NCAA Wrestling Championships Outlook
The 2022 NCAA Wrestling National Championships are underway at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
This season has produced some of the most exciting wrestling action in the past decade. Big Ten challengers Michigan, Iowa and Penn State lead the field as contenders to win the team glory alongside Iowa State and Missouri. All 10 2021 champions return amongst the individual ranks as well.
Michigan is coming off an upset Big Ten Tournament win, and head coach Sean Bormet is adamant about his team refocusing and trying to shock the world yet again.
“We had to get refocused on the bigger part of our mission,” Bormet said. “The goal is to come here and put our best wrestling on the mat at each weight, this program has been second numerous times in our 100 year history, but they all want to be winning here in Detroit for our program.”
Iowa, last year’s overall NCAA champions finished the season at 14-1, and led by three-time national champion Spencer Lee, and NCAA finalists last year Jaydin Eierman and Michael Kemerer, the team is sure to make some noise in the big dance as they look to win their 25th national title.
Iowa’s lone loss, though, came to the Penn State Nittany Lions, who boast reigning national champions in Roman Bravo-Young at 133, Nick Lee at 141, Carter Starocci at 174 and Aaron Brooks at 184.
The Nittany Lions dropped a heartbreaker to lose the Big Ten tournament, but look to be back with a vengeance as they look to chase national championship gold.
Roman Bravo-Young, a leader for the program, when asked about the team race said the goal was to just be, “enjoying ourselves, and taking everything one match at a time.”
Outside of the Big Ten, Missouri and Arizona figure to make some noise in the Big Dance, along with Stanford who have a strong leader in reigning champion Shane Griffith at 165 pounds.
In the individual ranks with so much talent on some of the contenders, there is one star outside of the main teams vying for the team title.
Reigning heavyweight champion, olympic gold medalist and polarizing figure, Gable Steveson will wrestle for the final time this weekend as he vies for one more accolade on his resume.
Regardless of the outcome, the tournament is going to produce non stop, edge of your seat action.
“This,” Bormet said, “is going to be one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments we’ve had in a long time.”
Dylan Price is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email dvp5625@psu.edu.
