photo courtesy of Lindenwood athletics
2021 NCAA Division II Men’s National Wrestling Championship
The 2021 NCAA Division II National Championships will take place March 12th and 13th from the America's Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri. Our own Bryce Villa will provide previews for each and every weight class over the next couple of days. Today we'll start with the lightweights, 125-141 lbs.
125
#2 Joe Arroyo (Wisconsin-Parkside) AA (2020)
#3 Josh Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#4 Isaiah Delacerda (Adams State)
#5 Cole Laya (West Liberty) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#6 Nick Daggett (UNC-Pembroke) 2X AA (2018 & 2020)
#7 Trenton McManus (MSU-Mankato)
#9 Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma)
#10 Christian Mejia (McKendree)
#12 Christian Wellman (Ashland)
#13 Charlie Lenox (Gannon)
Matt Siszka (Pitt-Johnstown)
Kevin Radcliff (Limestone)
Zach Shupp (Newberry)
Cole Jones (MSU-Moorhead) AA (2017)
How loaded is the national tournament going to be at 125 pounds this season? That is a rhetorical question; every single weight at the tournament will be full of absolute studs. Fourteen of the nation’s best lightweights will descend on St Louis to find out who is the absolute best this year. After having their season ripped from their hands by the NCAA 2020, this is their chance to show what the world missed. I am not sure how the seeding will go after what turned out to be a disastrous weekend for the top-three wrestlers in the nation that saw top-ranked Mason Turner (Fort Hays State) miss the tournament and second and third-ranked Joe Arroyo and Josh Portillo forced to receive at-large bids after taking losses.
Overall, 10 wrestlers ranked in the last regular season TheOpenMat rankings managed to navigate the difficulties of the Super Regional format and land in the national tournament. There were surprises as well; newly returned Pitt-Johnstown qualified their senior Matt Siszka, who will enter the national tournament with just a 1-1 record. Cole Jones (MSU-Moorhead) is back seeking his first All-American finish since 2017. Zach Shupp (Newberry) arrived from Central Michigan and is a first-time qualifier for the Wolves. There has to be a pretty good story about how a wrestler arrives at Limestone College from Iowa Central Community College and hopefully, I get to ask first-time qualifier, Kevin Radcliff, about that. Junior Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma) pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend, knocking off Mason Turner and the Campbell transfer has run his perfect record to 7-0. Isaiah Delacerda (Adams State) remained cool under pressure and turned a large deficit into victory when he pinned two-time All-American Josh Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney) in the third period of their finals battle. Joe Arroyo (Wisconsin-Parkside) was forced to battle all the way back to finish third and then was awarded an at-large bid from the Super Regional V coaches. Only Cole Laya (West Liberty) and Nick Daggett (UNC-Pembroke) joined Delacerda with a Super Regional Championship as a top-five ranked athlete.
Quarterfinals
Isaiah Delacerda (Adams State) vs. Christian Mejia (McKendree)
Nick Daggett (UNC-Pembroke) vs. Josh Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney)
Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma) vs. Charlie Lenox (Gannon)
Trenton McManus (MSU-Mankato) vs. Cole Laya (West Liberty)
I nailed my guess on the top-four seeds at this weight class, but after that, I have some disagreements with the seeding committee after that. Cole Jones (MSU-Moorhead) was a surprising seed for me, but it was not a real reach. He just finds himself on a tough side of the bracket and an early battle with Christian Mejia has “upset” written all over it. Otherwise, I think the quarterfinals could play out as planned. Isaiah Delacerda is riding momentum and not having a bye will have him ready to roll. Nick Daggett is a two-time All-American and he will battle a fellow two-timer. Josh Portillo is on a mission and Nick Daggett is the wrestler who stands in his way on that quest. That is not where I would want to be standing, but Daggett has wrestled Cole Laya twice this season and that is about as good a preparation as you can have. Paxton Rosen has not lost this season and he will take on Charlie Lenox, who has not lost to a Division II athlete. Something has to give in this match and I have to think that Lenox’s streak will have to start back over on the backside. Trenton McManus is one of the most fundamentally sound wrestlers in this weight class, but he is overmatched against Cole Laya. Cole was a true freshman All-American in 2019 and looked all set to go two-for-two in Sioux Falls in 2020. I hate to look ahead in this tournament, but I am already thinking about Laya and Rosen getting after it.
