Last AA to Next AA - The MAC Version
A brief intro of what this is (and what it isn’t) before we get to our thoughts on who’s the next AA for each program in the MAC.
What this is … A light-hearted look at who could be the next All American for each program.
What is not … An overly serious discussion of the merits of every qualifier that could be considered. That doesn’t mean we didn’t take time to offer our reasons for why we picked who we picked … it just means we didn’t get into the weeds in dissecting the small details between two very similar candidates.
A few rules for our picks:
Only 1 All American for each team (yes, we realize that not every team will have an All American in 2024 (and many will have more than 1) … in fact just 33 schools had someone on the podium in 2023 - in case you are wondering that is out of 66 schools - so 50% of the schools left without an All American).
If a wrestler has been on the podium previously - he is not considered for the “next spot” on the graphic. We aren’t going to get into whether Carter Starocci or Aaron Brooks is most likely the be on the podium for Penn State - it would be a surprise if both weren’t on top of the podium much less on the podium. And this is designed to highlight someone that may have qualified previously, but has yet to break through and be an All American.
As you can see from the above graphic, just 4 MAC programs had an All American in 2023. Three programs (Bloomsburg, Edinboro, and Ken State) do not have a qualifier this year - so their absence from the podium will continue. For the others - it has been quite some time for some programs … will that change in 2024?
Let’s take a quick look at each school and our picks for who makes the podium in 2024:
Bloomsburg - No Qualifier.
Buffalo - Kyle Cerminara is the last from Buffalo to make the podium - although they’ve had some get close in recent years. Both Nick Stampoulos and Sam Mitchell have qualified. Stampoulos at 157 and Mitchell at 197. Both have tough draws. Stampoulos is in the pigtail with Wilcox of Ohio State with the winner getting #1 Levi Haines. Mitchell gets the 3 seed Tanner Sloan at 197. If either is going to make the podium they are going to battle through the backside and win some close matches.
Central Michigan - Being #dirtysouth homers … we want to go with former Miami Southridge hammer Johnny Lovett. Lovett has the experience to make a run, but we think the best shot for a Chippewa to make the podium is Alex Cramer. Cramer is joined by Lovett and Munson. Lovett is seeded 26th with Munson coming as the 15 seed at 149. Cramer is the 19 seed at 174 and gets NDSU’s Gaven Sax in the opening round. Cramer sits on the bottom side of the bracket (away from Lewis, Starroci, and Griffith), but with a win on round 1 he would likely get 3 seed Edmond Ruth of Illinois (losing that match could mean getting the loser of Starocci and Lewis in the bloodround … tough draw).
Clarion - Will Feldkamp climbed onto the podium a year ago for Clarion … this year the lone rep for the Golden Eagles is Cameron Pine (Feldkamp is now at Iowa State and in the same bracket as Pine at 174). Pine comes in as the 27th seed and pulls returning All American Bernie Truax first off the scale. The path is going to be tough for Pine, but Feldkamp was seeded 14th a year ago and made a run to 7th. Not many 20+ seeds make the podium, but Pine is in the field and is Clarion’s best shot to make it AA’s in back to back seasons.
Cleveland State - We love that Cleveland State is back and has a program. We are ready for the next Viking to make a run for the podium. Cleveland State has two qualifiers this year … Daniel Bucknavich and Benjamin Smith. I like where Bucknavich is in the bracket … not so much with Smith, but we’ve picked Smith because he’s had a great season. He has a tough match in the opening round to Buchanan … even if he wins his first two … he won’t likely get by the top seed Brooks … so making the podium will be how he grinds it out on the backside.
Edinboro - No Qualifier.
George Mason - Huge fan of Coach Beasley and the program he is building at George Mason. It has been a minute since the Patriots have had an All American, but they have 3 qualifiers in 2024 and each has a shot to make a run to the podium. There are no easy paths to the podium, but DJ McGee might have an easier path than either of his teammates. McGee is the 22nd seed and pulls Brayton Lee in the opening round. Our pick is Malachi DuVall, but he gets 3 seed Dustin Plott in the opening round. Still DuVall has shown he can win close matches and that is what he will need to do on the backside in order to make the podium.
Kent State - No Qualifier.
Lock Haven - Noto would be the easy pick given that he’s been at the top of the rankings at 125, but he AA’d last year so we pivot to another hammer in Wyatt Henson. Henson comes in as the 12 seed in a deep 141 lb bracket. He draws a hot Josh Edmond of Missouri in the opening round and then would get either Echenmendia or Hamdan. The route is far from easy at 141, but Henson has the ability to beat everyone in his way and make the podium.
Ohio - The Bobcats bring three to KC. Peyton Kellar is the 7 seed and faces a familiar foe in Johnny Lovett in the opening round. If seeds hold … Kellar would get #2 Jacori Teemer in Friday morning’s quarters. 157 should be a wild weight and Kellar should be in the mix for a spot on the podium.
Northern Illinois - Blake West might be a little off the radar, but in a wild 125 … anything can happen. West gets a red hot (and ACC Champ) Jakob Camacho in the opening round and either Jordan or Barnett in the 2nd or in the first round of consis. This bracket is wild and could go a number of different directions.
Rider - Rider qualified 5 for the tournament and our pick is a tough Quinn Kinner at 149. Kinner is the 11 seed and gets Gabe Willochell of Wyoming in the opening round. A win there would get him the winner of Austin Gomez and Jack Crook. He shares the quarter with Jackson Arrington. A run to the podium will be tough at 149, but we believe Kinner gives Rider the best shot to have an AA in 2024.
SIUE - Easy to pick SIUE’s best shot … because Caleb Tyus is the only Cougar wrestler in the field. That said, why does Tyus have a good shot to make the podium at 149? He’s the 24 seed and pulls the 7 seed Ethan Fernandez of Cornell in the opening round. After dropping his opening match at the MAC tourney - he stormed back through the bracket to take 3rd (beating Cassidy who he lost to in the opening round). He is going to have to beat some hammers to make the podium, but after the top 4 or 5 … the talent is close.