NEWA Preview
Please Note: These are predictions of what will happen at a specific tournament on a specific date. They are not seedings or rankings. We have seen all the results and made predictions based off those results. We may predict someone to win, even if they recently lost to a conference opponent, but that does not mean we did not see the results.
All week long, d3wrestle.com will be publishing previews of each of the NCAA qualifying tournaments to be held this weekend. In addition to predicting winners and identifying the top athletes at each weight, we will attempt to predict all 160 qualifiers based on the number of wildcards available for each qualifying tournament. With nine qualifiers, d3wrestle.com will publish two each day, with the last one appearing Friday morning.
New England Wrestling Association – 14 qualifiers
Predicted Team Champ: Johnson & Wales
Top Individual: Jerome Owens, JWU
Returning NCAA Qualifiers: Ethan Cohen (Williams 125), Steve Valastro (Southern Maine 133, 2007), Frank Cammissa (Bridgewater State 149), Dylan Rittenburg (Williams 149), Mike Martini (Rhode Island 157), Mike Morin (Southern Maine 165), Jerome Owens (JWU 174, 8th NCAA), Bryan Lenhardt (JWU 184, 6th NCAA), Glen Geesman (MIT 285, 3rd NCAA)
Fifteen teams is a lot for a conference with just four wildcards, so disbursing those wildcards will be a challenge for the NEWA coaches. An easy choice, however, was Jerome Owens as the top wrestler. He is ranked #1 and has yet to lose. Other top wrestlers include the undefeated Morin at 165, All-Americans Lenhardt (184) and Geesman (285), 2x qualifier Cammissa, and the dangerous Malo, who could end up as the best finisher of any NEWA wrestler. The NEWA got just its third NCAA champion in history last year. Perhaps this year they will go for four.
Weight by Weight (predicted qualifiers in bold)
125 Prediction: Dan Bloom, Wesleyan
Top Challengers: Ethan Cohen, Williams; Billy Cole, USM; James Soprano, JWU; Grant Kadokura, MIT
133 Prediction: Stephen Valastro, USM
Top Challengers: Nicholas Cucciniello, JWU; Scott Legacy, Rhode Island
141 Prediction: Corey Paulish, Williams (note: Van Dyk of JWU is not competing)
Top Challengers: Mike Trasso, Rhode Island; Andrew Hawley, RWU; Ryan McGilvray, Springfield
149 Prediction: Frank Cammisa, Bridgewater State
Top Challengers: Dylan Rittenburg, Williams; Kevin Sutherland, Rhode Island
157 Prediction: Mike Martini, Rhode Island
Top Challengers: Carl Breitenstein, Williams; Marcus Moyer, USM
165 Prediction: Mike Morin, USM
Top Challengers: Chris Perry, Springfield; Josh Berkovic, Wesleyan; Clayton Brittingham, Norwich
174 Prediction: Jerome Owens, JWU
Top Challenger: Greg Hurd, Wesleyan
184 Prediction: Bryan Lenhardt, JWU
Top Challenger: Nick Logan, Rhode Island; Greg Dussol, Springfield; James Woods, RWU
197 Prediction: Ryan Malo, Williams
Top Challengers: Joe Silverman, MIT; Dan Woods, RWU; Josh StOurs, Plymouth State
285 Prediction: Glen Geesman, MIT
Top Challengers: Chris Brown, Springfield; Greg Vaughn, Trinity; Phil Kelly, RWU