2012 – 184 lbs. Preview

 184 Engelland vs Denver (2)

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

  • 1 Denver (TCNJ)
  • 2 Rau (Elmhurst)
  • 3 Azinger (Wartburg)
  • 4 Martocello (York)
  • 5 Dwyer (Whitewater)
  • 6 Reilly (King’s)
  • 7 Engelland (Oshkosh)
  • 8 Hagen (St. John’s)
  • Ajayi (Wesleyan)
  • Ball (Coe)
  • Broll (Buena Vista)
  • Jenkins (Mt. Union)
  • Korpi (Cortland)
  • Pennisi (Chicago)
  • Pieper (Trine)
  • Rhoads (Wabash)
  • Schott (USMMA)
  • Stewart (Messiah)

Five returning All-Americans highlight a weight class that, like 174, has a good group of returning qualifiers. Three of the top six are from the Metro conference as Martocello and Reilly traded wins, but both fell to Denver of TCNJ. Rau of Elmhurst has come on very strong this year, finishing 6th at the Midlands and going undefeated against DIII. He has not wrestled many close matches this year.

Rhoads fell out of the seeding as the final returning All-American. He has two losses to Pieper of Trine and one to Azinger of Wartburg, the wrestler he defeated to become an All-American last year. Pieper has split with 2011 qualifier Stewart of Messiah and had a number of other DIII losses along the way. Engelland is back after losing in the All-American round in 2011 and was the WIAC runner-up to Dwyer. Dwyer was an NJCAA and NAIA All-American previously and graduated high school in 2003.

Broll was a qualifier at 197 a year ago, while Jenkins returns again at 184 as OAC Champ. Hagen is another to watch now that he finally has a spot in the lineup this year.

It looks like any of the top six have a realistic shot at winning this tournament, and how it shakes out will be a lot of fun to watch.