INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA presented the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Awards to eight student-athletes at the Divisions I, II and III Wrestling Championships over the last two weekends.
The inaugural NCAA Wrestling Awards were presented at the 2012 wrestling championships. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes that have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular and postseasons.
For results to be counted for the awards they must come against opponents in the same division (i.e. Division II vs. Division II). Ties in the falls and tech falls categories are broken based on the aggregate time.
In Division I, Air Force heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson was presented with two awards at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit as the winner for Most Dominant Wrestler and most falls. Hendrickson had 16 falls on the season, including one fall and one major decision during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, to finish the season averaging 4.70 team points per match.
The Division I winner for most technical falls was Sebastian Rivera of Rutgers with 14 this season to help him finish second in the race for most dominant with 4.39 average team points.
Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell became a three-time national champion in Detroit winning at 149 pounds and took third in most dominant with 4.36 average points.
The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled. Wrestlers need a minimum of 17 matches and must qualify for the national tournament to win the award. Points per match are awarded as follows.
- Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss)
- Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss)
- Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss)
- Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss)
In Division II, Matt Malcom of Nebraska-Kearney won his second national championship to complete a 24-0 season vs. Division II competition at 165 pounds and helped the Lopers win the fourth national championship in school history and earn Most Dominant Wrestler with a 4.63 average team points this season.
His teammate, Austin Eldredge, also took home a performance trophy as his 16 tech falls at 174 pounds was three more than the next best in Division II, while Nicholas Mason of Tiffin took the award for most falls with 17 this season at 197 pounds.
Division III featured a very close race for Most Dominant Wrestler that came down to the final round of competition at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Millikin’s Bradan Birt earned a 14-2 major decision victory to win the 165-pound national championship and complete a 40-0 season against D-III competition to win with an average of 5.45 team points per match, edging Kaidon Winters of RIT (5.20 average) and Kaleb Reeves of Coe (5.19).
Reeves edged Birt for most falls in Division III with 24 at heavyweight, which was one more than Birt’s 23.
Michael Ross of Johnson & Wales rounded out the award winners in Division III with 22 tech falls to take that prize.
NCAA Stat Leaders – Most Dominant
17-match minimum in division & qualified for NCAAs required to be ranked
