EARLY 2026-27 lineup projections/discussions

donboy6499

All-Conference
Jun 9, 2025
739
1,398
93
I was being sarcastic. Until I see it from someone other than Pyles and his little buddy JD, I say Ono will wrestle at 133, and if Seidel wants to hold 133, let's find out how he does against Ono and see how easily he turns him.
Gotcha.
 

J.E.B

All-Conference
Jul 8, 2001
2,216
3,221
113
Wait a second, is Ross coming in and taking a championship next year at 285? He is that good?
It’s an open field at 285 with leaders like Kueter, Feldman. Mirasola, etc… I think AJ is done, correct? If not throw him in there as the leader.
 

Matter7172

Senior
Oct 30, 2021
271
898
83
Zinkin, Raney, Forrest, Vega , Raney, Robideau, Lockett, Ryder, Merrill, Ross , National championship possible team for 2 or 3 years, then following recruits. Great competition.
I see that group as a strong #2, not a championship team. Again, bigger threat to bury Iowa out of the top 3 for a long, long time than to beat PSU. In case anyone didn't notice, PSU won by more than 50 in what was pretty close to a dream year for OK State this year.
 

Matter7172

Senior
Oct 30, 2021
271
898
83
Since the discussions about next season are already starting in several NCAA threads, and in order to hopefully consolidate those discussions and prevent the threads from derailing, might as well start this.

Who's gonna start at 25/33/41 next season between Luke, Marcus, Ono, Desmond, Davis?

Does Davis get his RS finally? Does he return?

Can Cole get bigger/stronger for HWT? Does Connor see the lineup?

I see it:
Luke
Desmond
Ono (or reverse the above)
SVN
Kasak
Mess
Henckel
Rocco
Barr
Cole
I see it pretty close to that. Luke, Ono, Desmond, SVN, Kasak, MM, Henckel, Rocco, Barr and Cole.

I could also see it being Rocco at 174 and Asher at 184.

I see Blaze, as did another poster, at 149 after SVN graduates.
 

Psalm 1 guy

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2019
1,130
4,323
113
It will be interesting to see where JJ ends up weight wise. He said in an interview after going 43-0 with all bonus wins and teching and pinning his way through the state tournament at 165 that he was walking around at 162 and didn't cut weight. KD has been an amazing mentor and coach to this kid and his ceiling is off the charts. His match with Marvin Miller was incredible as I felt I was watching two of the best and explosive kids I have seen. His older brother is a running back at Notre Dame so he may keep growing. I think he was around 115 as a freshman. As a jr. he won states at 150 and now he's at 165. He's one of these kids that is just so good he wrestles where he is without the need to cut weight to be competitive.
I wish I would have been that good during my wrestling career. Cutting weight sucks : )
 
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Psalm 1 guy

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2019
1,130
4,323
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No reason not to believe that Lilledahl, Ono, Desmond, SVN is the front half. Blaze and Duke need to RS. Heck, Duke has been competing at the highest level for 9-12 months. Kid needs a break. Bulk up, rest up and rock in roll at 165 or 174 after MM departs. Kasak is at 157. It will be interesting to see where Henkel RSF, Cunningham RSF, James TrF, and other Mirasola RSSo end up. One of them may go at 174 next yr. But that’s 184 thru 197 for the future… in 3 yrs.

We have another team going for gold, again and will definitely threaten another team record score.

Great to see Okie St. coming but PSU has withstood runs by O$U, Iowa, Michigan, and now Nebraska. Not sustainable. Pressure is now all on them to elevate. Not sure the experience, talent, or depth is there to overtake PSU in the next three yrs…. With 155 pts returning, PSU will be sniffing 200 pts. next year.

Let them meet in December with 6 others and have a tournament. It’s great for the sport. Everyone wrestles 3 matches for places 1-8… One match each on Friday Saturday Sunday. It would be a huge event and would be a boom for any city hosting it. The weekend before the CFB playoffs.
I would be shocked if that isn't a record. I will have to check the rosters for those dominant Iowa teams.
 

