnell Washington of Portage, who was the only wrestler to score for the Hoosiers at the NCAA DI National Championships. Having been ranked as high as #6 in the nation last season, he is someone that is bound to make sparks fly, especially after hearing he is dropping down to 174lbs for the Hoosiers. This spot, currently held by Nick South of Columbus East, is going to make for an interesting curveball in their lineup. Escobedo indicates that although he thinks both men could potentially be All-Americans, championship teams have guys at the same weight class more frequently than not.
 
The infamous brother duo, Graham and Cayden Rooks of Columbus East, have been more than entertaining throughout their wrestling careers. These guys are both high scoring wrestlers who always seem to pull off some big upsets year after year. The Rooks brothers both fell short of their goals last season, but it only gave them more motivation to grind this offseason. Escobedo has been assisting the brothers’ transition to “approach the sport differently this offseason,” which has made these men hungry and excited for what their future holds.
 
Happy to bring back Jacob Moran of Portage at 125lbs, the Hoosiers are going to be just fine to start out their duals this season. With multiple wins over ranked opponents, and being ranked the first half of last season, it is Moran’s time to make a statement. Like most of his teammates, this offseason has been a time for him to refine and build on his skills.
 
Do not sleep on Nick Willham of Greenwood at 195lbs. Although Willham does not have too many collegiate accolades to date, he is a “workhorse in the room,” says Escobedo. Willham has been making himself known around the nation with multiple overtime matches with All-American’s in his weight class. Escobedo also points out how those matches only led to more confidence for Willham to reach All-American status. “The sky is the limit,” states Escobedo.
 
Returning to Bloomington, as an associate head coach, Mike Dixon 01’. Dixon having a lofty coaching resume will make for an impactful addition to the Hoosier coaching staff. Another coach added is volunteer assistant coach and three-time All-American at Nebraska, C.J. Red. Red, a four-time Indiana state champion, has a vested interest in the future of the Hoosier wrestling program.
 
This is truly a year for IU to take the next step and possibly make some magic happen.
 
Purdue University
 
Purdue University continues to churn talent and develop Indiana recruits into national qualifiers. Bringing on seven newcomers, these recruits are entering a program that could finish top 15 in the country. The Boilermakers bring on a very skilled recruiting class, with an already young team as it is. Being in the room since June, these freshmen who came in as boys, are going to enter their season as men states Assistant Coach Jake Sueflohn.
 
First recruit up is Brody Baumann of Evansville Mater Dei, who was a two-time Indiana state champion. He is a proven winner and has shown he is ready to compete at the next level. Up next is Ike Ruble of Bellmont, who is likely hungrier after his season did not go as planned. It is likely that Ruble is still growing and could end up at a much higher weight class than intended. Coach Sueflohn also sheds light on Ruble’s “attitude and positive energy” that lifts the room up. Ruble finished his high school career at 133-10 and is likely going to crack lineup in his time as a Boilermaker.
 
Kade Law of Columbus East was the guy the Olympians could always count on when they needed it most. Being a 2021 IHPO Champion, Law has always been a well-rounded competitor. Brac Hooper of Zionsville is the last recruit of Indiana natives. This guy always knew how to scrap but only started to fill out by the end of his high school career. It would not be a surprise if we saw Hooper become West Lafayette’s secret weapon.
 
Some of the success from this previous year’s tournaments was from #10 Thomas Penola of Zionsville. Penola, a three-time NCAA national qualifier, is settling into his redshirt senior season nicely. Always willing to do whatever it takes, Penola has been “opening his offensive attacks this offseason,” says Sueflohn. Although his signature underhook is nothing to shy away from, development this offseason will push him to that All-American status at the tournament this year.
 
Cooper Noehre of Greenfield Central has the chance to solidify himself at 165lbs. After he wrestled in a few varsity duals in the previous season at 157lbs, he has proven himself more than capable of holding his own for the Boilermakers.
 
Potentially cracking lineup at 149lbs is Jaden Reynolds of Avon. Reynolds being a three-time place winner for the Orioles has proven himself as a viable option for the Boilermakers. Having a few solid wins under his belt his redshirt season, Reynolds is continuing to build on his already solid foundation. Someone else really filling out is Indiana state champion, Tristan Ruhlman of Bloomington South, who is likely to see time at heavyweight this season.
 
This team understand how to put its nose to the grindstone and really make it count. Excited is an understatement when talking about Purdue wrestling.
 

By Blaze Lowery
Indiana University
 
The Hoosiers of Indiana University are stocking up on more talent for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Signing 11 recruits, this team is beginning to shape itself into a bit of a shock for the Big Ten Conference. Coming off a not-so-great ending to their previous season, the Hoosiers are in search of redemption. As they bring back many starters for this upcoming season, Head Coach Angel Escobedo and the squad will have the opportunity to prove that IU isn’t just a basketball school.
 
With the majority of the new recruiting class from out of state, one familiar name that rings a bell in southern Indiana is Gabe Sollars from Evansville Mater Dei. Having a great end to his high school career as a two-time state champion, Sollars could be the missing piece to the puzzle in Bloomington. Also joining the Hoosiers is two-time placer, Ben Phillips of Charlestown, who had a record of 142-22 throughout his high school career. Transfer, Clayton Fielden of Garrett, who has seen some mat time for Army, comes back to his home state to compete for the Hoosiers as well. Fielden could potentially crack the Hoosier lineup this season as he takes on Robert Major of Carmel for the 165lbs spot.
 
Bringing back the bulk of their starters from last season only gives this team more time to grow and compete at a higher level. Returning this season is Donnell Washington of Portage, who was the only wrestler to score for the Hoosiers at the NCAA DI National Championships. Having been ranked as high as #6 in the nation last season, he is someone that is bound to make sparks fly, especially after hearing he is dropping down to 174lbs for the Hoosiers. This spot, currently held by Nick South of Columbus East, is going to make for an interesting curveball in their lineup. Escobedo indicates that although he thinks both men could potentially be All-Americans, championship teams have guys at the same weight class more frequently than not.
 
The infamous brother duo, Graham and Cayden Rooks of Columbus East, have been more than entertaining throughout their wrestling careers. These guys are both high scoring wrestlers who always seem to pull off some big upsets year after year. The Rooks brothers both fell short of their goals last season, but it only gave them more motivation to grind this offseason. Escobedo has been assisting the brothers’ transition to “approach the sport differently this offseason,” which has made these men hungry and excited for what their future holds.
 
Happy to bring back Jacob Moran of Portage at 125lbs, the Hoosiers are going to be just fine to start out their duals this season. With multiple wins over ranked opponents, and being ranked the first half of last season, it is Moran’s time to make a statement. Like most of his teammates, this offseason has been a time for him to refine and build on his skills.
 
Do not sleep on Nick Willham of Greenwood at 195lbs. Although Willham does not have too many collegiate accolades to date, he is a “workhorse in the room,” says Escobedo. Willham has been making himself known around the nation with multiple overtime matches with All-American’s in his weight class. Escobedo also points out how those matches only led to more confidence for Willham to reach All-American status. “The sky is the limit,” states Escobedo.
 
Returning to Bloomington, as an associate head coach, Mike Dixon 01’. Dixon having a lofty coaching resume will make for an impactful addition to the Hoosier coaching staff. Another coach added is volunteer assistant coach and three-time All-American at Nebraska, C.J. Red. Red, a four-time Indiana state champion, has a vested interest in the future of the Hoosier wrestling program.
 
This is truly a year for IU to take the next step and possibly make some magic happen.
 
Purdue University
 
Purdue University continues to churn talent and develop Indiana recruits into national qualifiers. Bringing on seven newcomers, these recruits are entering a program that could finish top 15 in the country. The Boilermakers bring on a very skilled recruiting class, with an already young team as it is. Being in the room since June, these freshmen who came in as boys, are going to enter their season as men states Assistant Coach Jake Sueflohn.
 
First recruit up is Brody Baumann of Evansville Mater Dei, who was a two-time Indiana state champion. He is a proven winner and has shown he is ready to compete at the next level. Up next is Ike Ruble of Bellmont, who is likely hungrier after his season did not go as planned. It is likely that Ruble is still growing and could end up at a much higher weight class than intended. Coach Sueflohn also sheds light on Ruble’s “attitude and positive energy” that lifts the room up. Ruble finished his high school career at 133-10 and is likely going to crack lineup in his time as a Boilermaker.
 
Kade Law of Columbus East was the guy the Olympians could always count on when they needed it most. Being a 2021 IHPO Champion, Law has always been a well-rounded competitor. Brac Hooper of Zionsville is the last recruit of Indiana natives. This guy always knew how to scrap but only started to fill out by the end of his high school career. It would not be a surprise if we saw Hooper become West Lafayette’s secret weapon.
 
Some of the success from this previous year’s tournaments was from #10 Thomas Penola of Zionsville. Penola, a three-time NCAA national qualifier, is settling into his redshirt senior season nicely. Always willing to do whatever it takes, Penola has been “opening his offensive attacks this offseason,” says Sueflohn. Although his signature underhook is nothing to shy away from, development this offseason will push him to that All-American status at the tournament this year.
 
Cooper Noehre of Greenfield Central has the chance to solidify himself at 165lbs. After he wrestled in a few varsity duals in the previous season at 157lbs, he has proven himself more than capable of holding his own for the Boilermakers.
 
Potentially cracking lineup at 149lbs is Jaden Reynolds of Avon. Reynolds being a three-time place winner for the Orioles has proven himself as a viable option for the Boilermakers. Having a few solid wins under his belt his redshirt season, Reynolds is continuing to build on his already solid foundation. Someone else really filling out is Indiana state champion, Tristan Ruhlman of Bloomington South, who is likely to see time at heavyweight this season.
 
This team understand how to put its nose to the grindstone and really make it count. Excited is an understatement when talking about Purdue wrestling.
 

By Blaze Lowery
Indiana University
 
The Hoosiers of Indiana University are stocking up on more talent for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Signing 11 recruits, this team is beginning to shape itself into a bit of a shock for the Big Ten Conference. Coming off a not-so-great ending to their previous season, the Hoosiers are in search of redemption. As they bring back many starters for this upcoming season, Head Coach Angel Escobedo and the squad will have the opportunity to prove that IU isn’t just a basketball school.
 
With the majority of the new recruiting class from out of state, one familiar name that rings a bell in southern Indiana is Gabe Sollars from Evansville Mater Dei. Having a great end to his high school career as a two-time state champion, Sollars could be the missing piece to the puzzle in Bloomington. Also joining the Hoosiers is two-time placer, Ben Phillips of Charlestown, who had a record of 142-22 throughout his high school career. Transfer, Clayton Fielden of Garrett, who has seen some mat time for Army, comes back to his home state to compete for the Hoosiers as well. Fielden could potentially crack the Hoosier lineup this season as he takes on Robert Major of Carmel for the 165lbs spot.
 
Bringing back the bulk of their starters from last season only gives this team more time to grow and compete at a higher level. Returning this season is Donnell Washington of Portage, who was the only wrestler to score for the Hoosiers at the NCAA DI National Championships. Having been ranked as high as #6 in the nation last season, he is someone that is bound to make sparks fly, especially after hearing he is dropping down to 174lbs for the Hoosiers. This spot, currently held by Nick South of Columbus East, is going to make for an interesting curveball in their lineup. Escobedo indicates that although he thinks both men could potentially be All-Americans, championship teams have guys at the same weight class more frequently than not.
 
The infamous brother duo, Graham and Cayden Rooks of Columbus East, have been more than entertaining throughout their wrestling careers. These guys are both high scoring wrestlers who always seem to pull off some big upsets year after year. The Rooks brothers both fell short of their goals last season, but it only gave them more motivation to grind this offseason. Escobedo has been assisting the brothers’ transition to “approach the sport differently this offseason,” which has made these men hungry and excited for what their future holds.
 
Happy to bring back Jacob Moran of Portage at 125lbs, the Hoosiers are going to be just fine to start out their duals this season. With multiple wins over ranked opponents, and being ranked the first half of last season, it is Moran’s time to make a statement. Like most of his teammates, this offseason has been a time for him to refine and build on his skills.
 
Do not sleep on Nick Willham of Greenwood at 195lbs. Although Willham does not have too many collegiate accolades to date, he is a “workhorse in the room,” says Escobedo. Willham has been making himself known around the nation with multiple overtime matches with All-American’s in his weight class. Escobedo also points out how those matches only led to more confidence for Willham to reach All-American status. “The sky is the limit,” states Escobedo.
 
Returning to Bloomington, as an associate head coach, Mike Dixon 01’. Dixon having a lofty coaching resume will make for an impactful addition to the Hoosier coaching staff. Another coach added is volunteer assistant coach and three-time All-American at Nebraska, C.J. Red. Red, a four-time Indiana state champion, has a vested interest in the future of the Hoosier wrestling program.
 
This is truly a year for IU to take the next step and possibly make some magic happen.
 
Purdue University
 
Purdue University continues to churn talent and develop Indiana recruits into national qualifiers. Bringing on seven newcomers, these recruits are entering a program that could finish top 15 in the country. The Boilermakers bring on a very skilled recruiting class, with an already young team as it is. Being in the room since June, these freshmen who came in as boys, are going to enter their season as men states Assistant Coach Jake Sueflohn.
 
First recruit up is Brody Baumann of Evansville Mater Dei, who was a two-time Indiana state champion. He is a proven winner and has shown he is ready to compete at the next level. Up next is Ike Ruble of Bellmont, who is likely hungrier after his season did not go as planned. It is likely that Ruble is still growing and could end up at a much higher weight class than intended. Coach Sueflohn also sheds light on Ruble’s “attitude and positive energy” that lifts the room up. Ruble finished his high school career at 133-10 and is likely going to crack lineup in his time as a Boilermaker.
 
Kade Law of Columbus East was the guy the Olympians could always count on when they needed it most. Being a 2021 IHPO Champion, Law has always been a well-rounded competitor. Brac Hooper of Zionsville is the last recruit of Indiana natives. This guy always knew how to scrap but only started to fill out by the end of his high school career. It would not be a surprise if we saw Hooper become West Lafayette’s secret weapon.
 
Some of the success from this previous year’s tournaments was from #10 Thomas Penola of Zionsville. Penola, a three-time NCAA national qualifier, is settling into his redshirt senior season nicely. Always willing to do whatever it takes, Penola has been “opening his offensive attacks this offseason,” says Sueflohn. Although his signature underhook is nothing to shy away from, development this offseason will push him to that All-American status at the tournament this year.
 
Cooper Noehre of Greenfield Central has the chance to solidify himself at 165lbs. After he wrestled in a few varsity duals in the previous season at 157lbs, he has proven himself more than capable of holding his own for the Boilermakers.
 
Potentially cracking lineup at 149lbs is Jaden Reynolds of Avon. Reynolds being a three-time place winner for the Orioles has proven himself as a viable option for the Boilermakers. Having a few solid wins under his belt his redshirt season, Reynolds is continuing to build on his already solid foundation. Someone else really filling out is Indiana state champion, Tristan Ruhlman of Bloomington South, who is likely to see time at heavyweight this season.
 
This team understand how to put its nose to the grindstone and really make it count. Excited is an understatement when talking about Purdue wrestling.
 

Check this page frequently for updates on the studs that are entered at this year's IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. For more information on the tournament follow click the link below.
IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open Information
 


 

By Blaze Lowery
 
Indiana consistently produces quality wrestlers that elicit remarkable feats in their collegiate careers. Whether its Division I or NAIA, Indiana is becoming a beacon for successful wrestling programs, especially at the next level. So much of the time, these accomplishments are not recognized: which is why I am here to do so: Without further or due, you NAIA Collegiate 2022-2023 Season Preview.
 
