Both kinda. Basically it was denied because based on the way the rule is written, if anyone wrestled after Rutgers they aren’t eligible for a medical redshirt.
If you have some sort of extenuating circumstance, like Boo where he only wrestled in 1/2 of 2 matches, you can explain specifics of your situation and request it again.
That’s what he did and the second one is pending approval. They expect it to be approved.
Thanks for this thread!
Good stuff Seth - two days in and the wrestling coverage alone is already worth the subscription.
The Ferrari family was in attendance at the Dake-Dieringer match. They were decked out in orange and cheering hard for Dieringer.
Flo interviewed Ferrari and he said he’s walking around at about 220 and is trying to get up to 250. He sees himself as a 97 KG internationally.
If that’s his plan I have to think he’ll be a college HWT.
I really hope Daton takes the Olympic redshirt. 3 years of him with the recruiting class for next year is a great recipe.
I’m also curious… Does Daton drop down to 125 in 2021 to try and keep Spencer Lee from being a 4x champ? I mean… If he hadn’t been robbed last year, that class would’ve likely produced three in Daton, Lee and Yanni… Is Daton spiteful enough to make that move? Probably not… But the Iowa hate in me would love it.
I love the national feeling (mostly amongst fans) that Daton won’t be the rep for the Olympics. Suriano hasn’t wrestled freestyle in four years. Spencer Lee had to have been getting beat by Gilman, which is why he didn’t go to any senior level competition this year. Daton has passed Gilman. Joe Colon and Nashon Garrett are probably dropping to 57kg, but I think Daton is just as strong as those guys. Plus if Daton can medal at world’s this year, he just has to wait for the challenger… It’s going to be fun, but I would be shocked if Daton isn’t the rep for Team USA in Tokyo… Of course I’m a homer of the highest order, so.
Heavyweight Transfer???
Some may have heard rumors of a potential heavyweight transfer this season. Here’s what I know.
Shawn Streck, an NCAA qualifier in 2018 for Purdue, came in on a visit during the Iowa dual last season. Afterwards I spoke with him and he said he was definitely going to come to OSU this season and would be a Cowboy this year. I was asked to keep the story somewhat quiet, but told when it was official he’d let me know and I’d be allowed to write something about it.
Streck as an athlete would be a perfect fit. He’s a good wrestler, better than anything OSU currently has on the roster at HWT.
His backstory on why he could end up here is not the best one though. He was arrested for stalking an ex-girlfriend last year which led to his dismissal from Purdue.
I reached back out mid-summer to check the status on the transfer and was told he’d be enrolled in a few weeks and as soon as that was complete I could announce it. I haven’t really heard anything more on it.
Ultimately I’m really not sure what the current status on it is. I know with OSU it was just pitched as a second chance. I.E. no scholarship, just come here and keep your nose clean and we’ll give you another shot.
Maybe some other school actually offered him some scholarship money? Maybe the NCAA didn’t let the transfer go through? Maybe OSU changed their mind about him? Maybe it has gone through, but they don’t want to make it known publicly because it could create some bad PR?
Know that there is something out there with this. I’m really not sure what his status is at this point though.
Austin Harris looked pretty good at the open… Is he just dedicated to staying at 97kg and not bulking too much? I certainly think he would be good enough to qualify for NCAAs for the two years we need to fill gap between White and Ferrari/Amos/Doucet/Andrade/Haas.
Harris will be bigger than 97 KG this year. He’s been trying to bulk up since the Junior Open. That’s why he didn’t wrestle at U23’s or anything else this year.
He could be decent at HWT, but I think qualifying for NCAA’s might be a bit of a stretch.
He went 6-8 last year at 197 and lost to a lot of less than notable names.
yeah his losses are pretty bad… but if you’re right about Sheets and he levels up and produces a couple of points at NCAAs, then replacing no production at 157 the last two years with no production at hwt may just be the price for getting what’s probably coming in for 2020 and beyond.
Thought this interview @seth did with Boo Lewallen was real good. Sounds like this has a chance to be a pretty epic comeback story for him.
So, if we take that lineup that @seth mentioned above to NCAAs…
125: Picc
133: Kaid
141: G
149: Boo
157: Sheets
165: Wittlake
174: Joe
184: Montalvo
197: Geer
Hwt: Harris
9 qualifiers and 6 AAs seems like a conservative guess for NCAA results… which would usually be good enough for 3rd or 4th.
Not too bad for a year that would otherwise be considered a punt year with what’s coming in.
I guess the question is… do you redshirt some of the hammers coming in for 2021 to allow them to mature and grow? It’s a huge benefit to most guys… and I’m normally for it… but I also really feel like we need to capitalize on three years of Daton Fix with said hammers. Also the last couple of years have shown that some guys don’t need a redshirt year to win a national title. I’m really confident that we could see a great run from 2021-2025 for the program.
I think the lineup for 2021 is going to be as follows…
125: Fix / Mastro
133: Fix / Mastro
141: G
149: Boo
157: Sheets / Balmaceda
165: Wittlake
174: Plott
184: Montalvo
197: Geer
Hwt: Ferrari
I think that lineup for sure has 10 qualifiers, 9 All-Americans, and at least one NCAA champ.
Will it be enough to win a title? That’s the big question… Probably need Mastro/Plott/Ferrari to immediately be finals contenders… Which is a tall order and so rare. Maybe Gfeller levels up? Maybe Boo gets that medical hardship and is a title contender? Maybe Geer is a top 4 guy?
Man I’m so pumped for OSU wrestling.
It’s going to be really tough to predict NCAAs until we know all the Olympic Redshirts. I’d think with how early the trials are, surely most guys with any kind of shot take it.
Yeah… I think it’s between PSU and Iowa. I don’t think Mark Hall will ORS and everybody is pretty confident that Spencer Lee won’t either.
Looks like Cornell and Ohio State may be putting everybody eligible on ORS or regular redshirt.
Speaking of… It’s vital that Daton medals at world’s next month. If he gets that, he gets a bye to the finals and just has to wait for whoever comes through that 57kg buzzsaw.
Mocco is running the New England RTC at Brown. Didn’t realize that he had moved from Florida.
Austin Miller is a volunteer coach and athlete there too.
New England isn’t exactly a hotbed for wrestling recruiting… And the 250 mile radius rule that overlaps parts of upstate New York probably loses top guys to the RTC at Cornell… But it’s still nice to see a Poke running yet another RTC.
I think that makes the RTCs at NYC (Columbia), OU, UNC, NC State, and Brown Pokes… I’m sure I’m missing some.
Bad news. Kaid Brock tore his ACL and had to have surgery to repair it. Not sure if it will be season ending, but ACL’s typically have a long recovery and the surgery was just last week.
I’m going to try and get more info and will share it when I can.
Well…dang.
Wow.
Oh no. Sorry to hear that for Kaid.
From @seth, exclusively reporting for PFB+ (news to come on the main site tomorrow):
Pistols Firing has learned that two-time All-American Kaid Brock recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus in his knee.
The senior to be famously stormed onto the Oklahoma State scene by pinning NCAA champion Cody Brewer in his freshman debut in the Bedlam dual in 2015.
The surgery took place this past week and is said to not be connected to the injury suffered his freshman season.
According to emedicine, recovery from this surgery typically takes from 6-9 months. The NCAA wrestling tournament takes place six months and three weeks from today. Few additional details are available, but we will provide more information as it comes.