Deakin Leads Loaded Big Ten Field At 157
Deakin Leads Loaded Big Ten Field At 157
The Big Ten bracket at 157 lbs is loaded with six guys ranked in the top ten. Get a load of the big matches we're expecting this weekend.
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Not only does the Big Ten have the nation's top 157-pounder in Ryan Deakin, it has six of the top ten guys in the country. The top tier talent and depth will make this a great weight to watch. While the action is live on the Big Ten Network, we'll be breaking it down from Flo HQ on a watch party. Here's everything you need to know about this 157 lbs bracket.
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Pre-Seeds (8AQs)
1. #1 Ryan Deakin, Northwestern
2. #5 Kaleb Young, Iowa
3. #6 Brayton Lee, Minnesota
4. #7 Kendall Coleman, Purdue
5. #9 Brady Berge, Penn State
6. #10 Will Lewan, Michigan
7. #25 Chase Saldate, Michigan State
8. #23 Garrett Model, Wisconsin
9. Elijah Cleary, Ohio State
10. Caleb Licking, Nebraska
11. Michael Doestsch, Maryland
12. Johnny Mologousis, Illinois
13. Luke Baughman, Indiana
14. NO ENTRY, Rutgers
Deakin is the Clear Frontrunner
Last season, Ryan Deakin was the top seed at NCAAs for good reason. He was undefeated with wins over #2 Hayden Hidlay and #3 David Carr. He's most likely back in pole position for this year's NCAAs, but he'll need to win a tough Big Ten bracket first.
Deakin didn't wrestle his first matches of the season until a dual against Wisconsin on February 4, and while hie teched #23 Garrett Model, he won a much closer 7-4 decision in extra matches against Devin Bahr. This might have caused concern for Northwestern fans about Deakin's readiness for the post season, but he followed that up the following week with a 12-0 major decision over #6 Brayton Lee.
If seeds hold, Deakin would have a quarterfinal rematch with Model, a semifinal against either #7 Kendall Coleman or #9 Brady Berge, and a final against either #6 Brayton Lee or #5 Kaleb Young. The only wrestler from that group who has defeated Deakin is Kaleb Young who actually had a 2-1 record against Deakin in 2019. Since that time, Deakin seems to have noticeably improved, but those wins can't be ignored.
Ryan Deakin's 2020 dual meet victory over Kendall Coleman
6 Top 10 Guys Make This a Loaded Weight
Even after Ryan Deakin, this field is stacked with talent. Kaleb Young, Brayton Lee, Kendall Coleman, Brady Berge, and Will Lewan are all ranked in the top ten, and they all have All-American potential.
Young was an All-American in 2019 placing 5th, and he has two wins over Ryan Deakin. He also has wins over Kendall Coleman, and Brayton Lee. That makes him the clear #2 seed.
Brayton Lee's win over Kendall Coleman this year gave him the #3 seed, and Kendall Coleman's sudden victory win over Will Lewan last season earned him the #4 seed.
Lewan's only loss on the season came at the hands of Brady Berge which is why Berge holds the #5 seed and Lewan the #6. They are both very dangerous and pose problems for everyone in this bracket.
Early Matches to Watch
#25 Chase Saldate vs #2 Kaleb Young - Michigan State freshman Chase Saldate is 4-3 on the season, but his losses have come to Brayton lee, Kendall Coleman, and Will Lewan. He was within a point of Lee and pushed Coleman to overtime. Young is a big favorite here, but Saldate could have a big win this weekend, so keep your eyes on this potential quarterfinal.
#6 Brayton Lee vs #10 Will Lewan - If seeds hold, we'll see Brayton Lee and Will Lewan hit for the first time in their college careers. They do have history as Lee edged Lewan 5-3 in 2018 in freestyle, but this match will teach us a lot about where they stand as college folkstylers.
#7 Kendall Coleman vs #9 Brady Berge - Another potential quarterfinal could bring another matchup we haven't seen between Purdue's Kendall Coleman and Penn State's Brady Berge. Coleman's only loss on the year was to Brayton Lee, while Berge is undefeated this season with a win over Will Lewan.
Berge has been an important piece of the Penn State story this season, and his health could mean big things for the Nittany Lions. Coleman, on the other hand, was a rising star last season but didn't get to prove himself at the NCAA Championships. This might be the most interesting match of the quarterfinals at 157 lbs.
Predictions: 1) Deakin 2) Lee 3) Coleman 4) Young