Indiana Tech:
Indiana Teach has nine incoming freshmen from Indiana’s 2022 graduating class, the most of any college in Indiana, and not even accounting for the out-of-state recruits. There are eight of 11 national qualifiers returning for another season, and of which are national champions. The Warriors are looking to secure yet another top five finish at the NAIA Championships this season, in addition to winning another WHAC title.
 
2022 NAIA National Champions:
Conner Gimson (133) of Jimtown – NAIA National Champion
Gimson won his second national title this past season, making him the first two-time national champion for the Warriors wrestling program. He also secured a 2nd team COSIDA Award for his academic and athletic accomplishments. There are talks of Gimson possibly coming back for his COVID year, but its looking like he will not be continuing his time on the mat.
 
Eric Vermillion (184) – NAIA National Champion (Returning)
Vermillion also won his second national title this past season for Tech, becoming the second wrestler in program history to have repeat championships under his belt. As if that was not enough, he also secured the 1st team COSIDA Award, the most prestigious award earned in the NAIA.
  
2022 NAIA National Qualifiers:
Kyle Kantola (141) – 8th Place (Returning)
Nathan Orum (125) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Matt Gimson (133) of Jimtown– National Qualifier (Returning)
Nick Gates (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Corey Cavanaugh (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Nate Wheeler (157) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Hunter Gasper (174) – National Qualifier
Vernon Willis (285) – National Qualifier
Braydon Erb (285) of Western– National Qualifier (Returning)
 
Although the numbers did not translate into placement for many of the Warriors at Nationals, I am certain that it will this upcoming season with such a large recruiting class. In other words, Indiana Tech is not rebuilding, it is reloading for an even better post season in 2023.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Braxton Vest (125) of Westfield, Michael Tharpe (125) of Center Grove, Zimani Malomboza (125) of Fort Wayne Northrop, Elijah Anthony (133) of Frankfort, Corbin Walston (149) of Lawrenceburg, Landon Buchanan (165) of Jimtown, Nathan Critchfield (285) of Evansville Mater Dei, Ian Clifford (285) of Columbia City, Ryan Lattimore (285) of Purdue Polytechnic.
 
Out of these nine incoming freshmen, I’m highest on Elijah Anthony. I think Indiana Tech will be a great fit for Anthony with the Gimson brothers departing in the coming year. Another guy to look forward to is Braxton Vest; with a showstopping performance at the state tournament this past season, this kid is a proven gamer.
 
Coach Thomas Pompei is locked in for yet another season of greatness.
 
Marian University:
The Knights took advantage of the portal this offseason. Not even mentioning the eight recruits they acquired in the 2022 recruiting class, this team is stacked to say the least. After placing 10th at the NAIA Championship last season, Marian is taking strides to gain a top five finish at this year’s tournament.
 
Recent Transfer List:
Alex Cottey of Perry Meridian, Chattanooga University
Cottey transfers after a season-ending leg injury that kept him from showing his true potential for the Mocs. He is a two-time Indiana state champion, and two-time runner-up for the falcons of Perry Meridian. His homecoming is a great chance for him to showcase the skills he picked up in Tennessee.
 
Asa Garcia of Avon, Indiana University
Garcia was in and out of the lineup for the Hoosiers, but never solidified himself as the guy down in Bloomington. With his little brother, Blaze Garcia of Brownsburg, joining the Knights this offseason, this was an awesome place for him to land coming out of the portal. Garcia was a three-time Indiana state champion and was ranked 9th in the nation his senior year.
  
Head Coach Steven Bradley will have his hands full with these transfers, as he already has eight returning qualifiers from last year’s tournament.
 
2022 NAIA Nationals Results:
Sam Osho (184) of Avon – 3rd place (Returning)
Elliot Rodgers (165) of Cathedral – 6th place (Returning)
Jack Servies (197) of Perry Meridian– 6th place (Returning)
Anthony Hughes (125) of Lawrence North– Qualifier (Returning)
Aundre Beatty (141) of Warren Central– Qualifier (Returning)
Logan Wagner (141) of Zionsville– Qualifier (Returning)
Seth Johnson (149) of North Montgomery- Qualifier (Returning)
Bailey Moore (157) of Beech Grove– Qualifier (Returning)
 
Honorable mention goes to Blake Mulkey of Brownsburg, Gardner-Webb transfer, who placed 4th at nationals the year prior, but suffered a season-ending injury that kept him from wrestling last season.
 
In addition to the national qualifiers and incoming transfers, this 2022 freshmen class is also full of hammers.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Landon Bertsch (133,141) of Bluffton, Braden Haines (141) of Brownsburg, Drew Willis (141) of Roncalli, Jude Barger (149) of Franklin Community, Blaze Garcia (149) of Brownsburg, Zach Wilson (149) of Roncalli, Dylan McKelvey (149) of Brownsburg, Liam Begley (285) of Crown Point.
 
I do not see any of these freshmen making a significant impact in the coming season, but I feel like a large majority of them have potential to start in their later years for the Knights.
 
Marian is one of Indiana’s newer collegiate teams in the state and its lineup has only gotten deeper. It is safe to say that the Marian Knights are not only here to stay but are here to play as they enter their 7th season as a program.
 

By Blaze Lowery
 
Having only a single DII university in the state of Indiana, I was more than willing to reach out to a few familiar faces from the Hoosier state that have found success around the nation.
 
University of Indianapolis
The Greyhounds roll into this season off one the best seasons the team has ever had in program history. Bringing back six National Qualifiers, four of which were All-Americans, the University of Indianapolis is looking to compete for a trophy at the NCAA DII National Championships. Coach Jason Warthan is excited to have “a good mix of experience and youth” in the room but is even more excited to “watch the greyhounds grow and compete.”
 
Returning National Qualifiers:
Derek Blubaugh of Bloomington South, National Runner-Up
Logan Bailey of Cathedral, All-American (6th)
Dawson Combest of Columbus East, 3x All-American (7th)
Jack Eiteljorge of Carmel, All-American (2020)
Breyden Bailey of Cathedral, National Qualifier
Cale Gray of Norwell, National Qualifier
 
Losing only a single national qualifier from last year, Andrew Sams (OH), this team is stacking up nicely once again. Finishing sixth at the NCAA DII National Championships this past season, the talent in this room does not end there. Senior, Chase Wilkerson of Mt. Vernon – Fortville, and redshirt sophomore, Ray Rioux of Avon, were Super Regional placers in these past few seasons for the Greyhounds.
 
Other Notable Returners:
Noah Cantu (MI), returning starter at 125
Jay Thompson (OH), returning starter from 2021
Brayden Lowery of Roncalli, potential starter at 133lbs or 141lbs
Nathan Conley of Avon, potential starter at 149lbs
Jake Lone of Northwood, potential starter at 184lbs
Aidan Petersen (MI), potential starter at 184lbs
Shane Bates of Zionsville, potential starter at 174lbs
Owen Butler (MD), potential starter at 174lbs
 
So much talent and not enough weight classes; the Greyhounds run deeper than what meets the eye. Warthan having a next-man-up approach is something that only the best in the nation can handle, making this team ready for anything in its path. Speaking of the next man up, this incoming freshman class should be on everyone’s radar.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Aidan Sprague of East Noble, potentially starting at 125lbs
Nathan Smith of Southport, Fargo Runner-Up, Preseason Nationals Champion
Gavin Garcia of Brownsburg
Mason Cantu of Hart (MI)
Jacob Johnson of Franklin Community
Bryce Crump of Center Grove
Maleec Griffin of Pike
Zach Haughton of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
Carson Johnson of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
Tyler Jones of Warren
Porter Keevers of New Palestine
Jakobe Leavell of Pike
Tabor Lock of Edwardsburg (MI)
Noah Salary of LaPorte
Sam Strouse of Center Grove
 
This recruiting class is only going to keep business steady in Indianapolis. Tackling this preseason is going to be what sets the Greyhounds apart from its competition, complementing the foundation built this offseason. Being detail oriented and making ever rep count comes natural to this team, setting them up for another great year. To put it simply, Warthan is playing chess, not checkers.
 
 
Out-of-State Spotlight
 
Drake Kendrex of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
West Liberty’s starting 197-pounder, Drake Kendrex, enters his senior season with his eyes on the prize. Originally from Indiana, he found great success and experiences with his time in West Virginia. Going to school in another state can me be “nerve-wracking,” says Kendrex, but “getting out and traveling” has been a focal point for his growth on and off the mat.
 
His personal goal this year is to qualify for the national tournament. Selflessly, he says he owes a lot of his previous success to his coaches and practice partners. Danny Erwin, Head Coach at West Liberty, and previous Head assistant at Wabash College, brings in Kyle Hatch of Wabash College as a graduate assistant.
 
Kendrex reiterates that the end goal for the team is to be national champions, but claims that his pre-season workouts, even the ones at six in the morning, make these goals comes to life. Bonding with his team more and more has prepared him to go to war and Kendrex invites the challenge.
 
Carter Noehre of Greenfield Central
Colorado School of Mines’ starting 157-pounder, Carter Noehre, is set on placing at the NCAA DII National Championships. As if studying mechanical engineering wasn’t enough, Noehre continues to impress as he appears in the NWCA’s 2021-2022 preseasons rankings as 12th in the nation. Placing fifth at the Super Regional Vi Championships last season, the bitter taste of defeat burns like fuel as he makes his way into his senior season.
 
The Orediggers sent three to nationals last season, but Noehre sets the bar at five wrestlers for this upcoming national tournament. Although Noehre is far away from home, he has found his second family within his time in Golden.
 
Ready to grind for the podium finish, Noehre is bound to make sparks fly.
 
Christian Mejia of Elkhart Memorial
McKendree University’s starting 125-pounder, Christian Mejia, looks to bounce back onto the podium as he enters into his fifth year. After winning the 42nd Midwest Classic tournament, held in Indianapolis, Mejia fell short of his goals of being a national champion. Although last season did not go as planned, he comes back for another year with redemption on his mind. Grinding day in and day out, Mejia and the Bearcats are looking to keep their 15-win dual record rolling.
 
Mejia’s goal this upcoming season is to not only win the NCAA DII National Championships, but to dominate the weight class as well. Mejia has found his home away from home in Illinois. Exploring all options and keeping an open mind was how he found himself at McKendree and hopes that every Indiana high school wrestler does the same.

By Blaze Lowery
Indiana University
 
The Hoosiers of Indiana University are stocking up on more talent for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Signing 11 recruits, this team is beginning to shape itself into a bit of a shock for the Big Ten Conference. Coming off a not-so-great ending to their previous season, the Hoosiers are in search of redemption. As they bring back many starters for this upcoming season, Head Coach Angel Escobedo and the squad will have the opportunity to prove that IU isn’t just a basketball school.
 
With the majority of the new recruiting class from out of state, one familiar name that rings a bell in southern Indiana is Gabe Sollars from Evansville Mater Dei. Having a great end to his high school career as a two-time state champion, Sollars could be the missing piece to the puzzle in Bloomington. Also joining the Hoosiers is two-time placer, Ben Phillips of Charlestown, who had a record of 142-22 throughout his high school career. Transfer, Clayton Fielden of Garrett, who has seen some mat time for Army, comes back to his home state to compete for the Hoosiers as well. Fielden could potentially crack the Hoosier lineup this season as he takes on Robert Major of Carmel for the 165lbs spot.
 
Bringing back the bulk of their starters from last season only gives this team more time to grow and compete at a higher level. Returning this season is Donnell Washington of Portage, who was the only wrestler to score for the Hoosiers at the NCAA DI National Championships. Having been ranked as high as #6 in the nation last season, he is someone that is bound to make sparks fly, especially after hearing he is dropping down to 174lbs for the Hoosiers. This spot, currently held by Nick South of Columbus East, is going to make for an interesting curveball in their lineup. Escobedo indicates that although he thinks both men could potentially be All-Americans, championship teams have guys at the same weight class more frequently than not.
 
The infamous brother duo, Graham and Cayden Rooks of Columbus East, have been more than entertaining throughout their wrestling careers. These guys are both high scoring wrestlers who always seem to pull off some big upsets year after year. The Rooks brothers both fell short of their goals last season, but it only gave them more motivation to grind this offseason. Escobedo has been assisting the brothers’ transition to “approach the sport differently this offseason,” which has made these men hungry and excited for what their future holds.
 
Happy to bring back Jacob Moran of Portage at 125lbs, the Hoosiers are going to be just fine to start out their duals this season. With multiple wins over ranked opponents, and being ranked the first half of last season, it is Moran’s time to make a statement. Like most of his teammates, this offseason has been a time for him to refine and build on his skills.
 
Do not sleep on Nick Willham of Greenwood at 195lbs. Although Willham does not have too many collegiate accolades to date, he is a “workhorse in the room,” says Escobedo. Willham has been making himself known around the nation with multiple overtime matches with All-American’s in his weight class. Escobedo also points out how those matches only led to more confidence for Willham to reach All-American status. “The sky is the limit,” states Escobedo.
 
Returning to Bloomington, as an associate head coach, Mike Dixon 01’. Dixon having a lofty coaching resume will make for an impactful addition to the Hoosier coaching staff. Another coach added is volunteer assistant coach and three-time All-American at Nebraska, C.J. Red. Red, a four-time Indiana state champion, has a vested interest in the future of the Hoosier wrestling program.
 
This is truly a year for IU to take the next step and possibly make some magic happen.
 
Purdue University
 
Purdue University continues to churn talent and develop Indiana recruits into national qualifiers. Bringing on seven newcomers, these recruits are entering a program that could finish top 15 in the country. The Boilermakers bring on a very skilled recruiting class, with an already young team as it is. Being in the room since June, these freshmen who came in as boys, are going to enter their season as men states Assistant Coach Jake Sueflohn.
 
First recruit up is Brody Baumann of Evansville Mater Dei, who was a two-time Indiana state champion. He is a proven winner and has shown he is ready to compete at the next level. Up next is Ike Ruble of Bellmont, who is likely hungrier after his season did not go as planned. It is likely that Ruble is still growing and could end up at a much higher weight class than intended. Coach Sueflohn also sheds light on Ruble’s “attitude and positive energy” that lifts the room up. Ruble finished his high school career at 133-10 and is likely going to crack lineup in his time as a Boilermaker.
 
Kade Law of Columbus East was the guy the Olympians could always count on when they needed it most. Being a 2021 IHPO Champion, Law has always been a well-rounded competitor. Brac Hooper of Zionsville is the last recruit of Indiana natives. This guy always knew how to scrap but only started to fill out by the end of his high school career. It would not be a surprise if we saw Hooper become West Lafayette’s secret weapon.
 
Some of the success from this previous year’s tournaments was from #10 Thomas Penola of Zionsville. Penola, a three-time NCAA national qualifier, is settling into his redshirt senior season nicely. Always willing to do whatever it takes, Penola has been “opening his offensive attacks this offseason,” says Sueflohn. Although his signature underhook is nothing to shy away from, development this offseason will push him to that All-American status at the tournament this year.
 
Cooper Noehre of Greenfield Central has the chance to solidify himself at 165lbs. After he wrestled in a few varsity duals in the previous season at 157lbs, he has proven himself more than capable of holding his own for the Boilermakers.
 
