WIN’s 2025 NCAA DI Weight Class Preview: 197
Photo: Michigan’s Jacob Cardenas captured the Big Ten title at 197 pounds, taking down Iowa’s previously unbeaten Stephen Buchanan. Photo by Sam Janicki.
The following is a look at WIN’s top 197-pound contenders before the 2025 NCAA DI Championships commence in Philadelphia March 20-22.
*Note the rankings and records were last updated prior to the NCAA-qualifying tournaments. For WIN’s final TPI and individual ranks, click here.
1. Stephan Buchanan, Iowa, Sr., Loyal, Wisc.
Note: Transferred from Oklahoma prior to 2024-25 season.
Season/Career Record: 19-0/105-25
NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals with a postseason record of 14-5: 3rd in 2024; 3rd in 2022; 8th in 2021; NQ in 2020 before COVID-19 pandemic cancelled NCAAs.
Regular-Season Notes: Only four of his 19 victories have been regular decisions. Buchanan has racked up wins over Top-10 foes Josh Barr, Luke Surber and Isaiah Salazar.
2. AJ Ferrari, CSU-Bakersfield, Jr., Allen, Texas
Note: Sat out past three seasons after winning NCAAs as a freshman for Oklahoma State in 2021.
Season/Career Record: 19-1/43-1
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 5-0: 1st in 2021.
Regular-Season Notes: Of his 12 victories, 10 have come via bonus points. Ranked win over Nick Stemmet of Stanford.
3. Josh Barr, Penn State, Fr., Davison, Mich.
Note: Bumped up to 197 pounds after posting a 14-0 redshirt record at 184 in 2023-24.
Season/Career Record: 17-1/17-1
NCAA Resume: First Nationals
Regular-Season Notes: Top-10 wins over Michael Beard of Lehigh, 11-3, on Dec. 8, and Stephen Little of Little Rock, 4-1 SV-1, on Dec. 22, and a 3-2 TB-1 decision over Jacob Cardenas of Michigan on Feb. 7. Only loss came to Stephen Buchanan, 4-1, on Jan. 31.
4. Jacob Cardenas, Michigan, Sr., Kearny, N.J.
Note: Transferred from Cornell for 2024-25 season.
Season/Career Record: 16-1/86-23
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with postseason record of 11-7: 4th in 2024; 8th in 2023; 1-2 in 2022.
Regular-Season Notes: Started off season with six straight tech falls and first 10 victories came via bonus points. Only loss came to Josh Barr, 3-2 TB-1.
5. Luke Surber, Oklahoma State, Sr., Tuttle, Okla.
Note: Three-time NQ looking for first AA honor in senior campaign.
Season/Career Record: 18-2/63-31
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with a postseason record of 3-6: 0-2 in 2024; reached R16 in 2023; 1-2 in 2022.
Regular-season Notes: Won 12 matches in a row from Dec. 6 to Feb. 23. Top-10 wins over Trey Munoz of Oregon State, Stephen Little of Little Rock and Wyatt Voelker of Northern Iowa.
6. Michael Beard, Lehigh, Sr., Reading, Pa.
Note: Started his career at Penn State, before transferring to Lehigh in 2022.
Season/Career Record: 17-1/87-18
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with a postseason record of 10-7: 8th in 2024; reached R12 in 2023; 7th in 2021.
Regular-season Notes: Riding an eight-match winning streak, including seven tech falls and tech-fall victories in his last five bouts. Ranked wins over Pitt’s Mac Stout and Illinois’ Zac Braunagel.
7. Stephen Little, Little Rock, So., Sturgis, Ky.
Note: Became Little Rock’s first All-American alongside teammate Nasir Bailey at 2024 NCAAs.
Season/Career Record: 17-2/42-6
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 5-2; 7th in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Only ranked opponents on the season were both narrow losses, to Josh Barr, 4-1 SV-1, on Dec. 22 and to Luke Surber, 5-4, on Feb. 8.
8. Trey Munoz, Oregon State, Sr., Mission Viejo, Calif.
Note: Moved up a weight class from 184 after back-to-back AA finishes in 2023 and 2024.
Season/Career Record: 8-3/87-19
NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals with a postseason record of 11-8: 3rd in 2024; 6th in 2023; reached R12 in 2022; 1-2 in 2021.
Regular-season Notes: Missed over two months after suffering an injury at CKLV Invite. Has tech falled three of last four opponents.
9. Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota, Sr., Greeley, Colo.
Note: Moved up from 184 pounds after placing sixth at 2024 NCAAs.
Season/Career Record: 14-4/76-20
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with a postseason record of 6-7: 6th in 2024; reached R12 in 2023; 1-2 in 2022.
Regular-season Notes: Ranked wins over Zach Glazier of SDSU and Evan Bates of Northwestern.
10. Wyatt Voelker, Northern Iowa, So., Manchester, Iowa
Note: Two-time Iowa High School state champion for West Delaware.
Season/Career Record: 17-4/37-12
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with postseason record of 2-2: reached R16 in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Ranked win over Nebraska’s Camden McDanel. All four losses this season have come by one point or in sudden victory.
Others to watch
• SDSU senior Zach Glazier, who transferred from Iowa for the 2024-25 season, is 12-5 on the season with a ranked win over UNI’s Wyatt Voelker.
• Pitt sophomore Mac Stout is 21-2 on the season with ranked wins over Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith, Stanford’s Nick Stemmet and SDSU’s Zach Glazier. Stout reached the R16 at the 2024 NCAAs after a 2-2 showing.
• Drexel’s veteran Michael O’Malley has been wrestling in college since 2019, and the seventh-year senior is up two weight classes from his 174-pound days where he reached the R12 in 2022 and the R16 in 2021.
• Wyoming sophomore Joey Novak is 19-3 on the season with ranked wins over Camden McDanel of Nebraska, Wyatt Voelker of Northern Iowa, Nick Stemmet of Stanford and Drexel’s Michael O’Malley. The Cowboy sophomore reached the R16 in Kansas City last year where he defeated Pitt’s Mac Stout.
