2019 NCAA Championships

Longest Win Streaks Entering The 2019 NCAA Tournament

Longest Win Streaks Entering The 2019 NCAA Tournament

Which wrestlers carry the longest win streaks into the 2019 NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh?

Mar 19, 2019 by Wrestling Nomad
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One of my favorite articles to write every year, the longest win streak entering the NCAA tournament. The cutoff this year is 20 matches, in part because that created a three way tie for tenth.

NCAA Brackets in FloArena

Four wrestlers have carried over win streaks from last season, and unsurprisingly three of them are at the top of this list. Otherwise you're mostly getting one and two seeds who are unbeaten or have only lost a single match this year.

Weight Class Previews: 125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | 285

Penn State State has four guys with win streaks longer than 20, Oklahoma State has two, and the rest all represent different teams.

T10) Daniel Lewis, Missouri: 20 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Myles Amine, 2018 CKLV Finals

For whatever reason, 174 has the most representatives on this list, which means a lot of streaks will be ending this weekend. Lewis best win during his streak was the pin over defending national champ Zahid Valencia.


T10) Shakur Rasheed, Penn State: 20 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Kollin Moore, 2018 NCAA Consi quarters

We're not sure whether he's a senior or not since he might get a sixth year, but Rasheed is 19-0 on the year, plus the win in his seventh place match in Cleveland. He's seeded second, so if things go chalk his streak will at least hit 24.


T10) Myles Martin, Ohio State: 20 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Bo Nickal, 2018 NCAA Finals

A likely Hodge finalist and one of the nation's most dynamic neutral wrestlers, Martin is looking to bookend his career with national titles and close out on a 25-match win streak.


9) Neal Richards, VMI: 21 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Mark Hall, 2018 Keystone Classic Semis

Unquestionably the most surprising name on this list, and his last loss was to the guy right below him.


8) Alex Marinelli, Iowa: 23 Straight Wins

Last Loss: David McFadden, 2018 NCAA Fifth Place Match

The Bull charged through this season, ending Vincenzo's 28-match winning streak in the Big Ten finals.

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7) Mark Hall, Penn State: 26 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Zahid Valencia, 2018 NCAA Finals

As you can tell, there's a pretty common theme of guys losing their last NCAA match and then getting it done during the regular season this year.


T5) Derek White, Oklahoma State: 27 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Gable Steveson, November 18, 2018

After losing his second match of the year, White went on a tear, including a win over Anthony Cassar in the Southern Scuffle finals.


T5) Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers: 27 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Jaydin Eierman, 2017 NCAA Third Place Match

Ashnault enters the national tournament undefeated and looking to become Rutgers first NCAA champ.


4) Nick Piccininni, Oklahoma State: 31 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Ethan Lizak, 2018 NCAA Bloodround

Even if Sebastian Rivera had beaten Stevan Micic, the Cowboy still would have the most consecutive wins of anyone at 125.

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3) Jason Nolf, Penn State: 33 Straight Wins

Last Loss: John Van Brill, January 28, 2018*

This one's highly controversial, but Nolf's injury default when he blew out his knee against Van Brill goes on his official ledger. Prior to that, he'd won 46 in a row, so he'd be riding at least an 80-match win streak since he probably would have wrestled some duals in February last year.


2) Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell: 42 Straight Wins

Last Loss: Jaydin Eierman, December 30, 2017

Just a sophomore, he's got a double digit lead on Picc entering NCAAs and, unlike the Cowboy, is the favorite this weekend in Pittsburgh. Entering his junior year with just under 50 consecutive victories would put him in position to equal or surpass a streak like Zain Retherford's, which is no guarantee but is certainly fun to think about.


1) Bo Nickal, Penn State: 63 Straight Wins

Last loss: Myles Martin, 2017 Big Ten semifinals

Nickal and Martin are each other's last loss, a rivalry that went back to their days in high school and unquestionably two guys who should be Hodge finalists.