Division I
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Avg. Team Points |
1 | Wyatt Hendrickson | Air Force | 285 | 4.7 |
2 | Sebastian Rivera | Rutgers | 141 | 4.39 |
3 | Yianni Diakomihalis | Cornell | 149 | 4.36 |
4 | Gable Steveson | Minnesota | 285 | 4.29 |
5 | Keegan O’Toole | Missouri | 165 | 4.23 |
6 | Ryan Deakin | Northwestern | 157 | 4.22 |
7 | Carter Starocci | Penn St. | 174 | 4.18 |
8 | Roman Bravo-Young | Penn St. | 133 | 4.09 |
9 | Daton Fix | Oklahoma St. | 133 | 4.08 |
10 | Nick Lee | Penn St. | 141 | 3.95 |
11 | Michael O’Malley | Drexel | 174 | 3.82 |
12 | David Carr | Iowa St. | 157 | 3.81 |
12 | Cohlton Schultz | Arizona St. | 285 | 3.81 |
14 | Aaron Brooks | Penn St. | 184 | 3.77 |
15 | Trent Hidlay | NC State | 184 | 3.65 |
16 | Evan Wick | Cal Poly | 165 | 3.64 |
17 | Max Dean | Penn St. | 197 | 3.58 |
18 | Mekhi Lewis | Virginia Tech | 174 | 3.5 |
19 | Greg Kerkvliet | Penn St. | 285 | 3.44 |
20 | Parker Keckeisen | UNI | 184 | 3.42 |
Division II
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Avg. Team Points |
1 | Matt Malcom | Neb.-Kearney | 165 | 4.63 |
2 | Dalton Abney | Central Okla. | 197 | 4.35 |
3 | Cole Laya | West Liberty | 125 | 4.26 |
4 | Andrew Dunn | Kutztown | 285 | 4.22 |
5 | Nicholas Mason | Tiffin | 197 | 3.97 |
6 | Joey Bianchini | St. Cloud St. | 141 | 3.92 |
7 | Joel Leise | Gannon | 197 | 3.89 |
8 | Francesco Borsellino | West Liberty | 285 | 3.82 |
9 | Jonathan Andreatta | Adams St. | 133 | 3.74 |
10 | Darrell Mason | Minnesota St. | 285 | 3.71 |
11 | Ty McGeary | West Liberty | 174 | 3.65 |
12 | Jacob Ealy | Pitt.-Johnstown | 149 | 3.63 |
13 | Dillon Keane | Pitt.-Johnstown | 165 | 3.62 |
14 | Austin Eldredge | Neb.-Kearney | 174 | 3.56 |
15 | Kameron Teacher | St. Cloud St. | 285 | 3.5 |
16 | Shane Gantz | Wis.-Parkside | 165 | 3.48 |
17 | Noah Hermosillo | Adams St. | 149 | 3.44 |
18 | Jacob Dunlop | Gannon | 125 | 3.37 |
19 | Josiah Rider | Adams St. | 157 | 3.36 |
20 | Weston Hunt | Colo. Sch. of Mines | 285 | 3.35 |
Division III
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Avg. Team Points |
1 | Bradan Birt | Millikin | 165 | 5.45 |
2 | Kaidon Winters | RIT | 157 | 5.2 |
2 | Kaleb Reeves | Coe | 285 | 5.19 |
4 | Brett Kaliner | Stevens | 149 | 5 |
4 | Cornell Beachem | Mt. St. Joseph | 174 | 5 |
6 | Nathan Lackman | Rhode Island Col. | 157 | 4.68 |
7 | Paul Detwiler | Coast Guard | 184 | 4.61 |
8 | Jarrit Shinhoster | Wis.-Whitewater | 184 | 4.59 |
9 | Matt Lackman | Alvernia | 165 | 4.47 |
10 | Kyle Hatch | Wabash | 165 | 4.42 |
11 | Michael Ross | JWU (Providence) | 174 | 4.39 |
11 | Jordan Wallace | Ithaca | 197 | 4.39 |
13 | Jimmy McAuliffe | Elmhurst | 141 | 4.29 |
14 | Kyle Slendorn | Stevens | 141 | 4.26 |
15 | Jacob Decatur | Baldwin Wallace | 125 | 4.25 |
15 | Zane Mulder | Wartburg | 174 | 4.25 |
17 | Jack Heldt | Wabash | 197 | 4.21 |
18 | Kyle Briggs | Wartburg | 184 | 4.16 |
19 | Dalton Rohrbaugh | York (PA) | 133 | 4.15 |
20 | John Fulmer | Lycoming | 285 | 4.1 |
NCAA Stat Leaders – Falls
Division I
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Falls | Time |
1 | Wyatt Hendrickson | Air Force | 285 | 16 | 39:26 |
2 | King Sandoval | Maryland | 133 | 13 | 25:09 |