Potentially cracking lineup at 149lbs is Jaden Reynolds of Avon. Reynolds being a three-time place winner for the Orioles has proven himself as a viable option for the Boilermakers. Having a few solid wins under his belt his redshirt season, Reynolds is continuing to build on his already solid foundation. Someone else really filling out is Indiana state champion, Tristan Ruhlman of Bloomington South, who is likely to see time at heavyweight this season.
 
This team understand how to put its nose to the grindstone and really make it count. Excited is an understatement when talking about Purdue wrestling.
 

By Blaze Lowery
 
Trine University:
Trine looks to have a breakout year in its future with a couple leadership shifts that are only improving the culture for the Thunder. Coach Thomas Hall is more than ecstatic to bring on some extra hands, as Trine will bring out more than 40 wrestlers to its room this season. The Thunder are continuously bringing more and more capital to the division and is becoming a place for the love of wrestling to thrive. Adding 17 incoming freshmen, 15 of which are Indiana natives, there is no question they have a highly competitive room of guys who want to compete.  
 
Coach Hall highlights how his team, unlike most, gained from the time away from competition during the pandemic to really focus on his team’s craft and technique. Building this team since he was 23 years old, passion for the sport is what keeps him going. Development, learning, and growing are Hall’s big three this upcoming season.
 
Key Returning Wrestlers:
Jett Boots of Angola, Conference Runner-Up, Regional Placer
Isaac Hawkins of Fremont, Conference Placer (4th)
Phil Burney, Conference Runner-Up
Ethan Nash of Franklin Community, Conference Placer (3rd)
 
These wrestlers have tough competition, as this upcoming class is massive and talented. With only one senior graduating, and no seniors on their roster now, the staff will have some time to cater toward technique and complimenting styles.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Jacob Behm of Fremont
Colin Corbin of Jeffersonville
Ben Edwards of Yorktown
Sean Gaston of Monrovia
Quentin Keesee of Franklin Central
Bradie Porter of Eastern Greentown
Shaun Pratt of Winamac
Dalton Robinson of Bellmont
Baily Rucker of Delphi
Chase Seifert of Peru
Jacob Simpson of Hobart
Jake Stall of McCutcheon
Trey Tobias of Northwood
Lakin Webb of Rensselaer Central
Carson Wools of Center Grove
Tommy Miller of Mt. Prospect (IL)
Kyle Smith of Dundee (MI)
 
Hall states this incoming class has, “…high goals and are holding each other accountable.” His additions at the leadership level are what will drive these goals and accountability home.
 
Coaching changes that Trine is making for this upcoming season: Zach Rieger of Adrian College ‘18, 3x NWCA Academic All-American, 2017 National Qualifier; Josh Stephenson of Manchester College ’22, NWCA Academic All-American, 4x Varsity Letter Winner; Luke Carver of Trine University ’21, 2x Regional Placer
 
Building reputation and culture seems to be the focal point of this program and the proof should be in the pudding as we enter this 2022-2023 season.
 
Wabash College
The Little Giants have reigned over Division 3 for some time now and it does not look like this dynasty is ending anytime soon. Coming off a National Runner-up finish this past season; these men are ready to get another shot at taking the title. Recruiting fare and wide, their recruiting class is only getting more and more impressive as the years go by. Falling to Wartburg by a single point at the 2022 NCAA national tournament, the taste of defeat is only fuel to the fire for what this team is going to do in the coming season.
 
Key Returners:
Jack Heldt of Carmel, 2022 NCAA National Runner-Up
Chase Baczek, 2022 NCAA All American (6th)
Daniel Uribe, 2022 NCAA National Qualifier
Blake McGee, 4th at NCAA Central Regional
Ray Arebalo, 6th at NCAA Central Regional
Tyson Nisley of LaPorte, 7th at NCAA Central Regional
 
It takes more than hard work to crown five All Americans and three national finalists, it takes a plan. Coach Brian Anderson, going into his 19th season, is very strategic what he turns his attention too. Although Anderson is excited about what this season may bring, he and his coaching staff believe that pre-season is the time to make big strides in comparison to the competition. This upcoming recruiting class, similar to their new teammates, have some significant accolades themselves.
 
Incoming Indiana Freshmen:
Eli Johnson of Norwell
Sammy Saunders of Terre Haute North
Brandon Hammer of Tippecanoe Valley
Dylan Barron of North Newton
Dominic Litchfield of Bellmont
Jesse Herrera of Highland
 
Top National Recruits include: James Day, 3X New Jersey State Qualifier; David Gelman, 4X State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Arlie Benson, 2X Ohio State Placer; Justin Hood, Rhode Island State Champion; Aidan Lutes, 2X Illinois State Qualifier; Tim Smith, 3X Ohio State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Austin Morris, New Hampshire State Champion
  
Anderson states ,“The team will have a mix of veterans and a nice group of newcomers to keep the program chasing down NCAA team trophies.” An excited coaching staff and a loaded roster secures Wabash College in for yet another amazing year.
  
Manchester University
Manchester University acquires third coach in the last three seasons, officially finding the one. Hiring on Josh Hardman, Manchester University ‘00, the Spartans could find that spark they have been searching for. Hardman thrilled for what’s yet to come, is truthful is saying that it is going to “take some time” for the Spartans to really build out a solid foundation. After 5 seasons with Wabash College, Coach Hardman returns to make Manchester wrestling what it used to be. Indiana wrestlers that are willing to put in the work and are excited to be coached should be looking at Manchester as a potential spot for greatness.
 
Key Returners:
Devontay Moore of North Central
Justin Brantley of Western
Ellisston Ross of Bloomington South
 
With a smaller roster, these Spartans could make exponential growth in a short time and possibly shock the Central Regional. Even with a new coaching hire, Manchester seemed to rake in a couple of recruits that could break lineup in its first year.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Keagan Mabie of Mishawaka
Jason Orr of Muncie Central
 
Small rosters mean big opportunities, meaning any spot goes to the hungriest in the room. Hardman, having vested interest with the university’s future, this team is going to compete and compete they will.  

By Blaze Lowery
 
Having only a single DII university in the state of Indiana, I was more than willing to reach out to a few familiar faces from the Hoosier state that have found success around the nation.
 
University of Indianapolis
The Greyhounds roll into this season off one the best seasons the team has ever had in program history. Bringing back six National Qualifiers, four of which were All-Americans, the University of Indianapolis is looking to compete for a trophy at the NCAA DII National Championships. Coach Jason Warthan is excited to have “a good mix of experience and youth” in the room but is even more excited to “watch the greyhounds grow and compete.”
 
Returning National Qualifiers:
Derek Blubaugh of Bloomington South, National Runner-Up
Logan Bailey of Cathedral, All-American (6th)
Dawson Combest of Columbus East, 3x All-American (7th)
Jack Eiteljorge of Carmel, All-American (2020)
Breyden Bailey of Cathedral, National Qualifier
Cale Gray of Norwell, National Qualifier
 
Losing only a single national qualifier from last year, Andrew Sams (OH), this team is stacking up nicely once again. Finishing sixth at the NCAA DII National Championships this past season, the talent in this room does not end there. Senior, Chase Wilkerson of Mt. Vernon – Fortville, and redshirt sophomore, Ray Rioux of Avon, were Super Regional placers in these past few seasons for the Greyhounds.
 
Other Notable Returners:
Noah Cantu (MI), returning starter at 125
Jay Thompson (OH), returning starter from 2021
Brayden Lowery of Roncalli, potential starter at 133lbs or 141lbs
Nathan Conley of Avon, potential starter at 149lbs
Jake Lone of Northwood, potential starter at 184lbs
Aidan Petersen (MI), potential starter at 184lbs
Shane Bates of Zionsville, potential starter at 174lbs
Owen Butler (MD), potential starter at 174lbs
 
So much talent and not enough weight classes; the Greyhounds run deeper than what meets the eye. Warthan having a next-man-up approach is something that only the best in the nation can handle, making this team ready for anything in its path. Speaking of the next man up, this incoming freshman class should be on everyone’s radar.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Aidan Sprague of East Noble, potentially starting at 125lbs
Nathan Smith of Southport, Fargo Runner-Up, Preseason Nationals Champion
Gavin Garcia of Brownsburg
Mason Cantu of Hart (MI)
Jacob Johnson of Franklin Community
Bryce Crump of Center Grove
Maleec Griffin of Pike
Zach Haughton of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
Carson Johnson of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
Tyler Jones of Warren
Porter Keevers of New Palestine
Jakobe Leavell of Pike
Tabor Lock of Edwardsburg (MI)
Noah Salary of LaPorte
Sam Strouse of Center Grove
 
This recruiting class is only going to keep business steady in Indianapolis. Tackling this preseason is going to be what sets the Greyhounds apart from its competition, complementing the foundation built this offseason. Being detail oriented and making ever rep count comes natural to this team, setting them up for another great year. To put it simply, Warthan is playing chess, not checkers.
 
 
Out-of-State Spotlight
 
Drake Kendrex of Mt. Vernon – Fortville
West Liberty’s starting 197-pounder, Drake Kendrex, enters his senior season with his eyes on the prize. Originally from Indiana, he found great success and experiences with his time in West Virginia. Going to school in another state can me be “nerve-wracking,” says Kendrex, but “getting out and traveling” has been a focal point for his growth on and off the mat.
 
His personal goal this year is to qualify for the national tournament. Selflessly, he says he owes a lot of his previous success to his coaches and practice partners. Danny Erwin, Head Coach at West Liberty, and previous Head assistant at Wabash College, brings in Kyle Hatch of Wabash College as a graduate assistant.
 
Kendrex reiterates that the end goal for the team is to be national champions, but claims that his pre-season workouts, even the ones at six in the morning, make these goals comes to life. Bonding with his team more and more has prepared him to go to war and Kendrex invites the challenge.
 
Carter Noehre of Greenfield Central
Colorado School of Mines’ starting 157-pounder, Carter Noehre, is set on placing at the NCAA DII National Championships. As if studying mechanical engineering wasn’t enough, Noehre continues to impress as he appears in the NWCA’s 2021-2022 preseasons rankings as 12th in the nation. Placing fifth at the Super Regional Vi Championships last season, the bitter taste of defeat burns like fuel as he makes his way into his senior season.
 
The Orediggers sent three to nationals last season, but Noehre sets the bar at five wrestlers for this upcoming national tournament. Although Noehre is far away from home, he has found his second family within his time in Golden.
 
Ready to grind for the podium finish, Noehre is bound to make sparks fly.
 
Christian Mejia of Elkhart Memorial
McKendree University’s starting 125-pounder, Christian Mejia, looks to bounce back onto the podium as he enters into his fifth year. After winning the 42nd Midwest Classic tournament, held in Indianapolis, Mejia fell short of his goals of being a national champion. Although last season did not go as planned, he comes back for another year with redemption on his mind. Grinding day in and day out, Mejia and the Bearcats are looking to keep their 15-win dual record rolling.
 
Mejia’s goal this upcoming season is to not only win the NCAA DII National Championships, but to dominate the weight class as well. Mejia has found his home away from home in Illinois. Exploring all options and keeping an open mind was how he found himself at McKendree and hopes that every Indiana high school wrestler does the same.

By Blaze Lowery
 
Trine University:
Trine looks to have a breakout year in its future with a couple leadership shifts that are only improving the culture for the Thunder. Coach Thomas Hall is more than ecstatic to bring on some extra hands, as Trine will bring out more than 40 wrestlers to its room this season. The Thunder are continuously bringing more and more capital to the division and is becoming a place for the love of wrestling to thrive. Adding 17 incoming freshmen, 15 of which are Indiana natives, there is no question they have a highly competitive room of guys who want to compete.  
 
Coach Hall highlights how his team, unlike most, gained from the time away from competition during the pandemic to really focus on his team’s craft and technique. Building this team since he was 23 years old, passion for the sport is what keeps him going. Development, learning, and growing are Hall’s big three this upcoming season.
 
Key Returning Wrestlers:
Jett Boots of Angola, Conference Runner-Up, Regional Placer
Isaac Hawkins of Fremont, Conference Placer (4th)
Phil Burney, Conference Runner-Up
Ethan Nash of Franklin Community, Conference Placer (3rd)
 
These wrestlers have tough competition, as this upcoming class is massive and talented. With only one senior graduating, and no seniors on their roster now, the staff will have some time to cater toward technique and complimenting styles.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Jacob Behm of Fremont
Colin Corbin of Jeffersonville
Ben Edwards of Yorktown
Sean Gaston of Monrovia
Quentin Keesee of Franklin Central
Bradie Porter of Eastern Greentown
Shaun Pratt of Winamac
Dalton Robinson of Bellmont
Baily Rucker of Delphi
Chase Seifert of Peru
Jacob Simpson of Hobart
Jake Stall of McCutcheon
Trey Tobias of Northwood
Lakin Webb of Rensselaer Central
Carson Wools of Center Grove
Tommy Miller of Mt. Prospect (IL)
Kyle Smith of Dundee (MI)
 
Hall states this incoming class has, “…high goals and are holding each other accountable.” His additions at the leadership level are what will drive these goals and accountability home.
 
Coaching changes that Trine is making for this upcoming season: Zach Rieger of Adrian College ‘18, 3x NWCA Academic All-American, 2017 National Qualifier; Josh Stephenson of Manchester College ’22, NWCA Academic All-American, 4x Varsity Letter Winner; Luke Carver of Trine University ’21, 2x Regional Placer
 
Building reputation and culture seems to be the focal point of this program and the proof should be in the pudding as we enter this 2022-2023 season.
 
Wabash College
The Little Giants have reigned over Division 3 for some time now and it does not look like this dynasty is ending anytime soon. Coming off a National Runner-up finish this past season; these men are ready to get another shot at taking the title. Recruiting fare and wide, their recruiting class is only getting more and more impressive as the years go by. Falling to Wartburg by a single point at the 2022 NCAA national tournament, the taste of defeat is only fuel to the fire for what this team is going to do in the coming season.
 
Key Returners:
Jack Heldt of Carmel, 2022 NCAA National Runner-Up
Chase Baczek, 2022 NCAA All American (6th)
Daniel Uribe, 2022 NCAA National Qualifier
Blake McGee, 4th at NCAA Central Regional
Ray Arebalo, 6th at NCAA Central Regional
Tyson Nisley of LaPorte, 7th at NCAA Central Regional
 
It takes more than hard work to crown five All Americans and three national finalists, it takes a plan. Coach Brian Anderson, going into his 19th season, is very strategic what he turns his attention too. Although Anderson is excited about what this season may bring, he and his coaching staff believe that pre-season is the time to make big strides in comparison to the competition. This upcoming recruiting class, similar to their new teammates, have some significant accolades themselves.
 
Incoming Indiana Freshmen:
Eli Johnson of Norwell
Sammy Saunders of Terre Haute North
Brandon Hammer of Tippecanoe Valley
Dylan Barron of North Newton
Dominic Litchfield of Bellmont
Jesse Herrera of Highland
 
Top National Recruits include: James Day, 3X New Jersey State Qualifier; David Gelman, 4X State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Arlie Benson, 2X Ohio State Placer; Justin Hood, Rhode Island State Champion; Aidan Lutes, 2X Illinois State Qualifier; Tim Smith, 3X Ohio State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Austin Morris, New Hampshire State Champion
  
Anderson states ,“The team will have a mix of veterans and a nice group of newcomers to keep the program chasing down NCAA team trophies.” An excited coaching staff and a loaded roster secures Wabash College in for yet another amazing year.
  
