2022 at-large selections are out

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
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My initial take is that it's hard to complain about the 4 At-Large selections at 165.

In an earlier post by me on Edsell's chances:


I had stated:

"You could make a strong case that those five wrestlers (the ones listed as Victims) are battling for the two at-large slots at 165."

I was speaking about:
William Formato, Appalachian State; Anthony Valencia, Arizona State; Dan Braunagel, Illinois; Brian Meyer, Lehigh; Creighton Edsell, Penn State

From the NCAA's release:

"The at-large selections were made by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee using the following selection criteria: head-to-head competition, quality wins, results against common opponents, winning percentage, ratings percentage index, coaches ranking and conference tournament finish."

Valencia was a no-brainer, after he got upset in the Pac tournament 3rd place match, so I won't waste time evaluating him against the criteria.

William Formato, App St
- they had not met this season
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Evan Berczak (Drexel), Thomas Bullard (NC State), Caleb Fish (MSU), Rodrick Mosley (Gardner-Webb)
- results against common opponents: Formato and Edsell faced 4 common opponents, lost to the same 3 and beat the same 1
- winning percentage: I believe it's 78.57% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Formato finished 3rd in the SoCon tournament (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

Brian Meyer, Lehigh
- Edsell defeated Meyer this season, 4-3
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Matthew Olguin (2X) (Oreg. St), Lucas Revano (Penn), Jake Wentzel (Pitt), Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven), Brevin Cassella (Binghamton), Anthony Valencia (Az. St.)
- results against common opponents: Edsell lost to A. Valencia and Meyer defeated him, beyond that, they defeated the same common opponents and lost to the same common opponents
- winning percentage: I believe it's 58.33% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Meyer did not finish in the top 8 (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

Caleb Fish, MSU
- they did not meet this season
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Zach Hartman (Bucknell), David Ferrante (NW)
- results against common opponents: they wrestled 6 common opponents, and won against the same 5 (Fish beat one common opponent 2X), and lost to the same 1 common opponent
- winning percentage: I believe it's 64.71% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Fish finished 8th at the B1G tourney (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

IMHO, Edsell doesn't have a case for being ahead of Valencia, Formato, or Fish. I think you could debate whether Meyer deserved the at-large slot over Edsell, especially since Edsell beat him in a head-to-head bout, but Meyer's victory over Anthony Valencia is a key separator, IMHO.

It would be interesting to see the final RPI and the final Coaches Rankings. Without that info, the above is the best I can do at this time.
 

GregPickel

Hall of Famer
Staff member
Jul 25, 2021
47,263
103,407
113
My initial take is that it's hard to complain about the 4 At-Large selections at 165.

In an earlier post by me on Edsell's chances:


I had stated:

"You could make a strong case that those five wrestlers (the ones listed as Victims) are battling for the two at-large slots at 165."

I was speaking about:
William Formato, Appalachian State; Anthony Valencia, Arizona State; Dan Braunagel, Illinois; Brian Meyer, Lehigh; Creighton Edsell, Penn State

From the NCAA's release:

"The at-large selections were made by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee using the following selection criteria: head-to-head competition, quality wins, results against common opponents, winning percentage, ratings percentage index, coaches ranking and conference tournament finish."

Valencia was a no-brainer, after he got upset in the Pac tournament final, so I won't waste time evaluating him against the criteria.

William Formato, App St
- they had not met this season
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Evan Berczak (Drexel), Thomas Bullard (NC State), Caleb Fish (MSU), Rodrick Mosley (Gardner-Webb)
- results against common opponents: Formato and Edsell faced 4 common opponents, lost to the same 3 and beat the same 1
- winning percentage: I believe it's 78.57% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Formato finished 3rd in the SoCon tournament (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

Brian Meyer, Lehigh
- Edsell defeated Meyer this season, 4-3
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Matthew Olguin (2X) (Oreg. St), Lucas Revano (Penn), Jake Wentzel (Pitt), Ashton Eyler (Lock Haven), Brevin Cassella (Binghamton), Anthony Valencia (Az. St.)
- results against common opponents: Edsell lost to A. Valencia and Meyer defeated him, beyond that, they defeated the same common opponents and lost to the same common opponents
- winning percentage: I believe it's 58.33% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Meyer did not finish in the top 8 (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

Caleb Fish, MSU
- they did not meet this season
- quality wins: this season he had victories over qualifiers Zach Hartman (Bucknell), David Ferrante (NW)
- results against common opponents: they wrestled 6 common opponents, and won against the same 5 (Fish beat one common opponent 2X), and lost to the same 1 common opponent
- winning percentage: I believe it's 64.71% (Edsell's was 68.75%)
- RPI: I don't believe the RPI after the conf. tourneys has been posted by the NCAA
- coaches ranking: I think the coaches had to submit their rankings late Monday afternoon, and the updated rankings have not been posted by the NCAA
- conference tourney finish: Fish finished 8th at the B1G tourney (Edsell did not place at the B1G tourney)

IMHO, Edsell doesn't have a case for being ahead of Valencia, Formato, or Fish. I think you could debate whether Meyer deserved the at-large slot over Edsell, especially since Edsell beat him in a head-to-head bout, but Meyer's victory over Anthony Valencia is a key separator, IMHO.

It would be interesting to see the final RPI and the final Coaches Rankings. Without that info, the above is the best I can do at this time.
Great insight, Tom. Thanks!
 

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
83,098
67,823
113
Schools that appear to have 10 qualifiers:

Michigan
Northwestern
Iowa
NC State
 

NittanyCy

All-Conference
Nov 23, 2001
503
1,398
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Not adequately addressing 165 could be the difference between a championship or not. I’m a little shocked they weren’t able to find someone who could make it to the dance.
 
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