3 | Josh Mason | Bloomsburg | 141 | 13 | 33:41 |
4 | Owen Pentz | North Dakota St. | 197 | 12 | 26:25 |
5 | Tanner Cook | South Dakota St. | 165 | 12 | 27:41 |
6 | Michael O’Malley | Drexel | 174 | 12 | 32:46 |
7 | Matt Stencel | Central Mich. | 285 | 12 | 35:55 |
8 | Anthony Sobotker | Binghamton | 133 | 10 | 38:54 |
9 | Zach Hartman | Bucknell | 165 | 9 | 19:42 |
10 | Josh Koderhandt | Navy | 133 | 9 | 37:28 |
11 | Donnell Washington | Indiana | 184 | 8 | 17:09 |
12 | Ed Scott | NC State | 157 | 8 | 18:02 |
13 | Fabian Gutierrez | Chattanooga | 125 | 8 | 19:54 |
14 | Grady Greiss | Navy | 285 | 8 | 21:51 |
15 | Will Feldkamp | Clarion | 197 | 8 | 22:39 |
16 | Joe Doyle | Binghamton | 285 | 8 | 23:15 |
17 | Shane Finney | Navy | 184 | 8 | 25:36 |
18 | Dean Hamiti | Wisconsin | 165 | 8 | 30:50 |
19 | Kyle Biscoglia | UNI | 133 | 8 | 34:44 |
20 | Chase Saldate | Michigan St. | 157 | 7 | 12:50 |
Division II
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Falls | Time |
1 | Nicholas Mason | Tiffin | 197 | 17 | 52:56 |
2 | Logan Bailey | UIndy | 149 | 12 | 24:09 |
3 | Joel Leise | Gannon | 197 | 12 | 29:17 |
4 | Hunter DeLong | Glenville St. | 174 | 11 | 42:20 |
5 | Augustus Dalton | Colorado Mesa | 165 | 10 | 16:25 |
6 | Juan Holmes | Limestone | 285 | 10 | 21:11 |
7 | Jacob Robb | Mercyhurst | 285 | 10 | 24:53 |
8 | Logan Branham | Belmont Abbey | 197 | 10 | 25:45 |
9 | Francesco Borsellino | West Liberty | 285 | 10 | 29:26 |
10 | Dalton Abney | Central Okla. | 197 | 9 | 18:34 |
11 | Evan Carrigan | Newberry | 125 | 9 | 31:08 |
12 | John Penfold | Lake Erie | 174 | 8 | 18:33 |
13 | Walker Heckendorf | Western Colo. | 165 | 8 | 21:29 |
14 | Ryan Ripplinger | McKendree | 133 | 8 | 24:23 |
15 | Ryan Wheeler | Colorado Mesa | 157 | 8 | 24:40 |
16 | Lee Herrington | Neb.-Kearney | 285 | 8 | 24:47 |
17 | Grayston DiBlasi | Colo. Sch. of Mines | 141 | 8 | 25:50 |
18 | Peter Kuster | Drury | 141 | 8 | 28:00 |
19 | Ogden Atwood | Pitt.-Johnstown | 285 | 8 | 28:07 |
20 | Christian Small | King (TN) | 141 | 8 | 28:36 |
Division III
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Falls | Time |
1 | Kaleb Reeves | Coe | 285 | 24 | 34:14 |
2 | Bradan Birt | Millikin | 165 | 23 | 49:19 |
3 | Kaidon Winters | RIT | 157 | 23 | 63:28 |
4 | Joe Salerno | Wash. & Lee | 165 | 21 | 40:16 |
5 | Michael Gonyea | Castleton | 133 | 20 | 40:40 |
6 | Matt Lackman | Alvernia | 165 | 20 | 48:06 |
7 | Mitchell Arch | CWRU | 149 | 18 | 30:47 |
8 | Michael Blando | SUNY Oneonta | 141 | 18 | 31:20 |
9 | Evan Fidelibus | New England Col. | 149 | 18 | 38:03 |
10 | Beau Yineman | Wis.-Oshkosh | 197 | 18 | 40:57 |
11 | Jake Deguire | Springfield | 157 | 18 | 43:16 |
12 | Colin Honderd | Cornell Col. | 184 | 18 | 47:40 |
13 | Gable Crebs | Lycoming | 197 | 17 | 20:59 |
14 | Javen Estrada | North Central (IL) | 141 | 17 | 26:35 |
15 | Colton Babcock | Wilkes | 184 | 17 | 34:03 |
16 | Jeff Nugent | Elmhurst | 165 | 17 | 37:32 |
17 | Tyler Kim | Augsburg | 285 | 17 | 38:00 |
18 | Peter McCusker | Millikin | 157 | 17 | 60:42 |
19 | Kyle Slendorn | Stevens | 141 | 17 | 66:26 |
20 | Nick Barnhart | Messiah | 157 | 17 | 68:42 |
NCAA Stat Leaders – Tech Falls
Division I
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Tech Falls | Time |
