The semifinals and finals at this weight could be some of the most talked-about matches from this tournament for years to come. NCAA champs Keegan O'Toole and David Carr just might have the greatest current rivalry in college wrestling, and they're scheduled to hit in the semis. On the other side of the bracket sits O'Toole's former high school teammate and Askren Wrestling Academy training partner Mitchell Mesenbrink. Throw in a bunch of returning All-Americans and high-impact newcomers, and baby, you got a stew goin.

Complete FloWrestling NCAA rankings - 165 lbs

2024 NCAA wrestling Brackets

More NCAA Weight Class Preivews: 125 lbs | 133 lbs | 141 lbs | 149 lbs | 157 lbs | 165 lbs | 174 lbs | 184 lbs | 197 lbs | 285 lbs 

Complete FloWrestling news coverage of the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships

165 lbs Bracket

2023 All-Americans

1. Keegan O'Toole, Missouri
2. David Carr, Iowa State
3. Quincy Monday, Princeton
4. Cam Amine, Michigan
5. Shane Griffith, Stanford
6. Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin
7. Michael Caliendo, NDSU
8. Izzak Olejnik, Northern Illinois

2024 Top 8 Seeds

1. Keegan O'Toole, Missouri
2. Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State
3. Julian Ramirez, Cornell
4. David Carr, Iowa State
5. Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin
6. Michael Caliendo, Iowa
7. Izzak Olejnik, Oklahoma State
8. Antrell Taylor, Nebraska

The Favorites

Keegan O'Toole, Missouri

David Carr, Iowa State

Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State

A year ago, David Carr's 2-0 record against returning NCAA champ Keegan O'Toole might have made him the favorite to win 165 lbs. Since that time, O'Toole has taken over favorite status with two straight victories over Carr in the finals of last year's NCAA Championships and this year's Big 12 Championships. Being the favorite in this bracket is no guarantee of victory, but it is an honor as this weight includes two NCAA champions, three U20 World champions, and an incredible amount of depth.

O'Toole's match-winning takedown against David Carr from the Big 12 finals

A takedown to SEAL IT!#MIZ🐯 #TigerStyle pic.twitter.com/xp1SCm6vaq

— Mizzou Wrestling (@MizzouWrestling) March 11, 2024

Iowa State's David Carr may have lost his last two contests against Keegan O'Toole, but he still belongs in the favorite category. He sits at the #4 seed due to losses to both O'Toole and Cornell's Julian Ramirez, but he's proven that he has what it takes to both beat O'Toole (twice) and win NCAAs. Don't count out this Cyclone.

Penn State freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink is the third favorite at 165 lbs. After transferring to Penn State from Califorinia Baptist, he spent his first year as a Nittany Lion climbing the ranks at 165 lbs like levels of a video game. He was undefeated in November and December this season but didn't face top flight competition. The Big Ten dual meet season brought him opportunities to face tougher competition, and he rose to the occasion. He majored #10 seed Cam Amine then beat both #6 seed Michael Caliendo and #8 seed Antrell Taylor by decision. At the Big Ten Championships, Mesenbrink teched Caliendo then defeated #5 seed Dean Hamiti in a wild 13-11 contest. He's proven that he's ready to take on all-comers in the bottom half of the bracket. Should he make the finals, he'd likely see one of the two previous NCAA champs in this weight, former high school teammate Keegan O'Toole or Iowa State's David Carr. Mesenbrink has yet to compete against either wrestler.

Highlights from Mesenbrink's comeback over Hamiti in the Big Ten finals

What a day for Mitchell & @pennstateWREST! 👏🏆#WeAre | @PALottery pic.twitter.com/Ww1tKsXpsP

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) March 12, 2024

Contenders

Julian Ramirez, Cornell

Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin

Michael Caliendo, Iowa

Izzak Olejnik, Oklahoma State

Peyton Hall, West Virginia

Cam Amine, Michigan

Not only does 165 lbs have three U20 World champs at the top of the favorite list, it has no shortage of contenders. Cornell's Julian Ramirez may be chief among them. The Big Red middle weight finished in the round of 12 in both 2022 and 2023, but his hit-list suggests he might be ready for a big performance in Kansas City. In addition to beating David Carr at CKLV this season, Ramirez has also defeated Iowa's Patrick Kennedy, Penn State's Alex Facundo, last year's 3rd place finisher Quincy Monday (twice), Michigan All-American Cam Amine, and Stanford NCAA champ (now Michigan 174-pounder) Shane Griffith. Ramirez is for real.