Semifinals
Isaiah Delacerda (Adams State) v Josh Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney)
Paxton Rosen (Central Oklahoma) v Cole Laya (West Liberty)
I am excited about the rematch and I know that the two athletes are as well. Josh Portillo is looking to finally return to the national finals after a heartbreaking cancellation last season. Isaiah Delacerda’s win over Portillo was by far his best victory this season and tied the season series at 1-1. Carlos Jacquez is the only D2 athlete who has beaten Portillo twice in one season, not taking anything away from Delacerda, but he is not Carlos Jacquez. Portillo is such a great young man and it always makes me smile when he jokes about the NCAA using the photo from his loss to Jacquez as their cover photo, but you have to know he wants to give them a new one. Paxton Rose and Cole Laya could be the most exciting matchup of this weight class. The Hilltoppers rise has been meteoric with the hiring of Danny Irwin and the talent that chose to go with him has been the biggest part of that surge. If you take the last-second pin that Laya gave up in a match, he was winning by 13 points with less than :10 left; he has been nothing short of perfect. Rosen, however, has been perfect. I honestly do not know if there is a coach in the country who gets his athletes better prepared for the national tournament than Irwin and I think that is the difference here. Not taking anything away from the Hall of Fame coach Todd Steidley, but I am going with my gut on this pick.
Finals
Josh Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Cole Laya (West Liberty)
Top 8
- Josh Portillo- University of Nebraska-Kearney
- Cole Laya - West Liberty University
- Paxton Rosen - University of Central Oklahoma
- Isaiah Delacerda - Adams State
- Nick Daggett - University of North Carolina-Pembroke
- Charlie Lenox - Gannon University
- Trenton McManus - Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Christian Mejia - McKendree University
133
#1 Garrett Vos (St. Cloud State) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#3 Wesley Dawkins (Nebraska-Kearney) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#4 Tyler Warner (West Liberty) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#5 Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood)
#9 Jacob Dunlop (Gannon)
#10 Tyler Kreith (Maryville) AA (2019)
#11 Patrick Allis (Western Colorado) AA (2020)
Logan Seliga (UNC-Pembroke)
Ben Fielding (Belmont Abbey)
Austin Neal (Newberry)
Zane Johnson (Lake Erie)
Tanner Cole (Central Oklahoma)
Brandon Carroll (Augustana)
If you were wondering, this bracket is stacked. I am sure you have already taken the time to recognize that, though if you are taking the time to read through this. The reigning national champion and runner-up are both in the field. We will also see the “Giant Killer” Patrick Allis (Western Colorado) and the last second choice for a starter out of Central Oklahoma Tanner Cole. Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood) has not lost a match in Division II yet this season. Garrett Vos (St. Cloud State) is looking to break the Huskies streak of losing placement matches. He was 6th in 2019 and looked to be one of the favorites last year; he has unfinished business. Jacob Dunlop was part of the weight class shuffle at Gannon that helped them win their first Super Regional I crown this season and he brings a 4-0 record into the tournament that includes wins over a couple of Division I wrestlers. Tyler Warner (West Liberty) has rejoined coach Irwin at the Hilltop and will find himself on the same side of the bracket as his finals matchup from 2019 Wesley Dawkins (Nebraska-Kearney). Dawkins and Warner both won their Super Regionals and they are on a collision course in the semifinals. Austin Neal (Newberry) is back in the tournament after winning a finals match by fall over Logan Seliga (UNC-Pembroke). Austin Neal taking on Patrick Allis right away could be one of the best first-round matches. The runner-up finish was enough to send the talented on top Seliga to St Louis. Brandon Carroll (Augustana) is back into the national tournament after making the trip as a freshman. The senior has only lost three times this season and two of those were against top-ranked Garrett Vos. Tyler Kreith (Maryville) was an All-American in 2019 at 125 pounds; he is back and up a weight as the seventh-seed. Freshman Ben Fielding (Belmont Abbey) is the young gun of this weight class and his revenge win over Logan Seliga at Super Regional II propelled him into the tournament. The quarterfinals are going to be exciting, but the real action at this weight class will start in the semifinals.
