The NCAA D1 postseason is almost upon us and that means we’ll be zeroing in on conference tournaments, NCAA allocations, and the team race at NCAA’s. Now that the coaches' rankings and RPI is released, take a look below at some of the biggest implications from those heading into the postseason.

Berge Going 157?!

Brady Berge’s weight class was one of the biggest areas of speculation since he announced his move back to State College. While he wrestled 4 matches at 165, he hasn’t wrestled since January 28th against Alex Marinelli. On top of that, Creighton Edsell was included in the latest coaches' rankings. That means Penn State submitted Edsell to be ranked at 165 rather than Berge. The natural conclusion - Brady Berge is dropping to 157 for the postseason.

If Berge does go 157, he’ll have to “steal” a spot at the Big 10 tournament. With only 4 matches on the year (and none at 157), Berge won’t earn an allocation for the NCAA tournament for the Big 10 conference at 157. On top of that, Berge doesn’t currently meet the other criteria for earning an “At-Large” bid at 157. The Big 10 will likely earn between 6-8 automatic qualifying spots at 157. While it’s likely Berge places in the top 6, there’s little margin for error for Berge at the Big 10 Tournament.

Coach Damion Hahn discusses Brady Berge's move to Penn State:

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Will Drake Ayala Wrestle 125 At Big 10’s?

Rumors have been swirling around Drake Ayala’s health in recent weeks considering he hasn’t wrestled since his January 21st loss to Malik Heinselman. Since then, Jesse Ybarra has filled in every dual at 125 for the Hawkeyes. Although Ybarra is a solid backup, Iowa needs Drake Ayala to score points at the NCAA tournament to have any chance at defending their national title. 

The good news for the Hawkeyes - Coach Brands included Ayala in their lineup to be ranked in the coaches' rankings and the RPI. It’s still speculation, but Ayala’s inclusion is a good sign he’ll be the guy for Iowa in the postseason at 125 - Ayala came in at 11 in the coaches' ranking and 6 in the RPI. If he’s wrestling at his best, Ayala could certainly find his way on the podium in March - earning valuable team points for the Hawkeyes.

Hear Coach Tom Brands outlook on his team and Drake Ayala heading into the last weekend of the year:

Michigan At 141 and 149

Michigan has been locked in at 3rd in our Team Tournament Rankings and has an outside shot at winning a national title this year. In order to contend for the team title, the Wolverines need “point scorers” at all ten weights at the NCAA tournament. However, Michigan faces challenges at two weights heading into the end of the year - 141 and 149.

Though Michigan has three-time All-American Stevan Micic at 141 and three-time NCAA qualifier, Kanen Storr, at 149, neither are a “lock” for qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Because Micic and Storr missed a large number of matches this season, their record and other qualifying considerations might not be good enough to earn an “At-Large” bid. Criteria for an at-large bid states that a wrestler must meet two of the following to earn a spot at the NCAA tournament: a .700 winning percentage, top 33 RPI, top 33 coaches' ranking, one win against a wrestler who qualified for the NCAA tournament. Currently, both Micic and Storr have a .666 winning percentage, are not in the RPI, and only Micic was included in the coaches' rankings. Micic and Storr need to take care of business at the Big 10 tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament, earn a high seed for NCAAs, and take their fate out of the hands of the NCAA tournament committee. 

Hear Micic talk about his return to folkstyle wrestling after focusing on freestyle for the past two years:

Check out the latest coaches' ranking and RPI here.

CLICK HERE for a full breakdown of the selection criteria for the NCAA tournament.