WIN’s 2025 NCAA DI Weight Class Preview: 174
Photo: Missouri’s two-time NCAA champion Keegan O’Toole emerged victorious in a come-from-behind Big 12 final over Oklahoma State’s Dean Hamiti. Photo by Jeremy Cook.
The following is a look at WIN’s top 174-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. Keegan O’Toole, Missouri, Sr., Hartland, Wis.
Note: Seeking third NCAA title and fifth All-American finish after settling for third in 2024.
Season/Career Record: 12-0/100-4
NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals with a postseason record of 21-2: 3rd in 2024; 1st in 2023; 1st in 2022; 3rd in 2021.
Regular-Season Notes: Has only wrestled one match since calendar flipped to 2025. Has secured bonus points in 11 of 12 victories aside from a 4-1 SV-1 triumph over No. 2 Levi Haines of Penn State on Dec. 22.
2. Levi Haines, Penn State, Jr., Arendtsville, Pa.
Note: Jumped up two weight classes after winning 2024 NCAAs at 157 pounds.
Season/Career Record: 17-1/65-3
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with postseason record of 9-1: 1st in 2024; 2nd in 2023.
Regular-Season Notes: Got acclimated to new weight class quickly, starting season 8-0 with four falls and four tech falls before suffering lone setback to Keegan O’Toole, 4-1 SV-1, on Dec. 22. Secured Top-10 wins over Carson Kharchla and Lenny Pinto in dual meets.
3. Dean Hamiti, Oklahoma State, Sr., Joliet, Ill.
Note: Transferred in from Wisconsin prior to 2024-25 season.
Season/Career Record: 19-0/100-14
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with a postseason record of 10-8: reached R12 in 2024; 6th in 2023; 6th in 2022.
Regular-Season Notes: Moved up to 174 pounds and has dominated with new team, securing bonus points in 14 of 19 matches. Secured Top-10 wins over Nelson Brands and Simon Ruiz.
4. Carson Kharchla, Ohio State. Sr., Powell, Ohio
Note: Returned from injury season in 2024.
Season/Career Record: 11-1/60-15
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with a postseason record of 6-4: reached R12 in 2023; 7th in 2022.
Regular-Season Notes: Started season 11-0. Only loss came on Feb. 14 to Levi Haines, 6-4.
5. Lorenzo Norman, Stanford, Fr., South Bound Brook, N.J.
Note: Defeated former NCAA champion Shane Griffith while redshirting in 2023-24 season.
Season/Career Record: 18-2/18-2
NCAA Resume: First Nationals
Regular-Season Notes: Midlands champion. Secured Top-10 wins over Garrett Thompson and Nelson Brands. Fell to Dean Hamiti, 4-3, on Dec. 6 at CKLV Invite.
6. Garrett Thompson, Ohio, Jr., Murrysville, Pa.
Note: Never qualified for the PIAA High School State Championships.
Season/Career Record: 24-5/60-22
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 1-2: 1-2 in 2024.
Regular-Season Notes: Notched Top-10 wins over Cade DeVos and Simon Ruiz. Racked up bonus points in 16 of 24 victories this season.
7. Lenny Pinto, Nebraska, Jr., Stroudsburg, Pa.
Note: Moved down from 184 pounds.
Season/Career Record: 18-4/64-21
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with a postseason record of 3-4: reached R12 in 2024; 1-2 in 2023.
Regular-Season Notes: Split matches with Northern Iowa’s Jared Simma. Kent State Open Champ. Lone loss at Navy Classic came to Midshipman Danny Wask.
8. Cade DeVos, South Dakota State, Sr., Altoona, Iowa
Note: Finished fifth at 2024 NCAAs after entering tourney as a No. 2 seed.
Season/Career Record: 17-5/108-37
NCAA Resume: Fifth Nationals with a postseason record of 10-8: 5th in 2024; reached R12 in 2023; 1-2 in 2022; 1-2 in 2021.
Regular-Season Notes: Riding a seven-match winning streak dating back to Jan. 11. Secured ranked wins over UNI’s Jared Simma, NC State’s Matt Singleton and Pitt’s Luca Augustine.
9. Patrick Kennedy, Sr., Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.
Note: Did not compete in a few late-season meets as Nelson Brands competed for the Hawkeyes but remained postseason starter.
Season/Career Record: 13-5/64-22
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with a postseason record of 5-4: reached R12 in 2024 and R16 in 2023.
10. Simon Ruiz, Cornell, Fr., Morristown, N.J.
Note: Two-time NJSIAA state champ for Delbarton.
Season/Career Record: 20-5/20-5
NCAA Resume: First Nationals
Regular-Season Notes: Top-10 win over Lenny Pinto with additional ranked wins over Penn’s Nick Incontrera, NC State’s Matt Singleton, Navy’s Danny Wask, Pitt’s Luca Augustine and Binghamton’s Brevin Cassella.
Others to watch
• Bucknell’s Myles Takats, a 20-5 sophomore, has momentum and is coming off an 11-3 major decision over Simon Ruiz in his final regular-season bout. The Bison underclassmen has also notched ranked wins over Luca Augustine of Pitt and Minnesota’s Clayton Whiting while taking Ohio’s Garrett Thompson to the wire in a 4-1 SV-1 defeat on Nov. 23 at the Navy Classic in the first semester.
• North Carolina’s Josh Ogunsanya, a transfer from Columbia, has been ascending the rankings in recent weeks after posting wins over Top-10 foe Lorenzo Norman, in a 15-13 frenzy on Feb. 21, as well as a 5-4 decision over NC State’s Matt Singleton on Jan. 31. Interestingly, Ogunsanya also defeated former teammate Lennox Wolak (see below) on Jan. 10 by a 7-5 decision.
• Virginia Tech senior Lennox Wolak, who also transferred in from Columbia after a sixth-place All-American finish in 2024, is 12-8 on the season with his new team but recorded impressive falls over Pitt’s Luca Augustine, former All-American Jackson Turley of Rutgers, and a 29-second pin over Minnesota’s Clayton Whiting.
