First and foremost a shoutout and thank you to Brock Hite for both the content idea and collecting most of the data. Every year one or two wrestlers completely shock the country and make the finals or even win it from the 6+ seed. This data set tracks the lowest-seeded finalist for the past 23 NCAA Championships. If anyone made the finals from a seed of ten or higher they were also included in the table.

While double-digit seeds went 0-2 in the finals last year, they have a surprising win rate of 31% if they make it to the finals. Cody Brewer, out of the 13 seed was the lowest seed to win.

Now, let's take a look at weight.

Now, let's take a look at paths. This data is only of the lowest-seeded finalist from each year. Additional double-digit seeds are not included. Surprisingly, most of the time (14/23) the low seed upsets either the 1 or 2 seed early and then goes on to make the finals. 

Another shoutout to Brock Hite for collecting the information below.

1999: Tony Davis, Northern Iowa, 149, 6th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Stan Spoor, Clarion, dec 5-4

(11) Ryan Bernholz, Lehigh, md 11-2

(US) Marc Hoffer, American, dec 11-5

(7) Adam Tirapelle, Illinois, dec 8-3

(1) TJ Williams, Iowa, loss dec 5-3

2000: Steve Garland, Virginia, 125, 8th Seed, 2nd; Carl Perry, Illinois, 141, 8th Seed, 1st

Paths:

(US) Adrian Tramutola, Tennessee-Chattanooga, md 8-0

(9) Michael Kawamura, Arizona State, dec 7-3

(1) Jody Strittmatter, Iowa, dec 9-7 OT

(US) TJ Hill, Cal State-Fullerton, dec 6-5 TB

(2) Jeremy Hunter, Penn State, loss dec 7-3

(US) PJ Bory, Virginia, tf 18-2

(US) Jeremy Hart, Appalachian State, dec 9-7

(1) Doug Schwab, Iowa, dec 7-5

(4) Mark Angle, Clarion, dec 2-0

(2) Michael Lightner, Oklahoma, dec 5-3

2001: Pat Quirk, Illinois, 197, 8th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Dave Shunamon, Edinboro, dec 5-2

(US) Jason Payne, Northern Iowa, md 14-6

(2) Brad Vering, Nebraska, dec 8-4

(11) Mike Fickell, Pennsylvania, dec 8-4

(1) Mark Munoz, Oklahoma State, loss dec 5-3

2002: Rob Rohn, Lehigh, 184, 8th Seed, 1st

Path:

(US) Blake Kaplan, Ohio State, dec 8-4

(US) Josh Millard, Lock Haven, fall 0:25

(US) Ralph DeNisco, Wisconsin, fall 3:19

(4) Jessman Smith, Iowa, fall 2:57

(6) Josh Lambrecht, Oklahoma, fall 6:47

2003: Carl Fronhofer, Pitt, 174, Unseeded, 2nd 

Path:

(9) Blake Kaplan, Ohio State, fall 4:46

(US) Curtis Yeager, Millersville, md 11-3

(8) Brian Glynn, Illinois, dec 3-2tb

(US) Ralph Everett, Hofstra, dec 4-1

(12) Shane Webster, Oregon, dec 3-2

(3) Robbie Waller, Oklahoma, loss dec 7-2

2004: Ryan Fulsaas, Iowa, 197, 10th Seed, 2nd

Path:

Bye

(7) Chris Jones, Drexel, dec 3-1

(2) Chris Skretkowicz, Hofstra, dec 7-6

(3) Sean Stender, Northern Iowa, dec 8-7

(1) Damion Hahn, Minnesota, loss dec 6-2

2005: Joe Johnston, Iowa, 157, 8th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Kevin Ward, Oklahoma State, md 18-8

(US) CP Schlatter, Minnesota, dec 5-3

(1) Alex Tirapelle, Illinois, dec 6-5

(5) Jake Percival, Ohio, dec 9-8

(2) Ryan Bertin, Michigan, loss dec 8-5

2006: Brian Stith, Arizona State, 157, 10th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Jacob Yost, Tennessee-Chattanooga, dec 7-1 

(US) Tony Hook, Oregon State, dec 2-1TB

(US) Andrew Flanagan, Harvard, md 8-0

(11) Derek Zinck, Lehigh, dec 5-3

(5) Ben Cherrington, Boise State, loss dec 7-3

2007: Kurt Backes, Iowa State, 197, 9th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Jacob Bryce, North Dakota State, md 16-4

(8) Joel Flaggert, Oklahoma, dec 3-1OT

(US) Nick Roy, Rutgers, dec 5-3

(4) Phil Davis, Penn State, dec 5-4

(2) Josh Glenn, American, loss dec 6-4

2008: Jordan Leen, Cornell, 157, 8th Seed, 1st

Path:

(US) Ryan Hluschak, Drexel, dec 4-3

(US) Brian Letters, Maryland, dec 4-1

(1) Gregor Gillespie, Edinboro, dec 8-6

(12) Josh Zupancic, Stanford, dec 9-2

(2) Michael Poeta, Illinois, dec 5-4

2009: Jarrod King, Edinboro, 165, 12th Seed, 1st 

Path:

