NCAA Division 1 SE Primer - 165 lbs.
165 lbs.
The dirtysouth has plenty of hammers to watch in Detroit. We have included qualifiers for southern schools (within the coverage of SEWrestle - FL, GA, AL, SC, TN, NC) even if they are not “homegrown” here in the SE. The images below were pulled from each school’s social media account - if you wish for the tweet, pic, etc. to be removed please contact sewrestle. The bios are pulled from each of the schools pages … it is designed to give the reader some background on who to watch at 165.
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Thomas Bullard - North Carolina State (Lawrenceville, GA - Archer HS)
All-American 2nd-Team (165 pounds): 2020
NCAA Qualifier (165 pounds): 2019, 2020 & 2021
NCAA Qualifier (157 pounds): 2017
All-ACC: 2019
2020-21
• NCAA Qualifier for the fourth time in his career, third straight season at 165 pounnds.
• Earned the #17 seed, and went 2-2. Avenged a dual loss to App State’s Formato (3-2) in the first round before falling to #1 seed Marinelli of Iowa.
• Earned an NCAA automatic bid by placing third at the ACC Championships, after entering as the fourth seed.
• In the quarterfinals, fell to UNC’s Monday 6-5, but came back to beat him in the third place bout with a takedown in extra time (6-4).
• Went 6-7 on the season overall, 2-4 in duals and 2-3 in ACC dual action. Three of his five ACC duals were vs. top-8 opponents (went 1-2).
• Top win came over #7 Wentzel of Pitt, a 2021 NCAA Finalist), 4-3 in the ACC dual.
2019-20
• Earned 2020 All-America 2nd-Team honors by the NWCA.
• Seeded #10 for the 2020 NCAA Championships.
• Went 23-6 on the season, 6-2 in duals. Was a perfect 3-0 in ACC duals, two of which were against top-12 foes.
• Recorded five top-12 wins on the season, including a pair of top-8 wins.
• Perfect 15-0 in bonus point matches, with six pins.
• Placed third at the Cliff Keen Invite and fourth at the Southern Scuffle. First at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open.
• Finished the season ranked #10 at 165 pounds by both InterMat and FloWrestling.
• Named to the 2019-20 ACC Academic Honor Roll.
2018-19
• NCAA Qualifier at 165 pounds. Earned the #16 seed and went 1-2.
• Earned All-ACC honors by making the finals after starting as the #3 seed. Avenged a regular season loss in the semifinals with a 7-1 win to advance to the finals.
• Went 21-10 on the season, 11-6 in duals. Eight of the 10 losses came to wrestlers in the top-16, seven in the top-12.
• Placed first at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open, all all four matches via pinfall, three in the first period.
• Finished the season ranked #18 in FloWrestling’s final rankings.
• Named to 2019 All-ACC Academic Team.
2017-18
• Redshirted the season, and wrestled in three open tournaments, all at 165 pounds.
• Went 12-3 with six bonus point wins.
2016-17
• 2017 NCAA Qualifier at 157 pounds as a freshman, earned an at-large bid.
• Was pulled out of redshirt in early December and went 21-12, including 8-4 in duals as the Pack’s starter at 157 pounds.
• 3-2 in ACC duals, and earned the No. 2 seed for the ACC Championship.
• Took top honors at the U.S. Collegiate Championships at Air Force, going 4-0 with two pins, a tech fall and a decision.
• Was 8-1 in bonus point matches.
• Named to the 2017 All-ACC Academic Team and the 2016-17 ACC Academic Honor Roll. Also named 2017 NWCA Division I All-Academic.
Prep
• A 2015-16 ASICS All-America honorable mention selection at 170 pounds.
• A four-time Georgia 6A State Champion (170 pounds as a senior, 160 pounds as a junior with a 59-3 record, 152 pounds as a sophomore with a 56-1 record, and 145 pounds asa freshman with a 54-7 record).
• Won the NHSCA Junior (152 pounds), Sophomore (145 pounds), and Freshman Nationals (145 pounds).
• Won the Super 32 in 2014 (152 pounds) and was second in 2015 (152 pounds).
