2023 NCAA Preview: 165 lbs.
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| Northeast 1 | Nathan Lackman | Rhode Island |
| Northeast 2 | Cooper Pontelandolfo | NYU |
| Northeast 3 | Michael Angers | Castleton |
| Mideast 1 | Nick Sacco | TCNJ |
| Mideast 2 | Austin Lamb | RIT |
| Mideast 3 | Brian Schneider | Elizabethtown |
| Southeast 1 | Matt Lackman | Alvernia |
| Southeast 2 | Harrison Kelly | Washington & Lee |
| Southeast 3 | Zach Needles | Messiah |
| Central 1 | Jordan Hardrick | Ohio Northern |
| Central 2 | Zach Altman | Adrian |
| Central 3 | Luke Reicosky | John Carroll |
| Lower Midwest 1 | Gabe Fiser | Loras |
| Lower Midwest 2 | Cole Cervantes | North Central |
| Lower Midwest 3 | Nathan Fuller | Wartburg |
| Upper Midwest 1 | Noah Leisgang | UW-La Crosse |
| Upper Midwest 2 | Cooper Willis | Augsburg |
| Upper Midwest 3 | Tristan Massie | UW-Eau Claire |
There are several sets of brothers in this tournament but just one in the same weight class. 2022 NCAA 157 lbs. champion Nathan Lackman has moved up to 165 where his brother Matt was an All-American last season. With the top three at this weight all gone from last season, Nathan slotted into the top spot in his new weight and has gone undefeated save three DI losses at the Midlands where he placed 6th. He capped his regional title with a win over returning All-American Cooper Pontelandolfo of NYU. Matt is undefeated and dominated his region with three falls and a tech fall.
Austin Lamb of RIT joins Matt Lackman and Pontelandolfo as returning placewinners at this weight. Lamb came into the region with a single injury default loss to Sacco on his record and finished in second place, dropping a 4-0 decision to Sacco in the finals. Sacco has not lost since December and has defeated both Lower Midwest finalists this season. Brian Schneider of Elizabethtown joined teammate Ganon Smith to give his team qualifiers for the first time since 2018 while leading the team to its best regional finish in a decade.
Returning 2022 157 lbs. All-American Luke Reicosky lost a 3-1 overtime match in the Central semis to Altman before bouncing back with a 3-1 overtime victory to make the tournament again. His only prior loss this season was to Lamb in the RIT finals, though he missed a chunk of the season between the Citrus Invitational and February 7th. Altman forfeited the Hardrick of ONU in the regional final after Hardrick had to go deep into the rarely seen second set of tiebreakers to earn his spot in the finals.
Gabe Fiser of Loras was a perhaps unexpected champ in the Lower Midwest region, entering the tournament with 10 losses on an admittedly tough schedule. He did qualify last year and place 4th at the 2021 NWCA tournament, so getting to Roanoke is not as much of a shock as defeating the top seed and 5th ranked Fuller to earn his finals spot then prevailing over Cervantes in that math. Fuller has just two losses in his first season for the Knights after transferring from Minnesota, and both are to wrestlers from Loras.