JakkL

Senior
Sep 19, 2001
367
455
43
No way does Ono go up to 141. I'm surprised that no one gives davis a strong shot at 141. He was 125 just 2 years ago and needed a rs year to truly be a 141. I think it makes the most sense for blaze and Duke to RS preparing for moving up a weight or even to just get stronger (especially blaze) or work on top game. I agree there is no reason for Mm, rw and jb to move up. Hwt mirasola will be bigger and stronger next year, but I doubt he is more than 10 pounds bigger and that may be enough.
 

WV lion

All-Conference
Oct 17, 2021
1,384
1,889
113
I see it pretty close to that. Luke, Ono, Desmond, SVN, Kasak, MM, Henckel, Rocco, Barr and Cole.

I could also see it being Rocco at 174 and Asher at 184.

I see Blaze, as did another poster, at 149 after SVN graduates.
That is what I have.
 

RockyChi

Sophomore
Feb 4, 2026
97
164
33
No reason not to believe that Lilledahl, Ono, Desmond, SVN is the front half. Blaze and Duke need to RS. Heck, Duke has been competing at the highest level for 9-12 months. Kid needs a break. Bulk up, rest up and rock in roll at 165 or 174 after MM departs. Kasak is at 157. It will be interesting to see where Henkel RSF, Cunningham RSF, James TrF, and other Mirasola RSSo end up. One of them may go at 174 next yr. But that’s 184 thru 197 for the future… in 3 yrs.

We have another team going for gold, again and will definitely threaten another team record score.

Great to see Okie St. coming but PSU has withstood runs by O$U, Iowa, Michigan, and now Nebraska. Not sustainable. Pressure is now all on them to elevate. Not sure the experience, talent, or depth is there to overtake PSU in the next three yrs…. With 155 pts returning, PSU will be sniffing 200 pts. next year.

Let them meet in December with 6 others and have a tournament. It’s great for the sport. Everyone wrestles 3 matches for places 1-8… One match each on Friday Saturday Sunday. It would be a huge event and would be a boom for any city hosting it. The weekend before the CFB playoffs.
National Duals appears to be in December next year. Will leave it to Carl but wouldn’t mind going especially since we would be favorites and can stop OK States’s win streak.

Desmond at 141 would be a lateral move from Davis.

Guys like Duke, Jax, and Bassett have probably been wrestling non stop since they were five years old and part of who they are. A 19 year old who is in elite shape is probably feeling brand new after just a few weeks off. Maybe Duke will RS (I think he’s a favorite to wrestle), but I don’t think he needs a break.
 

Efejle

All-Conference
Apr 30, 2023
855
2,006
93
Just for kicks: Right now, at 174, where are you ranking Henckel? Disregard the freshman non ranking rule. Where do you have him?
 

Lil Nicky Scarfo

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
1,339
3,817
113
My take on Pyles/JD is they thought Ono might struggle to even make PSU's line-up, not that he would not ever wrestle folksyle. Maybe I mis-read this, but that is what I got out of their riff on this topic.
His main trepidation is that we didn’t see him wrestle this year in folk style and that concerns him. He didn’t have any insider knowledge - going on gut.
 

5q

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2001
1,497
2,022
113
Desmond or Davis. I would give the edge to Desmond, since he has a 6 more months to put on some weight. Think blaze may shirt.
I like the thought of blaze at 149 as we dont have a near term solution

but doesnt svn have an option of another year (medical)
 

Random4598375

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2020
580
1,693
93
I like the thought of blaze at 149 as we dont have a near term solution

but doesnt svn have an option of another year (medical)
No. Next year is it. He’s been 3-3-2 in three NCAAs in 23-25-26, so he only has one left. Next year is the medical year.
 
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El_Jefe

Heisman
Oct 11, 2021
3,257
12,736
113
That's especially fair after removing the seniors (1 Levi, 3 Kennedy, 4 Kharchla). Other than Minto, the remaining AAs all had 7+ losses and were seeded 7th or below.

