Wrestling 2026 Rutgers NCAA Tournament Thread

Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
30,023
12,254
113
How is Brown even seeded higher than Shawver after two losses last weekend?

Don’t think previous year criteria is a thing. Try checking their actual wins and losses. Shawver took some bad losses to unranked guys and maybe Brown had some better wins over ranked guys this year. He was ranked higher then Shawver overall before Shawver’s wins over him so that could be why Brown ended up with the higher seed is my suspicion.
Yeah I guess it came down to Brown having better results against others, just not against Shawver.
 

Rutfan79

Freshman
Jun 23, 2025
68
58
18
Shawver, SCW, Catka have very tough first rounds.Cotton, Olivieri, Clark and Pinto are in good positions first round.Smith and Barbosa, are 50/50
You realize Barbosa almost majored his kid the first time they wrestled right? Also I believe pinto almost got majored by Schubert when we dualed Oklahoma.

hardest draws:
Smith, Shawver, Clark, Catka
 
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Kiddagger311

Junior
Sep 17, 2025
620
372
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Cruel elimination match.
Cruel and also a bit poetic— two eternal rivals meet for the final time having to Eliminate one another… but maybe it doesn’t happen..

Brown has already beaten Leete(10) this season(which mighta been reason he outseeded Shawver).. and, not counting on it, but maybe Shawver has a chance in one of those 1 TD type of match if Byrd catches a case of senioritis like he did vs Boarman.
 

SCNJ

All-American
Oct 12, 2019
4,430
5,822
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Don’t think previous year criteria is a thing. Try checking their actual wins and losses. Shawver took some bad losses to unranked guys and maybe Brown had some better wins over ranked guys this year. He was ranked higher then Shawver overall before Shawver’s wins over him so that could be why Brown ended up with the higher seed is my suspicion.
The fact that their seeds are so close tells me they’re more or less equals. Head to head in these circumstances should carry more weight.
 
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Kiddagger311

Junior
Sep 17, 2025
620
372
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The fact that their seeds are so close tells me they’re more or less equals. Head to head in these circumstances should carry more weight.
It’s called confirmation bias. Most fan bases have them. You were only looking at logic that would favor Shawver being seeded higher than Brown. His B10 placement, conference record, H2H, even previous year criteria.. these all favored Shawver.. you didn’t seek for the logic from the viewpoint of Brown being seeded higher.. such as better quality wins and not taking as many bad losses..

I do agree that they are more or less equals which is why their seeds are close.. eternal rivals.. except Brown has a much more favorable 1st round match… if H2H carried more weight then 25% of the equation, it could incentivize ducking or not showing up to tournaments/less wrestling in general.
 

Tango Two

Heisman
Staff member
Aug 21, 2001
57,872
37,224
78
You realize Barbosa almost majored his kid the first time they wrestled right? Also I believe pinto almost got majored by Schubert when we dialed Oklahoma.

hardest draws:
Smith, Shawver, Clark, Catka
 
Feb 2, 2019
2,488
1,160
113
It’s called confirmation bias. Most fan bases have them. You were only looking at logic that would favor Shawver being seeded higher than Brown. His B10 placement, conference record, H2H, even previous year criteria.. these all favored Shawver.. you didn’t seek for the logic from the viewpoint of Brown being seeded higher.. such as better quality wins and not taking as many bad losses..

I do agree that they are more or less equals which is why their seeds are close.. eternal rivals.. except Brown has a much more favorable 1st round match… if H2H carried more weight then 25% of the equation, it could incentivize ducking or not showing up to tournaments/less wrestling in general.
That's a very insightful post. Confirmation bias... in this forum? You don't say!
 

Kiddagger311

Junior
Sep 17, 2025
620
372
63

“If the seeds are any indication, Rutgers, which did not have an All-American last year and has not had one in two of the last three seasons, has its work cut out.”

RU best chance is prolly Joey O. If he loses to Vombaur, he’s most likely meeting Composto/Cornella in blood round. If he lose to Mendez then it’s he meets the winner between Davis/Composto/Cornella… in that blood round path barring any crazy upsets.
 

Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
30,023
12,254
113
“If the seeds are any indication, Rutgers, which did not have an All-American last year and has not had one in two of the last three seasons, has its work cut out.”

RU best chance is prolly Joey O. If he loses to Vombaur, he’s most likely meeting Composto/Cornella in blood round. If he lose to Mendez then it’s he meets the winner between Davis/Composto/Cornella… in that blood round path barring any crazy upsets.
A bunch have a chance to make a run. Hard to gauge with the inconsistency. It depends heavily on matchups and also who stays healthy.
 

Degaz-RU

Heisman
Dec 19, 2002
22,259
26,460
88
This thread and Tango Two's tournament thread be like...

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