(US) Rex Kendle, Michigan State, fall 1:04

(US) Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford, dec 5-1

(4) Moza Fay, Northern Iowa, dec 12-5

(8) Jonathan Reeder, Iowa State, 6-6TB

(2) Andrew Howe, Wisconsin, dec 3-2

2010: Chase Pami, Cal Poly, 157, 7th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Kurt Kinser, Indiana, dec 3-2

(10) Shane Vernon, Oklahoma, dec 7-5

(2) Adam Hall, Boise State, dec 5-2

(US) Justin Lister, Binghamton, md 13-5

(1) JP O’Connor, Harvard, loss dec 6-4 

2011: Quentin Wright, Penn State, 184, 9th Seed, 1st

Path:

(US) Jon Fausey, Virginia, dec 8-4

(8) Kevin Steinhaus, Minnesota, dec 8-4

(1) Chris Honeycutt, Edinboro, dec 7-3

(12) Grant Gambrall, Iowa, fall 3:53

(2) Robert Hamlin, Lehigh, dec 5-2

2012: Brandon Hatchett, Lehigh, 165, 11th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) James Brundage, Rider, md 10-0

(US) Dallas Bailey, Oklahoma State, dec 4-2

(3) Andrew Sorenson, Iowa State, dec 7-3

(7) Josh Asper, Maryland, dec 5-4

(1) David Taylor, Penn State, loss tf 22-7

2013: Michael McMullen, Northwestern, 285, 5th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Dan Scherer, Stanford, dec 6-2

(12) Adam Chalfant, Indiana, dec 7-5

(4) Chad Hanke, Oregon State, dec 5-3

(1) Dom Bradley, Missouri, dec 3-1OT

(2) Anthony Nelson, Minnesota, loss dec 6-2

2014: Joshua Kindig, Oklahoma State, 149, 11th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Ian Paddock, Ohio State, dec 9-4

(6) Jake Sueflohn, Nebraska, dec 7-5

(14) Scott Sakaguchi, Oregon State, dec 7-5

(15) Mitch Minotti, Lehigh, dec 5-2

(5) Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern, loss dec 3-1OT

2015: Zeke Moisey, West Virginia, 125, Unseeded, 2nd

Path:

(15) Chasen Tolbert, Utah Valley, md 14-6

(2) Nahshon Garrett, Cornell, dec 5-2

(7) Edward Klimara, Oklahoma State, dec 5-2

(6) Thomas Gilman, Iowa, fall 0:52

(4) Nathan Tomasello, Ohio State, loss dec 9-5

2016: Bryce Meredith, Wyoming, 141, 14th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Robert Mathers, Arizona State, md 16-3

(3) Kevin Jack, NC State, dec 5-4

(6) Micah Jordan, Ohio State, dec 5-2

(2) Joey McKenna, Stanford, dec 5-3

(1) Dean Heil, Oklahoma State, loss dec 3-2

2017: Ethan Lizak, Minnesota, 125, 6th Seed, 2nd; George DiCamillo, Virginia, 141, 6th Seed, 2nd

Paths:

(US) Christian Moody, Oklahoma, dec 10-8

(11) Josh Terao, American, md 15-6

(14) Freddie Rodriguez, SIUE, tf 15-0

(10) Jack Mueller, Virginia, dec 7-0

(4) Darian Cruz, Lehigh, loss dec 6-3

(US) Christopher Carton, Iowa, md 13-4

(11) Randy Cruz, Lehigh, fall 4:36

(14) Thomas Thorn, Minnesota, dec 5-2

(10) Bryce Meredith, Wyoming, dec 10-7

(1) Dean Heil, Oklahoma State, loss dec 6-3

2018: Ronnie Perry, Lock Haven, 149, 15th Seed, 2nd

Path:

(US) Cortlandt Schuyler, Lehigh, md 11-3

(2) Brandon Sorensen, Iowa, dec 3-2

(10) Jason Tsirtsis, Arizona State, dec 7-4

(11) Matthew Kolodzik, Princeton, dec 5-3

(1) Zain Retherford, Penn State, loss dec 6-2

2019: Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech, 165, 8th Seed, 1st

Path:

(25) Cam Coy, Virginia, fall

(24) Cael McCormick, Army, dec 4-1

(1) Alex Marinelli, Iowa,  dec 3-1

(2) Vincenzo Joseph, Penn State dec 7-1

2021: Shane Griffith, Stanford, 165, 8th Seed, 1st

Path:

(25) Jake Tucker, Michigan State, dec 5-2

(9) Luke Weber, NDSU, dec 7-5

(1) Alex Marinelli, Iowa, dec 3-1

(3) Jake Wentzel, Pitt, dec 6-2

2022: Kizhan Clarke, North Carolina, 141, 15th Seed, 2nd

Path

(18) Ryan Jack, NC State, dec 4-3

(2) Jaydin Eierman, Iowa, SV 4-2

(10) Jakob Bergeland, Minnesota, dec 3-0

(6) Cole Matthews, Pitt, UTB 2-2

(1) Nick Lee, Penn State, loss dec 10-3

So, who's going to do the unthinkable this year?