Way Too Early Lineup Look: 2022-23 Michigan Wolverines
Way Too Early Lineup Look: 2022-23 Michigan Wolverines
Big Ten Champion and NCAA runner-up Michigan lost five incredible starters, but returns three All-Americans and another four NCAA qualifiers.
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Michigan's 100th season of wrestling was also one of its most unforgettable.
A mix of accomplished veterans and talented upstarts led the Wolverines past powerful Penn State to their first Big Ten title in 49 years. Michigan then tied a program record with six All-Americans in finishing second at the NCAA Championships.
The Wolverines went 12-1 against a loaded duals slate, including a 7-1 mark against teams which appeared in the final NWCA Top 25 rankings.
"So much love for this staff, these special Wolverines and #Team100," tweeted National and Big Ten Coach of the Year Sean Bormet on March 20. "Here is to the next 100 years."
A good portion of that firepower is gone as wrestlers who have exhausted their eligibility include five starters who finished their careers with a combined two NCAA championships, five conference titles and 15 All-American berths.
However, Bormet will welcome back a talented foundation to build on, including three All-Americans and another four NCAA qualifiers.
2022-23 Michigan Projected Starting Lineup
125: Jack Medley
133: Dylan Ragusin
141: Drew Mattin
149: Chance Lamer
157: Will Lewan
165: Cam Amine
174: Joseph Walker
184: Jelani Embree
197: Bobby Striggow
285: Mason Parris
125: JACK MEDLEY, SR
After starting at 125 in 2020 and 133 in 2021, Medley began was back starting at 125 to begin last season until two-time NCAA champion Nick Suriano became eligible after transferring from Rutgers.
Medley, a 2020 NCAA qualifier, posted a 12-4 mark last season including a win over two-time NCAA qualifier Joe Manchio (Columbia), who is No. 23 in the Insanely Early 2022-23 Rankings.
Medley is not ranked, but has not only beaten Manchio, but five others who appear in the rankings, including three All-Americans -- Micheal DeAugustino (Northwestern), Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) and Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State).
DeAugustino, ranked fifth, is also a three-time NCAA qualifier while No. 7 Barnett is a two-time All-American. No. 8 Kaylor is a two-time NCAA qualifer as well.
Medley has also knocked off three-time NCAA qualifier Jakob Camacho (North Caroina State), who is ranked ninth, and two-time qualifier and 24th-ranked Justin Cardini (Illinois).
Medley owns a 51-30 career record.
133: DYLAN RAGUSIN, SO
After starting at 125 in 2021, the two-time NCAA qualifier bumped up to 133 last season and enjoyed a stellar campaign with several signature wins.
Ragusin, ranked fourth, finished 24-8 with five technical falls and four major decisions after going 8-5 the year before.
After losing to two-time NCAA Champion Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, Ragusin reeled off four straight wins, including three against All-Americans, to finish third. He went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships with both losses coming by just a single point.
During the season, Ragusin bested two-time All-Americans Lucas Byrd (Illinois) and Chris Cannon (Northwestern) and one-time All-Americans Devan Turner (Oregon State) and Rayvon Foley (Michigan State). Byrd is ranked third, Cannon sixth and Foley 10th.
Ragusin also knocked off No. 14 Josh Koderhandt (Navy), No. 20 Jake Gliva (Minnesota) and No. 22 Malyke Hines (Pittsburgh) last season. He owns wins over two-time All-American Patrick McKee (Minnesota) and All-American Micheal DeAugustino (Northwestern) as well. McKee and DeAugustino are ranked fourth and fifth at 125.
141: DREW MATTIN, SR
The three-time NCAA qualifier reached the round of 16 at 125 pounds in 2018 and 2019 before red-shirting in 2020 and starting at 141 in 2021. Mattin did not start last season, but put together a 16-4 mark at 133, including nine bonus-point wins.
He does not appear in Insanely Early Rankings, but bested Pennsylvania's Michael Colaiocco (No. 10 at 133), Iowa State's Ramazan Attasauov (No. 18 at 133) and Wisconsin's Kyle Burwick (No. 23 at 133). The trio has combined for five NCAA appearances.
Mattin racked up some noteworthy wins while at 125, including against three-time All-American Ethan LIzak (Minnesota), two-time All-Americans Brandon Courtney (Arizona State) and Zeke Moisey (Nebraska) and one-time All-Americans Drew Hildebrandt (Central Michigan), Connor Schram (Lehigh), Ryan Millhof (Arizona State), Rayvon Foley (Michigan State) and Sean Russell (Minnesota). Courtney is currently ranked No. 6 at 125 while Foley is No. 10 at 133.
Other wins have come against four-time NCAA qualifier Malik Heinselman (No. 14 at 125) and two-time qualifier Dylan D'Emilio (Ohio State), who is ranked 12th at 125.
Mattin has a 49-26 career mark with 12 pins.
149: CHANCE LAMER, FR
The four-time Oregon State champion red-shirted his first year in Ann Arbor last season. He finished 17-2 in open competition with eight bonus-point wins.
