It will be so satisfying when Angelo beats Welsh this year.
Next Years Lineup
- Thread starter Brabb_72
- Start date
Is it your contention that the ONLY way guys “gas” is cutting too much weight or lack of conditioning? Wrestling the biggest match, to date of your entire career, against the #1 undefeated guy, couldn’t possibly cause your body to respond NATURALLY with a rush of cortisol and epinephrine…
I don’t know your experience level but it sure as hell is a real thing in combat sports. In the case of Block, every possible indicator was there. No one besides Block and maybe a very small inner circle can be sure, but EVERY possible indicator was there and summarily dismissing the possibility is just asinine…
I heard he was going to the soldier salute to get some quality competition...because wrestling a tough schedule is important. Winning there would be a true gauge of whether he is ready to go second semester.
Great idea. It would STILL be considerably tougher than PSU’s non conference schedule going into B1G’s!
You may very well be right, I have no real opinion on it one way or the other. I just remember it as another iconic debate in the cesspool’s long and illustrious history
Seidel is not going 141-the VT coaches and Seidel have all come out and said he is going 133 for at least one more year. Most likely bumps up 141 the following year and then Bassett bumps up to 149 to fill in for Henson. But for next year its Seidel at 133, Bassett 141 and Henson 149.
Have also been told that Jax is staying at 133 and one of the Raney's will slide in at 141 for the Oklahoma State.
For Iowa
125-Deluca has AA potential but is coming back from a major knee injury. With the return of Lilledahl, Spratley, McGowan, Provo, Robinson, Ventresca, and Volk it will be a tough go to place higher than 7th-8th. Coming off the injury I think R12 is more likely.
133-Crookham is a stud absolutely, but he hasn't shown the ability to be healthy for a couple of years now. With Jax, Davino, Seidel and Blaze all back at the weight I think his ceiling is mid AA. Hopefully he is fully healthy and can get through the year. 133 might be the most entertaining weight this year.
141-This weight cleared out quite a bit with the graduation of Mendez and Hardy, and Vega bumping up to 149. Nasir Bailey should be an AA at this weight, but think his ceiling in the 4-8 range and not a title contender. Stanich is a dude, and Raney will be a stud from Day 1, and so will Bassett obviously. Echmendia is still around at Nebraska now.
149-Block placed 6th last year and should continue to improve. Problem is that weight doesn't lose much with National Champ Valencia, SVN, and Wasilewski all back plus Joy and you add two National Champs in Vega and Henson to the weight. Block should be an AA contender, but not a title contender.
157-Huge question mark. This weight is absolutely stacked and even if its Williams who has the talent, he hasn't shown the ability to beat any of the AA type guys at 157. If its someone else, you are looking at very few points at nationals.
165-Schubert was a R12 guy in 2005, and didn't wrestle last year. Should see a noticeable bump in performance being in the Iowa room and this weight lost some hammers to graduation. Is Mesenbrink holding here or going 174? Does PSU bump up Duke then? Either way they have a hammer here. Ruiz, Blaze, Lockett, and Hepner all are back. Look for a big jump this year from Will Denny and LJ Araujo whose length will give people problems. Think R12 is most likely.
174-Gabe Arnold will absolutely be an AA at this weight if healthy. Minto is the heavy favorite unless Mesenbrink bumps up (Jayden James here potentially for PSU?) and Steed, Mantanona, Wask, and Gaitan all return. Think Arnold would be in the 3-6 range of AA's.
184- Ferrari will be one of the 4 best guys. There is very little separation between the 4 and he can absolutely win it, but I need to see more offense before I would say he is the favorite. Top 4 definitely if he finishes the tournament.
197- Ludington I expect to be very much improved, but still only see as R12-r16 type guy next year especially with all the guys except Rocky Elam returning at this weight basically.
285-Keuter should probably start the year at #1 and could be a title contender. Ross at Oklahoma State and Merrill at Iowa State will be title contenders immediately as well as freshmen. Which Mirasola goes for PSU?
Think Iowa realistically finishes with 6 AA and 2 guys (Ferrari and Keuter) who are title contenders.
My early predictions for the finals..
125-Luke Lilledahl over Troy Spratley
133-Jax Forrest over Aaron Seidel
141-Bo Bassett over Luke Stanich
149-Sergio Vega over Caleb Henson
157-PJ Duke over Antrell Taylor
165-Mitchell Mesenbrink over Joey Blaze
174-Christopher Minto over Jayden James
184-Max McEnelly over Angelo Ferrari
197-Josh Barr over Angelo Posada
285-Dreshaun Ross over Nick Feldman
Make no mistake, I get the joke. I completely GET that this board IS the place where, "EXCUSES ARE FOR WUSSES!" However, a smart person SHOULD be able to tell the difference between reasons and excuses. Without being able to differentiate you can't truly evolve. If you can't identify a reason, how can you then try to isolate it, learn from it, work on it and improve?
I mean there are 2 PERFECT EXAMPLES of it with 2 of the most Iconic Iowa wrestlers of all time. Both Gable and Metcalf talked about it in significant detail in multiple interviews. They both hit walls VERY early in their matches with Owings and Caldwell. Mind you we are talking about 2 energizer bunnies that made their livings off of a relentless pace that basically broke nearly every wrestler they faced...
