2022 Central Region Preview
Friday & Saturday, February 25 & 26
Adrian College
Teams (20): Adrian, Albion, Alma, Baldwin Wallace, Case Western Reserve, Defiance, Heidelberg, Hiram, John Carroll, Manchester, Mount St. Joseph, Mount Union, Muskingum, Ohio Northern, Ohio Wesleyan, Olivet, Otterbein, Trine, Wabash, Wilmington
NWCA Ranked Tournament Teams
3. Wabash
4. Baldwin Wallace
8. Mount Union
14. Mount St. Joseph
15. Olivet
Top Ten Ranked Wrestlers – February 4th Ranking
125: #1 Decatur (Baldwin Wallace)
133: #4 Massey (Mount Union), #6 Perelka (John Carroll)
141: #2 James (Mount Union)
149: #4 Petrella (Baldwin Wallace), #7 Murphy (Olivet), #10 Sumner (Ohio Northern)
157:
165: #2 Hatch (Wabash)
174: #1 Beachem (Mount St. Joseph)
184: #4 McCloud (Mount St. Joseph), #7 Salmon (Baldwin Wallace)
197: #7 Byrne (Baldwin Wallace), #8 Heldt (Wabash)
285: #1 Bishop (Wabash)
Wabash and Baldwin Wallace lead the way here. They are 3rd and 4th in the tournament rankings and 4th and 5th in the last NWCA Dual Rankings. Both teams have multiple ranked wrestlers and a slew of guys just outside the top ten. The schools wrestled to a close 18-15 Wabash win at the National Duals. The teams bookend the national individual rankings with Decatur of Baldwin Wallace 1st at 125 and Bishop of Wabash 1st at 285.
Jacob Decatur transferred to Baldwin Wallace this year after a few seasons at Ohio State. His older brother Jordan was a two-time NCAA qualifier for Baldwin Wallace in 2015 and 2017. This year, Jacob Decatur is 27-1 with his only loss coming to the #1 ranked defending Division II champion Cole Laya of West Liberty.
Cornell Beachem was the undefeated top seed heading into the canceled 2020 championship at 174 lbs., and he enters the postseason in 2022 in a similar spot. He is 14-0 and won the Pete Willson Wheaton Invitational. Max Bishop is 28-1 and ranked 1st at heavyweight. His only loss was outside DIII. He, along with teammate and 165 lbs. #2 ranked Kyle Hatch (#1 in NWCA rankings, 24-0 record), gives the Little Giants two great shots at individual titles in Cedar Rapids.
Finally, there is one returning NCAA Champion in this field. Jordin James of Mount Union was the 2019 champion at 133 lbs. He is 14-0 at 141 and will be looking to add another championship trophy to his collection.