Rankings
• #3 at 170 pounds and #43 nationally by FloWrestling.org.
• #7 nationally at 182 pounds and #42 overall by Intermat.com.
Personal
• Twin brother, Daniel, was a two-time All-American, 2021 ACC champion and four-time NCAA Qualifier for NC State.
• Earned his undergrad degree in Business Administration/Economics in May 2021. Enrolled in NC State's Nonprofic Management grad program.
William Formato - Appalachian State (Acworth, GA - Allatoona HS)
Career to Date: 2021 SoCon Wrestler of the Year and NCAA Championships qualifier … Finished 2021 season with a 39-18 career record … Received an at-large berth to the NCAAs at 165 pounds in 2021 and was seeded No. 16 in St. Louis … Became ninth SoCon Wrestler of the Year honor for an App State wrestler since 1993 and fifth in head Coach Bentley's first 12 seasons.
2020-21: SoCon Wrestler of the Year … Received an at-large berth to the NCAAs at 165 pounds and was seeded No. 16 in St. Louis, where he wrestled twice with losses by scores of 3-2 and 11-2 … Was the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament in a weight class with four ranked wrestlers after an 8-0 SoCon dual season and went 1-1 against opponents from that talented grouping at the SoCon Championship … Took a 15-2 record to the NCAAs (tied for No. 7 nationally in wins) after leading the country with 13 wins during the regular season and finished season with a 15-4 record … Outscored his opponents 138-12 and didn't allow a takedown in his 15 victories leading up to the NCAAs … At the SoCon Championships, had a last-minute lead against ranked opponent Dazjon Casto of The Citadel in a 6-3 semifinal loss before bouncing back with a 13-0 major decision and then a 5-3 decision against 21st-ranked Rodrick Mosley of Gardner-Webb in the third-place match … Faced eight wrestlers with a top-50 ranking during his 12 matches in January and was named the SoCon's Wrestler of the Month heading into February … Ranked as high as No. 10 nationally during the season … Accounted for 36 team points while going unbeaten in App State's nine total duals this season, including the 2021 opener against then-No. 7 Thomas Bullard of highly ranked NC State (4-0 shutout) … In January, also had an overtime win against Casto, an 11-2 major decision against Campbell's Austin Kraisser (who won 27 matches a year earlier), a decision against Mosley and a 6-1 decision against Chattanooga’s Drew Nicholson, who won the 165 title at the SoCon Championship … Early season win against Bullard started a streak of five consecutive shutouts — with three coming against wrestlers from No. 3 NC State — by a combined score of 37-0 … Only other regular-season loss was a 7-5 decision against a top-15 wrestler from Virginia.
2019-20: Went 24-14 as a redshirt freshman at 165 pounds, made the SoCon’s All-Freshman team and reached the SoCon Championship final … Went 7-5 in App State’s duals and 4-3 in SoCon duals … As the No. 3 seed, advanced to the SoCon final against a top-15 wrestler with a 15-0 quarterfinal tech fall against an opponent who had beaten him in January and a 3-2 semifinal decision against an opponent who had beaten him by a 10-4 score in January … Dropped a 12-4 major decision in the SoCon final to Campbell’s Quentin Perez … Helped App State shut out The Citadel with a 9-6 win in the TB-1 overtime period against ranked NCAA qualifier Dazjon Casto. Formato erased a 6-3 deficit in the final minute of the third period, didn't allow an escape in the first 30-second tiebreaker, then got a quick escape and late takedown to clinch the victory … Also had notable wins against Nick Klussis of West Virginia (2-1 in overtime at the Southern Scuffle) and Duke’s Ben Anderson (12-0 major decision at the Mountaineer Invitational) as well as two wins against Chattanooga’s Drew Nicholson … Placed second at the Appalachian Open, third at the Mountaineer Invitational, sixth at the Wolfpack Open and the Keystone Classic.
