Quick Facts on 2016 National Finalists
Here are a few notes on the national finalists at the NCWA Championships. Their records are current going into the finals.
125 lbs.
(3 seed) Brent Newcomer (21-11)
Fr., Emmanuel College
1st All-American season
Perry Hall, Md. (Perry Hall HS)
* beat Sakow 2-1 in OT for SEC title
* was a 3rd-place winner in HS in Md.
* Kinesiology major
* has 2 pins and 1 MD in this tourney
vs.
(5 seed) Timothy Sakow (31-9)
So., Central Florida
2X All-American (5th
Palm Harbor, Fla.
(Palm Harbor University HS)
* one of 8 UCF All-Americans
* 125-25 career record in HS; state placer in Florida
* Accounting and Finance major
* has an 8-2 record in two national tourneys w/ 2 pins
133 lbs.
(12 seed) Nick Anthony (13-7)
Sr., Central Florida
2X All-American (5th
Fort Myers, Fla. (Fort Myers HS)
* lowest seeded wrestler (12th) to make the finals
* Health Sciences major
* 4th-place finisher in SEC
vs.
(3 seed) Darius Bunch (19-9)
Fr., Emmanuel College
1st All-American season
Buford, Ga. (Buford HS)
* Bunch beat Anthony 2-1 in OT in SEC semi’s
* is 3-3 against NCAA D-2, NAIA and NJCAA opps.
* SEC champion – 3 of 4 semifinalists were from SEC
* 1 pin, 1 MD in tourney thus far
141 lbs.
(2 seed) Zach Cooper (17-1)
Jr., Grand Valley State
1st All-American season
Whitehall, Mich. (Whitehall HS)
* Great Lakes champion
* this is 1 of 3 title bouts pairing 1 vs. 2 seeds
* has 3 pins and one Tech in this tourney
* won GLC with two Tech’s in QF’s and Semi’s
vs.
(1 seed) Will Hale (19-4)
Jr., Emmanuel College
1st All-American season
Loganville, Ga. (Loganville HS)
* transfer from Brewton-Parker (was NAIA reg. Q’fier)
* pinned Cooper in a match at National Duals
* SEC champ.; opened tourn. w/ 2 pins in rds of 32/16
* HS career record of 194-19; 2X st. champ, 3X placer
* Secondary Education major
149 lbs.
(1 seed) Nick Cegelski (26-0)
Sr., USC
4X All-American (all @ 149, 6th
* is the 27###sup 4X All-American in NCWA history (over 19 yrs)
* West Coast Conf. champion
* started the USC program as a freshman in 2012
* 74-12 in career for an .860 win pct.
* 19-7 all-time at national tourney, which is tied for most career national tourney wins in NCWA history)
* one of 4 undefeated wrestlers left (George Speiller at 174, William Vincent at 235, Mo Fifita at 285)
vs.
(2 seed) Ty Haines (27-8)
Sr., Penn State-DuBois
2X All-American (7###sup @ 149 in 2015)
New Bethlehem, Pa.
(Redbank Valley HS)
* Mideast Conf. champ
* 2nd year in NCWA – 57-21 career rec. (30-13 last yr.)
* would be PSU-DuBois’ first NCWA champion
157 lbs.
(4 seed) Joseph Prieto (17-6)
Fr., Colorado
1st All-American season
Broomfield, Colo. (Holy Family HS)
* Colorado’s 1st All-American since 2011 (John Combs)
* joins brother Julian (157 lbs.) as an All-American
* upset top-seed Jeremiah Lutz in semi’s, by fall 2:48
* Great Plains Conf. champion has 2 pins in this tourn.
vs.
(3 seed) Trace Thome (29-8)
Jr., Florida
2X All-American (6th @ 149 in ‘15)
Loxahatchee, Fla. (Seminole Ridge HS)
* SEC runner-up; has 1 pin and a MD in this tourn.
* Florida’s first national finalist since 2006 (Ricky Rieck)
* career record of 43-13; was 14-5 last season (6th)
* beat 2-seed Trey Gregory of J. Madison in semi’s
165 lbs.
(7 seed) Austin Geerlings (17-6)
Sr., Grand Valley State
2X All-American (4th
Kentwood, Mich. (East Kentwood HS)
* took two years away, was 39-7 in 2013 (NCWA 4th)
* had to MFF out of Great Lakes Conf. tourney, but was a wild card entry to nationals
* beat returning All-Am. and 2-seed Clay Kocsis in Qtr’s
* has 2 pins and a tech in this tourney
vs.
