Big Ten Wrestling Tournament pre-seeds announced for all 10 weight classes

The 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships pre-seeds were released Monday night across all 10 weight classes.

Barring some late changes before the tournament, these will be the seeds when brackets come out by the end of the week. The tournament begins Saturday in Maryland.

Below are seeds for each weight class with analysis below.

125 lbs. 

1. Matt Ramos (PUR) 
2. Drake Ayala (IOWA) 
3. Eric Barnett (WIS) 
4. Patrick McKee (MINN) 
5. Caleb Smith (NEB) 
6. Braeden Davis (PSU) 
7. Michael DeAugustino (MICH) 
8. Brendan McCrone (OSU) 
9. Dean Peterson (RUT) 
10. Tristan Lujan (MSU) 
11.  Justin Cardani (ILL) 
12. Massey Odiotti (NU) 
13. Tommy Capul (MD) 
14. Blaine Frazier (IND) 

Allocations: 9

Ramos is the favorite and has been the top dog in a wild weight class nationwide. Ayala and Barnett could be a wild semifinal if the seeds hold here. Watch out for Davis to make a move. The Penn State freshman has been very impressive.

133 lbs. 

1. Dylan Ragusin (MICH) 
2. Dylan Shawver (RUT) 
3. Nic Bouzakis (OSU) 
4. Jacob Van Dee (NEB) 
5. Aaron Nagao (PSU) 
6. Tony Madrigal (ILL) 
7. Braxton Brown (MD) 
8. Tyler Wells (MINN) 
9. Nicolar Rivera (WIS) 
10. Cayden Rooks (IND) 
11. Dustin Norris (PUR) 
12. Andrew Hampton (MSU) 
13. Patrick Adams (NU) 
14. Brody Teske (IOWA) 

Allocations: 7

Ragusin is undefeated within the conference and is definitely the favorite here. Shawver has been really impressive for Rutgers and has the head to head over Bouzakis, although the latter is a popular pick to get to the finals. Nagao has struggled against some Big Ten competition, but in typical Penn State fashion, could turn it up here. Another wrinkle, there were rumblings of Iowa inserting Teske into this weight after the deadline, hence his No. 14 seed. Brutal for the 3x NCAA qualifier.

141 lbs. 

1. Beau Bartlett (PSU) 
2. Jesse Mendez (OSU) 
3. Real Woods (IOWA) 
4. Brock Hardy (NEB) 
5. Sergio Lemley (MICH) 
6. Danny Pucino (ILL) 
7. Mitch Moore (RUT) 
8. Jordan Hamdan (MSU) 
T9. Dan Fongaro (IND) 
T9. Vance VomBaur (MINN) 
11. Kal Miller (MD) 
12. Greyson Clark (PUR) 
13. Kolby McClain (NU) 
14. Felix Lettini (WIS) 

Allocations: 11

Bartlett is undefeated this year and a final against Mendez would be wild. Woods went through a lull, but could very well win this weight. He’s a former national finalist for a reason. Lemley is the dark horse in this weight after a breakout freshman campaign.

149 lbs. 

1. Ridge Lovett (NEB) 
2. Austin Gomez (MICH) 
3. Caleb Rathjen (IOWA) 
4. Tyler Kasak (PSU) 
5. Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) 
6. Ethen Miller (MD) 
7. Joseph Zargo (WIS) 
8. Graham Rooks (IND) 
9. Drew Roberts (MINN) 
10. Michael Cetta (RUT) 
11. Marcos Polanco (PUR) 
12. Braden Stauffenberg (MSU) 
13. Aiden Vandenbush (NU) 
14. Jake Harrier (ILL) 

Allocations: 9

It seems like the wrestling world is waiting for a Lovett versus Gomez final at this weight. Total insanity right? It seems like it’s a race for third at this point unless someone picks off Gomez prior. 

157 lbs. 

1. Levi Haines (PSU) 
2. Michael Blockhus (MINN) 
3. Brayton Lee (IND) 
4. Jared Franek (IOWA) 
5. Peyton Robb (NEB)
6. Chase Saldate (MSU) 
7. Will Lewan (MICH) 
8. Joey Blaze (PUR) 
9. Trevor Chumbley (NU) 
10. Isaac Wilcox (OSU) 
11. Al DeSantis (RUT) 
12. Michael North (MD) 
13. Luke Mechler (WIS) 
14. Logan Swaw (ILL) 

Allocations: 9

Haines is a huge favorite in this weight but Blockhus has been wrestling freely this year. He fought in Bellator over the summer and is primed to rise as an MMA prospect when wrestling is over. Franek is a fascinating matchup with Haines in a tournament setting, but that’s if he can beat Robb. At his best, Robb is a top three guy in the country.

