2014 NCAA Preview: 197 lbs.
2013 Champion: Mike Benefiel, Elmhurst
2014 Field (with rankings)
| West 1 | Michaelis | St. John’s |
| West 2 | Reuteler | Concordia Wisconsin |
| West 3 | (8) Hechsel | Augsburg |
| Central 1 | (1) Coolidge | Cornell |
| Central 2 | (4) Soriano | Wartburg |
| Central 3 | (10) Horner | Coe |
| Midwest 1 | (2) Siefert | Whitewater |
| Midwest 2 | (9) Balderas | Elmhurst |
| Midwest 3 | Oneil | Wabash |
| Mideast 1 | (5) Lowry | Thiel |
| Mideast 2 | (6) Glover | Brockport |
| Mideast 3 | Russell | Heidelberg |
| East 1 | (7) Karns | Delaware Valley |
| East 2 | Psomas | Ursinus |
| East 3 | Bach | Wilkes |
| Northeast 1 | (3) Giaramita | Cortland |
| Northeast 2 | Hologitas | Trinity |
| Northeast 3 | Parcel | Roger Williams |
Alex Coolidge of Cornell enters as the favorite after a runner up finish in 2013 and a win at the Central Regional, but he will definitely be challenged. He has split matches this year with #2 Shane Siefert of Whitewater who finished 4th in this weight last season. Coolidge also split with #4 Soriano of Wartburg, but as with Siefert, he won the most recent matchup to earn the #1 spot. Siefert has only that one loss to Coolidge on his DIII record this year, so he will be a definite contender for the title. #3 Joe Giaramita was 8th at 285 in 2012, but he has dropped to 197 this year and also has just one DIII loss to Parcel of Roger Williams, who he split with this season. #7 Karns and #8 Hechsel finished in 6th and 7th place, respectively, last year, and each will be looking for a second trip to the podium.
#5 Jacob Lowry of Thiel is the only undefeated wrestler in this weight, though the only wrestlers in the field he has faced are the two from his own region. He at least beat both of those guys, while Jake Reuteler of Eau Claire has not defeated any of the wrestlers in the field and has lost the the three he has faced. Two of the unranked wrestlers are making repeat appearances in the tournament, as Shane Parcel of Roger Williams qualified at 184 last season and Ryan Michaelis returns at 197. Michaelis seems like the better chance to place coming off his win over Hechsel, who spent a short time at #1 in the NWCA rankings, in the regional semifinals.