Manchester University
Manchester University acquires third coach in the last three seasons, officially finding the one. Hiring on Josh Hardman, Manchester University ‘00, the Spartans could find that spark they have been searching for. Hardman thrilled for what’s yet to come, is truthful is saying that it is going to “take some time” for the Spartans to really build out a solid foundation. After 5 seasons with Wabash College, Coach Hardman returns to make Manchester wrestling what it used to be. Indiana wrestlers that are willing to put in the work and are excited to be coached should be looking at Manchester as a potential spot for greatness.
 
Key Returners:
Devontay Moore of North Central
Justin Brantley of Western
Ellisston Ross of Bloomington South
 
With a smaller roster, these Spartans could make exponential growth in a short time and possibly shock the Central Regional. Even with a new coaching hire, Manchester seemed to rake in a couple of recruits that could break lineup in its first year.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Keagan Mabie of Mishawaka
Jason Orr of Muncie Central
 
Small rosters mean big opportunities, meaning any spot goes to the hungriest in the room. Hardman, having vested interest with the university’s future, this team is going to compete and compete they will.  

By Blaze Lowery
 
Trine University:
Trine looks to have a breakout year in its future with a couple leadership shifts that are only improving the culture for the Thunder. Coach Thomas Hall is more than ecstatic to bring on some extra hands, as Trine will bring out more than 40 wrestlers to its room this season. The Thunder are continuously bringing more and more capital to the division and is becoming a place for the love of wrestling to thrive. Adding 17 incoming freshmen, 15 of which are Indiana natives, there is no question they have a highly competitive room of guys who want to compete.  
 
Coach Hall highlights how his team, unlike most, gained from the time away from competition during the pandemic to really focus on his team’s craft and technique. Building this team since he was 23 years old, passion for the sport is what keeps him going. Development, learning, and growing are Hall’s big three this upcoming season.
 
Key Returning Wrestlers:
Jett Boots of Angola, Conference Runner-Up, Regional Placer
Isaac Hawkins of Fremont, Conference Placer (4th)
Phil Burney, Conference Runner-Up
Ethan Nash of Franklin Community, Conference Placer (3rd)
 
These wrestlers have tough competition, as this upcoming class is massive and talented. With only one senior graduating, and no seniors on their roster now, the staff will have some time to cater toward technique and complimenting styles.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Jacob Behm of Fremont
Colin Corbin of Jeffersonville
Ben Edwards of Yorktown
Sean Gaston of Monrovia
Quentin Keesee of Franklin Central
Bradie Porter of Eastern Greentown
Shaun Pratt of Winamac
Dalton Robinson of Bellmont
Baily Rucker of Delphi
Chase Seifert of Peru
Jacob Simpson of Hobart
Jake Stall of McCutcheon
Trey Tobias of Northwood
Lakin Webb of Rensselaer Central
Carson Wools of Center Grove
Tommy Miller of Mt. Prospect (IL)
Kyle Smith of Dundee (MI)
 
Hall states this incoming class has, “…high goals and are holding each other accountable.” His additions at the leadership level are what will drive these goals and accountability home.
 
Coaching changes that Trine is making for this upcoming season: Zach Rieger of Adrian College ‘18, 3x NWCA Academic All-American, 2017 National Qualifier; Josh Stephenson of Manchester College ’22, NWCA Academic All-American, 4x Varsity Letter Winner; Luke Carver of Trine University ’21, 2x Regional Placer
 
Building reputation and culture seems to be the focal point of this program and the proof should be in the pudding as we enter this 2022-2023 season.
 
Wabash College
The Little Giants have reigned over Division 3 for some time now and it does not look like this dynasty is ending anytime soon. Coming off a National Runner-up finish this past season; these men are ready to get another shot at taking the title. Recruiting fare and wide, their recruiting class is only getting more and more impressive as the years go by. Falling to Wartburg by a single point at the 2022 NCAA national tournament, the taste of defeat is only fuel to the fire for what this team is going to do in the coming season.
 
Key Returners:
Jack Heldt of Carmel, 2022 NCAA National Runner-Up
Chase Baczek, 2022 NCAA All American (6th)
Daniel Uribe, 2022 NCAA National Qualifier
Blake McGee, 4th at NCAA Central Regional
Ray Arebalo, 6th at NCAA Central Regional
Tyson Nisley of LaPorte, 7th at NCAA Central Regional
 
It takes more than hard work to crown five All Americans and three national finalists, it takes a plan. Coach Brian Anderson, going into his 19th season, is very strategic what he turns his attention too. Although Anderson is excited about what this season may bring, he and his coaching staff believe that pre-season is the time to make big strides in comparison to the competition. This upcoming recruiting class, similar to their new teammates, have some significant accolades themselves.
 
Incoming Indiana Freshmen:
Eli Johnson of Norwell
Sammy Saunders of Terre Haute North
Brandon Hammer of Tippecanoe Valley
Dylan Barron of North Newton
Dominic Litchfield of Bellmont
Jesse Herrera of Highland
 
Top National Recruits include: James Day, 3X New Jersey State Qualifier; David Gelman, 4X State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Arlie Benson, 2X Ohio State Placer; Justin Hood, Rhode Island State Champion; Aidan Lutes, 2X Illinois State Qualifier; Tim Smith, 3X Ohio State Qualifier, 2X Placer; Austin Morris, New Hampshire State Champion
  
Anderson states ,“The team will have a mix of veterans and a nice group of newcomers to keep the program chasing down NCAA team trophies.” An excited coaching staff and a loaded roster secures Wabash College in for yet another amazing year.
  
Manchester University
Manchester University acquires third coach in the last three seasons, officially finding the one. Hiring on Josh Hardman, Manchester University ‘00, the Spartans could find that spark they have been searching for. Hardman thrilled for what’s yet to come, is truthful is saying that it is going to “take some time” for the Spartans to really build out a solid foundation. After 5 seasons with Wabash College, Coach Hardman returns to make Manchester wrestling what it used to be. Indiana wrestlers that are willing to put in the work and are excited to be coached should be looking at Manchester as a potential spot for greatness.
 
Key Returners:
Devontay Moore of North Central
Justin Brantley of Western
Ellisston Ross of Bloomington South
 
With a smaller roster, these Spartans could make exponential growth in a short time and possibly shock the Central Regional. Even with a new coaching hire, Manchester seemed to rake in a couple of recruits that could break lineup in its first year.
 
Incoming Freshman:
Keagan Mabie of Mishawaka
Jason Orr of Muncie Central
 
Small rosters mean big opportunities, meaning any spot goes to the hungriest in the room. Hardman, having vested interest with the university’s future, this team is going to compete and compete they will.  

By Blaze Lowery
 
Indiana consistently produces quality wrestlers that elicit remarkable feats in their collegiate careers. Whether its Division I or NAIA, Indiana is becoming a beacon for successful wrestling programs, especially at the next level. So much of the time, these accomplishments are not recognized: which is why I am here to do so: Without further or due, you NAIA Collegiate 2022-2023 Season Preview.
 
Indiana Tech:
Indiana Teach has nine incoming freshmen from Indiana’s 2022 graduating class, the most of any college in Indiana, and not even accounting for the out-of-state recruits. There are eight of 11 national qualifiers returning for another season, and of which are national champions. The Warriors are looking to secure yet another top five finish at the NAIA Championships this season, in addition to winning another WHAC title.
 
2022 NAIA National Champions:
Conner Gimson (133) of Jimtown – NAIA National Champion
Gimson won his second national title this past season, making him the first two-time national champion for the Warriors wrestling program. He also secured a 2nd team COSIDA Award for his academic and athletic accomplishments. There are talks of Gimson possibly coming back for his COVID year, but its looking like he will not be continuing his time on the mat.
 
Eric Vermillion (184) – NAIA National Champion (Returning)
Vermillion also won his second national title this past season for Tech, becoming the second wrestler in program history to have repeat championships under his belt. As if that was not enough, he also secured the 1st team COSIDA Award, the most prestigious award earned in the NAIA.
  
2022 NAIA National Qualifiers:
Kyle Kantola (141) – 8th Place (Returning)
Nathan Orum (125) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Matt Gimson (133) of Jimtown– National Qualifier (Returning)
Nick Gates (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Corey Cavanaugh (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Nate Wheeler (157) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Hunter Gasper (174) – National Qualifier
Vernon Willis (285) – National Qualifier
Braydon Erb (285) of Western– National Qualifier (Returning)
 
Although the numbers did not translate into placement for many of the Warriors at Nationals, I am certain that it will this upcoming season with such a large recruiting class. In other words, Indiana Tech is not rebuilding, it is reloading for an even better post season in 2023.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Braxton Vest (125) of Westfield, Michael Tharpe (125) of Center Grove, Zimani Malomboza (125) of Fort Wayne Northrop, Elijah Anthony (133) of Frankfort, Corbin Walston (149) of Lawrenceburg, Landon Buchanan (165) of Jimtown, Nathan Critchfield (285) of Evansville Mater Dei, Ian Clifford (285) of Columbia City, Ryan Lattimore (285) of Purdue Polytechnic.
 
Out of these nine incoming freshmen, I’m highest on Elijah Anthony. I think Indiana Tech will be a great fit for Anthony with the Gimson brothers departing in the coming year. Another guy to look forward to is Braxton Vest; with a showstopping performance at the state tournament this past season, this kid is a proven gamer.
 
Coach Thomas Pompei is locked in for yet another season of greatness.
 
Marian University:
The Knights took advantage of the portal this offseason. Not even mentioning the eight recruits they acquired in the 2022 recruiting class, this team is stacked to say the least. After placing 10th at the NAIA Championship last season, Marian is taking strides to gain a top five finish at this year’s tournament.
 
Recent Transfer List:
Alex Cottey of Perry Meridian, Chattanooga University
Cottey transfers after a season-ending leg injury that kept him from showing his true potential for the Mocs. He is a two-time Indiana state champion, and two-time runner-up for the falcons of Perry Meridian. His homecoming is a great chance for him to showcase the skills he picked up in Tennessee.
 
Asa Garcia of Avon, Indiana University
Garcia was in and out of the lineup for the Hoosiers, but never solidified himself as the guy down in Bloomington. With his little brother, Blaze Garcia of Brownsburg, joining the Knights this offseason, this was an awesome place for him to land coming out of the portal. Garcia was a three-time Indiana state champion and was ranked 9th in the nation his senior year.
  
Head Coach Steven Bradley will have his hands full with these transfers, as he already has eight returning qualifiers from last year’s tournament.
 
2022 NAIA Nationals Results:
Sam Osho (184) of Avon – 3rd place (Returning)
Elliot Rodgers (165) of Cathedral – 6th place (Returning)
Jack Servies (197) of Perry Meridian– 6th place (Returning)
Anthony Hughes (125) of Lawrence North– Qualifier (Returning)
Aundre Beatty (141) of Warren Central– Qualifier (Returning)
Logan Wagner (141) of Zionsville– Qualifier (Returning)
Seth Johnson (149) of North Montgomery- Qualifier (Returning)
Bailey Moore (157) of Beech Grove– Qualifier (Returning)
 
Honorable mention goes to Blake Mulkey of Brownsburg, Gardner-Webb transfer, who placed 4th at nationals the year prior, but suffered a season-ending injury that kept him from wrestling last season.
 
In addition to the national qualifiers and incoming transfers, this 2022 freshmen class is also full of hammers.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Landon Bertsch (133,141) of Bluffton, Braden Haines (141) of Brownsburg, Drew Willis (141) of Roncalli, Jude Barger (149) of Franklin Community, Blaze Garcia (149) of Brownsburg, Zach Wilson (149) of Roncalli, Dylan McKelvey (149) of Brownsburg, Liam Begley (285) of Crown Point.
 
I do not see any of these freshmen making a significant impact in the coming season, but I feel like a large majority of them have potential to start in their later years for the Knights.
 
Marian is one of Indiana’s newer collegiate teams in the state and its lineup has only gotten deeper. It is safe to say that the Marian Knights are not only here to stay but are here to play as they enter their 7th season as a program.
 

By Blaze Lowery
 
Indiana consistently produces quality wrestlers that elicit remarkable feats in their collegiate careers. Whether its Division I or NAIA, Indiana is becoming a beacon for successful wrestling programs, especially at the next level. So much of the time, these accomplishments are not recognized: which is why I am here to do so: Without further or due, you NAIA Collegiate 2022-2023 Season Preview.
 
Indiana Tech:
Indiana Teach has nine incoming freshmen from Indiana’s 2022 graduating class, the most of any college in Indiana, and not even accounting for the out-of-state recruits. There are eight of 11 national qualifiers returning for another season, and of which are national champions. The Warriors are looking to secure yet another top five finish at the NAIA Championships this season, in addition to winning another WHAC title.
 
2022 NAIA National Champions:
Conner Gimson (133) of Jimtown – NAIA National Champion
Gimson won his second national title this past season, making him the first two-time national champion for the Warriors wrestling program. He also secured a 2nd team COSIDA Award for his academic and athletic accomplishments. There are talks of Gimson possibly coming back for his COVID year, but its looking like he will not be continuing his time on the mat.
 
Eric Vermillion (184) – NAIA National Champion (Returning)
Vermillion also won his second national title this past season for Tech, becoming the second wrestler in program history to have repeat championships under his belt. As if that was not enough, he also secured the 1st team COSIDA Award, the most prestigious award earned in the NAIA.
  
2022 NAIA National Qualifiers:
Kyle Kantola (141) – 8th Place (Returning)
Nathan Orum (125) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Matt Gimson (133) of Jimtown– National Qualifier (Returning)
Nick Gates (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Corey Cavanaugh (149) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Nate Wheeler (157) – National Qualifier (Returning)
Hunter Gasper (174) – National Qualifier
Vernon Willis (285) – National Qualifier
Braydon Erb (285) of Western– National Qualifier (Returning)
 
Although the numbers did not translate into placement for many of the Warriors at Nationals, I am certain that it will this upcoming season with such a large recruiting class. In other words, Indiana Tech is not rebuilding, it is reloading for an even better post season in 2023.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Braxton Vest (125) of Westfield, Michael Tharpe (125) of Center Grove, Zimani Malomboza (125) of Fort Wayne Northrop, Elijah Anthony (133) of Frankfort, Corbin Walston (149) of Lawrenceburg, Landon Buchanan (165) of Jimtown, Nathan Critchfield (285) of Evansville Mater Dei, Ian Clifford (285) of Columbia City, Ryan Lattimore (285) of Purdue Polytechnic.
 
Out of these nine incoming freshmen, I’m highest on Elijah Anthony. I think Indiana Tech will be a great fit for Anthony with the Gimson brothers departing in the coming year. Another guy to look forward to is Braxton Vest; with a showstopping performance at the state tournament this past season, this kid is a proven gamer.
 
Coach Thomas Pompei is locked in for yet another season of greatness.
 
Marian University:
The Knights took advantage of the portal this offseason. Not even mentioning the eight recruits they acquired in the 2022 recruiting class, this team is stacked to say the least. After placing 10th at the NAIA Championship last season, Marian is taking strides to gain a top five finish at this year’s tournament.
 
Recent Transfer List:
Alex Cottey of Perry Meridian, Chattanooga University
Cottey transfers after a season-ending leg injury that kept him from showing his true potential for the Mocs. He is a two-time Indiana state champion, and two-time runner-up for the falcons of Perry Meridian. His homecoming is a great chance for him to showcase the skills he picked up in Tennessee.
 