2018-19: Redshirted … Wrestling unattached, posted a 22-9 record with a Pembroke Classic title at 157 pounds (4-0) … Fourth place at the Appalachian Open … Fifth place at the Wolfpack Open ... Member of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
High School: Named the 2017-18 Marietta Daily Journal/Cobb County Co-Wrestler of the Year after going 40-0 and winning a Class 6-A state title at 145 pounds … Also a county, area and sectional champion … Finished senior season with 22 pins and seven wins by technical fall … Named the most outstanding wrestler at the Cobb County Invitational and the Area 3AAAAAAA tournament … Second place at the GHSA State Championships as a junior and sophomore after placing fifth as a freshman … Named the Cobb County Wrestling Association Wrestler of the Year … Coached by Kyle Norred at Allatoona.
Andrew Nicholson - Tennessee-Chattanooga (Memphis, TN - Christian Brothers HS)
CHATTANOOGA: Returning NCAA Qualifier and SoCon Champion ... graduated with a degree in Engineering Management in the summer of 2021 ... three-time Academic All-SoCon.
2020-21 • JUNIOR SEASON: SoCon Champion at 165 pounds ... named the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning as the third seed ... went 13-5 overall and 9-3 in dual action ... had a 6-2 mark in SoCon matches ... qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the No. 26 seed ... beat Penn State's No. 23 Joe Lee (10-4) at the NCAA Tournament ... named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week after winning the SoCon Tournament ... Academic All-SoCon ... Academic All-NWCA ... made the Dean's List & the A.D. Honor Roll both semesters ... made the SoCon Honor Roll.
2019-20 • SOPHOMORE SEASON: Went 16-16 at 165 ... 8-8 mark in duals and 3-3 in SoCon action ... third place at the Appalachian Open ... sixth place at the Southeast Open ... Academic All-SoCon ... made the Dean's List & the A.D. Honor Roll both semesters ... made the SoCon Honor Roll.
2018-19 • FRESHMAN SEASON: Member of the SoCon All-Freshman Team ... posted a 10-12 mark ... 4-2 record in league duals ... starter at 165 ... third place finish at the Wolfpack Open ... Academic All-SoCon ... made the Dean's List & the A.D. Honor Roll both semesters ... made the SoCon Honor Roll.
2017-18 • REDSHIRT SEASON: Sat out the year as a redshirt ... made the Dean's List & the A.D. Honor Roll both semesters with a 4.0 GPA in the fall ... made the SoCon Honor Roll and earned the SoCon Commissioner's Medal.
PRIOR TO UTC: State finalist as a junior for head coach Chris Lewis at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn. … 43-7 record as a junior … 42-1 as a senior, but missed the state tournament due to an injury ... member of the Commercial Appeal Best of Preps All-Metro Team and Wrestler of the Year finalist as a junior … won the state title in freestyle and Greco three times … runner up in the Greco SE regionals in 2016 … third in freestyle … finished third at the 2016 Ohio Tournament of Champions … Honor Roll student and a member of the National Honor Society.
Rodrick Mosley - Gardner-Webb (Oklahoma City, OH - Heritage Halls HS)
2018-2019 at Gardner-Webb: Competed unattached throughout the season, compiling a 14-7 overall record … Had nine takedowns, six escapes, and two two-point near falls throughout the season ... Placed fourth at the Clarion Open at 165 pounds with a 6-1 record on the day (Nov. 3) … Record a fifth-place finish at the Pembroke Classic at 165 pounds, going 4-2 on the day (Nov. 11) … Placed sixth at 174 pounds at the Appalachian Open with a 3-2 record (Jan. 26).
High School: Wrestled at Heritage Hall High School for coach Floyd Lorne … Wrestled the majority of his senior season at 152 pounds, going 39-0 and winning the OSSAA 4A State Wrestling Tournament … Finished his high school career as a three-time state champion and two-time national placer … Named to The Oklahoman’s All-City Wrestling First-Team in 2018.
Julian Ramirez - Cornell (Miami, FL - Blair Academy)
Prior to Cornell
• Wrestled three years at Blair Academy in New Jersey after starting his high school career at Tampa Jesuit
• Served as team captain at Blair in 2019
• Won team National Championships, 2017-19
• Posted a high school record of 143-10
• Two-time State Champion
• Two-time National Prep Champion
• Three-time Beast of the East Champion