(1 seed) Ricky Padilla (35-2)
Fr., Air Force Academy Prep
1st All-American season
Covina, Calif. (Northview HS)
* one of 3 AFA Prep school finalists
* has 1 pin and one MD in this tourn.
* Great Plains champ.
* only one of 5 top-seeds to reach the finals
174 lbs.
(2 seed) Josh Ferenczy (37-10)
Jr., Liberty
1st All-American season
Staten Island, N.Y. (Curtis HS)
* Mid-Atlantic champ.
* career record of 64-24; was 27-14 in 2014
* Liberty has had multiple All-Ams in all
* Ferenczy is also an experienced Jiu-Jitsu artist and grappler
* tied for 2nd-most wins among finalists
vs.
(1 seed) Geordan Speiller (16-0)
Jr., Central Florida
1st All-American season
Oviedo, Fla. (Oviedo HS)
* beat Ferenczy by MD, 24-10, at Virginia Duals
* has 2 pins and a tech in this tourn.
* SEC champion
* one of only 4 undefeated wrestlers left (Nick Cegelski at 149, William Vincent at 235, Mo Fifita at 285)
* U.S. Open Greco-Roman champ. at 75 kg
* Pan-Am Olympic qualifier for U.S.
184 lbs.
(8 seed) Cody Chaney (37-5)
Jr., Emmanuel College
1st All-American season
Plant City, Fla. (Plant City HS)
* tied for 2nd-most wins among finalists
* SEC champion; beat Dobler 5-3 in final (only mtg.)
* 23-5 against NCAA D-2, NAIA and NJCAA comp.
* 14-0 against NCWA
* transfer from Brewton-Parker, was 3-time team capt.
* was 2012 Florida state HS runner-up
vs.
(2 seed) Chandler Dobler (40-6)
Fr., Central Florida
1st All-American season
Lithia, Fla. (Newsome HS)
* highest win total among finalists
* 21-5 vs. NCAA D-2, NAIA and NJCAA competition
* had 1 pin and 1 MD in tourn., plus 10-2 and 11-0 wins
* 101-35 career record in HS
197 lbs.
(1 seed) Maveric Rechsteiner (31-11)
Jr., Emmanuel College
1st All-American season
Woodstock, Ga. (Etowah HS)
*SEC champion
* 4 pins in this tourn.; now has 12 pins among wins
* 2X state placer in Georgia, HS career rec. of 189-21
* transfer from Brewton-Parker
vs.
(6 seed) Matt Wagner (27-8)
Fr., Air Force Academy Prep
1st All-American season
Milford, Pa. (Delaware Valley HS)
* Great Plains Conf. champion
* 12-6 vs. non-NCWA competition
* AFA Prep has had 19 All-Ams the past 6 yrs
* AFA Prep has had at least two All-Ams the past 6
* has two MD’s in this tourn.
* won semi’s over 2-seed Tyrell Walker of UCF
235 lbs.
(4 seed) William Vincent (17-0)
So., Mott CC
2X All-American (7th @
Corunna, Mich. (Corunna HS)
* two pins, one MD, one shutout in tourn. thus far
* 2nd finalist in Mott CC’s history (and 1st since 2011)
* one of only 4 undefeated wrestlers left (Nick Cegelski at 149, Geordan Speiller at 174, Mo Fifita at 285)
* won 165 matches in HS (165-35)
vs.
(3 seed) Stevan Webb (21-1)
So., Connecticut
2X All-American (8th @ 285 in ’15)
Whippany, N.J. (Whippany Park HS)
* 1st national finalist in UConn’s history
* two pins in tourn., including semi. vs. AFA Prep
* Northeast Conf. champ.
285 lbs.
(2 seed) Mosese Fifita (13-0)
Fr., Air Force Academy Prep
1st All-American season
Snohomish, Wash.
(Glacier Peak HS)
* Great Plains champ.
* former Wash. state champ.; career 131-29 HS rec.
* one of AFA Prep’s 19 All-Ams in the past 6 yrs
* one of only 4 undefeated wrestlers left (Nick Cegelski at 149, Geordan Speiller at 174, William Vincent at 235)
vs.
(4 seed) Jesse Gaudin (19-7)
So., Central Florida
1st All-American season
Brooksville, Fla. (Hernando HS)
* SEC champion
* 2014 state champion in Fla., 3rd in 2013
* 146-20 in HS
* one of 5 finalists for UCF