Asa Garcia of Avon, Indiana University
Garcia was in and out of the lineup for the Hoosiers, but never solidified himself as the guy down in Bloomington. With his little brother, Blaze Garcia of Brownsburg, joining the Knights this offseason, this was an awesome place for him to land coming out of the portal. Garcia was a three-time Indiana state champion and was ranked 9th in the nation his senior year.
  
Head Coach Steven Bradley will have his hands full with these transfers, as he already has eight returning qualifiers from last year’s tournament.
 
2022 NAIA Nationals Results:
Sam Osho (184) of Avon – 3rd place (Returning)
Elliot Rodgers (165) of Cathedral – 6th place (Returning)
Jack Servies (197) of Perry Meridian– 6th place (Returning)
Anthony Hughes (125) of Lawrence North– Qualifier (Returning)
Aundre Beatty (141) of Warren Central– Qualifier (Returning)
Logan Wagner (141) of Zionsville– Qualifier (Returning)
Seth Johnson (149) of North Montgomery- Qualifier (Returning)
Bailey Moore (157) of Beech Grove– Qualifier (Returning)
 
Honorable mention goes to Blake Mulkey of Brownsburg, Gardner-Webb transfer, who placed 4th at nationals the year prior, but suffered a season-ending injury that kept him from wrestling last season.
 
In addition to the national qualifiers and incoming transfers, this 2022 freshmen class is also full of hammers.
 
Incoming Freshmen: Landon Bertsch (133,141) of Bluffton, Braden Haines (141) of Brownsburg, Drew Willis (141) of Roncalli, Jude Barger (149) of Franklin Community, Blaze Garcia (149) of Brownsburg, Zach Wilson (149) of Roncalli, Dylan McKelvey (149) of Brownsburg, Liam Begley (285) of Crown Point.
 
I do not see any of these freshmen making a significant impact in the coming season, but I feel like a large majority of them have potential to start in their later years for the Knights.
 
Marian is one of Indiana’s newer collegiate teams in the state and its lineup has only gotten deeper. It is safe to say that the Marian Knights are not only here to stay but are here to play as they enter their 7th season as a program.
 

By Tyson Nisley
 
The IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open is a tough, tough tournament. I watch as Indiana studs every year go 2-2 or 3-2, and go on to medal at state. I watch our studs go against some of the best wrestlers that the other Midwest states have to offer. It’s one of the best preseason tournaments in the nation, in my opinion. With so many wrestlers from so many different states, and wrestlers bumping up several weight classes, creating never before seen matchups, it’s incredibly hard to predict who will claim the top 4 spots at this tournament. Luckily, I’m incredibly good at making predictions. So, after an estimated 10-15 hours of researching much of the out of state talent competing this weekend, and comparing all of these different wrestlers to form my hypotheticals, I have a pretty good idea of the competitors that are going to be challenging for this top spot. 
 
The way I’ve formatted my predictions are similar to how FloWrestling has been doing their World Championships predictions. I am going to highlight my title contenders: the ones that I think have a shot to win. Then, I will highlight some of the other wrestlers in the field that I think have a shot to crack the top 4. Then, I will choose one sleeper pick in the weight class: someone that is not on the Stud List but could still potentially make some waves, or even potentially place (which you will see, I have a few wrestlers not on the Stud List that I think will do some MAJOR damage this weekend). Lastly, I will choose my top 4, and proceed to give an analysis on my categorizations and predictions. 
 
Before I begin, I’d like to note that all of the national rankings used here go off of the most recent National High School rankings posted by FloWrestling. Additionally, I’d like to say that in an attempt to keep these predictions as unbiased as possible, I may have out-of-state guys winning over some of our guys. I’ve had a couple of people come at me in the past upset about my predictions (mainly those who are actually wrestling, in which if you are competing next weekend and are on this website, get off of it and go train), but I am just trying to be as fair as possible. I can justify every choice that I am making here, and am willing to elaborate if you disagree. Lastly, it’s impossible for me to know the bracketing of this tournament, and I may have guys that I predict to be the #1 and #2 meeting up in the semis. It will most certainly happen, and these predictions may be a little off as a result, but that is partially why I am categorizing the top wrestlers, in order to distinguish the top echelon of wrestlers from the rest, even if the bracketing means a pair of title contenders meet in the semis. 
 
109 
Title Contenders: 
Colyn Limbert- Arsenal- Ohio
Revin Dickman- Brownsburg- Indiana
Javaan Yarbrough- Copley Highschool- Ohio
 
Placement Contenders: 
Nathan Rioux- Avon Wrestling Club- Indiana
Brady Baker- Michigan West Wrestling Club- Michigan
Mason Rohr- Massillon Perry- Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Layne Horn 
 
Top 4: 
Colyn Limbert- Arsenal- Ohio
Javaan Yarbrough- Copley Highschool- Ohio
Revin Dickman- Brownsburg- Indiana
Brady Baker- Michigan West Wrestling Club- Michigan
 
There’s a lot of good out-of-state talent looking to grab an IHPO title this weekend at 109 pounds. #18 Colyn Limbert from Ohio looks to be the favorite here, making a deep run last year at IHPO, including an OT win over Indiana stud Jackson Heaston, and having a solid Fargo showing this summer, going out at the bloodround, but having a respectable 7-2 loss against #4 and eventual champ Mack Mauger. Also from Ohio and with many respectable credentials as well is Javaan Yarbrough. A Junior Freestyle Runner-up and Greco Champ at 100 pounds this summer, Yarbrough will be one of many talented wrestlers this weekend who are giving up a little bit of weight, but nonetheless have the resume to be respected by anyone in this bracket. My last contender here is Revin Dickman, who just claimed his second All-American honors this summer at Fargo, and looks to continue his success this tournament. While Dickman is incredibly talented, I see either one of these older Ohio studs sending Dickman to the consolation side, while Limbert ultimately wins the clash between Ohio and Ohio. While I am fairly confident putting these three as my top three, the 4th place spot seems like it could go to a number of wrestlers. Nate Rioux is coming off of a runner-up finish at 94 pounds, but like many, will be giving up weight going into this tournament (given any of these wrestlers have not put on a substantial amount of size since Fargo). Brady Baker did not medal at Michigan last year, but has many quality wins, including a past win over Dickman. I will look for him to repeat this result against Dickman for 3rd, but I have Dickman winning by a slim margin. Middle School Super 32 runner-up Mason Rohr is another stud from Ohio that looks to do some damage in this bracket, but I think out of all the placement contenders, Baker has the best chance to find himself in that third place match. Lastly, my sleeper pick for this bracket is Layne Horn, a Middle School state champ who has some very impressive wins this off season, including an 8-0 major against Nate Rioux. Horn does not have the resume quite yet for me to confidently name him as a placement contender, but this could be his breakout performance. 
 
116  
Title Contenders: 
Jake Hockaday- Brownsburg- Indiana
Gavin Jendreas- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Clinton Shepherd- Midwest RTC- Indiana
Joseph Curry- Team Miron- Ohio
Vernon Riggins- Lakeshore High School- Michigan
Logan Bickel- Cascade- Indiana
Charlie LaRocca- Center Grove WC- Indiana
 
Sleeper Pick: Charlie LaRocca 
 
Top 4: 
Jake Hockaday- Brownsburg- Indiana
Gavin Jendreas- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Clinton Shepherd- Midwest RTC- Indiana
Joseph Curry- Team Miron- Ohio
 
Indiana fans will be happy about the finals of this bracket. Jake Hockaday and Gavin Jendreas are looking to battle once again in the finals, and I’m not confident that anyone else in this bracket will be able to stop this rematch from happening. I think that Gavin’s time will come to overthrow Hockaday and make this rivalry more interesting, but I’m choosing Hockaday to win this rematch. Clinton Shepherd is an incoming freshman that has already beaten several notable Indiana wrestlers including tech fall freestyle victories over Evan Seng and Eason Doster, and is looking to make a big impression this weekend. I see him winning for 3rd over Joseph Curry, who is a Middle School Super 32 placer, as the last time they met, Shepherd walked away with a 5-0 victory. There are a couple other wrestlers that I would not be surprised if they found themselves in the 3rd place match, such as Vernon Riggins, a Michigan 4th placer; Logan Bickel, a ticket rounder and Junior Greco All-American; and my sleeper pick: Charlie LaRocca, who has been the victim of very unfortunate ticket round draws the past two years, but is most certainly an elite level wrestler that could spoil anyone’s bracket. I think Shepherd or Curry can edge it out against LaRocca, but he certainly has the potential to get the job done. 
 
123 
Title Contenders: 
Marcello Milani- SAW- Michigan
Toby Billerman- Perry Meridian WC - Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Zach Stewart- FWA- Illinois
Kade Kluce- Dundee- Michigan
Tanner Tishner- Red Cobra Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Anthony Isek- Black Fox Wrestling Academy- Colorado
 
Sleeper Pick: Kaptur Nowaczyk- Crown Point- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Marcello Milani- SAW- Michigan
Toby Billerman- Perry Meridian WC - Indiana
Kade Kluce- Dundee- Michigan
Tanner Tishner- Red Cobra Wrestling Academy- Indiana
 
With so many state placers in this bracket (14), I had to narrow the field down as much as I could, and arrived with a pair of title contenders, and four guys I believe will be fighting for 3rd and 4th. Marcello Milani is the clear favorite, as the returning IHPO champ, and having multiple significant wins during his season, if you can call it that (he was wrestling college tournaments last season). Toby Billerman has impressive enough of a resume for me to call him a title contender, but it most certainly will be an uphill battle against this Michigan stud. For 3rd and 4th, I have Michigan state champ Kade Kluce taking out Tanner Tishner for 4th, who was also the 4th place winner last year. Tishner’s run last year was highlighted by a 6-3 win over Isaiah Schaefer and a 5-3 over the aforementioned Joseph Curry, but I don’t think it will be enough to take out Kluce, although Kluce’s experience against Indiana wrestlers is limited, with his most notable performance against an Indiana wrestler being a respectable 3-0 loss to two time state champ Ashton Jackson, so we will have to see if Kluce’s resume holds up to the best Indiana has to offer. Zach Stewart is a Middle School Super 32 runner-up, and despite being young, will look to challenge some of the older and more credentialed wrestlers in this field right away. I also think Anthony Isek is worth mentioning, as a Colorado state placer, as well as having a solid run last IHPO, losing to Evan Stanley 2-0 and Kade Kluce 3-0, but snagging an OT win over Evan Dickey. Lastly, I’ve chosen Kaptur Nowaczyk as my sleeper pick, as another talented wrestler that has yet to see the state finals but most certainly has the resume to threaten state placers, as seen by his win last year in the Crown Point sectional over eventual 4th placer Johnny Cortez. While I don’t think Nowaczyk is quite ready to beat Kluce or Tishner, I think he will make a deep run and possibly challenge either of these guys in the bloodround. 
 
129  
Title Contenders: 
Logan Frazier- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Landon Hawkins- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Jameson Garcia- Marmion Academy- Illinois
Holden Huhn- La Salle High School- Ohio
Collin Twigg- Tomahawk Wrestling Club- Ohio
Marco Cartella- Western Reserve Academy- Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Tye Linser- Western- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Logan Frazier- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Jameson Garcia- Marmion Academy- Illinois
Landon Hawkins- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Holden Huhn- La Salle High School- Ohio
 
In my opinion, this bracket is #17 Logan Frazier and everyone else. Last year’s 126 state champ, he will be tested by a number of potential threats that will be looking to spoil his run. First, we have Illinois state champ Jameson Garcia, who I think will meet Frazier in the finals. It’s hard for me to be super confident in Garcia’s ability to challenge Frazier, especially since his 2022 state title was won at 113, but I think it will be a solid match between the two nonetheless. Rising freshman Landon Hawkins has high expectations from everybody in Indiana, and was extremely impressive at last year’s IHPO, taking 3rd place in a run that included two wins (OT and 3-0) over Kade Kluce, and a 2-0 win over Collin Twigg, who is also a placement contender here with a solid IHPO performance of his own last year and a 6th place finish in the Ohio state tournament. Holden Huhn is another Ohio stud that will be looking to mess up brackets, as an Ohio state runner-up in a solid bracket, and I think that he will edge out Collin Twigg as Ohio’s representative in the top 4. Western Reserve’s Marco Cartella is a prep stud that had an impressive performance at last year’s National Prep Championships, in which he saw himself in the bloodround to place, and could also very easily threaten for top 4. My sleeper pick in this weight class is Tye Linser, and while I don’t expect him to make the top 4 with so many placement contenders, he has shown lots of state-level potential this off season, notably in his Frosh/Soph state run where he defeated state qualifiers Dylan Bennett and Christopher Bohn, and expect more upsets from him this weekend. 
 
135  
Title Contenders: 
Joey Buttler- Whiteland Warriors- Indiana
Jak Keller- Rockford- Michigan
Brady Ison- Brownsburg- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Grayson Woodcock- Beastmode - Ohio
Aaron Lucio- Michigan West Wrestling Club- Michigan
Jackson Tucker- TWA- Missouri
Elijah Bunn- Rockford- Michigan
 
Sleeper Pick: Silas Foster- Legends of Gold- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Brady Ison- Brownsburg- Indiana
Joey Buttler- Whiteland Warriors- Indiana
Jak Keller- Rockford- Michigan
Jackson Tucker- TWA- Missouri
 
Two Indiana studs and a Michigan 3rd placer highlight the top tier in this bracket. Joey Buttler was the state runner down at 126 last year, while Ison was on the wrong side of a Friday night upset, but was the favorite for many to face off against Zeke Seltzer in the finals. Buttler has made substantial improvements over the years, and has many good wins in his pocket, such as a greco win over Kyrel Leavell and freestyle win over #20 Billy Greenwood. However, I think Ison, despite not being as involved in off season competition this year, was very impressive last season and has what it takes to beat Buttler. Jak Keller returns to IHPO after a 4th place finish last year, which included a 2-1 victory over Hayden Brady and a 7-0 victory over Toby Billerman, has a solid enough resume for me to confidently add him in the list of title contenders. Aaron Lucio is a Michigan state champion, and actually owns a 10-0 freestyle victory over Jak Keller. However, with limited results outside of Michigan, it’s hard for me to bet on Lucio over Keller, especially after Keller’s history with this tournament. There are plenty of other studs in this bracket that could potentially spoil this Michigan face-off. Jackson Tucker is a Missouri state runner-up, and placed 4th this past year at the incredibly tough Cheesehead Invitational. This placement, along with winning both freestyle and greco 16U Central Regional, is good enough for me to slide him in at 4th place. Grayson Woodcock is the highest Middle School Super 32 placer out of a number of talented incoming freshmen who are looking to make their mark at the highest level. With only a 1-2 performance at last year’s IHPO however, he is going to have to have improved significantly since last year to find himself on the podium. Elijah Bunn, a Michigan state runner-up, also returns to IHPO after a solid performance last year, taking out both Tony Wood and Matteo Vargo and losing a respectable 6-3 match to Logan Frazier. This bracket is very unpredictable in my opinion, and any one of these placement contenders could find themselves in the top 4, but I chose Tucker as my 4th place finisher. My sleeper pick is Silas Foster, who has had solid off season results this off season, but has yet to cement himself into the conversation of state placers next year. However, I think that this could be a breakout performance for him, with multiple state level wrestlers in danger of being upset. I should also note that he wrestled Woodcock at the Central Regionals this summer and lost a close 8-7 match, showing that he is right there with some of the best in this bracket. 
 
