2020 Title Contenders: 157 Pounds
2020 Title Contenders: 157 Pounds
Who will win an NCAA championship at 157 pounds in 2020? We take an early look at the contenders.
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Like 149, the 157-pound weight class graduated a heap of talented wrestlers this last spring, chief among them the 2019 NCAA finalists, Jason Nolf and Tyler Berger. Nolf has an argument for being one of the top 10 collegiate wrestlers of all-time, with his three championships, four finals appearances and his three career varsity losses (one of which was by injury default).
2020 Contenders: 125 | 133 | 141 | 149
But as it is in every weight class and with every new season, no matter how much talent graduates, there's always more eager challengers waiting to step up and fill the void. And despite it being way-too-early to pick a list of contenders for the 2019-20 season, below you will find that we made such a list anyway.
Hayden Hidlay, North Carolina State
In two varsity season, Hidlaymania has rampaged to a second and fourth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament. Hidlay gave superstar Jason Nolf all he could handle in the semifinals of the 2019 Tournament. Some would even say Hayden got robbed. It's all moot now, but the next two seasons could very well end up with Hidlay on top of the podium.
Ryan Deakin, Northwestern
While a sixth-place finish may have been a disappointment for the rising redshirt junior last season, Deakin shook off whatever negative feelings he may have had from Pittsburgh and promptly won the U.S. Open senior freestyle 70 kg division about a month later, punching a ticket to Final X in the process. Deakin ultimately feel short of making the world team at Final X: Lincoln but it may be a different story when it comes to his attempt at reaching the pinnacle of folkstyle wrestling next March.
Kaleb Young, Iowa
2018-19 was a breakout season for the young Hawkeye. The rising junior went from not starting to fifth in the country over the past two seasons. Another level-up and young Kaleb could result in him being the linchpin for Iowa as they make a run at the team title.
David Carr, Iowa State
David Carr Jr mowed down all but one opponent in a stellar redshirt campaign for the Cyclones (and that one loss was in the first week of November to Missouri's Peyton Mocco, who then wrestled the rest of his redshirt season at 165). Carr is on the shortlist of freshman contenders at any weight class going into the 2019-20 season.
Brady Berge, Penn State
Berge was stopped in the round of 16 last March in Pittsburgh, but that was down at 149, and many speculated that he would have done better at 157 had Jason Nolf not been blocking his path to the postseason. Expect Berge, now in his third year in the Nittany Lion wrestling room, to be a force up at 157.
Jacori Teemer, Arizona State
Teemer started the year at 149 and produced impressive results before finishing the season at 157. We're assuming he doesn't move back down to 149, but we guessing he will a rare redshirt freshman contender at either weight.
Last year, 157 was one of the deepest weight classes, with upsets and rankings reshuffling occurring on a weekly basis. Will that volatility return next season? Most likely. Will it inevitably make this list and our subsequent predictions regarding this weight class look foolish? Undoubtedly. That is what makes way-too-early previews so exciting!