1 | Sebastian Rivera | Rutgers | 141 | 14 | 86:19 |
2 | Austin DeSanto | Iowa | 133 | 8 | 38:33 |
3 | Michael McGee | Arizona St. | 133 | 7 | 32:21 |
4 | Cole Urbas | Penn | 197 | 7 | 32:41 |
5 | Yianni Diakomihalis | Cornell | 149 | 6 | 23:57 |
6 | Braxton Amos | Wisconsin | 197 | 6 | 27:55 |
7 | Gable Steveson | Minnesota | 285 | 6 | 28:16 |
8 | Devin Schroder | Purdue | 125 | 6 | 31:14 |
9 | Nick Incontrera | Penn | 174 | 6 | 34:16 |
10 | David Carr | Iowa St. | 157 | 6 | 34:56 |
11 | Dean Hamiti | Wisconsin | 165 | 6 | 35:01 |
12 | Codi Russell | App State | 133 | 6 | 35:36 |
13 | Cody Howard | Virginia Tech | 197 | 5 | 22:07 |
14 | Derek Spann | Buffalo | 141 | 5 | 22:11 |
15 | Logan Messer | George Mason | 174 | 5 | 22:12 |
16 | Ed Scott | NC State | 157 | 5 | 25:11 |
17 | Max Dean | Penn St. | 197 | 5 | 26:51 |
18 | Kai Orine | NC State | 133 | 5 | 27:17 |
19 | Dakota Geer | Oklahoma St. | 184 | 5 | 27:35 |
20 | Evan Wick | Cal Poly | 165 | 5 | 27:44 |
Division II
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Tech Falls | Time |
1 | Austin Eldredge | Neb.-Kearney | 174 | 16 | 51:49 |
2 | Matt Malcom | Neb.-Kearney | 165 | 13 | 54:14 |
3 | Cole Houser | Glenville St. | 184 | 10 | 39:40 |
4 | Brock Biddle | Pitt.-Johnstown | 174 | 10 | 41:17 |
5 | Nicholas Daggett | UNC Pembroke | 125 | 9 | 35:46 |
6 | Nick Novak | St. Cloud State | 149 | 6 | 20:09 |
7 | Jonathan Andreatta | Adams St. | 133 | 6 | 25:21 |
8 | Jacob Ealy | Pitt.-Johnstown | 149 | 6 | 26:24 |
9 | Andrew Sams | UIndy | 174 | 6 | 28:32 |
10 | Nick James | Neb.-Kearney | 141 | 5 | 19:48 |
11 | Darius Parker | Lander | 197 | 5 | 21:14 |
12 | Taylor Jokerst | Maryville (MO) | 141 | 5 | 21:34 |
13 | Seth Latham | Colorado Mesa | 174 | 5 | 22:25 |
14 | Josh Portillo | Neb.-Kearney | 125 | 5 | 24:15 |
15 | Vincent Scollo | Davis & Elkins | 133 | 5 | 24:26 |
16 | Wyatt Turnquist | Northern St. | 149 | 5 | 26:55 |
17 | Nolan Krone | Colorado Mesa | 184 | 5 | 28:43 |
18 | Cole Laya | West Liberty | 125 | 5 | 29:05 |
19 | Matt Wilde | Kutztown | 125 | 5 | 29:47 |
20 | Caleb Morris | Pitt.-Johnstown | 141 | 5 | 29:54 |
Division III
Rank | Name | School | Weight | Tech Falls | Time |
1 | Michael Ross | JWU (Providence) | 174 | 22 | 92:39 |
2 | Tyler Shilson | Augsburg | 157 | 16 | 74:01 |
3 | Cooper Pontelandolfo | NYU | 165 | 13 | 47:38 |
4 | Nick Rogge | Augsburg | 184 | 12 | 39:30 |
5 | Quinn Tobin | Alvernia | 141 | 12 | 49:33 |
6 | Schuyler Caprella | Ohio Northern | 157 | 11 | 38:09 |
7 | Fox Maxwell | Bridgewater St. | 174 | 11 | 42:10 |
8 | Brett Kaliner | Stevens | 149 | 11 | 65:14 |
9 | Bradan Birt | Millikin | 165 | 10 | 38:57 |
10 | Gavin Hollingsworth | Alvernia | 174 | 9 | 36:26 |
11 | Brock Henderson | Coe | 141 | 9 | 44:35 |
12 | Trevor Boryla | Augustana (IL) | 133 | 9 | 51:22 |
13 | Jacob Decatur | Baldwin Wallace | 125 | 9 | 54:47 |
14 | Chris Perry | Trinity (CT) | 141 | 8 | 35:41 |
15 | Albert Xing | Williams | 157 | 8 | 36:54 |
16 | Jarrod Brezovec | John Carroll | 141 | 8 | 37:47 |
17 | Ethan Harsted | Wheaton (IL) | 133 | 7 | 29:37 |
18 | Nicholas Arborio | Western New Eng. | 125 | 7 | 31:09 |
19 | Jacob Krakow | Loras | 174 | 7 | 32:16 |
20 | Samuel Braswell | Averett | 125 | 7 | 41:32 |