Journeymen Wrestling has brought together quite a field for this year’s version of the National Collegiate Duals - which will take place Dec 20-21 in the panhandle of Florida. We are going to take a quick look at the field in 4 different stories over the course of this week. The teams are broken down into two pools and then within each pool 3 teams in a group each. The pools will not have a crossover - which means no Penn State vs. Iowa matchup, but that isn’t surprising given that the two teams will have their dual in January. This is an unbelievable opportunity to watch some of the best college wrestlers in the nation compete over 2 days.

The Schedule:

How to Watch:

There are two ways to watch the event. First, if you are close - you can get tickets at Journeymen. Monday is going to be a banger with 12 duals featuring many of the best teams in the country. Day 2 (Tuesday) will be a crossover within the pools - so if Penn State wins the Blue Pool “A” and Arizona State wins the Blue Pool “B” then that will be the final on Tuesday evening. Can’t make it to northwest Florida? You can also watch it live on Rokfin. Simply click the picture above.

What to Watch Day 1 - Red Pool “A”:

Little shifting by some programs this week as we get closer to the matches on Monday. Looks like Lee will be there (and probably split some matches with Jesse Ybarra at 125). Doesn’t look like Kemerer will be there and will once again be replaced by Nelson Brands. We in the SE are hoping to watch Malyke Hines wrestle (he is an Osceola grad), but he may be replaced by Sheldon Seymour. This is completely expected as teams battle through the season. Still this should be a fun set of duals to watch. In all my years of watching wrestling I’ve never seen Iowa compete in a dual (I’ve seen them countless times at NCAA’s and other places in a tournament setting, but never as a dual team).

The 5 matches within this pool I am interested in watching:

• Malyke Hines (Lehigh) vs. Austin Desanto (Iowa)

  • If, and it is a big if, we get Hines back in the lineup then this is the match I want to see. Desanto likes to push people all over the mat and really bully them into bad positions (and then he takes advantage) … can Hines use his speed and smarts to stay with Desanto?

• The 157’s: Lovett, Humphreys, and Young

  • Outstanding weight for these duals. Johnny Lovett is another former Florida hammer doing an outstanding job up north for the Chippewas. He is exciting to watch and it will be fun to see him take on both Humphreys and Young.

• The 285’s: Wood, Stencel, and Cassioppi

  • All three are ranked high enough to really make a run at the podium in March and each has a plethora of experience. Not sure if any of the duals come down to their matches, but these big boys will bring it.

• Dresden Simon (Central Michigan) vs. ?

  • Not sure we will see Eierman. But that would be fun. Whoever Iowa puts out there will be a battle. I don’t know much about McConagle, but if he works with Hines, Seymour, and Bryant … I expect he will be fun to watch. But I’m really here to watch Dresden Simon. Simon is a Michigan native and 2x NCAA Qualifier that has been close to making the podium, but hasn’t quite been able to breakthrough.

• Jaret Lane (Lehigh) vs. Spencer Lee or Jesse Ybarra (Iowa)

  • This is the match I’m most interested to see at 125 … will we see the Hodge Trophy winner or will they go with Ybarra here? Lane is a Senior (well given the extra year - not sure, but you get my meaning) and has been around the block … knows his stuff and will be a dangerous draw at NCAA’s in March.

SE Connections:

• Brock Herring (Lehigh) from Tennessee

• Malyke Hines (Lehigh) from Florida

• Matt Rodriguez (Lehigh) from Florida

• Paul Watkins (Lehigh) from Georgia

• Chandler Amaker (Central Michigan) from South Carolina

• Trey Bates (Central Michigan) from Tennessee

• Johnny Lovett (Central Michigan) from Florida

• Bretli Reyna (Iowa) from Florida

Don’t think we will see any of those SE hammers in the lineup except Lovett, but it would be awesome.

Had an opportunity to talk with Coach Frank Popilizio of Journeymen Wrestling for some back ground on the event … check it out (same interview highlighted elsewhere on the website - so if you’ve listened once …)

Journeymen Wrestling has brought together quite a field for this year’s version of the National Collegiate Duals - which will take place Dec 20-21 in the panhandle of Florida. We are going to take a quick look at the field in 4 different stories over the course of this week. The teams are broken down into two pools and then within each pool 3 teams in a group each. The pools will not have a crossover - which means no Penn State vs. Iowa matchup, but that isn’t surprising given that the two teams will have their dual in January. This is an unbelievable opportunity to watch some of the best college wrestlers in the nation compete over 2 days.

The Schedule:

How to Watch:

There are two ways to watch the event. First, if you are close - you can get tickets at Journeymen. Monday is going to be a banger with 12 duals featuring many of the best teams in the country. Day 2 (Tuesday) will be a crossover within the pools - so if Penn State wins the Blue Pool “A” and Arizona State wins the Blue Pool “B” then that will be the final on Tuesday evening. Can’t make it to northwest Florida? You can also watch it live on Rokfin. Simply click the picture above.

