2020 Redshirt Report: 149 Pounds
2020 Redshirt Report: 149 Pounds
Who's coming off redshirt and going to have an impact on the 2019-20 NCAA wrestling season? We got the 149-pounders right here!
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A new crop of 149-pounders are ready to shed their redshirts and take their place in the limelight.
Wrestling on a lighted stage approaches the unreal, but for these NCAA student-athletes, it will soon be a reality.
Competing in the limelight is the universal dream for those who wish to succeed in college. These wrestlers must put aside the alienation and get on with the fascination of competing on the varsity squad.
We no longer have to pretend these strangers are long-awaited friends, we can get to know them right now. Below are wrestlers who we expect to make an impact on the 2019-20 season after having missed all or most of last season.
2020 Redshirt Reports: 125 | 133 | 141
Sammy Sasso, Ohio State, Freshman
Slammin Sammy Sasso put together a classic redshirt season. He won the Michigan State and Edinboro Opens and placed third at the 55th Midlands Championships. Sasso defeated two All-Americans in the consolation bracket at Midlands, namely Pat Lugo and Alec Pantaleo.
149 will be a wide open weight class next season, as Anthony Ashnualt, Micah Jordan and Mitch Finesilver have all exhausted their NCAA eligibility, and because Matt Kolodzik is expected to defer eligibility for a year as well. Sasso will headline the next generation of 149-pounders and will be expected to replace the aforementioned three-time NCAA All-American Jordan in the Buckeye lineup.
Hailing from the wrestling hotbed of Nazareth, PA, Sasso is one of the key cogs of the monster Ohio State recruiting class known as the Cozy Boys. And where did the name Cozy Boys come from? We will allow Sasso himself to explain:
Brayton Lee, Minnesota, Freshman
Indiana native Brayton Lee had a very strong redshirt season, winning the North Country Open and the National Collegiate Open. Lee also reached the bloodround of the Midlands Championships. With All-American Tommy Thorn out of eligibility, the 149-spot in the Gopher lineup is Lee's for the taking.
Lee also had an impressive freestyle season that's technically not over yet. Lee reached the U.S. Open Junior finals at 70kg where he was beaten by Sammy Sasso. Lee would then have revenge at the Junior World Team Trials, where Lee beat Sasso in two straight matches, 11-8 then 8-1 to make the junior world team that takes place in Estonia in less than two weeks.
In folkstyle, however, Sasso is still 1-0, having beaten Lee in the Edinboro Open finals, which you can watch in the video below:
Brock Zacherl, Clarion, Senior
Zacherl got injured at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on the first of December and missed the rest of the season. The three-time national qualifier will be back at Clarion for one more season and a final shot at his first every All-American medal.
Watch Zacherl take out All-American Grant Leeth at the CKLV before his injury:
Boo Lewallen, Oklahoma State, Junior
Boo lost most of last season due to an injury he suffered in the first dual meet of the year. It's unclear if Lewallen officially received that year back, so it's possible he will start the fall with senior eligibility. Either way, this All-American will be a crucial component to a Cowboy contingent that will be pushing for a team trophy in March.
Watch Boo defeat future All-American Cyclone Jarrett Degen in a home dual from January 2018:
Mike D'Angelo, Princeton, Senior
D'Angleo deferred eligibility last season, or took a gap year, as Ivy Leaguers are known to call it, but still recorded impressive results while wrestling unattached. The native New Yorker bested two All-Americans last season in Larry Early and Christian Pagdilao, and should fit into the Tiger lineup nicely as Matt Kolodzik takes a year off to sow his All-American oats.
Mason Smith, Campbell, Senior
Smith took a circuitous route to Buies Creek, stopping in Tempe for a brief stint with the Sun Devils before joining the Camels. Smith qualified for the NCAA tournament twice while at Central Michigan in 2017 and 2018 before deciding to make a move. It is unclear exactly whether Smith will have junior or senior eligibility after missing all of the 2018-19 season, but regardless, he reckons to be a force in the middle of a tough Campbell lineup.
Peyton Omania, Michigan State, Freshman
Omania will have to dislodge teammate Jaden Enriquez if he wants to be Sparty's 149-pound starter. However, if the 2019 Greco-Roman junior world teamer at 67 kg (competing in Tallin, Estonia shortly!) can translate those throwing skills to the folkstyle circuit, there's a good chance he does so.
Matthew Grippi, North Carolina State, Freshman
With the graduation of Justin Oliver, the Wolfpack charge into autumn in need of a new 149-pounder. There is a good chance that it will be New York native Matthew Grippi. Grippi had a solid 18-7 during his redshirt season.
Logan Meek, Oregon State, Freshman
Meek will have competition from Missouri transfer Lane Stigall for the 149-pound spot in the Beaver lineup, but should he accomplish that he has the potential to do big things out on the West Coast.
Luke Karam, Lehigh, Junior
Karam did not technically redshirt, though he missed most of last season down at 141-pounds due to injury. He will have competition from teammate Jimmy Hoffman for the 149-pound job. The former national qualifier (and Hoffman for that matter) will be solid for the always tough Moutain Hawks once fall rolls around.
Luke Kemerer, Pittsburgh, Freshman
Nothing is decided yet, but local Pittsburgh area product is in the proverbial catbird seat to start for the Panthers of Pitt at 149-pounds next season.
Colton Yapoujian, Cornell, Freshman
Highly regarded prospect Colton Yapoujian deferred enrollment at Cornell for a year (aka greyshirted) and wrestled with the Finger Lake Wrestling Club in Ithaca, New York. The Colorado native is favored to make the starting lineup, but, this being Cornell, he will have plenty of stout competition for the job.
Brent Moore, Virginia Tech, Junior
Moore missed all of last season due to injury, but healthy again and ready for action, the 2018 National Qualifier figures to be half of a Moore Brothers one-two punch for the Hokies with his brother, Mitch, at 141-pounds.
Joshua Cortez, Cal Poly, Freshman
The young but dangerous Mustangs will likely feature redshirt frosh Joshua Cortez at the 149-pound spot in their line next season.
Did we miss anyone? Someone who deserves to be examined under the fisheye lens? Let us know!