The 2023 NCAA D1 Wrestling Championships kick off on Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the BOK Center. This is the country’s premier wrestling event, a date wrestling fans have marked down on their calendars. Today, I will preview every weight and give you wrestlers to watch out for come Thursday. To view brackets for the 2023 NCAA D1 Wrestling Championships, visit my bracket hub, where you will find brackets and other information. Now, let’s get started.

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165 LBS

Title Favorites/Contenders

(1) David Carr (Iowa State)

(2) Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)

(3) Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin)

“Bracket Busters”

(6) Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

(9) Shane Griffith (Stanford)

(13) Alex Facundo (Penn State)

(14) Peyton Hall (West Virginia)

Former All-Americans

(1) David Carr (Iowa State) – 3^rd in 2022 and 2021 National Champion

(2) Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) – 2022 National Champion and 3^rd in 2021

(3) Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) – 6^th in 2022

(5) Quincy Monday (Princeton) – 2^nd in 2022

(9) Shane Griffith (Stanford) – 2^nd in 2022 and 2021 National Champion

(10) Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) – 7^th in 2022

(11) Cameron Amine (Michigan) – 4^th in 2022 and 7^th in 2021

(14) Peyton Hall (West Virginia) – 8^th in 2022

(31) Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) – 8^th in 2021

Top Potential Matchups

Round of 16 – (9) Shane Griffith (Stanford) vs (8) Matthew Olguin (Oregon State)

Round of 16 – (13) Alex Facundo (Penn State) vs (4) Julian Ramirez (Cornell)

Round of 16 – (11) Cameron Amine (Michigan) vs (6) Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

Round of 16 – (7) Michael Caliendo III (North Dakota State) vs (10) Carson Kharchla (Ohio State)

Quarterfinals – (1) David Carr (Iowa State) vs (9) Shane Griffith (Stanford)

Quarterfinals – (3) Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) vs (6) Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

Semi-Finals – (1) David Carr (Iowa State) vs (5) Quincy Monday (Princeton)

Semi-Finals – (3) Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) vs (2) Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)

Finals – (1) David Carr (Iowa State) vs (2) Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)/(3) Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin)

Top Half

What if I told you there were two national champions and a national runner-up on the same side of the bracket? Would you believe me? You do not need to because that is what this top half of the bracket contains. David Carr nabs the top seed and looks as good as anyone in this weight. He has two wins over the returning NCAA champ Keegan O’Toole and has been dominant all year, going 22-0. He could see former NCAA champ Shane Griffith in the Quarterfinals, who has gone 23-3 with two tight losses to the 8 seed Matthew Olguin to set up a great Round of 16 matchups. Julian Ramirez and Quincy Monday are on a collision path to the Quarterfinals to set up an EIWA Finals rematch, where Ramirez won 6-5.

Bottom Half

Keegan O’Toole is the returning NCAA Champ in this weight and has had a great 2022-2023 campaign going 15-2, with those losses coming to David Carr. His path looks favorable to make it to the Semi-Finals, where his most likely opponent is Dean Hamiti. Hamiti is 21-3 on the year, with great wins over Julian Ramirez and Patrick Kennedy. Hamiti could have a rematch with Patrick Kennedy in the Quarterfinals. This will be his first true test, even though he holds two tight wins over Kennedy.

174 LBS

Title Favorites/Contenders

(1) Carter Starocci (Penn State)

(2) Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)

(3) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

“Bracket Busters”

(9) Edmond Ruth (Illinois)

(10) Rocky Jordan (Chattanooga)

(11) Nelson Brands (Iowa)

Former All-Americans

(1) Carter Starocci (Penn State) – 2x National Champion

(2) Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) – 7^th in 2022, 3^rd in 2021, and 6^th in 2019

(3) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) – 2^nd in 2022 and 2021 National Champion

(5) Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) – 6^th in 2022

(6) Ethan Smith (Ohio State) – 5^th in 2021

(15) Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) – 6^th in 2021

(30) Jackson Turley (Rutgers) – 8^th in 2021

Top Potential Matchups

Round of 16 – (1) Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs (17) Donnell Washington (Indiana)

Round of 16 – (9) Edmond Ruth (Illinois) vs (8) Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota)

Round of 16 – (11) Nelson Brands (Iowa) vs (6) Ethan Smith (Ohio State)

Round of 16 – (7) Peyton Mocco (Missouri) vs (10) Rocky Jordan (Chattanooga)

Quarterfinal – (1) Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs (9) Edmond Ruth (Illinois)

Semi-Finals – (3) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) vs (2) Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)

Finals – (1) Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs (2) Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)/(3) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

Top Half

Carter Starocci nabs the top seed and looks primed for a third national title. The top side of this bracket is not as impressive as the bottom half and should be relatively easy to maneuver through. Starocci might have a rematch in the Round of 16 with Donnell Washington, which was not a close match but almost ended in a fistfight, so that could be fun. Then a matchup against Edmond Ruth in the Quarterfinals could be exciting.

