It is time to get ready for the 2024 Big Ten Championships on March 9-10.
First up is 125 lbs. This has to be the most difficult weight class to seed and predict for Nationals. The rankings seemed to change weekly as high ranked wrestlers kept getting beat throughout the season.
The Big Ten has the two top ranked wrestlers and six of the top nine ranked wrestlers in the country at 125.
Drake Ayala is ranked #2 in the country with an 19-3 record with one pin, nine tech falls, and one major decision.
Ayala is 11-2 vs. ranked opponents this season.
In comparison to rankings in the Big Ten, Ayala lost to #1 Matt Ramos of Purdue, 4-1 and to #16 Michael DeAugustino of Michigan, 2-1, TB1.
Ayala was wins over #4 Patrick McKee(MN), #8 Caleb Smith(NE), and #9 Braeden Davis(PSU).
I believe Ayala will be the #2 seed at 125 for Big Tens.
There will be 9 automatic qualifiers from the Big Ten at 125 for the 2024 NCAA National Tournament.
InterMat Rankings at 125 for the Big Ten
Matt Ramos (Purdue) – #1
Drake Ayala (Iowa) – #2
Patrick McKee (Minnesota) – #4
Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) – #5
Caleb Smith (Nebraska) – #8
Braeden Davis (Penn State) – #9
Michael DeAugustino (Michigan) – #16
Brendan McCrone (Ohio State) – #24
2023-24 Season – Drake Ayala (125)
#29 Elijah Griffin (Cal Baptist) W-MD 18-8 1-0
Luther Open – 1st Place Julian Long (Nebraska Wesleyan) W-Pin 1:20 2-0
Dalton Whitehall Gikes (Wartburg) W-TF 17-2 3-0
Cade Hornback (Coe) W-TF 19-4 4-0
Akhil Vega (Stevens Tech) W-TF 21-6 5-0
Joey Cruz (Iowa) W-TF 19-3 6-0
#18 Branden Kaylor (Oregon State) L-D 7-6 6-1
#8 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) W-D 7-2 7-1
#19 Max Gallagher (Penn) W-D 8-7 8-1
Nick Babin (Columbia) W-TF 18-3 9-1
Soldier Salute – 1st Place Garrett Rinken (Northern Iowa) W-TF 19-4 10-1
Hayden Benter (Navy) W-TF 19-4 11-1
#20 Patrick McKee (Minnesota) W-D 5-4 12-1
#7 Jore Volk (Wyoming) W-D 4-2 13-1
#7 Caleb Smith (Nebraska) W-D 7-3 14-1
#18 Patrick McKee (Minnesota) W-D 8-5 15-1
#2 Matt Ramos (Purdue) L-D 4-1 15-2
#30 Justin Cardani (Illinois) W-TF 18-3 16-2
Massey Odiotti (Northwestern) W-TF 19-4 17-2
#12 Michael DeAugustino (Michigan) L-D 2-1 TB1 17-3
#2 Braeden Davis (Penn State) W-D 4-2 18-3
#12 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) W-D 8-1 19-3
InterMat Rankings at 125: https://intermatwrestle.com/rankings.html/ncaa-di-r25/
Sat and Sun March 9-10 – at Big Ten Championships (College Park, Maryland)
Thurs-Sat March 21-23 – at NCAA Championships (Kansas City, MO)
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
