The NWCA All-Star Classic presented by Cliff Keen will be held on November 22 in Austin, Texas, and will be streamed LIVE on FloWrestling. Below is a preview of the 157-pound match between #4 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) and #1 Will Lewan (Michigan). 

Season/Record/NCAA/Weight/School

Bryce Andonian, JR
2020: 18-6  (NQ), 149 (Virginia Tech)
2021: 10-4  (R12), 149 (Virginia Tech)
2022: 13-4 (3rd), 149 (Virginia Tech)

Other: 2021 U20 World bronze medalist

Will Lewan, SR
2020: 21-7 (NQ), 157 (Michigan)
2021: 9-4 (R16), 157 (Michigan)
2022: 21-7 (5th), 157 (Michigan)

Other: 2017 U17 World champion

Match History

This is the first college match between Andonian and Lewan.

What You Need To Know?

Lewan enters this season as the top-ranked wrestler at 157-pounds following a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Nebraska’s Peyton Robb finished fourth at nationals, but Lewan has two dual meet wins over Robb: one in 2022 and one in 2020. 

Andonian is ranked fourth at 157 pounds after spending the previous three seasons at 149. His third-place finish came in the loaded 149-pound weight class where his only loss of the tournament was a 5-4 semifinal setback against Nebraska’s Ridge Lovett. 

Both have had international success, too. Lewan entered college as a 2017 U17 World champion while Andonian won a bronze medal at last year’s U20 World Championships. 

What You Can Expect?

If styles make matches, then there’s no telling what this one will look like. Unpredictability can lead to an entertaining outcome regardless of style, but which style will prevail when Andonian and Lewan toe the line?

Andonian wants to go to Crazy Town when the whistle blows. He lets it fly with a colorful array of offensive attacks — even if that means giving up position and a few points along the way. Check out his scores from nationals as proof: 

Round 1: Max Brignola (Lehigh), 9-7
Round 2: John Millner (Appalachian State), 16-11
Quarterfinals: Austin Gomez (Wisconsin), Fall 6:30
Consolation Semis: John Millner (Appalachian State) 9-4
Consolation Finals: Austin Gomez (Wisconsin), 10-6

Five of Andonian’s 13 wins from last season were by fall and he scored at least nine points in another five. 

Lewan’s scores paint a different picture. His matches at nationals were:

Round 1: W, Jarrett Jacques (Missouri), 4-2 (SV-2)
Round 2: W, Kaleb Young (Iowa), 3-1 (SV-1)
Quarterfinals: W, Hunter Willits (Oregon State), 3-1
Semifinals: L, Quincy Monday (Princeton), 3-2
Consolation Semis: L, David Carr (Iowa State), 6-3
Fifth-place: W, Jacori Teemer (Arizona State), 4-2 (SV-1)

Lewan scored three points during nine of his 21 wins last season and six of his matches went into overtime. That means Lewan can hold position and prevail in close matches if he has to. 

Can Andonian force enough action to make this a high-scoring slug-fest, or will Lewan thwart Andonian’s attempts to break this match wide-open? Lewan is difficult to score on and is effective when he shoots. That could make things interesting if Andonian gets out of position and Lewan can capitalize. 

The score of this match seems secondary to the type of match it will be. This should be an intriguing showdown and a possible rivalry between two age-level World medalists.