Bottom Half

The bottom half of this bracket is exciting, with Mikey Labriola at the 2 seed and Mekhi Lewis at the 3 seed. Labriola is 26-1 on the year with a win over Mekhi Lewis and a loss to Carter Starocci in the Big Ten Finals. His win over Lewis came at the Cliff Keen Invitational in the Finals, where he won a 3-1 match in sudden victory. Mekhi Lewis also is having a good season going 18-1 on the year, including wins over Ethan Smith, Chris Foca, and Peyton Mocco. Those two look to be on a collision course to the Semi-Finals. Rocky Jordan and Nelson Brands could make some noise in this bracket and might knock off some top wrestlers along their way.

184 LBS

Title Favorites/Contenders

(1) Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)

(2) Trent Hidlay (NC State)

(3) Aaron Brooks (Penn State)

“Bracket Busters”

(5) Marcus Coleman (Iowa State)

(7) Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)

(13) Lenny Pinto (Nebraska)

Former All-Americans

(1) Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) – 3^rd in 2022 and 3^rd in 2021

(2) Trent Hidlay (NC State) – 5^th in 2022 and 2^nd in 2021

(3) Aaron Brooks (Penn State) – 2x National Champion

(5) Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) – 7^th in 2022

(6) Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) – 6^th in 2022

(7) Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) – 7^th in 2021

(10) Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State) – 4^th in 2021

Top Potential Matchups

Round of 16 – (5) Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) vs (12) Abe Assad (Iowa)

Round of 16 – (13) Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) vs (4) Trey Munoz (Oregon State)

Round of 16 – (7) Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) vs (10) Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State)

Quarterfinals – (1) Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs (8) Matt Finesilver (Michigan)

Quarterfinals – (3) Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs (6) Kaleb Romero (Ohio State)

Quarterfinals – (7) Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) vs (2) Trent Hidlay (NC State)

Semi-Finals – (3) Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs (2) Trent Hidlay (NC State)

Finals – (1) Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs (2) Trent Hidlay (NC State)/(3) Aaron Brooks (Penn State)

Top Half

Parker Keckeisen nabs the top seed and has been great all year. Keckeisen is 22-1 on the year with wins over Trent Hidlay, who he split matches with, Marcus Coleman, Kaleb Romero, and Lenny Pinto. Keckeisen is the favorite to come out of this side of the bracket, but he will have some good matchups along the way. Trey Munoz, who has been very good all year, is on upset alert with the possibility of a Round of 16 matchup with Lenny Pinto. Pinto has a win over Munoz this year in a 5-4 match at the Cliff Keen Invitational. Marcus Coleman can make some noise in this top half of the bracket holding arguably the best win in this weight over Aaron Brooks. He has faced Keckeisen twice and lost both times, though.

Bottom Half

The story of the bottom half of this bracket is Aaron Brooks falling to the 3 seed behind Trent Hidlay, who is the 2 seed. The two-time national champion can still pick up number three this year and has some really good wins over Kaleb Romero and Matt Finesilver. Hidlay has looked good all year, excluding that loss to Keckeisen; he is a Hunter Bolen magnet because they look like they will meet in the Quarterfinals. Brooks could see Romero in the Quarterfinals, which he has beaten twice this season.

197 LBS

Title Favorites/Contenders

(1) Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh)

(2) Bernie Traux (Cal Poly)

(3) Rocky Elam (Missouri)

“Bracket Busters”

(4) Ethan Laird (Rider)

(5) Michael Beard (Lehigh)

(8) Silas Allred (Nebraska)

(9) Max Dean (Penn State)

Former All-Americans

(1) Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) – 2^nd in 2021

(2) Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) – 4^th in 2022 and 4^th in 2021

(3) Rocky Elam (Missouri) – 4^th in 2022 and 5^th in 2021

(5) Michael Beard (Lehigh) – 7^th in 2021

(9) Max Dean (Penn State) – 2022 National Champion, 2^nd in 2019, and 8^th in 2018

(13) Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) – 5^th in 2022

(14) Jacob Warner (Iowa) – 2^nd in 2022, 4^th in 2021, and 7^th in 2019

(26) Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) – 6^th in 2022

Top Potential Matchups

Round of 16 – (9) Max Dean (Penn State) vs (8) Silas Allred (Nebraska)

Round of 16 – (5) Michael Beard (Lehigh) vs (12) Zac Braunagel (Illinois)

