2016 NCAA Preview: 141 lbs.
Drew Van Anrooy of Luther was the runner-up last year in a dramatic overtime match
2015 Champion: Cary Palmer, Hunter
2016 Field
| Central 1 | Van Anrooy | Luther |
| Central 2 | Martin | Cornell College |
| Central 3 | Williams | Millikin University |
| East 1 | Drummond | McDaniel |
| East 2 | Budzek | The College of New Jersey |
| East 3 | Wilson | Stevens Institute Of Technology |
| Mideast 1 | Kihn | Heidelberg |
| Mideast 2 | Border | Mount Union |
| Mideast 3 | Warner | York (PA) |
| Midwest 1 | Nehls | Elmhurst |
| Midwest 2 | Binion | North Central (IL) |
| Midwest 3 | Venezia | Wabash |
| Northeast 1 | Giblin | Rhode Island College |
| Northeast 2 | Seyfried | Williams College |
| Northeast 3 | Wahba | Ithaca |
| West 1 | Henle | St. Johns (MN) |
| West 2 | Behnke | Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
| West 3 | Wilson | Augsburg |
Drew Van Anrooy came agonizingly close to a championship last season but fell just short. This year, he is undefeated but with just 20 matches to his name. In a weight with only two returning All-Americans from last year, he is a clear, if not overwhelming favorite. Van Anrooy came to Luther after wrestling at Oregon State and has been everything the Norse expected him to be in his two years in Iowa. His top challengers are a pair of All-Americans from prior seasons. Nathaniel Behnke of Eau Claire and Jimmy Nehls of Elmhurst have each placed 5th in the past (Nehls in 2014 at 133 and Behnke in 2013 at 141), and both have had outstanding seasons. Nehls transferred from Whitewater to find a spot in the lineup, and the decision has paid off. Behnke has a new coach this year in former d3wrestle.com Coach of the Year Tim Fader, and Fader has a track record of getting his guys to perform in the postseason.
Layten Binion finished 6th last year but was potentially on the outside looking in at 141 with three ranked individuals in his region ahead of him. Of those three, only Nehls made it through, and Binion secured another trip to the championships where he is the only other returning placewinner from last year besides Van Anrooy. Jeremy Border of Mount Union finished 3rd at 133 in 2014 and qualified at the same weight last year but defaulted out of the tournament before wrestling a match. He was the runner up in the Mideast to Justin Kihn of Heidelberg. Another wrestler to watch is Chris Williams of Millikin, one of two wrestlers to qualify for his team in their first season back on the mats since 2008.