|
149 Pounds: The Favorites: No. 1 Darrion Caldwell, Senior (North Carolina State), Record: 14-0 Caldwell is arguably the most athletic wrestler in the country. His offensive speed is second to none and his pinning combinations from virtually any angle make him a very dangerous opponent. After suffering through injuries following his 2009 NCAA championship run, Caldwell has collected 8 pins in his 14 wins and will definitely be the favorite to take home the crown in 2010. No. 2 Kevin LeValley, Senior (Bucknell), Record: 30-1 LeValley has been a man on a mission this season. Most people don't know much about the Bucknell senior because of the conference he wrestles in. However, the EIWA champ has put together an impressive resume, earning wins over defending 141-pound NCAA champion Kyle Dake (Cornell), No. 5 Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State), No. 7 Mario Mason (Rutgers), and two wins over No. 8 Ganbayar Sanjaa (American). He has an all-around base to work from that makes him tough from any position on the mat.
No. 3 Kyle Dake, Sophomor (Cornell), Record: 26-2 Dake sprung onto the college wrestling scene last season, winning the 141-pound national championship as a freshman. This season, the Cornell sophomore has not seemed as dominant, most likely do to weight issues, but he has still put together a spectacular season. The Big Red grappler owns wins over No. 4 Frank Molinaro (Penn State) and No. 7 Mario Mason (Rutgers), but a potential semifinal match with Caldwell looms in the way of a second national crown. No. 4 Frank Molinaro, Junior (Penn State), Record: 28-2 The Big Ten champion has been on fire this season, having not lost since December 29 to No. 3 Kyle Dake. Molinaro is difficult to score on, which can make his opponents press at times. He owns wins over No. 7 Mario Mason (Rutgers) and No. 12 Kurt Kinser (Indiana). His biggest test in Philadelphia will be whether or not he has the offensive firepower to go to-to-toe with either Caldwell or LeValley. No. 6 Jason Chamberlain, Junior (Boise State), Record: 24-1 Chamberlain has been lost in the shuffle of this weight class, but the Pac-10 champion is a sudden victory loss away to No. 5 Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) from being undefeated. The Bronco junior isn't flashy; rather he just goes out there and gets the job done. He owns a win over No. 12 Kurt Kinser (Indiana) and is the wildcard in Phildadelphia. Others to watch: No. 5 Jamal Parks, Junior (Oklahoma State), Record: 25-3 No. 7 Mario Mason, Sophomore (Rutgers), Record: 27-6 No. 8 Ganbayar Sanjaa, Junior (American), Record: 22-6 No. 9 Donnie Vinson, Sophomore (Binghamton), Record: 26-4 Predicted Winner: Darrion Caldwell (North Carolina State)
|