141  
Title Contenders: 
Phoenix Blakely- Alber Athletics- Illinois
Cheaney Schoeff- Avon Wrestling Club- Indiana
Cole Solomey- Midwest RTC- Indiana
TJ Langley- Western Reserve High School- Ohio
 
Placement Contenders: 
Wyatt Kresja- Center Grove- Indiana
Renzo Morgan- Brunson- Illinois
Hunter Vogus- BTWC- Ohio
Diego Chavez- Perrysburg - Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Branson Weaver- Owen Valley- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Cole Solomey- Midwest RTC- Indiana
TJ Langley- Western Reserve High School- Ohio
Cheaney Schoeff- Avon Wrestling Club- Indiana
Phoenix Blakely- Alber Athletics- Illinois
 
I know it looks like I’m hating on Illinois here (isn’t that what Indiana likes to do though) as Phoenix Blakely is the only state champion in this bracket, but I think that the other three title contenders here are talented enough to take on the champ in this bracket. While Blakely is an Illinois state champ, he has very limited off season results, which makes him hard to compare to some of the other studs in this weight. Of course, when I say this, I’m not insinuating that he hasn’t worked hard this off season; some wrestlers just don’t compete due to a variety of issues, but the first time back on the mat after a while can be tough, especially when you have a deep pool of talent in front of you. Cole Solomey and Cheaney Schoeff are both state runner-ups that I predict to break the top 4, but if it comes down to Solomey and Schoeff, I’m picking Solomey to win. They met earlier this off season at Freestyle State, where Schoeff walked away with the 8-7 victory, but I am more confident in Solomey in a folkstyle environment to walk away with the win. I also have Western Reserve’s TJ Langley making a deep run to finals here. He is another National Preps bloodrounder, but this was after a 3-2 loss to the eventual runner-up (in which he lost a close match himself to Ohio State’s Nic Bouzakis in the finals). While I have four title contenders here that I expect to be in the top 4, I also have a number of placement contenders here that could spoil the top 4 or sneak in due to rough bracketing. Wyatt Krejsa is an Indiana stud that has been improving massively these past couple years, and should be considered a threat to anyone in the bracket. Renzo Morgan is an Illinois 6th placer, but only went 2-2 last IHPO, so significant improvement will be needed to crack a spot in the top 4. Ohio 7th placers Diego Chavez and Hunter Vogus also have solid resumes to support them, and both went 3-2 at last year’s IHPO. My sleeper pick for this weight class is Branson Weaver. This kid has wrestled at everything this off season, and has picked up plenty of solid wins. I don’t expect him to place but I definitely think he can claim a couple wins that he’s not supposed to. 
 
148  
Title Contenders: 
Jaydon Robinson- Homewood Flossmoor High School- Illinois
Dillon Graham- Fighting Irish WC- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Mason Schweitzer- Kentucky Extreme- Kentucky
Cameron Clark- Jay County Wrestling Club- Indiana
Reese Stephen- Barnesville - Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Alexander Smith- Patriots Wrestling Club- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Jaydon Robinson- Homewood Flossmoor High School- Illinois
Dillon Graham- Fighting Irish WC- Indiana
Mason Schweitzer- Kentucky Extreme- Kentucky
Cameron Clark- Jay County Wrestling Club- Indiana
 
Jaydon Robinson looks to be the favorite here, being an Illinois 3rd placer in the 3A division, which Illinois tells me is the toughest of the three divisions. Challenging Robinson will be Dillon Graham, who is back after suffering an injury last winter that kept him from finishing his state run (from what I remember, but I might have a piece of information wrong). I think that Robinson wins this matchup, but Graham had some solid wins this past season that make me confident in his ability to perform well, even after a significant amount of time off the mat. Challenging for the last three spots will be three state placers from different states. Mason Schweitzer placed 4th in Kentucky state this past season and had a solid off season. He had only one match this off season with an Indiana wrestler, which was a 4-2 loss to Mitchell Betz (for those who need a comparison to Indiana talent to know how good someone is), but seems solid enough for me to lock him into the 3rd place spot. Cameron Clark placed 7th last year in Indiana and is looking to continue with his success at IHPO this year, but will have to battle for the 4th place spot against Reese Stephen, an Ohio 5th placer. Overall, there are a decent number of state qualifiers and placers in this bracket, but I think these 5 wrestlers have convincing enough resumes for me to consider them in the top 4. My sleeper pick in this weight class is Alexander Smith, although if you paid attention to Fargo brackets this off season, he might not be so much of a sleeper. Smith had an incredible run at Fargo that ended him in the 6th place spot in the Greco division, and I’m sure he will be tossing people this coming weekend, looking to upset multiple state qualifiers and placers en route to a deep IHPO run. 
 
155  
Title Contenders: 
Mitchell Betz- Western Wrestling Club- Indiana
Conner Kleinberg- Springboro- Ohio
Anthony Rinehart- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Evan Morris- TWA- Missouri
Tristin Greene- Keystone High School- Ohio
Bryce Lowery- Roncalli Wrestling Foundation- Indiana
Hunter May- Maurer Coughlin Wrestling Club- Indiana
 
Sleeper Pick: Zymarion Hollyfield- Penn- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Mitchell Betz- Western Wrestling Club- Indiana
Anthony Rinehart- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Conner Kleinberg- Springboro- Ohio
Tristin Greene- Keystone High School- Ohio
 
This was an especially hard weight class to accurately predict. With tons of Indiana talent and many out-of-state challengers, I have decided to put Mitchell Betz and Anthony Rinehart at 1st and 2nd, respectively. Betz has the last head-to-head win over Rinehart with a 2-1 victory at last year’s state finals, and was agonizingly close to securing All-American honors at Fargo this summer, getting stuck in a match he was up. Connor Kleinberg is last year’s IHPO champ, and with this in mind, it’s hard to not label him as a title contender. However, after an 8th place finish at the Ohio state championships, he will be looking to regain his stride, coming up from 138 to 152 and hopefully adjusting to the weight change well. Evan Morris is the only state champion in this bracket, coming from Missouri, and should be expected to do well, but with my current 4th placer in this bracket being a 16U Fargo Greco champ in Tristin Greene, it is going to be hard to break the top 4 here. In addition to Morris and Greene, Indiana studs Hunter May and Bryce Lowery are looking to secure a top 4 finish at IHPO. Hunter May had a solid run at Fargo this year, and is looking to make a statement after a rough performance at the state finals last year which saw him get 8th. Bryce Lowery did not compete at Fargo but has been active in the folkstyle scene this off season, having solid wins over Kenneth Bisping and Toby Abbott. My sleeper pick for this weight class is Zymarion Hollyfield, who did not qualify last year but picked up solid wins, including one over Dillon Graham. Hollyfield also has a Frosh/Soph title to his name, and people who win Frosh/Soph in Indiana historically end their careers as state placer or even state champion caliber wrestlers. 
 
163  
Title Contenders: 
Sam Goin- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Hunter Andel- James A Garfield- Ohio
Aydan George- Centerville- Ohio
Logan Swaw- Lockport, IL- Illinois
Cohen Bunting- John Glenn High School- Ohio
Harrison Konder- Downers Grove North HS- Illinois
Jeb Pretchel- Jasper- Indiana
 
Sleeper Pick: Jeb Pretchel- Jasper- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Sam Goin- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Logan Swaw- Lockport, IL- Illinois
Aydan George- Centerville- Ohio
Hunter Andel- James A Garfield- Ohio
 
I don’t imagine that anybody besides Sam Goin wins this weight class. With a very solid Fargo run ending at the bloodround (after facing off way early on to #4 Braeden Scoles and losing only 9-5) and a state title to his name, I don’t think anybody will get close to him in this bracket. I do think that there are a number of wrestlers here who could make the top 4, however. Logan Swaw placed 6th in Illinois, but it should be noted that he lost a 5-1 bout to #4 at 152 Ethan Stiles during his run, and can compete with the best. This will be the hardest challenge for Goin. Also from Illinois is 4th placer Harrison Konder, who had a decent showing of 4-2 at last year’s IHPO, beating Zach Wilson in OT and Brody Arthur 4-1, and also had a solid run at Fargo, just missing out of the bloodround by losing 8-8 by criteria, but it should be noted that his state placement from this year was at 138, and I’m not confident enough in his results up in weight to put him in the top 4. Ohio state placers Aydan George (8th) and Hunter Andel (4th) are my picks for 3rd and 4th respectively, although the placements might infer the other way around. However, after some deep diving into Ohio state brackets, I think I can reasonably conclude that George will beat Andel in a razor thin battle. Andel’s 4th placement was at 145, so it is hard to predict how he will adjust to the weight change; meanwhile, George’s 8th place finish was up at 165, so I think the battle just barely goes in his favor. Cohen Bunting is another stud from Ohio who I think can do some damage. He is an Ohio state qualifier, but as his qualification was all the way down at 138, I worry for his ability to adjust to the new weight. But this is what is always interesting about IHPO anyways. Lastly, I think ticket rounder Jeb Prechtel is a threat to make top 4 here, and is also my sleeper pick for this weight. I say ticket rounder, but his ticket round was a slim 6-5 loss to eventual runner-up Kade Law, and could have punched his ticket with a number of better draws (also note that Prechtel got 2nd at regionals to J Conway, the eventual state champ). He has had wins over multiple Indiana studs this off season such as Andre Merritt and Aaron Steenbeke, and I think he has what it takes to place in the top 4 here. 
 
173  
Title Contenders: 
Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South WC- Indiana
 
Placement Contenders: 
Devin Halliday- Delaware Hayes High School- Ohio
Miguel Rojas- Brownsburg East middle school - Indiana
Anthony Cashman- Warren Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Logan Farnell- Battling Braves- Indiana
Matt Kowalski- Springboro- Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Noah Clouser- Center Grove- Indiana 
 
Top 4: 
Delaney Ruhlman- Bloomington South WC- Indiana
Devin Halliday- Delaware Hayes High School- Ohio
Anthony Cashman- Warren Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Logan Farnell- Battling Braves- Indiana
 
You aren’t a Ruhlman if you don’t go up at least two weight classes every year. We should expect Ruhlman to be a 195 or 220 next year if history tells us anything. Enough about his weight though, I think he is the clear favorite here. A two time state runner-up, he is joined in this bracket by a number of state qualifiers that will be battling for second place. Devin Halliday is an Ohio state qualifier, and had a 3-2 run last year at IHPO, which saw him beat Logan Farnell 7-2. Farnell is now a state placer and can certainly reverse this result with a year of work in between their meetings, but I think Halliday will maintain his victory if they meet again. Anthony Cashman is another state qualifier that I think can do big damage in this bracket, with a solid off season that saw him take wins over Jesse Herrera and Luke Kemper. I predict Cashman and Farnell to meet for 3rd place, where I think Cashman will just barely edge him out. Miguel Rojas is a Middle School Super 32 placer, and is looking to test his abilities against an older group of guys. As an 8th grader, I don’t expect him to place just yet, but his body of work at the middle school level is good enough for me to mention him in the placement contenders. Lastly, Matt Kowalski is another Ohio state qualifier that could potentially make a deep run. There are only 6 studs in this weight class on the stud list, so I think that every stud on that list can reasonably place. Another guy to look out for is my sleeper pick: Noah Clouser. Ranked #11 on the final IndianaMat state rankings, Clouser fell victim to a tough ticket round draw in Brody Baumann. However, Clouser has shown state level results all year, picking up wins over Isaac Valdez and Aiden Costello this past year. 
 
185  
Title Contenders: 
Orlando Cruz- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Lane Kiser- Trinity Shamrocks (Ky)- Kentucky
Dominic Thebeau- Bull Trained- Illinois
 
Placement Contenders: 
Max Ray- Tiffin Columbian- ohio
Joshua Strayer- Warhawk Wrestling - Kentucky
 
Sleeper Pick: Noah Weaver- Frankfort- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Orlando Cruz- Region Wrestling Academy- Indiana
Dominic Thebeau- Bull Trained- Illinois
Lane Kiser- Trinity Shamrocks (Ky)- Kentucky
Max Ray- Tiffin Columbian- ohio
 
I think Orlando Cruz is the slight favorite here, as he defends Indiana from a number of out-of-state studs. Dominic Thebeau is an Illinois 3rd placer, and was last year's IHPO champ with an 11-6 win over Brodie Porter. He’ll give Orlando a tough battle, but I’m confident that Cruz can successfully fend him off for first place. Another stud that could give Cruz a hard time is Kentucky state runner-up Lane Kiser. Kiser missed the placement round at IHPO last year, but stole wins over Christian Chavez and Caden Brewer. He also invaded Indiana territory during the high school season, winning the Mater Dei Holiday Classic with a 9-6 victory over Luke Hansen. I don’t have him beating Thebeau or Cruz, but is still a solid pick for 3rd. The 4th place spot, in my opinion, goes to Max Ray, an Ohio 6th placer. Max got his hands on Orlando Cruz earlier this year at the Central Regional, where he lost a respectable 7-3, and could keep it close against Cruz if they are to meet again. Joshua Strayer is another placer: a 7th place finisher from Kentucky, and despite limited off season results, should also be considered a threat to make a deep run. My sleeper pick for this weight class is Noah Weaver, who was dangerously close to winning his ticket round match to the previously mentioned Anthony Cashman, losing in double overtime. Also a previously mentioned opponent is Logan Farnell, who he was able to beat at Folkstyle State this year, so Weaver should be considered a threat to both state qualifiers and non-qualifiers alike. 
 
198  
Title Contenders: 
Myles Johnson- Springboro- Ohio
Gunner Henry- Brownsburg- Indiana
Adam Haselius- Jackson Northwest (MI)- Michigan
 
Placement Contenders: 
Miles Workman- Blackman High- Tennessee
Christian Chavez- Midwest RTC- Indiana
Gunnar Pool- Centerville High School- Ohio
 
Sleeper Pick: Anthony White- Crown Point- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Gunner Henry- Brownsburg- Indiana- 
Myles Johnson- Springboro- Ohio
Adam Haselius- Jackson Northwest (MI)- Michigan
Christian Chavez- Midwest RTC- Indiana
 
A clash between two former IHPO placers, Myles Johnson and Gunnar Henry are likely to meet in the finals this year. Myles Johnson is an Ohio 3rd placer (his only loss was to #6 Camden McDaniel) and got 2nd at last year’s IHPO, losing only a 6-5 bout to Nate Critchfield. He is a very tough opponent, and is likely the favorite to win this bracket. However, Gunnar Henry has been on fire this past year, starting his freshman campaign off strong with a third place finish at the state finals, beating #12 De’Alcapon Veazy 3-2. He also claimed 3rd place at IHPO last year, losing only to former Indiana state champ Andrew Donahue. He’s also claimed several high quality wins this off season, such as Lane Kiser and Christian Chavez. Chavez is a very tough wrestler that is quickly starting to establish himself at a threat to the podium at 195. After losing at semi-state at 160, he went all the way up to 195 and nearly took out eventual 3rd placer Aataevon Jordan. Since then, he has been picking up several high quality wins, and is looking to test himself against the title contenders in this field. I don’t expect Chavez to win, but I also think that these bouts will be much closer than some may think. Adam Haselius is a Michigan state champ that has built up an impressive resume that includes All-American honors at Fargo in 2021 and a GFC title. This will be his first IHPO, but his state finals win is over a former IHPO runner-up in Kael Wisler, so he can certainly match or even win the bracket against a field of similar talent. However, with Johnson’s history at the event, along with Henry’s rapidly growing talent, I think they both get the job done over the Michigan stud. Two more wrestlers to watch out for are Gunnar Pool, an Ohio state qualifier, and Miles Workman, a Tennessee 6th placer for the spot. I should note that Workman is coming down from 220, so that could definitely be an advantage to him against the rest of the field. My sleeper pick here is Anthony White, who is trying Chavez’s strategy of going up a lot of weight, after being on the wrong side of an upset at semi-state, losing to Connor Cervantes. White has wrestled Henry this off-season, losing 11-4, which is an indicator that he may not be at Henry’s level quite yet, but is easily a threat to make a deep run. 
 
