2012 – 165 lbs. Preview

 165 Josh Terrell vs Nick LeClere (27)

Qualifiers (seeds listed, returning All-Americans in bold, qualifiers in italics)
Brackets

  • 1 LeClere (Coe)
  • 2 Williams (Wartburg)
  • 3 Sanko (Ithaca)
  • 4 Favia (Stevens)
  • 5 Longo (Springfield)
  • 6 Thomson (Gettysburg)
  • 7 Hambleton (Cornell)
  • 8 Myers (Olivet)
  • Bach (Centenary)
  • Burns (Augustana)
  • Crowell (Roger Williams)
  • Eno (Elizabethtown)
  • O’Brien (La Crosse)
  • Painter (ONU)
  • Renon (Lakeland)
  • Teigen (Augsburg)

This weight class really cleared out after last season’s meatgrinder of a weight that featured two former champs as well as the guy who eventually won it. Only two All-Americans return, the better of which is the returning runner up at this weight, LeClere of Coe. He has been your wall to wall #1 ranked wrestler and his only losses were to a DI wrestler and an injury default. The only reason for pause with LeClere is the fact that his injury took him out for six weeks, and he only returned to competition for the IIAC Championships.

Myers of Olivet is the other returning All-American, and he is seeded 8th. He has some questionable defeats on his record so far, but his best win came early in a 2-1 decision over the 2nd seed Williams of Wartburg. Williams has made the most of his chance to start this year, and his only DIII losses this year are to Myers and the #1 seeds at 157 and 165.

Sanko of Ithaca, Favia of Stevens, and Hambleton of Cornell are the only other wrestlers with NCAA experience, and all three are seeded. Sanko beat Favia, while Favia beat the #5 seed Longo and split with #6 Thomson. Longo and Favia gave the freshman Thomson his only two losses of the year, and the rest of the field is making its first trip to the championships.

LeClere will be a tough out for anyone, and he certainly has the best pedigree, but if his layoff ends up hurting him, he could perhaps be had.