2022 NCAA Preview: 174 lbs.
Rankings are from the February 18th NWCA Poll.
| Northeast 1 | 6. Ross | Johnson & Wales |
| Northeast 2 | Fleming | Castleton |
| Northeast 3 | 13. Gaita | Wesleyan |
| Mideast 1 | 7. Henry | Cortland |
| Mideast 2 | 8. Grygas | Oswego |
| Mideast 3 | Stedeford | RIT |
| Southeast 1 | Major | Stevens |
| Southeast 2 | Ait Boulahri | Delaware Valley |
| Southeast 3 | Kravits | King’s |
| Central 1 | 1. Beachem | Mount St. Joseph |
| Central 2 | 14. Devera | John Carroll |
| Central 3 | Palmer | Baldwin Wallace |
| Lower Midwest 1 | 5. Krakow | Loras |
| Lower Midwest 2 | 2. Mulder | Wartburg |
| Lower Midwest 3 | 9. Westphal | Coe |
| Upper Midwest 1 | 4. Nielsen | Augsburg |
| Upper Midwest 2 | 3. Sarasin | Chicago |
| Upper Midwest 3 | 15. Stricker | UW-Eau Claire |
None of the top four wrestlers in the NWCA rankings wrestled in their regional finals. #1 Cornell Beachem took a forfeit. #2 Mulder forfeited to Krakow, and #3 Sarasin forfeited to #4 Solomon Nielsen. Beachem also took a 3 second injury default win in the semis which gave him the shortest day of any qualifier in the tournament. Beachem started the season in December and seemed to perhaps be less than 100% at the National Duals, but he has come on strong since the Wheaton tournament at the end of January.
Iowa State transfer Zane Mulder is in his second season with Wartburg. After a runner-up finish at 165 at last year’s NWCA DIII tournament, he is undefeated at 174 this season with wins over Krakow and Westphal, the other qualifiers from his region, as well as a wins over Upper Midwest champ Nielson and Southeast champ Major. Major took a forfeit in the finals of a Southeast region lacking in star power at 174. 3rd place finisher Kade Kravits was the first qualifier for King’s since 2014.
Ben Sarasin was an All-American as a freshman in 2019 and qualified in 2020 before missing last year due to COVID-19. He looks to get back on the podium at 174 lbs. this year. The only blemish on his record so far is an injury default at Wheaton. He defeated Nielsen in their matchup earlier in the season before forfeiting in the regional final. Nielsen lost to Mulder and Sarasin for his only DIII defeats this season.
Michael Ross a former Wartburg All-American in 2018 is now at JWU and led the nation in tech falls, including the one he picked up in the regional final. Marco Gaita won four in a row in the Northeast consolation bracket to earn his second trip to the championships. Mideast champ Demitreus Henry has now wrestled runner-up Charlie Grygas three times, winning each of the last two. His only losses are the one to Grygas and one to Beachem at Wheaton.