2019 NCAA Preview: 157 lbs.
- Cross Cannone, Wartburg
- Ryan Epps, Augsburg
- Kaidon Winters, RIT
- Antwon Pugh, Mount Union
- Brandon Murray, Loras
- Bradan Birt, Millikin
- Trevor Corl, Lycoming
- Gran Zamin, La Crosse
Christopher Muce, Centenary
Dylan Dwyer, NYU
Hunter Neely, Washington & Jefferson
Jared Lough, Averett
Jared Timberman, Wabash
JT Beirne, TCNJ
Keone Derain, Elmhurst
Richard Burke, Baldwin Wallace
Ryan Monteiro, Western New England
Tyler Marsh, WPI
This is the only weight where returning champs could meet up. Ryan Epps of Augsburg won this weight class last year and has a single DIII loss. That loss is to Wartburg’s Cross Cannone, the champion at 149 last year. Cannone is riding a 61 match winning streak dating back to his loss in the 2017 finals at 141. Cannone provided a crucial win for the Knights over Epps in the annual Battle of the Burgs won by Wartburg on a tiebreaker.
Cannone and Epps are the favorites, but the 3rd and 4th seeds at this weight are both undefeated so far. Kaidon Winters of RIT lost in the round of 12 last year but has not lost since. He has wins over five wrestlers in the bracket. Antwon Pugh of Mount Union sports an identical 31-0 record to Winters and also has five wins in the bracket. Epps is the only returning All-American at the weight, but Bradan Birt of Millikin and Trevor Corl of Lycoming wrestled for 7th at 149 last year with Birt taking that matchup.
Keone Derain of Elmhust and Christopher Muce of Centenary are both back at the tournament after qualifying in 2017. #5 Brandon Murray of Loras is a former NJCAA All-American and 2x national qualifier for Iowa Central. Tyler Marsh is a 2x qualifier for WPI and the first to qualify in consecutive years for the team since 2004.