Lamer's biggest win was a decision over two-time NCAA qualifier Marcus Robinson (Cleveland State), who is ranked No. 22 at 149.
157: WILL LEWAN, JR
The three-time NCAA qualifier broke through for a fifth-place showing at the NCAA Championships to become an All-American. Lewan was also named a second-team All-American by the NWCA in 2020.
He finished 21-7 last season and was second in the Big Ten. Lewan owns a 51-18 career record and is third in the Insanely Early Rankings, first among Big Ten wrestlers.
He beat two-time All-Americans Jacori Teemer (Arizona State) and Kaleb Young (Iowa) and one-time All-Americans Peyton Robb (Nebraska) and Hunter Willits (Oregon State) last season. Robb is ranked No. 4, Teemer No. 5 and Willits No. 6.
Lewan has also beaten No. 18 Jarrett Jacques (Missouri), No. 19 Andrew Cerniglia (Navy) and No. 22 Chase Saldate (Michigan State).
In just his third collegiate match, Lewan upset then-Michigan teammate Alec Pantaleo, a three-time All-American.
165: CAM AMINE, SO
He could join cousin Myles as Michigan's only five-time All-Americans after placing fourth at the NCAA Championships last season and seventh in 2021. Amine is third in the Insanely Early Rankings and first among Big Ten wrestlers.
He was also second in the Big Ten Tournament to two-time All-American Alex Marinelli (Iowa), but avenged that defeat during the NCAA Championships. Amine finished the season with a 20-7 mark, bringing his career record to 34-11.
He knocked off two other All-Americans last season in Wisconsin's Dean Hamiti (ranked fourth) and fifth-ranked Carson Kharchlo (Ohio State). Amine also beat No. 8 Philip Conigliero (Harvard), No. 10 Izzak Olejnik (Northern Illinois), No. 14 Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia), No. 17 Bubba Wilson (Nebraska) and No. 19 Cael Carlson (Minnesota).
Amine also owns wins over All-American Peyton Robb (Nebraska), who is ranked No. 4 at 157 and Northern Iowa's Austin Yant, 13th at 165.
174: JOSEPH WALKER, SO
Graduation blew a hole through Michigan's upper weights as departing starters at 174, 184 and 197 made All-American a combined nine times during their careers.
Walker, an Indiana state champion, gets the unenviable task of replacing three-time All-American Logan Massa. He went 14-4 in open competitions last season, including six bonus-point wins.
Walker's most noteworthy win came against two-year Central Michigan starter Bret Fedewa, who finished with a 14-4 record.
184: JELANI EMBREE, SR
While Embree must somehow replace irreplaceable five-time All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and Olympic bronze medalist Myles Amine, next season will actually be his third as the Wolverines' starter at this weight.
The three-time Michigan state champion started in 2019 when Amine was at 174 and in 2020 when he took an Olympic redshirt, posting a combined 29-18 mark those two seasons and qualifying for the 2020 NCAA Championships.
Among those Embree beat during that time are four-time NCAA qualifiers Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) and Max Lyon (Purdue). Caffey is ranked 12th at 197 pounds.
Embree also bested Ohio State All-American Ethan Smith during his redshirt season in 2017-18. Smith is currently ranked No. 6 at 174 pounds.
However, Embree has wrestled only four matches since the end of the 2020 season.
197: BOBBY STRIGGOW, JR
The Minnesota state champion is tasked with filling the significant leadership and talent void left by the departure of four-time NCAA qualifier and 2019 All-American Patrick Brucki.
Striggow has a 17-22 career record, including 12-13 last season when he started whenever Brucki was out of the lineup. His best win to date has come against NCAA qualifier Garrett Hoffman (Indiana).
285: MASON PARRIS, SR
The two-time All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier has anchored the Wolverines at heavyweight since the day he set foot on campus in the fall of 2018. Parris is third in the Insanely Early Rankings and second among Big Ten wrestlers.
He went 20-6 last season, including 12 bonus-point wins, while placing fifth at the NCAA Championships and fourth in the Big Ten.
Among those Parris beat were two-time All-American Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa), currently ranked fourth, and one-time All-Americans Lucas Davison (Northwestern), Matt Stencel (Central Michigan), Tate Orndorff (Ohio State) and Christian Lance (Nebraska). Davison is ranked sixth and Orndorff eighth. Parris has bested No. 11 Luke Luffman (Illinois) and No. 13 Ethan Laird (Rider) as well.
Parris also boasts beating three-time All-American Amarveer Dhesi (Oregon State), who wrestled for Canada in the Tokyo Olympics.
Other notable wins have come against two-time All-Americans Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State), Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) and Youssiff Hemida (Maryland) and one-time All-Americans Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) and Tanner Hall (Arizona State). Kerkvliet is ranked second and Hillger 12th.
Overall, Parris owns a 91-18 career record, including a whopping 56 bonus-point wins. Of those, 34 have been pins. He has gone 24-13 against All-Americans.