Preview – 174 lbs.

174 lbs.

2011 Seeds
1. Kwiat, Ohio Northern
2. Schmitz, UW-Lax
3. Molitor, Augsburg
4. Reilly, King’s
5. Pfarr, St. John’s
6. Broderick, TCNJ
7. Priest, Ithaca
8. Banks, Wartburg

Returning All-Americans
Schmitz, UW-Lax, 1st in 2010, 4th in 2009
Kwiat, Ohio Northern, 4th in 2010
Molitor, Augsburg, 3rd in 2010, 6th in 2009

Three of the top four from last year return, but those three are the only All-Americans in the weight. Schmitz is the returning champ and has a pair of close wins over Molitor this year. He did lose to Markou of Trine who Kwiat subsequently beat at the same event. Kwiat has not yet run into either Schmitz or Molitor, but that win over Markou vaulted Kwiat into the top spot in the rankings for much of the season’s second half. Molitor’s only Division III losses are those two to Schmitz. On paper, it is a three man race to the top, but some of the other competitors could easily have something to say about that.

Reilly dropped from 184 to 174 late in the year, but back at 184 he defeated Jenkins of Mount Union, and Jenkins defeated a bumped up Kwiat in a dual meet. He is a big 174 lb. wrestler and could cause some problems for the top seeds. Priest has qualified twice but only one one match in his two trips before stumbling in the Empire tournament last season and failing to qualify. He has the ability to get into the high places. The only other returning qualifier not yet mentioned is 2009 qualifier Dormann of Stevens. He is 35-3 so far and had to defeat a top ten wrestler just to make it here this season.

Prediction: This one is a bit unconventional, but Reilly is dangerous enough that a hot weekend lands him on top of the podium in a weight with a lot of upsets.