I wonder if any 165s move up to escape Mesenbrink (Ruiz or Blaze?). Or if maybe Alvan does a grad transfer and goes 174 somewhere ... But also which Nebraska guy (Minto or Eise) moves up to 184.
 

Junglekat

Sophomore
Feb 14, 2018
57
140
33
Someone on here said Jayden James was walking around at 162. If he doesnt get any bigger, that solves a potential log jam with him making 57, duke at 65. Duke looked huge and I believe said it took a lot of discipline to make 57. But I believe he also said 57 isnt out of the question next year. Whatever the lineup will be, it'll be a fun ride and even more fun to talk about it for 8 months.
 
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jack66

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
3,403
3,437
113
An interesting comparison.

Projections here include only wrestlers already on the team. On HR, they are already pencilling in 3 to 4 transfers. Leading candidates are Joey Blaze, Luke Stanich, Nicco Ruiz, and Aden V.

They're going all in on a 3rd/4th place trophy.
 

Efejle

All-Conference
Apr 30, 2023
855
2,006
93
That's especially fair after removing the seniors (1 Levi, 3 Kennedy, 4 Kharchla). Other than Minto, the remaining AAs all had 7+ losses and were seeded 7th or below.

I wonder if any 165s move up to escape Mesenbrink (Ruiz or Blaze?). Or if maybe Alvan does a grad transfer and goes 174 somewhere ... But also which Nebraska guy (Minto or Eise) moves up to 184.
Bet you Dee Lockett moves up
 

Efejle

All-Conference
Apr 30, 2023
855
2,006
93
I want to also note that Cael and Casey don't give two ***** about what people think when it comes to "you can't redshirt x or y or z wrestler" They have been doing this for 10 years now. David is now on year one of having to figure out how to do it.
 

WV lion

All-Conference
Oct 17, 2021
1,384
1,889
113
Someone on here said Jayden James was walking around at 162. If he doesnt get any bigger, that solves a potential log jam with him making 57, duke at 65. Duke looked huge and I believe said it took a lot of discipline to make 57. But I believe he also said 57 isnt out of the question next year. Whatever the lineup will be, it'll be a fun ride and even more fun to talk about it for 8 months.
Kasak will have a big say in the 157 debate.
 

abmutch

Redshirt
Feb 20, 2013
1
0
1
I think it will be
125 Lilledahl (Does Lilledahl have a RS to use) Desmond if LL RS
133 Blaze or Ono
141 Blaze or Ono
149 Van Ness
157 Kasak (Duke RS)
165 Messenbrink
174 Henckel
184 Welsh
197 Barr
285 Mirasola

*Note* I dont see Davis at Penn State next year. Desmond too small for 141. Possible Desmond at 133 if Blaze RS.
I think Blaze has the length to move to 141, same body frame as Vega.
If he can't make 157, is he going to go up to 174??
Levi did
 

Nitlion1986

All-Conference
Apr 13, 2024
1,554
4,576
113
An interesting comparison.

Projections here include only wrestlers already on the team. On HR, they are already pencilling in 3 to 4 transfers. Leading candidates are Joey Blaze, Luke Stanich, Nicco Ruiz, and Aden V.

They're going all in on a 3rd/4th place trophy.
Without Nicolls transfer dollars there would be no Iowa team photos with team trophies. So have at it. Even with the transfers, the only outcome question at the annual PSU face stomping of the Hawks is does PSU win at 141 and does Mirasola beat Keuter to secure the shutout.
Sounds familiar.
There was a time, not long ago even, where Iowa was relevant in the team race discussions. It seems longer.
 

Anon1771451651

Redshirt
Feb 18, 2026
4
1
1
An interesting comparison.

Projections here include only wrestlers already on the team. On HR, they are already pencilling in 3 to 4 transfers. Leading candidates are Joey Blaze, Luke Stanich, Nicco Ruiz, and Aden V.

They're going all in on a 3rd/4th place trophy.
Shocked if Joey isn’t on this team in a week.Duke said 157 is nearly not possible anymore. He shorts for Messenbrink