197 lb. Recap

This bracket now has UCF and Apprentice wrestlers in the same half of the bracket awaiting a potential semifinal matchup. Second-seeded Ross Graham of Apprentice blew through two tech falls on Thursday to advance to the quarters, and he'll face Grays Harbor's 7-seed Jack Dahlgren, who had two pins on the first day. UCF's 3-seed Randolph Prud'homme takes on an underdog by seeding but an experienced wrestler in 11-seed Costas Hatzipavlides, a returning All-American from the Iowa State Wrestling Club. Hatzipavlides shocked two-time All-American and 6-seed Jesse Slocum of Akron in the round of 16 with a 10-1 major decision.

Top-seeded Robert LaPeter could become Florida State's first NCWA All-American with a quarterfinal win, but it will come in a tough matchup against 8-seed River Robertson of Maine. Robertson is a three-time All-American with top-five finishes at 184 the past three seasons. LaPeter reached the quarters with two first-period pins and a 4-1 decision. Robertson had a pin and a major decision on Thursday.

The other quarterfinal pairs upstart 12-seed Broc Dokos of Springfield Tech against returning All-American Sean Kennedy of Middle Tennessee. Dokos rocked the bracket with an 11-1 major decision over Liberty's Taylor Westlake, the 5-seed who took fourth at 184 last year. Kennedy was third at this weight last season, and reached the quarters with a first-period pin in the round of 16 following a tech fall to open his tournament.

235 lb. Recap

The 235-pound bracket has been loaded from the start with eight returning All-Americans. Seven of them reached the quarterfinals representing a total of 10 All-American honors for what should be a great set of matches toward the close of the Friday morning session. The only reason eight aren't the quarters is one of them lost to another when Luttere Eglaus of UCF edged Clemson's Danny Falconer, 6-4, in the round of 16. Eglaus is the lowest-seeded of the quarterfinalists at 11 but still took Falconer's sixth-seeded spot. Falconer was Clemson's first All-American under the NCWA banner after a fourth-place finish at 197 last year. Eglaus takes on third-seeded Harun Bogdanic, an experienced wrestler from Grand Valley State and a two-time All-American.

Just beneath them on the lower half of the bracket are Stevan Webb of Connecticut, a three-time All-American looking for a fourth, and Richie McClendon of Middle Tennessee. Webb, the 2-seed, and McClendon, the 7 seed, each earned two pins on the first day to advance.

Austin Amos of Liberty is the top seed, a returning All-American with a pin and a tech fall already under his belt. Amos placed eight at 197 in 2017 and will face Giovanni Guarnero of Winona State, the 9-seed who took sixth at this weight last year. The Ohio State Wrestling Club earned its first All-American last year when Seth Brennock placed fourth in this weight class. He's back as the 4-seed and has already racked up 41 points in two matches winning by tech fall and a 22-10 major decision. He'll face 5-seed Drew Barrett of Queens, who won a narrow 3-1 opener before winning by tech fall in the round of 16.