Returning Division 1 All-Americans: 184lbs
Returning Division 1 All-Americans: 184lbs
As many as 10 All-Americans could return at 184lbs this upcoming Division I season.
Now that preseason has officially started, pictures and videos are starting to filter in of teams practicing, all striving for the same goal: to win national championships and become All-Americans.
Some have already accomplished these goals but still have eligibility remaining. Continuing in our series of returning All-Americans is 184 pounds, where at least eight placers return. That could number could balloon to 10, depending on what Arizona State and Oklahoma State do with their lineups.
Returning AAs By Weight
125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174
After much speculation about Zahid Valencia, we put him in the 174 returning AA article, but it is still possible he comes up to 184. That still leaves a tremendously deep weight, as you will see below. And this list doesn't even include Ryan Presich, last year's three seed, as well as Nick Reenan, coming off a Final X appearance.
Myles Martin, Ohio State: 1, 5, 2, ?
Martin is a three-time All-American without the benefit of a redshirt year. One of four seniors on this year's Buckeye team, Martin's leadership will be crucial as Ohio State begins a new era, ushering in a group of freshmen tasked with replacing six multiple-time placers. It's reasonable to expect Martin to be a Hodge finalist, particularly with Bo Nickal moving up to 197 and Zahid Valencia possibly staying down at 174.
Emery Parker, Illinois: DNQ, R12, 3, ?
The "Ultimate Road Warrior" after losing his first match in Cleveland and peeling off seven straight wins to get third, Parker's senior year will be bittersweet for the Illini. He worked his way up in high school, finally making the Illinois state finals as a senior and placing in Virginia Beach at NHSCAs. Then, he sat behind AA Zac Brunson for two years before bumping up to 184 and upsetting Martin at NCAAs. Now, after his performance last year and with no Isaiah Martinez in the lineup, Parker becomes the man in his final season in the orange and blue singlet.
Taylor Venz, Nebraska: 4, ?, ?, ?
A huge part of Nebraska placing in the top-10 at NCAAs was redshirt freshmen Chad Red and Venz over-performing their seed and winding up on the podium. Among guys he lost to last year, Dom Abounader and Pete Renda have graduated, and Nick Gravina may not be the same guy anymore due to shoulder issues. He also did earn a win against Parker, at Big Tens, so Venz has an outside shot at making the national finals.
Zack Zavatsky, Virginia Tech: DNP, DNP, 6, ?
The third time was the charm for Zavatsky at the big show; sometimes it takes a few tries to get it done. He was battle tested throughout the year, wrestling Venz, Abounader, Ness, Dean, Ryan Preisch, and Pete Renda. Now in his final year at Virginia Tech, he's on pace to have a Joey Dance-like career.
Chip Ness, North Carolina: DNQ, DNP, RS, 7, ?
Ness dropped down from 197 his first two years in Chapel Hill. After a redshirt season in his third year on campus, he turned himself into an AA as a junior. He started off his tournament with wins over Parker and Venz, ultimately beating three placers in a tremendously impressive tournament. He's the first Tar Heel since Ethan Ramos to place and be able to come back the next year.
Max Dean, Cornell: 8, ?, ?, ?
Dean was able to experience placing above two guys he lost to during the year in Preisch and Drew Foster, though he also beat Foster twice. As per usual, Rob Koll and his staff got the most out of the likes of Dean and Jon Jay Chavez at the national tournament, placing higher as a team than people would expect based on their seeds and regular season results. At the end of February, the sophomore has an excellent chance to raise his seed for NCAAs, as the Big Red finish their dual season with Virginia Tech (Zavatsky), North Carolina (Ness), and Ohio State (Martin).
Drew Foster, Northern Iowa: DNQ, 7, DNP
The story on Foster is well known: losing record as a redshirt freshman to AA as a sophomore. The Big 12 champ did not place after securing the nine seed at NCAAs last season, losing in the second round to Dean before catching Parker during his path of destruction on the backside. Coach Doug Schwab and the Panthers are leaning on the senior leadership of Foster and 141 Josh Alber this year, needing a lot of wins from both in duals and for them to place in Pittsburgh.
Shakur Rasheed, Penn State: DNW, DNW, 7, ?
All it took was a few years in the Penn State room and the freedom to not worry about cutting weight. Rasheed was perhaps the most crucial part of the seventh title of the Cael era in Happy Valley, placing seventh at 197 when most had him penciled in as the third string to start the year. Now switching weights with Bo Nickal, it's hard to figure out where he slots in at this weight. When doing the184 tiers on FRL 314, I placed him in the fifth spot. Place him wherever you'd like in your power rankings, Rasheed has huge team point potential once again.
Jacobe Smith, Oklahoma State: JUCO, JUCO, RS, 7, ?
The two-time NJCAA champ has had a winding but stellar college career. After initially verballing to the Cowboys, he found himself at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two years, winning a couple titles before transferring to Stillwater. An undefeated record during his redshirt year carried over to a finals appearance at University Nationals. Even an injury could not keep him off the podium last year at 174. There is a bit of guesswork in placing him in this article. Joe Smith is bumping up to 165, and Chandler Rogers wrestled up at U23 Trials. Jacobe could battle Rogers, or try to bump up to keep transfer Dakota Geer on the bench at 184.