223  
Title Contenders: 
Brentan Simmerman- Little Miami Wrestling Club- Ohio
Chance Harris- Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran- Indiana
Tommy Morrill- Columbus East- Indiana
Devin Kendrex- Marauder Wrestling Club- Indiana
Keegan Martin- Bellmont- Indiana 
 
Placement Contenders: 
Hunter Janeczko- Izzy Style Wrestling- Illinois
Alex Rose- Terre Haute South- Indiana
Royce Deckard- Roncalli Wrestling Foundation- Indiana
 
Sleeper Pick: Keegan Martin- Bellmont- Indiana 
 
Top 4: 
Brentan Simmerman- Little Miami Wrestling Club- Ohio
Devin Kendrex- Marauder Wrestling Club- Indiana
Tommy Morrill- Columbus East- Indiana
Keegan Martin- Bellmont- Indiana 
 
The only bracket where I have more than four title contenders, there are a lot of wrestlers here that have the potential to win it. The favorite here is Brentan Simmerman, who is an Ohio 6th placer (although I should mention he had an absolutely brutal bracket, losing to Ohio State’s Seth Shumate 12-4 and Myles Johnson 6-3). Looking to challenge for the top spot are a number of Indiana studs. The only placer of this group is Chance Harris, who claimed an 8th place finish following a 4-3 victory over Devin Kendrex. Kendrex and Harris have wrestled a number of times, with Kendrex leading the series 2-1. However, with a Fargo performance that saw him make the bloodround, I have confidence that Kendrex will win the rematch over Harris. I don’t actually have Harris placing, which maybe doesn’t seem fair, but the margin between each wrestler here is razor thin. Placing 3rd here, I have Tommy Morrill, who was upset last Friday night by Paul Clark, but is still a state placing caliber wrestler. I have my sleeper pick, making it all the way to 4th place here: Keegan Martin. Martin had a rough semi-state, but owns wins over both Harris and Kendrex in the past year. I think the placement contenders here will not necessarily place but could do so with a stellar performance, good bracket luck, or a combination of both. Hunter Janeczko is an Illinois bloodrounder (which would be top 8 in Indiana because Illinois only places top 6) and could easily contend with the other qualifiers in this bracket. Alex Rose is a state qualifier who gave Veazy a tough battle Friday night, but I worry about his ability to adjust to 220. I shouldn’t worry too much though, as he has consistently grown a number of weight classes every year. Lastly, Royce Deckard is another Indiana state qualifier, and owns a win over 7th placer Jackson Weingart, showing he has the potential to beat state placing caliber opponents. 
 
HWT  
Title Contenders: 
Aidan Fockler- Massillon Perry- Ohio
Dom Burgett Hamilton Southeastern- Indiana
Josh Clark- New Haven- Indiana 
 
Placement Contenders: 
Eathan Westfall- Reading- Michigan
Peyton Kendall- Penn High School- Indiana
Hunter Branhan- Frankton jr./Sr. High school- Indiana
 
Sleeper Pick: Dom Burgett- Hamilton Southeastern- Indiana
 
Top 4: 
Aidan Fockler- Massillon Perry- Ohio
Dom Burgett- Hamilton Southeastern- Indiana
Joshuah Clark- New Haven- Indiana
Eathan Westfall- Reading- Michigan
 
This is the only weight class that I think a sleeper pick could potentially win it all. Dom Burgett was ranked #3 in the IndianaMat state rankings, but fell victim to a first round upset at semi-state in an overtime bout to Hunter Brahnam, who also makes an appearance in this tournament and is one of my placement contenders. Since then, he has had a lot of success, getting wins over Hosia Smith and Jacob Johnson, and making the bloodround at Fargo. Unfortunately, he has a tall task at hand, with #16 Aidan Fockler being the heavy favorite to win this bracket. Fockler is an Ohio state runner-up and a Walsh Ironman placer, so he will be tough to beat. Another name in this bracket I think is very interesting is Josh Clark. While Burgett was on the tough side of an upset, Clark was on the right side of one, beating then-undefeated Brandon Villafuerte in the first round of semi-state to eventually qualify for the state tournament. He was not ranked in the state at the time. What I find more interesting is that Burgett and Clark have wrestled twice this off season, and Clark has stuck Burgett both times. One pin, you can call a fluke. But three separate pins against top 5 opponents in the state, and you are a very dangerous pinner. I think Burgett wins against Clark to earn a win in the series against them both, but Clark has proven himself to be highly dangerous. The 4th spot in my opinion goes to Eathan Westfall, a Michigan 4th placer who only lost 5-3 in the semis to the eventual champ of that weight class, and owns a tech fall over Clark at the Central Regional. This tech fall makes my prediction here a little iffy, but I think the score here will at least be closer in a folkstyle setting. Another potential placer here is Peyton Kendall, who qualified for state in 2021, but did not compete at semi-state this past year (for a reason I do not know). Interestingly enough, Kendall owns a 14-6 major decision over Clark this off season, so I really do not know what to expect out of this weight class. Heavyweight will continue to be the most unpredictable weight class in wrestling. 
 
Now that I’ve finished, I’d like to note a couple of things that I should bring up after writing this and reflecting on it: 
 
All of the sleeper picks are Indiana guys. I could have dove into every single wrestler from every state to figure out who the true best sleeper pick is, but I think these picks are more so we can be looking out for emerging talent in Indiana. 
 
I might have messed up a stat or misspelled something somewhere, and if you see anything like that, I’d appreciate it if you let me know. I am going to proofread this a couple times, but this write-up is 15 pages total, single spaced (you’re all welcome), so I am bound to miss a couple of mistakes. 
 
I know that maybe not everybody knows every single wrestler in Indiana, but I chose to leave out some of the credentials of some Indiana guys that I was naming off in order to save time and spend my time researching the out-of-state guys that most of you might have been unfamiliar with. It’d be so much work to say that, for example, Dom Burgett beat 2022 5th placer Hosia Smith and 3x state qualifier and 2022 4th placer Jacob Johnson. I tried to reference as many Indiana wrestlers that I could when trying to make comparisons, especially with the out-of-state guys, because a lot of people, including me, find it helpful to gauge a kid’s talent based on how they stack up against familiar opponents, rather than telling you they beat a state champ from Ohio, which tells you nothing, especially when talking about states with multiple divisions of varying depth and quality. So I’m not going to give you all the credentials for every Indiana wrestler, so if you don’t recognize a name, either look it up or take my word that it’s a significant enough win to highlight in the write up. 

 

Date
September 11, 2022

Registration
Registration is now Closed!
 
Petition Information
Petitions are now Closed!
 
Brackets and Streaming
Brackets and streaming on TrackWrestling

FloWrestling Streaming Link


Stud List
Click here for the #StudList

Location:
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
4000 Parnell Ave
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
 
Event Schedule
Saturday September 10th  Weigh-ins
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm
Normal Weigh-ins 5-7pm Sunday September 11th  Wrestling Session 1 9:00 am-2:00 pm EST
Weights: 109, 129, 141, 148, 163, 198, 288 Wrestling Session 2
Weights: 116, 123, 135, 155, 173, 185, 223
Sunday September 11th from 1:00-6:00 pm EST  
Weigh-In Information
Saturday September 10th 
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm
Normal Weigh-ins 5-7pm No Satellite Weigh-ins Weigh-ins will be in a singlet or NFHS approved two-piece uniform No weight change fee Weigh-ins are WHOLE pounds, tenths will count! For example if you weigh 155.3 you will NOT wrestle the 155lbs weight class!   
VIP Weigh-In Information
Saturday September 10th 
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm $20 cash only paid at the door No limit to number of VIP weigh-in athletes  
Entry Fee
$40 Registration by September 7th at 10:00pm EST or 800 paid entries, whichever comes first. No membership card is required to wrestle You must pay online by credit card ONLY! Per TrackWrestling policy there will be no refunds of paid entries.  If the event is canceled due to COVID-19 we will issue refunds to everyone. Online registration ONLY will be accepted this year. Registration will be cut off at the first 800 paid entries or September 9th at 10pm ET whichever comes first. Please note we had had around 650 preregistered entries the past four years and we sold out the past two years. The Tournament Committee will retain the right to add up to an additional 25 wrestlers, at their discretion, via a petition process, after the entry cutoff. Information about the petition process will be posted within a day after registration closes. Once we reach the entry limit registration will be shut down. After that point the ONLY way to enter is through a petition.  
Memorial Coliseum Procedures
No charge for parking on Saturday for weigh-ins. Please tell the attendant you are there for wrestling weigh-ins Coolers will be allowed in the athlete lunch area only. Athletes can bring coolers in through the Athlete Entrance ONLY!  
Tournament Gear and Apparel

3X Gear is the official gear distributor for the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. They will be on hand with a full selection of tournament apparel and other wrestling apparel and supplies.
 
Spectators
$15 per person can be purchased at the door Sunday morning or before session 2.
 
Age Groups
Students currently enrolled in 7th-12th grades will be wrestling in one division.

Awards
Top 4 will receive medals and the top 4 will qualify for Super 32 early entry
 
Contact
Joe Caprino
joe@Indianamat.com
 
Wrestling Information
-Wrestling will take place on Sunday September 11th, 2021
-Weight Classes: 109, 116, 123, 129, 135, 141, 148, 155, 163, 173, 185, 198, 223, 288
-Wrestlers in 7th-12th grade may participate
-Double elimination wrestle-backs to 4th place
-Period lengths Championship 2:00-1:30-1:30 Consolation 2:00-1:00-1:00 
-Overtime will be 1 minute sudden victory neutral and 30 second ride-out
-We will seed 4-16 wrestlers so please include your state or national credentials when registering 
-2021/2022 NFHS rules will be utilized, except the overtime modification
-Wrestling will be on full mats
-Singlet or approved NFHS uniform is required
-College out of bounds rules will be utilized.
-Headgear is not required, but recommended
-Mouthpieces are required if you have braces
-NFHS hair rules will apply
 
Seeding Information
Each wrestler that qualifies will be given a "Separation Criteria" from the list below. The criteria are ranked in order.
1. Nationally ranked in FloWrestling or MatScouts rankings
2. State Champion/IHPO Champion
3. State 2-3/IHPO 2-4
4. State 4-5
5. State 6-8
6. State Qualifier/IHPO Top 6 or 8
7. Other Credentialed athletes that deserve separation
 
With these groups we will determine seeds.  Here is an example
If we have 2 wrestlers with #1 criteria, 4 with #2, 2 with #3, 2 with #4 and 5 with #5 this is how it will work.
 
The top two seeds will be the two wrestlers with #1 criteria in a random order
Seeds 3-6 will be the wrestlers with #2 criteria in a random order
Seeds 7-8 wrestlers with #3 criteria in a random order
Seeds 9-10 wrestlers with #4 criteria in a random order
Seeds 11-14 wrestlers with #5 criteria in a random order
The seeds will be determined randomly by TrackWrestling. 
 
Host Hotel
Information coming soon
 
College Coaches
We will offer a special college coaches package for $50. 
You may pay in advance or pay if you are not attending the event and want the entry database using this button
Click here for the PayPal link.
The package will include:
Registration list of all high school aged wrestlers with name, address, grade, weight, accomplishments, GPA, and college test scores* Preliminary entry list sent after registration closes Note: Due to coliseum policies you will need to purchase a ticket separately.  
*Tournament entry information with addresses and contact information will be sent the week after the event and will have all high school aged wrestlers that opted to have information released to coaches.
 
Past Results
2021 Results(716 wrestlers from 12 states)
2020 Results(707 wrestlers from 16 states)
2019 Results(610 wrestlers from 11 states)
2018 Results(605 wrestlers from 12 states)
2017 Results(607 wrestlers from 10 states)
2016 Results(647 wrestlers from 11 states)
2015 Results(580 wrestlers from 11 states)
2014 Results(586 wrestlers from 14 states)
2013 Results(598 wrestlers from 10 states)
2012 Results(444 wrestlers from 8 states)
2011 Results(254 wrestlers from 9 states)
2010 Results(171 wrestlers from 9 states)  
 
IHSAA Rules
Regarding Coaching at the IHPO
15-2 During School Year Out-of-Season
15-2.1 Individual Sports (Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Wrestling)
a. Students may participate in non-school contests as individuals or as members of a non-school team in non-school contests provided that participation during school time is approved by the school principal or his/her designee.
b. Coaches, from a member school coaching staff, may coach students in that sport if NOT under the organization, supervision and operation of the member school.
c. Member schools may not organize, supervise or operate athletic practices or interschool athletic contests.
d. Member schools may not provide school-owned uniforms (jerseys, shirts, shorts, pants, singlets, or swimsuits, etc.) worn by the student in non-school contests.
 
Estimated Future Event Dates
September 9-10, 2023
September 7-8, 2024
September 6-7, 2025
September 12-13, 2026

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Whiteland junior Joey Buttler has a knack for gardening. Yes, gardening.
 
It’s an unusual skill for a teenager in 2022. For Buttler, however, it just makes sense.
 
Buttler likes to see the literal fruits of his labor. He enjoys knowing the work he puts into something will pay off in the end. He is quite proud of the fact that this year he was able to grow 27 different types of tomatoes. He was able to tend to his apple trees and pear trees, his blueberry, blackberry and honeyberry plants with great success as well. His labor paid off with a bounty of fresh food.
 
“I really got into gardening a few years ago,” Buttler said. “I was thinking about how people grow their own food and how cool that is. It’s exciting to me to see all the things you can do with your own garden.”
 
It just makes sense, knowing Buttler’s passion for working hard and seeing that work pay off, that he also gravitated to the sport of wrestling. 
 
Buttler started wrestling a little later than many elite-level grapplers. He got into the sport in seventh grade. He’s felt he was behind other competitors in technique and skill. He decided to work as hard as possible to close that gap.
 
Saturday Buttler won the Evansville semistate at 126 pounds. He is currently ranked No. 4 in the state and has a 32-1 record.
 
“I love wrestling,” Buttler said. “I like the fact that you’re going to get what you deserve, whether you agree with it or not. Luck favors the person who works the hardest. It’s a sport where you really work in silence. I like that. And when you achieve your goals, you aren’t happy because of other people’s reactions, you’re happy because you did something for yourself.”
 
Buttler focused his offseason training on technique. He felt his strength was there with anyone in the weight class, but felt he was lagging behind on the technical side. So, he watched videos, went to different wrestling academies such as Wright Way Wrestling, Outlaws and Contenders. 
 
“I lacked experience compared to a lot of the other guys I go up against,” Buttler said. “I’ve really dialed in on technique. The experience aspect is starting to equalize between me and other kids. I feel a lot more natural now.”
 
Whiteland coach Anthony Meister says Buttler is the hardest worker in the room.
 
“He’s always asking questions,” Meister said. “He’s eager to learn. If he could, he would practice seven days a week.”
 
Another interesting aspect of Buttler’s is that he has an uncanny ability to retain information. That has helped him accumulate a 4.2 GPA and it helps him learn technique quicker than most others on the mat.
 