What to Watch Day 1 - Red Pool “A”:

NC State, Missouri, and Binghamton kick things off in the morning for the Red Pool. Both NC State and Missouri are ranked in the top 10 and that dual should be outstanding. Binghampton has 4 ranked wrestlers including Louie DePrez at 195 who is #12 by Intermat … they will push both Missouri and NC State for the top spot in this pool. Remember these are not exact line-ups - simply projections based on rankings (and previous duals). If these are the lineups then these are …

The 5 matches within this pool I am interested in watching:

• Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) vs. Thomas Bullard (NC State)

  • Of course we start with a former SE hammer as one to watch. Bullard was a standout at Archer (Georgia) many moons ago and has been a regular at the NCAA tournament for years. O’Toole might be one of the most exciting wrestlers you will ever watch. Who dictates their match - it will be fun to watch this chess match unfold.

• The 285’s: Trephan, Doyle, and Elam

  • All 3 are ranked with Zach Elam coming in with the highest ranking of the three. Trephan beat Wilson in the room and now looks like he will hold onto the spot. This weight class (as well as 197) could be the two that define some very close duals … don’t sleep on the big boys.

• Peyton Mocco (Missouri) vs. Hayden Hidlay (NC State)

  • Hidlay has the credentials after coming up just short of an NCAA title several times. Mocco has looked superb this season and looks headed to spot on the podium in March. This one will be great.

• Louie DePrez (Binghampton) vs. Isaac Trumble (NC State)

• Jarrett Jacques (Missouri) vs. Ed Scott (NC State)

SE Connections:

• Donald Cates (NC State) from North Carolina

• Alex Faison (NC State) from North Carolina

• Tyrie Houghton (NC State) from North Carolina

• James Joplin (NC State) from North Carolina

• Christian Knop (NC State) from Alabama

• Owen Trephan (NC State) from South Carolina

• Thomas Bullard (NC State) from Georgia

• Alex Uriquiza (NC State) from Florida

Had an opportunity to talk with Coach Frank Popilizio of Journeymen Wrestling for some back ground on the event … check it out

Journeymen Wrestling has brought together quite a field for this year’s version of the National Collegiate Duals - which will take place Dec 20-21 in the panhandle of Florida. We are going to take a quick look at the field in 4 different stories over the course of this week. The teams are broken down into two pools and then within each pool 3 teams in a group each. The pools will not have a crossover - which means no Penn State vs. Iowa matchup, but that isn’t surprising given that the two teams will have their dual in January. This is an unbelievable opportunity to watch some of the best college wrestlers in the nation compete over 2 days.

The Schedule:

How to Watch:

There are two ways to watch the event. First, if you are close - you can get tickets at Journeymen. Monday is going to be a banger with 12 duals featuring many of the best teams in the country. Day 2 (Tuesday) will be a crossover within the pools - so if Penn State wins the Blue Pool “A” and Arizona State wins the Blue Pool “B” then that will be the final on Tuesday evening. Can’t make it to northwest Florida? You can also watch it live on Rokfin. Simply click the picture above.

What to Watch Day 1 - Blue Pool “B”:

3 outstanding duals that kickoff the action on Monday. Hofstra takes on two top 10 hammers in Virginia Tech and Arizona State. Hofstra is always a program that battles and don’t be surprised to see them give both Virginia Tech and Arizona State all they can handle in the early segment on Monday. Obviously, the dual to watch is Arizona State and Virginia Tech, but I wouldn’t sleep on Hofstra. Winner of the pool could get a shot at the Nittany Lions on Tuesday.

Here are 5 matches within this pool I am interested in catching:

• Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) vs. Brandon Courtney (Arizona State)

  • Courtney made the finals a year ago at 125 - Latona, the 2 seed, fell in the quarters or this would be a rematch from last March. Alabama native Latona should have a loud supporting section in the arena and this match sets the tone for the rest of the dual.

• Charles Small (Hofstra) vs. Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)

  • Small is from Florida and qualified a year ago (going 1-2 at NCAA’s). Bolen is a hammer and is certainly the top dog at 197 in this part of the pool. For Small this is a huge opportunity … Virginia Tech will be one of the programs many in the SE will be pulling for, but in this matchup expect the crowd to be behind Small.

• Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs. Kyle Parco (Arizona State)

  • Parco was an AA at Fresno State a year ago and has made the seamless transition to the Sun Devils. Andonian is a straight gunslinger … this one will be wild and will be one of the most fan-friendly matches you will find all weekend.

• The 285’s

  • Each matchup should be close and fun to watch. Knighton-Ward is behind the others, but I wouldn’t count him out. Traxler vs. Schultz feels like a bloodround match at NCAA’s … one of the two (and possibly both) will be on the podium in March.

• Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech) vs. Michael McGee (Arizona State)

  • McGee is another transfer - but this time from the east coast and Old Dominion. He is lightning in a bottle and can beat anyone at 133. Myers was 4th year ago and has his sights set on the top step. This one will be important in the final outcome of the dual.

SE Connections:

• Sam Latona of Virginia Tech is their starting 125 … we expect to see him and expect he will have the crowd behind him in every match

• Kolton Clark (174) of Virginia Tech isn’t currently in the starting lineup, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him pick up some matches (especially if they decide to rest Lewis)

• Cooper Flynn of Virginia Tech (Tennessee)

• Caden Hagler of Virginia Tech (North Carolina)

• Jake Hart of Virginia Tech (South Carolina)

• Corey Langner of Hofstra (Georgia)

• Charles Small of Hofstra (Florida) - starting 184 and should be in the lineup throughout the two days

• Alexzander Owens of Arizona State (Florida)

• Ethan Pickren of Arizona State (Florida)

• Ricky Roberto of Arizona State (Georgia)