2024 NCAAs Preview • 157 pounds

RETURN TO CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL

Second-Round Notes

• After a scoreless first period, Nebraska’s Peyton Robb sandwiched a pair of second-period takedowns with a four-point near fall to lead 10-3 after two frames en route to an 11-6 decision over Michigan’s Will Lewan.
• Virginia Tech All-American Bryce Andonian, the No. 12 seed who has battled through injuries this season, scored two takedowns in the first period before he added a second-period reversal and a riding-time point to best Northern Iowa’s No. 5 seed Ryder Downey, 9-6.
• Iowa’s No. 10 seed Jared Franek scored all his points in the first period, including takedown midway through the initial frame to edge Ohio’s No. 7 seed Peyten Keller.
• Cornell freshman Meyer Shapiro recorded his second straight bonus-point win with a 17-2 technical fall over Appalachian State’s Tommy Askey.
• No. 2 seed Jacori Teemer scored the bout’s only takedown with 11 seconds left in sudden victory to edge South Dakota State’s No. 15 Cael Swensen.

First-Round Notes

There was only one victory by a lower seed against a higher seed. Appalachian State’s Tommy Askey was seeded No. 19 before the Mountaineer scored five takedowns — including two in the second and third periods — to dominate Iowa State’s No. 14 seed Cody Chittum, 17-6.

The following is a look at WIN’s Top-10 rated wrestlers, plus other notable wrestlers, at 157 pounds before the conference/NCAA qualifying tournaments. Go to WIN-Magazine.com for an updated NCAA preview after the qualifiers.

1. Levi Haines, Penn State, So., Arendtsville, Pa.

Note: After winning a PIAA title for Biglerville High in 2021, he chose to spend his senior season competing in college opens (winning the Edinboro and Franklin & Marshall Open) in 2022.

Season/Career Record: 15-0/40-2

NCAA Resume: Second Nationals after claiming second place (to North Carolina’s Austin O’Connor) last March, when he went 4-1.

Regular-season Notes: Defeated Iowa’s Jared Franek, 12-0, and Nebraska’s Peyton Robb, 10-3.

2. Michael Blockhus, Minnesota, Sr., Cresco, Iowa

Note: Spent two seasons at Northern Iowa before transferring in 2020.

Season/Career Record: 15-1/81-42

NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals after claiming his one AA honor (8th) at 149 pounds last March. His overall NCAA record after not being able to compete in the cancelled 2020 NCAAs is 6-7.

Regular-season Notes: Moving up to 157 pounds, the Gopher entered the Big Tens with an 11-match winning streak; including wins over Jared Franek, 5-4, and Peyton Robb, 12-6

3. Jacori Teemer, Arizona State, Sr., Long Beach, N.Y.

Note: Did not compete in 2022-23 because of an injury.

Season/Career Record: 19-3/70-14

NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals after compiling a 9-5 overall record. This is his first NCAAs since 2022 when he claimed his second AA honor (6th) after claiming fourth place in 2021. He also qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAAs.

Regular-season Notes: Entered Pac-12 with a nine-match winning streak.

4. Vinny Zerban, Northern Colorado, So., Bethalto, Ill.

Note: Won an Illinois state title for Civic Memorial in 2021.

Season/Career Record: 19-0/38-13

NCAA Resume: Second Nationals after reaching the blood round last March, when won four of six bouts as a No. 32 seed.

Regular-season Notes: Won the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, where he beat Stanford’s Daniel Cardenas 8-5 in sudden victory.

5. Meyer Shapiro, Cornell, Fr., Woodbine, Md.

Note: From the same hometown of Olympic champ Kyle Snyder and started his prep career at Bullis High before attending Wyoming Seminary.

Season/Career Record: 19-2/19-2

NCAA Resume: First Nationals

Regular-season Notes: Earned two wins over Virginia Tech AA Bryce Andonian and scored a 14-4 major decision over Missouri AA Brock Mauller.

6. Jared Franek, Iowa, Gr., 

Harwood, N.D.

Note: Transfer from North Dakota State, where he placed in 2023 and also earned the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award for academics.

Season/Career Record: 15-3/102-23

NCAA Resume: After coming up short by one match in the 2021 and 2022 NCAAs, the former Bison earned his first AA honor (4th) last March. His NCAA record is 9-6.

Regular-season Notes: Defeated Oklahoma State’s Travis Teague to end the regular season.

7. Peyton Robb, 

Nebraska, Sr., 

Owatonna, Minn.

Note: Robb was hospitalized for a staph infection in his leg shortly after the 2023 NCAAs.

Season/Career Record: 

16-5/91-32

NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals, beginning in 2020. After reaching R16 in 2021, he placed fourth in 2022 (winning five straight wrestlebacks) and sixth last March. His combined NCAA record is 11-7.

Regular-season Notes: Defeated Jacori Teemer (ASU), 6-4, as well as Michigan AA Will Lewan, 8-2, to claim the Las Vegas Invitational.

8. Daniel Cardenas, Stanford, So., Arvada, Colo.

Note: Became his high school’s first four-time champ in 2022.

Season/Career Record: 22-5/43-8

NCAA Resume: Second Nationals after going 2-2 in 2023.

Regular-season Notes: Defeated Cornell’s Meyer Shapiro, 8-5, at Las Vegas Invite.

9. Ryder Downey, Northern Iowa, RSFr., Indianola, Iowa

Note: Wrestled four different weights in high school, winning a state title as a senior at 145.

Season/Career Record: 17-4/17-4

NCAA Resume: First Nationals

Regular-season Notes: Had a 10-match winning streak going to the Big 12s with wins over Peyton Robb and Travis Teague.

10. Teague Travis, 

Oklahoma State, So., 

Stillwater, Okla.

Note: Won three Missouri state title at Fr. Tolton Catholic before transferring to Stillwater his senior year.

Season/Career Record: 17-4/24-6

NCAA Resume: First Nationals

Regular-season Notes: Moving up two weight classes, he defeated NC State AA Ed Scott, 7-6.

Others to Watch

There are five past All-Americans, who were rated outside the Top-10 after the regular-season: Missouri senior Brock Mauller (5th/2021 and 7th/2023 at 149 pounds), Virginia Tech senior Bryce Andonian (3rd/2022 and 7th/2023), Indiana senior Brayton Lee (6th/2021 for Minnesota), Michigan senior Will Lewan (5th/2022 and 8th/2023) and NC State junior Ed Scott (5th/2023). It was unknown if Andonian would wrestle in the postseason after suffering an injury on Jan. 7.