This is one man’s opinion on the top wrestler at each weight class for the years 2000-2007. Those dates fit nicely with the new weights, as the first full season with seven pounds added to the previous weights was 1999-2000. Feel free to disagree (and comment), and if I’ve left out any obvious candidates here, please let me know. Also, if a wrestler’s career started before 2000, they are still eligible, and I considered their career before the 1999-2000 season
125 – Zac Weiglein – Wartburg – Finished 1st, 1st, and 3rd; won three IIAC championships. Won the 1999 NCAA title with a broken hand. Bonus points in my book for spending his entire career in DIII.
133 – Mark Matzek – Augsburg – The only repeat champ at this weight in this decade. 129 wins on a tough Augsburg schedule, placing 4th, 1st, and 1st. Probably not the absolute best at this weight, but we’ll get to that guy next.
141 – Jesus Wilson – Upper Iowa – Won titles at 133 and 141. Not your traditional college student as a he placed sixth in the 1993 World Championships before defecting from Cuba the next year. Hinschberger has more titles, but Wilson was a better wrestler who made the Olympic trials final in 2002, taking a match from Eric Guerrero. Watching him in DIII, it was clear how much better he was than everyone else. It’s tough for Hinschberger being one of the few 3x champs, but sharing this weight with a guy like Wilson.
149 – Ben Shane – Wartburg – Won titles in 1998 and 1999, defeating Cagle of Augsburg for his second championship. He beat Cagle when it really mattered, though this was a close call. Ratel of Montclair State is probably third here, just ahead of Pyle from Luther. Shane beat Cagle, Cagle beat Ratel convincingly, and Shane won two titles to one each for the other guys. Pyle did win two himself, but never seemed as dominant as the three I have ahead of him. This was a tough weight to call.
157 – Marcus LeVesseur – Augsburg – A tough weight to call is followed by the easiest. The only four time champ in DIII, he finished his career undefeated to boot. A superb athlete who was rarely out of position. During his career he defeated several DII champs and won the University Freestyle Nationals, beating Tyron Woodley and Keith Gavin on the way to Outstanding Wrestler honors. All extraneous information aside, he was a joy to watch when he really turned it on.
165 – Dominic Dellagatta – Montclair State – May be a controversial pick, but he did win at 157 in 1999 and at 165 in 2000. Another great athlete who may not have been in the greatest shape, he did seem to win when it mattered. Weber of Wheaton was a D1 athlete at D3 school, and South of Luther placed in the Midlands, but I think Dellagatta is the pick, but you might be able to talk me out of it.
174 – Joe Moon – Augsburg – Two titles and a 3rd, and he avenged his loss to Koenig of UW-Stevens Point. He also beat the very talented Aliakseynka of Montclair State in the finals. Seems like a pretty clear cut choice, though Chelf of UW-Lax could thrust himself into this discussion if 2008 is anything like 2007.
184 – Duane Bastress – York – Two time champ who beat a defending two time champ in the finals. York’s first national champ was a good wrestler. In watching him, I was taken with how in control he alway seemed. Even in his dogfight of a match with Carter of Wartburg in 2006, he never panicked, and that was key to his success. He has to be one of the more mentally tough wrestlers I’ve seen.
197 -Akeem Carter – Wartburg – The most accomplished of the champs at this weight, Carter was also a high school NHSCA Senior Nationals champ. Two time champ at 197, coupled with the 2nd place finish at 184 mentioned above, he was very tough, moving down as a senior for the sake of the team, which did win the national title in 2006. Though not really in the competition for best of the decade, it’s worth mentioning Johnson of Delaware Valley and his impressive 2006 tournament with a tech fall followed by three first period pins, including the final in 1:28.
285 – Ryan Allen – UW-La Crosse – The second easiest pick after LeVesseur, Allen won three titles after placing 2nd as a freshman. Built like a basketball player, he was extraordinarily athletic and kept the nearly as good Gillis of Wartburg to only one championship by defeating him three times in the NCAA finals.
Those are just my picks. I’d be interested in any feedback. This is exactly the type of thing where disagreements are welcome.
Ok, so here’s some ommissions in my opinion and then some names to consider after the next couple of seasons:
125 Shankey from Augjjsburg. Titles in 2004 and 2005. Looked like he was out of everyone else’s league.
141 Florian Ghinea from Montclair. As talented as they come. Won titles in 1998 and 2000. Medical defaulted out of the 1999 tournament and in 2001 finished 3rd avenging a controversial loss (lost due to multiple stalling calls)from earlier in the tournament in the match for 3rd. Also was a Romanian National Champion before coming to the states.
174 Nick Slack from Augsburg. Sure he only won 1 title his sophomore year but was undefeated until the finals both his junior and senior year (2000-02).
For the future:
141 Quincy Osbourne
133 Dave Morgan
With multiple titles do they make the cut?
Good points.
125-Shankey vs. Weiglein was a tough call for me, and I may have missed that one.
141- What a tough weight, with Ghinea in the mix along with Hinschberger. I still say Wilson was better, though Midlands placewinner Ghinea got jobbed by the refs in 2001. Just a terribly officiated match.
174 – It was tough to pick Slack after Aliakseynka handily beat him in the 2002 finals, though he was very, very good.
Morgan has a chance to crack this list in the future, but it will take something special from Osborn to knock Wilson off his perch. He was just so tough. Here’s Wilson wrestling Terry Brands in 1993.
Nice topic. I think Matt Hamill deserves some recognition. He was a 3 time champion winning titles at 167(1997), 190(1998) and 197(1999). I can see why he would not be on the team being that he won titles at 3 different weights. I just thought he should be mentioned.
Florian Ghinea- 3X Midlands placewinner finishing 5th in 1998, 4th in 1999 and 8th in 2001. Along the way pinned NCAA champ Carl Perry, beat Dwight Hinson and Mark Angle and finished ahead of Mike Zadick.
Hamill was an absolute stud, and I was 3/4 of the way into a paragraph putting him on this list until I realized his career finished in 1999, just out of the scope of the article.
My bad then, when I saw team of the decade I was thinking you meant from 1997-2007…
Where will Osborn be on the list when he wins 149 next year? I agree at 141 it is hard to surpass Wilson and Hinsch he didn’t have enough time.
Hey what about Ben Bauer at heavyweight? Back to back champ doesn’t get mentioned. Heavyweight during his tenure was more competitive. Not taking anything away from Allen he was a stud.
Pena, it is good to “see” you around. I hope all is well for you and the family.
Bauer was tough and I agree finishes second behind Allen.
Whats up Leroy? What is going on with you? Likewise it is nice to hear from you as well. I hope things are going well for your family.
Pena, email me at leroy.gardner@gmail.com.
ohh, I don’t know about Dellagata at 165. Yes, he won when it mattered and got 2 titles, but Weber was much more dominant–even during the year he got 3rd: wrestling the tournament with a torn MCL (you DID factor injury in a bit at 125…) and losing in the semis in a stalled out 0-1 match.
Florian gets the nod at 141 for reasons stated above…
nice post
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