“I feel fortunate that I’m naturally gifted in school,” Buttler said. “Information comes into my brain and for some reason I don’t forget it. The ability to not forget things has helped me in wrestling. I can retain knowledge. I watch wrestling content and I don’t ever get tired of it. I keep taking in the information and I am able to retain it.”
 
Buttler will square off against Adams Central’s Gavin Cook (30-7) on Friday night in the state finals.
 
Last year Buttler placed eighth at 113 pounds. He’s hoping to improve on that this year.
 
“My goal is to win state,” he said.
 
This season Buttler will have a teammate with him at state, something he went at alone in the 2021 campaign. Elijah Brooks qualified at 132 pounds. Brooks and Buttler are practice partners. Last season Brooks got a concussion right before sectional and wasn’t able to compete in the tournament. This year Brooks broke his ankle in December but was able to recover in time to wrestle in sectional.
 
Brooks is currently 9-6 on the year.
 
“Eli has made me a better wrestler,” Buttler said. “It’s really cool having him there with me. It was unfortunate he didn’t get the chance last year.”
 
Meister sees a lot of similarities in the two wrestlers.
 
“They are both overall good kids and grinders in the room,” Meister said. “I took over the program and this is the first class I’ll have for four years. I put a lot of pressure on them in hopes of turning the program around. I don’t have any seniors on the team, but our club level, middle school and high school numbers are going up and these guys are a big reason why.”
 
After high school Buttler wants to wrestle in college. His ultimate goal is to win an Olympic medal.

Date
September 11, 2022

Registration
Registration is now Closed!
 
Petition Information
Petitions are now Closed!
 
Brackets and Streaming
Brackets and streaming on TrackWrestling

FloWrestling Streaming Link


Stud List
Click here for the #StudList

Location:
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
4000 Parnell Ave
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
 
Event Schedule
Saturday September 10th  Weigh-ins
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm
Normal Weigh-ins 5-7pm Sunday September 11th  Wrestling Session 1 9:00 am-2:00 pm EST
Weights: 109, 129, 141, 148, 163, 198, 288 Wrestling Session 2
Weights: 116, 123, 135, 155, 173, 185, 223
Sunday September 11th from 1:00-6:00 pm EST  
Weigh-In Information
Saturday September 10th 
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm
Normal Weigh-ins 5-7pm No Satellite Weigh-ins Weigh-ins will be in a singlet or NFHS approved two-piece uniform No weight change fee Weigh-ins are WHOLE pounds, tenths will count! For example if you weigh 155.3 you will NOT wrestle the 155lbs weight class!   
VIP Weigh-In Information
Saturday September 10th 
VIP Weigh-ins 2-3pm $20 cash only paid at the door No limit to number of VIP weigh-in athletes  
Entry Fee
$40 Registration by September 7th at 10:00pm EST or 800 paid entries, whichever comes first. No membership card is required to wrestle You must pay online by credit card ONLY! Per TrackWrestling policy there will be no refunds of paid entries.  If the event is canceled due to COVID-19 we will issue refunds to everyone. Online registration ONLY will be accepted this year. Registration will be cut off at the first 800 paid entries or September 9th at 10pm ET whichever comes first. Please note we had had around 650 preregistered entries the past four years and we sold out the past two years. The Tournament Committee will retain the right to add up to an additional 25 wrestlers, at their discretion, via a petition process, after the entry cutoff. Information about the petition process will be posted within a day after registration closes. Once we reach the entry limit registration will be shut down. After that point the ONLY way to enter is through a petition.  
Memorial Coliseum Procedures
No charge for parking on Saturday for weigh-ins. Please tell the attendant you are there for wrestling weigh-ins Coolers will be allowed in the athlete lunch area only. Athletes can bring coolers in through the Athlete Entrance ONLY!  
Tournament Gear and Apparel

3X Gear is the official gear distributor for the IndianaMat Hoosier Preseason Open. They will be on hand with a full selection of tournament apparel and other wrestling apparel and supplies.
 
Spectators
$15 per person can be purchased at the door Sunday morning or before session 2.
 
Age Groups
Students currently enrolled in 7th-12th grades will be wrestling in one division.

Awards
Top 4 will receive medals and the top 4 will qualify for Super 32 early entry
 
Contact
Joe Caprino
joe@Indianamat.com
 
Wrestling Information
-Wrestling will take place on Sunday September 11th, 2021
-Weight Classes: 109, 116, 123, 129, 135, 141, 148, 155, 163, 173, 185, 198, 223, 288
-Wrestlers in 7th-12th grade may participate
-Double elimination wrestle-backs to 4th place
-Period lengths Championship 2:00-1:30-1:30 Consolation 2:00-1:00-1:00 
-Overtime will be 1 minute sudden victory neutral and 30 second ride-out
-We will seed 4-16 wrestlers so please include your state or national credentials when registering 
-2021/2022 NFHS rules will be utilized, except the overtime modification
-Wrestling will be on full mats
-Singlet or approved NFHS uniform is required
-College out of bounds rules will be utilized.
-Headgear is not required, but recommended
-Mouthpieces are required if you have braces
-NFHS hair rules will apply
 
Seeding Information
Each wrestler that qualifies will be given a "Separation Criteria" from the list below. The criteria are ranked in order.
1. Nationally ranked in FloWrestling or MatScouts rankings
2. State Champion/IHPO Champion
3. State 2-3/IHPO 2-4
4. State 4-5
5. State 6-8
6. State Qualifier/IHPO Top 6 or 8
7. Other Credentialed athletes that deserve separation
 
With these groups we will determine seeds.  Here is an example
If we have 2 wrestlers with #1 criteria, 4 with #2, 2 with #3, 2 with #4 and 5 with #5 this is how it will work.
 
The top two seeds will be the two wrestlers with #1 criteria in a random order
Seeds 3-6 will be the wrestlers with #2 criteria in a random order
Seeds 7-8 wrestlers with #3 criteria in a random order
Seeds 9-10 wrestlers with #4 criteria in a random order
Seeds 11-14 wrestlers with #5 criteria in a random order
The seeds will be determined randomly by TrackWrestling. 
 
Host Hotel
Information coming soon
 
College Coaches
We will offer a special college coaches package for $50. 
You may pay in advance or pay if you are not attending the event and want the entry database using this button
Click here for the PayPal link.
The package will include:
Registration list of all high school aged wrestlers with name, address, grade, weight, accomplishments, GPA, and college test scores* Preliminary entry list sent after registration closes Note: Due to coliseum policies you will need to purchase a ticket separately.  
*Tournament entry information with addresses and contact information will be sent the week after the event and will have all high school aged wrestlers that opted to have information released to coaches.
 
Past Results
2021 Results(716 wrestlers from 12 states)
2020 Results(707 wrestlers from 16 states)
2019 Results(610 wrestlers from 11 states)
2018 Results(605 wrestlers from 12 states)
2017 Results(607 wrestlers from 10 states)
2016 Results(647 wrestlers from 11 states)
2015 Results(580 wrestlers from 11 states)
2014 Results(586 wrestlers from 14 states)
2013 Results(598 wrestlers from 10 states)
2012 Results(444 wrestlers from 8 states)
2011 Results(254 wrestlers from 9 states)
2010 Results(171 wrestlers from 9 states)  
 
IHSAA Rules
Regarding Coaching at the IHPO
15-2 During School Year Out-of-Season
15-2.1 Individual Sports (Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Wrestling)
a. Students may participate in non-school contests as individuals or as members of a non-school team in non-school contests provided that participation during school time is approved by the school principal or his/her designee.
b. Coaches, from a member school coaching staff, may coach students in that sport if NOT under the organization, supervision and operation of the member school.
c. Member schools may not organize, supervise or operate athletic practices or interschool athletic contests.
d. Member schools may not provide school-owned uniforms (jerseys, shirts, shorts, pants, singlets, or swimsuits, etc.) worn by the student in non-school contests.
 
Estimated Future Event Dates
September 9-10, 2023
September 7-8, 2024
September 6-7, 2025
September 12-13, 2026

Breakdown on each division coming soon!

Breakdown on each division coming soon!

Breakdown on each division coming soon!

Held in Geneva, Ohio Friday June 3rd-5th
 
Event Link
TheMat.com
 
Brackets
FloArena
 
Schedule
Friday 
U23 and U20 Greco-Roman WTT
10am- Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals & Consolations
4pm- Medal Matches and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
 
Saturday
U23 and U20 Freestyle WTT
9:30am
U20 Challenge Tournament
U23 Preliminaries and Consolations
4pm
U20 Medal Matches and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
U23 Preliminaries and Consolations
 
Sunday
U23 Freestyle WTT
10am Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations, All Medal Matches, and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
 
Age/Style Weight Name Club/School U20 Freestyle 61 kg Jesse Mendez Region Wrestling Academy U20 Freestyle 61 kg Zeke Seltzer Tiger Style Wrestling Club U20 Freestyle 92 kg Evan Bates Wildcat Wrestling Club U20 Freestyle 92 kg Silas Allred Nebraska RTC U20 Freestyle 97 kg Christian Carroll Midwest RTC U20 Greco-Roman 97 kg Christian Carroll Midwest RTC U23 Freestyle 57 kg Anthony Hughes Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 57 kg Riley Bettich Bulldog Premier U23 Freestyle 61 kg Blake Boarman Regional Training Center South U23 Freestyle 65 kg Cayden Rooks Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 65 kg David Schulte Olivet Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 65 kg Nicholas Bolivar Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 65 kg Christian White Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 70 kg Aundre Beatty Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 70 kg Elijah Chacon Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 70 kg Graham Rooks Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 70 kg Jaden Reynolds Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 74 kg Jahmon Spiller Solid Tech Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 74 kg Joe Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 74 kg Jonathan Kervin Invicta Wrestling Academy U23 Freestyle 74 kg Matt Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 79 kg Bryer Hall Ohio State U23 Freestyle 79 kg Isiah Levitz Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 79 kg Nick South Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 79 kg Macartney Parkinson Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 86 kg Sam Osho Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 86 kg Santos Cantu Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 92 kg Damien Rodriguez Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 92 kg Nicholas Willham Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 92 kg Hayden Filipovich Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 125 kg Austin Lane Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 125 kg Braydon Erb Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 125 kg Jacob Bullock Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 125 kg Tristan Ruhlman Boilermaker RTC U23 Greco-Roman 60 kg Anthony Hughes Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 67 kg Aundre Beatty Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 77 kg Jahmon Spiller Solid Tech Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 87 kg Sam Osho Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 130 kg Braydon Erb Warrior Regional Training Center

Held in Geneva, Ohio Friday June 3rd-5th
 
Event Link
TheMat.com
 
Brackets
FloArena
 
Schedule
Friday 
U23 and U20 Greco-Roman WTT
10am- Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals & Consolations
4pm- Medal Matches and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
 
Saturday
U23 and U20 Freestyle WTT
9:30am
U20 Challenge Tournament
U23 Preliminaries and Consolations
4pm
U20 Medal Matches and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
U23 Preliminaries and Consolations
 
Sunday
U23 Freestyle WTT
10am Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations, All Medal Matches, and Best 2 out of 3 Finals
 
Age/Style Weight Name Club/School U20 Freestyle 61 kg Jesse Mendez Region Wrestling Academy U20 Freestyle 61 kg Zeke Seltzer Tiger Style Wrestling Club U20 Freestyle 92 kg Evan Bates Wildcat Wrestling Club U20 Freestyle 92 kg Silas Allred Nebraska RTC U20 Freestyle 97 kg Christian Carroll Midwest RTC U20 Greco-Roman 97 kg Christian Carroll Midwest RTC U23 Freestyle 57 kg Anthony Hughes Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 57 kg Riley Bettich Bulldog Premier U23 Freestyle 61 kg Blake Boarman Regional Training Center South U23 Freestyle 65 kg Cayden Rooks Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 65 kg David Schulte Olivet Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 65 kg Nicholas Bolivar Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 65 kg Christian White Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 70 kg Aundre Beatty Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 70 kg Elijah Chacon Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 70 kg Graham Rooks Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 70 kg Jaden Reynolds Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 74 kg Jahmon Spiller Solid Tech Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 74 kg Joe Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 74 kg Jonathan Kervin Invicta Wrestling Academy U23 Freestyle 74 kg Matt Lee Nittany Lion Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 79 kg Bryer Hall Ohio State U23 Freestyle 79 kg Isiah Levitz Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 79 kg Nick South Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 79 kg Macartney Parkinson Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 86 kg Sam Osho Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 86 kg Santos Cantu Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 92 kg Damien Rodriguez Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 92 kg Nicholas Willham Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 92 kg Hayden Filipovich Boilermaker RTC U23 Freestyle 125 kg Austin Lane Knights Wrestling Club U23 Freestyle 125 kg Braydon Erb Warrior Regional Training Center U23 Freestyle 125 kg Jacob Bullock Indiana RTC U23 Freestyle 125 kg Tristan Ruhlman Boilermaker RTC U23 Greco-Roman 60 kg Anthony Hughes Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 67 kg Aundre Beatty Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 77 kg Jahmon Spiller Solid Tech Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 87 kg Sam Osho Knights Wrestling Club U23 Greco-Roman 130 kg Braydon Erb Warrior Regional Training Center

Mr. Gorilla: Jesse Mendez- Crown Point
1st Runner-up: Zeke Seltzer- Cathedral
2nd Runner-up: Brody Baumann- Mater Dei
 
Miss Gorilla: Catie Campbell- North Montgomery 
1st Runner-up: Cailin Campbell- North Montgomery
2nd Runner-up: Riley Dempewolf- McCutcheon
 
Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year: Crown Point
4A Coach of the Year: Branden Lorek- Crown Point
3A Coach of the Year: Chris Cooper- Columbus East
2A Coach of the Year: Tim Myers- Bellmont
1A Coach of the Year: Clint Gard- Rochester
Girls Coach of the Year: Brad Harper- Penn
 
4A Wrestler of the Year: Gabe Sollars- Mater Dei
3A Wrestler of the Year: J Conway- Floyd Central
2A Wrestler of the Year: Christian Carroll- New Prairie
1A Wrestler of the Year: Marshall Fishback- Rochester
 
Past Award Winners
1A Coach
2015- Tony Currie
2016- Brett Smith
2017- Gary Black
2018- Chuck Fleshman
2019- Tony Currie
2020- Cody Moll
2021- Neal Stahly
1A Wrestler
2015- Sawyer Miller
2016- Evan Ellis
2017- Eli Stock
2018- Noah Cressell
2019- Silas Allred
2020- Isiah Levitz
2021- Hayden Filipovich
2A Coach
2015- Trent McCormick
2016- Mark Kerrn
2017- Trent McCormick
2018- Frank Bumgardner
2019- Chad Shepherd
2020- Paul Gunsett
2021- Nick Kraus
2A Wrestler
2015- Brock Hudkins
2016- Brock Hudkins
2017- Mason Parris
2018- Brayden Curtis
2019- AJ Fowler
2020- Clayton Fielden
2021- Isaac Ruble
3A Coach
2015- Brad Harper
2016- Darrick Snyder
2017- Chris Johl
2018- Matt Schoettle
2019- Sean McGinley
2020- Sean McGinley
2021- Adam Wolf
3A Wrestler
2015- Chad Red
2016- Blake Rypel
2017- Joe Lee
2018- Asa Garcia
2019- Jordan Slivka
2020- Eli Dickens
2021- J Conway
4A Coach
2021- Greg Schaefer
4A Wrestler
2021- Jesse Mendez
Girls Coach of the Year
2021- Jeremy Goodlett
Mr. Gorilla
2015- Tommy Forte
2016- Chad Red
2017- Andrew Davison
2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
2019- Asa Garcia
2020- Silas Allred
2021- Alex Cottey