Ohio State Wrestling (2015/2017/2018 B1G Champs, 2015 National Champs, 2019 National Runners-up)

[RB07OSU]

Great finish for the Bucks. 148.5 points.

Bouzakis - 3rd
Davino - champ
Mendez - champ
Stiles - 2nd
Cannon - 4th
Gallagher - 7th
Kharchla - 3rd
Fishback - 7th
Geog - 3rd
Feldman - 3rd

An excellent performance by the team, really we were not a mile away from PSU. Fishback, Bouzakis, Cannon (if healthy), Paddy and Feldman could all place where they did or even slightly higher at NCAAs. Not likely that they all do that, just sayin that giving PSU a run at NCAAs could get interesting if they get some upsets against them. Not at all likely but regardless, you have to love this overall performance for our wrestling Bucks.

 

[MPhillips]

Tom Ryan B1G coach of the year.

Mendez B1G wrestler of the year.

Davino B1G freshman of the year.

 

[Romanowski]

Tom Ryan B1G coach of the year.

Mendez B1G wrestler of the year.

Davino B1G freshman of the year.

Current Penn State fans:

Not Cael?!?
Not Mesenbrink?!?!?
Not Duke or Blaze?!?!?!?!?

Well deserved on all fronts. Davino has been fun to watch all year and he definitely learned from his previous match with Blaze. I think he deserved it over PJ Duke. Mendez is a true ambassador of the sport and of OSU. People like him don’t come around very often. I’m hoping he gets the Hodge Trophy as well.

I think (hope) we will start to see some more parity in the sport over the next few years. Okie State and VA Tech will have some good teams and will challenge Penn State on the individual level. Ohio State will be right there.

I’m curious if Tom Ryan dips his toes into the portal again after the season is over or if he tries to swing some other previously committed recruits our way.

 

[buckeyeintn]

Current Penn State fans:
View attachment 86264
Not Cael?!?
Not Mesenbrink?!?!?
Not Duke or Blaze?!?!?!?!?

Well deserved on all fronts. Davino has been fun to watch all year and he definitely learned from his previous match with Blaze. I think he deserved it over PJ Duke. Mendez is a true ambassador of the sport and of OSU. People like him don’t come around very often. I’m hoping he gets the Hodge Trophy as well.

I think (hope) we will start to see some more parity in the sport over the next few years. Okie State and VA Tech will have some good teams and will challenge Penn State on the individual level. Ohio State will be right there.

I’m curious if Tom Ryan dips his toes into the portal again after the season is over or if he tries to swing some other previously committed recruits our way.

With limited NIL (reported $400k) and no revenue sharing for wrestling at tOSU it will be very difficult in the portal for Ryan. Ped State has a reported $1.5 million revenue sharing and a lot more than that NIL. After poaching Rocco last year you don't think they and others (Okie State for one) will make a run at Davino? Not saying they'll get him, but they'll make a run. That said, I wouldn't bet against Ryan. He's done a great job keeping his guys.

 

[Romanowski]

With limited NIL (reported $400k) and no revenue sharing for wrestling at tOSU it will be very difficult in the portal for Ryan. Ped State has a reported $1.5 million revenue sharing and a lot more than that NIL. After poaching Rocco last year you don't think they and others (Okie State for one) will make a run at Davino? Not saying they'll get him, but they'll make a run. That said, I wouldn't bet against Ryan. He's done a great job keeping his guys.

I don't think Okie State will have any interest in Davino nor would Penn State. Okie State has Jax Forrest wrestling now at 133. He enrolled early from high school this January and steamrolled his way to the Big12 title. Not only that, but they have the Raney brothers coming in next year too at lower weights. Unless these guys all bump up a weigh class, I’m not sure if I see it.

VA Tech will be tough next year, but has Seidel at 133 and he’s a freshman too. There aren’t many schools that would be willing to dish out a big NIL deal other than Iowa State, and from what I understand, Davino loves Ohio State.