Quarterfinals
Garrett Vos (St. Cloud State) vs. Austin Neal (Newberry)
Tanner Cole (Central Oklahoma) vs. Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood)
Wesley Dawkins (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Jacob Dunlop (Gannon)
Tyler Kreith (Maryville) vs. Tyler Warner (West Liberty)
I want to start with the note that this weight class will have a battle between Tanners and Tylers. That guarantees a Tanner and a Tyler making the semifinals at this weight class. I do not think that anyone is stopping Garrett Vos right now and that does not help me make an argument for Austin Neal to move on. Tanner Cole and Tanner Hitchcock met at the Super Regional IV tournament, with the Lion earning a 3-2 victory. This is an early-round match with immediate team race implications for both teams. Wesley Dawkins is ready for the national tournament and is wrestling as well as anyone in the country at any weight right now. He will meet an undefeated Jacob Dunlop, with the winner locked in for an All-American finish. Tyler Kreith has that first-round bye which means he will be rested, but also will not have that warm-up match. Tyler Warner is not a wrestler you want to come into a match against cold; he has a tendency to put opponents in uncomfortable positions. If he does not make the mistake of looking ahead to a semifinals match against Dawkins, he should be locked in.
Semifinals
Garrett Vos (St. Cloud State) vs. Tanner Hitchcock (Lindenwood)
Wesley Dawkins (Nebraska-Kearney) vs. Tyler Warner (West Liberty)
You hate to skip over a semifinal, but it’s hard not to jump down to the 2019 national championships rematch between Wesley Dawkins and Tyler Warner. That match was won by Warner 4-1 and crowned just the second national champion in Wheeling Jesuit University history. Wesley Dawkins was one of four national finalists that year for Nebraska-Kearney. This will be a crazy match and just goes to show that there are no easy matches when you get to the national tournament. This is a toss-up match and I flipped a quarter and tails came up. Then I assigned heads & tails and flipped again and it was heads. Tyler Warner is into the finals. Garrett Vos finished 6th two years ago after an upset sent him to the consolations in Cleveland. Tanner Hitchcock fell in the bloodround and is still looking for his first All-American finish. The winner of this match is guaranteed a place on the podium. Both of these athletes have wrestled close matches this season and come out on top, but I am going to go with the wrestler who has historically won more of these types of battles.
Finals
Garrett Vos (St. Cloud State) vs. Tyler Warner (West Liberty)
For Tyler Warner, this will be his final stop of the rematch tour for the senior from Claymont High School. After the finals rematch from 2019 with Wesley Dawkins, he will get his shot at revenge against Garrett Vos in the finals. In 2020 Vos arrived on Warner’s home mat and hung an 11-6 loss on him in their dual meeting. Vos went on to a perfect season, while Warner missed most of the season with an injury. Warner did return in time to finish as the Super Regional runner-up and qualify for another national tournament. For a wrestling program that has won every national championship since 2015, they have had quite the individual national champion drought. Something has to give; at some point, they have to be able to push someone through, but I am unwilling to bet against a young man who has been there and done that. Tyler Warner with a tough ride out after an escape and a takedown in the second to win 4-1.
Top 8
- Tyler Warner - West Liberty University
- Garrett Vos - St. Cloud State University
- Wesley Dawkins - University of Nebraska-Kearney
- Tanner Hitchcock - Lindenwood University
- Tanner Cole - Central Oklahoma University
- Jacob Dunlop - Gannon University
- Tyler Kreith - Maryville University
- Patrick Allis - Western Colorado State University
141
#1 Colby Smith (Lindenwood) AA (2020)
#2 Isiah Royal (Newberry) 2X AA (2019 & 2020)
#3 Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State) AA (2020)
#4 Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame) 2X AA (2018 & 2020)
#5 Peter Kuster (Drury)
#6 Luke Wymer (Ashland)
#7 Devin Schwartzkopf (McKendree)
#8 Branson Proudlock (Findlay) AA (2020)
#14 Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney)
#15 Austin Hertel (Gannon)
Zachary VanAlst (Coker)
Christian Small (King)
Tate Murty (Upper Iowa)
This weight class is one of the few where my totally awful rankings happened to stand up and the top eight wrestlers managed to advance to the national tournament despite some hiccups. 2019 finalist Isiah Royal (Newberry) needed a wildcard after Christian Small (King) sent him to the wrestlebacks. That opened the door for Zach VanAlst to become Coker College’s first Super Regional champion. Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame) is seeking his third All-American finish and joins Austin Hertel (Gannon) as the representatives from Super Regional I. Colby Smith (Lindenwood) blew through Super Regional IV with three falls and a major decision. Devin Schwartzkopf (McKendree) and Peter Kuster (Drury) also made it through. Kuster took a loss in the Super Regional semifinals to Schwartzkopf and battled back strong to earn the wildcard. Branson Proudlock (Findlay) was a national qualifier last season and earned All-American honors and he earned the big win over Luke Wymer (Ashland) to end the sophomore’s perfect run. There were only three weights in Super Regional VI where only the champion made the trip to nationals and Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney) will be carrying the flag for not only his regional, but for his team’s national title hopes as he takes the mat as the seventh-seed. Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) brings a record with five losses to St Louis, but he just finished a Super Regional Tournament where he went 5-1, winning all five matches by bonus and only falling to third-ranked Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State). Bianchini survived a brutal conference season unscathed and his perfect 8-0 record matches that of two-time returning All-American Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame). They seem on a collision course in the semifinals as the two and three seeds. Gannon will need points out of unseeded Austin Hertel as the senior looks to jump from a round of 12 wrestler onto the podium as an All-American this season.