Oklahoma State's Izzak Olejnik finished on the podium last season then followed that up by starting his season with an unofficial victory over Dean Hamiti and a CKLV title with wins over Cam Amine and Julian Ramirez. Olejnik has also taken losses this season, but his nasty low-single and savvy defense keep him in just about every match. He's set up for a rematch with Amine in the second round followed by a potential quarterfinal with Mesenbrink. He certainly has the leg-attacks to score on Mesenbrink, but his ability to endure the Nittany Lion's break-neck pace could be the deciding factor in that match.

Highlights from Izzak Olejnik's NWCA All-Star Classic performance

#6 Izzak Olejnik avenged his three previous losses to #4 Dean Hamiti with two impressive takedowns at the NWCA All-Star Classic! pic.twitter.com/04k3c3ej12

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 22, 2023

Wisconsin's Dean Hamiti is looking to finish on the podium for the third time in as many attempts. His last match was a Big Ten finals shootout with Penn State freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink that he lost 13-11. His only other loss this season came against former NCAA champ David Carr via 2-0 decision. To make a deep run in this bracket, Hamiti would likely need to flip the result of that match against Carr in the quarterfinals. Carr has had the answers for Hamiti in the past, but Hamiti's furious pace and relentless leg-attacks just might keep him in the match.

Michael Caliendo was an All-American for NDSU last season, but now he's the #6 seed for Iowa. Should seeds hold to the quarterfinals, he could see Cornell's Julian Ramirez, another contender in this weight. Caliendo is capable of winning that match, and if he does, he'll need to figure out how to overcome Mitchell Mesenbrink. The Penn State freshman has widened the gap against Caliendo in their two previous meetings. Mesenbrink won their first 12-6 but followed that up with a 23-7 tech fall at Big Tens.

Former All-American Peyton Hall holds the #9 seed in this bracket. That means that, if he gets past Nebraska's Antrell Taylor in the second round, he could see top-seeded Keegan O'Toole in the quarterfinals. Normally, matchups against top seeds are cause for concern, but Hall has been close to cracking the Keegan O'Toole code for a while. After falling by major to O'Toole two seasons ago, Hall narrowed the gap to a decision at Big 12s. Last season, he held the two-time NCAA champ to a 3-0 decision in the West Virginia vs Missouri dual, and this year, Hall took an early lead in their matchup before ultimately falling 8-7. While Hall certainly isn't a favorite in this weight, he's definitely a factor. 

Michigan's three-time All-American Cam Amine has more pre-NCAA losses this year than in any previous college season, but he also has a way of performing his best when it matters the most. As the #10 seed, Amine won't have an easy path through the bracket, but he's certainly capable of making some noise. In the second round, Amine is likely to see Izzak Olejnik of Oklahoma State. Amine had two tight victories over Olejnik in previous seasons before falling to him at CKLV this year. If he can best Olejnik, he'll probably need to find an answer for Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink who majored him earlier this year. Amine will have an uphill battle in this bracket, but he's proven in the past that he's capable of a deep run.

Sleepers & Landmines

Caleb Fish, Michigan State

Noah Mulvaney, Bucknell

Gunner Filipowicz, Army

Giano Petrucelli, Air Force

Michigan State's Caleb Fish, Buckenell's Noah Mulvaney, Army's Gunner Filipowicz, and Air Force's Giano Petrucelli are all potential factors in this already-deep field at 165 lbs. Fish has been in plenty of competitive matches with top athletes at the weight and knocked off three-time All-American Cam Amine earlier this season. Freshmen Mulvaney and Filipowicz met twice this season and split in those contests. Both were Southern Scuffle finalists and have proven to be ready to compete at this level. Air Force's Giano Petrucelli could also have an impact here. He already has victories over #8 seed Antrell Taylor and Mulvaney this season.

Predictions

Missouri's Keegan O'Toole has won this weight twice before, and he's capable of doing it again, even if he needs to defeat former high school teammate Mitchell Mesenbrink to do it. In the end, this is likely to be one an ultra-tough top eight that wrestling fans remember for a long time.

Full All-American predictions with round of 12 finishers:

1. Keegan O'Toole, Missouri
2. Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State
3. David Carr, Iowa State
4. Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin
5. Izzak Olejnik, Oklahoma State
6. Michael Caliendo, Iowa
7. Julian Ramirez, Cornell
8. Peyton Hall, West Virginia

Round of 12 Finishers - Cam Amine (Michigan), Caleb Fish (Michigan State), Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell), Antrell Taylor (Nebraska)