Round of 16 – (13) Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs (4) Ethan Laird (Rider)

Round of 16 – (3) Rocky Elam (Missouri) vs (14) Jacob Warner (Iowa)

Quarterfinals – (1) Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) vs (8) Sillas Allred (Nebraska)/(9) Max Dean (Penn State)

Quarterfinals – (5) Michael Beard (Lehigh) vs (4) Ethan Laird (Rider)

Quarterfinals – (3) Rocky Elam (Missouri) vs (6) Isaac Trumble (NC State)

Semi-Finals – (3) Rocky Elam (Missouri) vs (2) Bernie Traux (Cal Poly)

Top Half

Nino Bonaccorsi nabs the top seed and has had a great year going 16-0. He probably was unhappy with his draw because he will have tough matches from the Quarterfinals. He could get the winner of the Big Ten Finals rematch between Max Dean and Silas Allred. Allred looked excellent in that final against Dean, but you cannot count out the returning champion. If he gets past the Quarterfinals, he could see Ethan Laird or Michael Beard in the Semi-Finals, who have beaten Dean this year.

Bottom Half

The bottom half of the bracket looks a little tamer than the top half, but it can still be very interesting. Rocky Elam is at the 3 seed with a 10-1 record on the year, with great wins over Tanner Sloan and Owen Pentz. His Round of 16 opponent could be Jacob Warner, who has not been as good as he was last year but is still dangerous. Then he gets a Quarterfinal matchup with Isaac Trumble, which could be a good match. Finally, Bernie Traux has an easier path to the Semi-Finals than anyone, with his biggest test coming in the Quarterfinals with a potential matchup with Tanner Sloan.

285 LBS

Title Favorites/Contenders

(1) Mason Parris (Michigan)

(2) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)

(3) Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)

(4) Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa)

(5) Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State)

“Bracket Busters”

(7) Owen Trephan (NC State)

(9) Lucas Davison (Northwestern)

(10) Zach Elam (Missouri)

(11) Trent Hillger (Wisconsin)

Former All-Americans

(1) Mason Parris (Michigan) – 5^th in 2022 and 2^nd in 2021

(3) Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) – 4^th in 2022 and 7^th in 2021

(4) Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa) – 7^th in 2022 and 3^rd in 2021

(5) Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) – 2^nd in 2022 and 4^th in 2021

(9) Lucas Davison (Northwestern) – 6^th in 2022

(11) Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) – 6^th in 2021 and 8^th in 2019

(16) Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) – 8^th in 2021

Top Potential Matchups

Round of 16 – (9) Lucas Davison (Northwestern) vs (8) Sam Schuyler (Iowa State)

Round of 16 – (11) Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) vs (6) Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard)

Round of 16 – (7) Owen Trephan (NC State) vs (10) Zach Elam (Missouri)

Quarterfinals – (1) Mason Parris (Michigan) vs (9) Lucas Davison (Northwestern)

Quarterfinals – (5) Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) vs (4) Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa)

Quarterfinals – (7) Owen Trephan (NC State) vs (2) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)

Semi-Finals – (1) Mason Parris (Michigan) vs (4) Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa)/(5) Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State)

Semi-Finals – (3) Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) vs (2) Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)

Finals – (1) Mason Parris (Michigan) vs (2) Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)

Top Half

Mason Parris takes the top seed in this weight and has earned it. He is 28-0 on the year with wins over the 2, 3, and 4 seeds this year. Parris wants to get on a roll here on the top side but could run into Lucas Davison, who gave him a good match in the Quarterfinals. Anthony Cassioppi could also go on a run here with a 21-3 record on the year. Cassioppi has lost to Parris and Kerkvliet this season, but other than that, he has looked very good. He could have a monster Quarterfinal matchup with 20-2 Cohlton Schultz. The top half of this bracket could be entertaining each session.

Bottom Half

Greg Kerkvliet has been excellent this year and, despite being seeded behind 26-1 Wyatt Hendrickson, should be the favorite to come out of this half of the bracket. Kerkvliet is 15-2 on the year, with his losses coming to Mason Parris in the dual and in the Big Ten Finals. Kerkvliet could meet the Round of 16 winner of Trent Hillger and Yaraslau Slavikouski. Hillger has been good all year, but Slavikouski has been very good, going 27-4. He holds wins over Owen Trephan this season but was upset in the EIWA Semi-Finals by Nathan Taylor. Hendrickson has been the most dominant wrestler this year, at least statistically. He looks to have the smoothest path to a possible Semi-Final appearance but could run into Owen Trephan in the Quarterfinals, who looked good at the ACC Championships. The top and bottom half of this bracket will keep fans in their seats until the end.

All stats and records were provided by wrestlestat.com