Not that it matters a lot for your analysis, but the general feeling in PSU circles is that Duke is done at 157, so it will be Kasak (if healthy) or James if he can make the cut or Sealey at 157. My opinion is that it's likely 157 James, 165 MM, 174 Duke for PSU this year.
Schubert was a rd12 guy this past year 2026 losing 2-1 to Kennedy and Wask at 174. Being down at 165 will be interesting. I think Mesenbrink is the obvious choice here, after him 2-12 is anyone's match.
His knee injury was two years ago. How long is he going to take to return from it?
? Schubert was R12 last year at 174.
Good post, overall.
Deluca hurt his knee last November
Angelo has yet to find a signature win. Has he beaten anyone ranked above him? Not knocking on him but he needs that breakthrough moment. Not sure Welsh is that person.
He beat Dustin Plott his redshirt year which won us the Oklahoma state dual in 2025 idk if youd count redshirt year tho
That was a great win. I would definitely count it. Plott finished 4th that year?
Yes about a month later. At the time of the dual he was a returning finialist
Angelo, Sinclair, Welsh, and Max are the clear top 4 at 184. They all wrestle close matches with each other and are all studs. I don't think we see much separation between them in the future, just a lot of wars with each other in the next couple years.
He gave Sinclair his ONLY 2 losses last year...
I live in a world where you beat a returning NCAA Finalist and eventual 4x All-American in a dual where the score was kept, as a signature win that counts. I know, crazy.
Angelo was ranked #1 much of the first half of the year so hard to beat higher ranked guys. Sinclair should be considered. Hope all 4 are healthy and back at 84. Should start out 1 mcenally. 2 Welsh 3 Ferrari 4 Sinclair so he will get one shot at a higher seed before tourneys.
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No doubt. Plott rightly was already pointed out prior to my adding Sinclair. Considering Sinclair took 3rd last season and had a win over McEnelly, I would say beating him TWICE is legitimately SIGNATURE!
Yes, Angelo is doing just fine. Keep him healthy and see what happens.
Extremely tough weight class, which I think he's the best one in it IF he pulls the trigger offensively. I think he has the best total overall skill set, and that starts with his quickness, which doesn't help if he doesn't use it to his advantage. Margins are still thin, but that's his recipe to the top of the podium, IMO.
Some of the best scramblers in all of college wrestling even including light weights are at 84 with McEnally, Sinclair and Ferrari. Ferrari actually out scrambled Sinclair twice to win and I think Sinclair is the best at it out of the 3.
Welsh seems to just be tougher, so probably 1-1 OT and Welsh wins the rideout. 9 out of 10 times.
I think it’s just a toss-up if it goes to 1-1 OT. But the issue is AF has to win two tossups in a row (semis and finals) to win it all. So his chances are 25%.
This is the way! No one is better at defense than Ferrari. For some reason he goes into defense mode against elite competition. He doesn’t have to- he’s good enough to take anyone down. He controls his own destiny- if he chooses to take control.
1st
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And yet we'll somehow still get f***ing 2nd to Penn State...................
HWY is coming down to Ross and whoever can compete with him for the next 4 years.125 DeLuca - AA probably 7th/8th
133 Crookham - AA probably 3rd/4th. Esp if Fox and Seidel move out of 133.
141 Bailey - AA probably 7th/8th. Loss Vega but added Forrest.
149 Block - AA probably 7th/8th. Took 6th last year, but we're adding Vega and Hansen, plus returning SVN and Valencia.
157 ? - Maybe R12. 157 is so stacked...
165 Schubert - AA probably 7th/8th. I don't know him too well, but 165 is pretty light.
174 Arnold - AA probably 3rd/4th. 174 also pretty light.
184 Ferrari - NC. Top 4 will be Ferrari, Sinclair, McEnely, and Welsh. Will be who shows up that day.
197 Ludington - R16 probably. Still has some growing to do.
285 Kueter - AA probably 3rd/4th. I don't see him winning it all despite being #1. Maybe he will though!
So overall, 4 Top 4 guys, and 5 more top 8 for a total of 9 AA. 157 maybe Williams will surprise me.
.........that ain't Skeeter.
Okay. that's the "3rd/4th" prediction. Merrill and Ross going to come in hot, and don't forget about Feldman. Huge drop off after those 4.
Ziola beat Merrill at an open last year he will be problems as well.
Ziola is bad dude.
I do wonder if Kueter can big brother Ross. A lot of familiarity there.
Ziola will give people fits with his length and motor. He's gonna be good
Damn bonus points
He's had significant knee injuries 2 of the last 3 seasons, and that's the guy we're putting our faith in?
Fantastic.
Everything is amazing in Iowa City, remember, the rest of the world calls it Wrestletown USA. Another positive is, we don't have the stinch of Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky in the air for all of eternity.
He had a knee injury in HS ? Did he have surgery then? That's news to me
The knee injury in HS is news to me as well, I thought it was something with his shoulder…
Those are the injuries I know of as well. My guess is that he's confused