Penn State is in an interesting spot. They have U20 and Senior World Champ Masanosuke Ono waiting in the wings at 133 too. I believe he is a junior and will have one or two years of eligibility. He is redshirting to get used to Folkstyle. Think Echemendia when he was at OSU. Super talented, but equally raw. Ono is a lot better.

Maybe Blaze takes a redshirt next year to allow Ono a season, or maybe Blaze bumps up to 141 and replaces Davis. Maybe OSU can convince Blaze to come home too! I have a theory of who Penn State’s main NIL booster is and his pockets are as deep as they get. I would assume Blaze got a truck load to go to Penn State. That said, I think some of this depends on how well he does at the NCAAs this year.

Regardless, great time to be a fan of wrestling across the board. A lot of good wrestlers out there that are good humans too, that are doing their thing to get younger kids enthused about the sport. Cleveland is going to be rocking. Can’t wait!

 

[MPhillips]

Through B1G

Runner up finish to PSU. 18-1 record. #3.

125-Bouzakis third. 133-Davino Champ. 141-Mendez Champ. 149-Stiles runner up.157- Cannon fourth. 174-Kharch third. 197-Geog third. 285-Feldman third. 165-Paddy and 184-Fishback seventh.

Qualified all ten wrestlers to Cleveland.

Ryan-Coach of the Year. Davino -Freshman of the Year. Mendez Wrestler of the Year.

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Luke Lilledahl, Penn State, 125
Ben Davino, Ohio State, 133
Jesse Mendez, Ohio State, 141
Shayne Van Ness, Penn State, 149
PJ Duke, Penn State, 157
Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State 165
Levi Haines, Penn State, 174
Rocco Welsh, Penn State, 184
Josh Barr, Penn State, 197
Taye Ghadiali, Michigan, 285

ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Jore Volk, Minnesota, 125
Marcus Blaze, Penn State, 133
Brock Hardy, Nebraska, 141
Ethan Stiles, Ohio State, 149
Antrell Taylor, Nebraska, 157
Mikey Caliendo, Iowa, 165
Christopher Minto, Nebraska, 174
Max McEnelly, Minnesota, 184
Camden McDanel, Nebraska, 197
AJ Ferrari, Nebraska, 285

 

[MPhillips]

https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/files/2026%20NCAA%20DI%20Brackets.pdf

 

[Romanowski]

Damn, Davino with the 2 seed is tough. He was ranked ahead of Forrest heading into the weekend, beat Blaze, who was #1, and won the B1G and the minds give Forrest the 1 seed?

[tin foil cap]I guess they want to see rematches and are assuming Seidel and Davino lose to see Blaze vs Forrest in the final.[/tin foil cap]

125 Bouzakis: 3 seed
133 Davino: 2 seed
141 Mendez: 1 seed
149 Stiles: 7 seed
157 Cannon: 8 seed
165 Gallagher: 16 seed
174 Kharchla: 4 seed
184 Fishback: 12 seed
197 Geog: 12 seed
285 Feldman: 5 seed

Some tough draws for our guys and some equally tough draws for other guys on top teams other than Penn State. Freshman Jaxon Joy from Cornell and from Wadsworth, is the 2 seed at 149. He and Stiles have a good shot at meeting.

I’m going to be optimistic about Geog’s and Fishback’s draws. I don’t mind them, nor do I mind Bouzakis’s and Kharchla’s. Bouzakis should see Volk in the quarters and get some revenge. Cannon gets healthier and goes nuts. Feldman gets a 4th shot at Ferrari and moves on for a rematch with Bastida.

Tangent alert and perhaps a hot take or two. I think Van Ness goes down and so does Welsh. Lilledhal could also get upset. They could have 8 champs or 3. Shapiro could beat Duke. Haines could get upset by either Mantanona or Facundo in the top half of the bracket. A lot can happen. Side note, Penn State wrestling fans are up there as the worst of the worst. They are extremely good at multitasking though. They have achieved dead nuts balance between gobbling their team’s proverbial cock and then removing said cock and talking shit with their penis breath to everybody else. Once they’re done talking shit, back to gargling nuts.

Projections, based on seeds, have Ohio State coming in 3rd behind Oklahoma State and Penn State.