165 lbs. 

1. Dean Hamiti (WIS) 
2. Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) 
3. Michael Caliendo (IOWA) 
4. Caleb Fish (MSU) 
5. Antrell Taylor (NEB) 
6. Cameron Amine (MICH) 
7. Stoney Buell (PUR) 
8. Bryce Hepner (OSU) 
9. Tyler Lillard (IND) 
10. Blaine Brenner (MINN) 
11. Chris Moore (ILL) 
12. Maxx Mayfield (NU) 
13. Anthony White (RUT) 
14. AJ Rodrigues (MD) 

Allocations: 10

Hamiti is the favorite to win this title but Mesenbrink is undefeated on the year. This weight could have big implications for NCAA seeding as well. Watch out for Amine in a potential quarterfinal with Caliendo leading into a matchup with the young Penn State star.

174 lbs. 

1. Carter Starocci (PSU) 
2. Shane Griffith (MICH) 
3. Patrick Kennedy (IOWA) 
4. Edmond Ruth (ILL) 
5. Rocco Welsh (OSU) 
6. Jackson Turley (RUT) 
7. Max Maylor (WIS) 
8. DJ Washington (IND) 
9. Andrew Sparks (MINN) 
10. Brody Baumann (PUR) 
11. Dominic Solis (MD) 
12. Bubba Wilson (NEB) 
13. DJ Shannon (MSU) 
14. David Ferrante (NU)

Allocations: 8

This is the biggest question mark of the tournament. Will Starocci medically forfeit two matches to get an at-large for NCAAs? If so, this opens it up to anyone in the top six seemingly. Griffith, a former national champion, would be the favorite, but it’s the wild west if Starocci doesn’t wrestle.

184 lbs.

1. Isaiah Salazar (MINN)
2. Lenny Pinto (NEB) 
3. Bernie Truax (PSU) 
4. Ryder Rogotzke (OSU) 
5. Jaden Bullock (MICH) 
6. Layne Malczewski (MSU) 
7. Shane Liegel (WIS) 
8. Brian Soldano (RUT) 
9. Troy Fisher (NU) 
10. Roman Rogotzke (IND) 
11. Dylan Connell (ILL) 
12. James Rowley (PUR) 
13. Aiden Riggins (IOWA) 
14. Chase Mielnik (MD) 

Allocations: 8

Salazar and Pinto seemed destined to meet in the finals but Truax is very solid. Let’s not forget Rogotzke can pin pretty much anyone in the country and the same goes for wild cards like Malczewski and Soldano. Realistically, this might be a No. 1 vs. 2 final though.

197 lbs. 

1. Aaron Brooks (PSU) 
2. Jaxon Smith (MD) 
3. Zach Glazier (IOWA) 
4. Silas Allred (NEB)
5. Garrett Joles (MINN) 
6. Luke Geog (OSU) 
7. John Poznanski (RUT) 
8. Evan Bates (NU) 
9. Ben Vanadia (PUR) 
10. Gabe Sollars (IND) 
11. Kael Wisler (MSU) 
12. Isiah Pettigrew (ILL) 
13. Bobby Striggow (MICH) 
14. Josh Otto (WIS) 

Allocations: 7

Brooks, next topic. The three-time national champion is as good as anyone we’ve seen in the last 20 years. It’ll be fascinating to see if he gets Smith, Glazier or Poznanski from the other side of the bracket. Smith is a rising star and could very well be in the national title conversation in a post-Brooks world.

285 lbs. 

1. Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) 
2. Nick Feldman (OSU) 
3. Lucas Davison (MICH) 
4. Yaraslau Slavikouski (RUT) 
5. Seth Nevills (MD) 
6. Nick Willham (IND) 
7. Bradley Hill (IOWA) 
8. Bennett Tabor (MINN) 
9. Josh Terrill (MSU) 
10. Nash Hutmacher (NEB) 
11. Jack Jessen (NU) 
12. Gannon Rosenfeld (WIS) 
13. Peter Marinopoulos (ILL) 
14. Hayden Filipovich (PUR) 

Allocations: 7

Kerkvliet not winning this weight would be quite surprising. Feldman and Davison could be in line for quite the rematch in the semifinals. Slavikouski got the nod ahead of Nevills, despite a head to head loss, so a rematch in the quarterfinals will be must-see.

The 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 9th and 10 in College Park at the University of Maryland. Television coverage is on Big Ten Network and Big Ten Plus.