Who's #1 College Fan Viewing Guide
Who's #1 College Fan Viewing Guide
The college fan's viewing guide for the 2018 version of Who's #1, in which 14 wrestlers are committed and six have not yet given their verbal.
Who's #1 brings the creme de la creme of high school wrestling to the Snake Pit. That means it's got a little bit of a head start over most events in terms of producing high level, Division 1 talent.
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Our own Kyle Bratke has put out the final numbers, and 45% of last year's NCAA finalists wrestled at WNO. That means any of these kids going to your school has a good chance at getting your program some serious points at the national tournament.
Of the 20 males wrestling on Sunday (there will also be a female match this year), only six are uncommitted. Below you'll see where the first 14 have given verbals to, and some early schools in play for the rest of them.
138 Pounds
#1 JoJo Aragona - Committed to Rutgers
#2 Keegan O'Toole - Committed to Missouri
#3 Jaden Abas - Committed to Stanford
#4 Gabe Tagg - Committed to North Carolina
Every wrestler in the four-man for the top spot at 138 is committed, even the junior O'Toole. This group is diverse too, with the Big Ten, MAC, Pac-12, and ACC all represented. This is the third time in the event's history that there will be a mini tournament to determine who is top dog.
Aragona vs Tagg breakdown | Abas vs O'Toole breakdown
120 Pounds
#1 Kurt McHenry - Committed to Michigan
#2 Eric Barnett - Committed to Wisconsin
Both will be heading to the Big Ten, indicating this could be the beginning of a future college rivalry. Barnett was originally committed to North Carolina, but switched his verbal to the Badgers. McHenry is wrestling in the Snake Pit for the second straight year, but was not committed to the Wolverines at the last WNO.
152 Pounds
#1 Andrew Alirez - Committed to Northern Colardo
#2 Jace Luchau - Maryland, Fresno State, Oklahoma State, North Carolina
Luchau is one of the last major dominoes still left available. He would form an excellent 1-2 punch with Michael North at Maryland, or could stay home and help build something at Fresno State. If he goes to Oklahoma State he'll join his fellow WNO competitor in Brevin Balmeceda, or could wind up at North Carolina with Tagg and Devin Winston. Alirez committed to Northern Colorado back in January and looks to be all in on the Bears, having their coaches in his corner at the U.S. Open and World Team Trials.
160 Pounds
#1 Brevin Balmeceda - Committed to Oklahoma State
#2 Alex Facundo - Iowa State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan
Balmeceda just announced his commitment the other night, addressing a key need for the Cowboys. Facundo is still a sophomore, so the schools attached to him are pure conjecture, but educated guesses. Facundo is the latest phenom from Davison, so it's to be expected that the Cyclones (Brent Metcalf) and Badgers (Jon Reader) would be after him, as well as in-state Michigan. As for Nebraska, his club coach Paul Donahoe was a Husker once upon a time.
Balmeceda vs Facundo Breakdown
106 Pounds
#1 Richard Figueroa - Fresno State, Arizona State
#4 Jacob Decatur - Committed to Ohio State
Decatur is locked up and will be joining his brother Jordan at Ohio State, part of another great recruiting class for the Buckeyes. As for Figueroa, he's a sophomore just like Facundo. He lives right near Fresno so they're clearly in play, and ASU would also allow him to stay close to him. However, expect all the major players to try to have a hand in Figs recruitment.
182 Pounds
#1 Abe Assad - Committed to Iowa
#3 Devin Winston - Committed to North Carolina
Assad was originally committed to Army West Point, but has since switched his verbal to the Hawkeyes, firing up the Black and Gold faithful by winning a loaded Akron bracket and then getting bronze at Cadet worlds. Winston was in that bracket, and back in March the 2017 Fargo champ announced he would be attending UNC for college.
113 Pounds
#1 Jakason Burks - Nebraska, Iowa State, Oklahoma State
#2 Greg Diakomihalis - Committed to Cornell
Greg D will follow in the footsteps of his brother by wrestling at Who's #1 and then matriculating at Cornell after he graduates. Burks is finally getting national recognition, but has just begun his recruitment. The junior has taken visits to or been visited by the Huskers, Cyclones, and Cowboys, though there will be more suitors on the way.
Burks vs Diakomihalis breakdown
170 Pounds
#1 Julian Ramirez - Committed to Cornell
#2 Carson Kharchla - Ohio State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State
Remember, these two agreed to this match being freestyle. Ramirez committed to Cornell before last season and has not looked back. We've already seen Kharchla on visits to Columbus and Minneapolis, with his trip to Stillwater coming the week after WNO. He is the highest ranked 2019 recruit who has not yet committed.
132 Pounds
#1 Josh Saunders - 15 schools (Cornell)
#2 Jordan Decatur - Committed to Ohio State
This was supposed to Decatur's third appearance at WNO, but he had to pull out last year with an injury. He was one of the first heavy hitters from the 2019 class, as he and his brother gave verbals to Tom Ryan and the Buckeyes. Saunders is entering his junior year, and as discussed on Who's #1: The Show, has narrowed it down to 15 schools, however, I feel Cornell is the clubhouse leader, but that could certainly change.