Quarterfinals
Colby Smith (Lindenwood) v Austin Hertel (Gannon)
Branson Proudlock (Findlay) v Isiah Royal (Newberry)
Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State) v Zachary VanAlst (Coker)
Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney) v Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame)
I want no part of Colby Smith right now and I outweigh him by about 20lbs. Seven of his eight wins this season are by bonus, including three straight at the Super Regional tournament where he went Fall, Major Decision, Fall. This is a brutal draw in a weight class where there are no good ones. Branson Proudlock has a tough first-round match against the guy who defeated Isiah Royal in the Super Regional. He then has to take on Royal in the quarterfinals. He and Austin Hertel already deserve the “tough-luck” buckles at this weight class. Joey Bianchini will face a very seasoned Zachary VanAlst in a fun style matchup. Bianchini has not lost a match in over a year and has only given up a single takedown against Division II competition over that streak. Nick James and Kelan McKenna is big for the Lopers team score, if he can pull the upset against the undefeated Falcon, it would help them match the Huskies potential points at this weight and set up a monster semifinal battle. It is hard to bet against a seasoned veteran like McKenna, though at this weight despite how good the redshirt freshman has looked this season.
Semifinals
Colby Smith (Lindenwood) vs. Isiah Royal (Newberry)
Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State) vs. Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame College)
These are very close matches on paper and I think they will be on the mat as well. Colby Smith has wrestled a monster season that includes facing Ian Parker of Iowa State. That is his lone loss and since then, he has three falls, two major decisions, and a forfeit. Only a Super Regional shocker knocked Royal out of the top-seed and now he is probably the best fourth-seed in the tournament. This is the highest returning placewinner at this weight class and the returning finalist. He beat the undefeated Brandon Ball to advance to the finals in a major upset. Can the Newberry senior do it again? This is a battle of very similar athletes who push pace, are great on their feet, and opportunistic on top. A three-point lead going into the third period is not going to be enough to seal the deal. This match is going to be gangbusters. I really want to watch Joey Bianchini against Kelan McKenna. In a year where I have had zero opportunity to watch the Falcons, Notre Dame has sent their best national title hope to St Louis. Kelan McKenna was third at 133 in 2019 and was a national qualifier last season, finishing as an All-American. He takes on undefeated Joey Bianchini, who has continued his run of dominance. Royal may be the best fourth-seed and Bianchini the best three-seed and it is a coin flip to whether or not we see both of them in the finals. I have a very hard time believing that at least one of them does not make it.
Finals
Colby Smith (Lindenwood) vs. Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State)
Throw all four wrestlers’ names in the hat and see who comes out. That prediction would be as good as mine at this point. I am going with Colby Smith and Joey Bianchini, given the way they have wrestled throughout the season and the level of competition that they have faced. The easy matches have been few and far between for them and they have remained dominant. For a team like Lindenwood that brought only five wrestlers to the tournament and wants to be in the team title hunt, every match is a must-win. Two years ago, head coach Jimmy Rollins coached a perfectly executed match out of Carlos Jacquez to coach a national champion. I think he does the same again with Colby Smith. Everything that Joey Bianchini does very well, Colby Smith does just as well. It is not surprising that a protege of the hall of fame Huskies coach Steve Costanzo knows how to have his athletes peak. I just look at the year Smith had in 2020 and how he followed it up in 2021 and I think he has found a new gear.
Top 8
- Colby Smith - Lindenwood University
- Joey Bianchini - St. Cloud State University
- Isiah Royal - Newberry College
- Kelan McKenna - Notre Dame College
- Nick James - University of Nebraska-Kearney
- Branson Proudlock - University of Findlay
- Devin Schwartzkopf - McKendree University
- Zachary VanAlst - Coker University
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