2011 D1CW Coaches Poll Results

After a one year hiatus the D1CW Coaches Poll is back and better than ever.  For those reading for the first time, D1CW has polled Head and Assistant Coaches from every conference in the country and they have responded as to who they think fits into each category below.  This year a new wrinkle has been added.  D1CW has asked a coach who voted for each category winner why they voted for that particular wrestler.  A response has been posted as "Coaches Analysis".  Without anymore delay, here it is:

And like last time we have a few ground rules...

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-This was limited to only DI Wrestlers

-Current wrestlers only

-Coaches were allowed to vote for their own wrestlers; if applicable

-Coaches were asked not to vote for coaches on their own staff

                  Best Double Leg Takedown

                              1. Ed Ruth (Penn State)              29% of the votes

                              2. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)  24%

                              3. Ryan Mango (Stanford)              14%

This category was more wide open with the graduation of 2x NCAA Champ and double leg connoisseur Jordan Burroughs.  Ed Ruth showed why he is a worthy successor during his incredible Freshman campaign.  Ruth won a Big Ten Championship prior to finishing 3rd in his first NCAA Championship appearance.  Aside from his deadly double leg, Ed is also likely to lock up a cradle from any position and is generally a threat to score from any position on the mat.

Coaches Analysis:

"His ability to get to the legs and finish is impressive.  As an opposing coach or wrestler, it is scary.  Good luck stopping that shot when he needs to score"---Big Ten Assistant Coach

                Best Variety of Takedowns

                              1. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)  37% of the votes

                              2. David Taylor (Penn State)                 23%

                              3. Quentin Wright (Penn State)             10%

                              3. Ed Ruth (Penn State)                        10%

The Oklahoma State National Champion gets the "Kitchen Sink" honor.  The weapons in Jordan Oliver's arsenal include a throw-by, a huge double leg, an ankle pick, a snatch single and countless others.  In his Sophomore season, Jordan opened up his offense and was unstoppable winning all 29 matches he wrestled (24 by bonus points).

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Cael Sanderson (Penn State)  35% of the votes

                              2. Rob Koll (Cornell)                        21%

                              3. Tom Borrelli (Central Michigan)    15%

For years Pennsylvania wrestling fans were left to wonder, "What would happen if we could keep all of our studs at home"?  With the arrival of Cael Sanderson in Happy Valley, that thought has almost become a reality.  In his two full recruiting classes at Penn State, Sanderson has racked up D1CW's #4 ranked recruiting class in 2011 and #2 in 2010.  He also was able to bring along future  Freshman NCAA Runner-Up David Taylor after signing at Penn State in the spring of 2009.  A National Championship team in 2011 and a return to the mats this summer should only enhance the recruiting for Cael and the Nittany Lions.

Coaches Analysis:

               Most Improved Wrestler
             

                              1. Robert Hamlin (Lehigh)          18% of the votes

                              2. Quentin Wright (Penn State)       14%

                              3. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford)     10%

It's safe to say that in the Fall of 2008, outside of the Lehigh Wrestling community, expectations were not high for a  174lb wrestler hailing from Vermont.  Less than three years later, that Green Mountain State grappler Robert Hamlin has won an EIWA Championship and finished his Sophomore season as an NCAA Runner-Up.  Hamlin enters his Junior season as one of the favorites for an NCAA Title at perhaps the nation's deepest weight class.

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Kyle Dake (Cornell)            34% of the votes

                              2. David Taylor (Penn State)        31%

                              3. Steve Bosak (Cornell)               6%

                              3. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford)  6%

Kyle Dake aka "Mr 6:17", as in the amount of riding time accumulated in his NCAA Finals match against Frank Molinaro of Penn State.  Dake smothered Molinaro and the other four opponents he faced in Philadelphia winning his second NCAA Title.  He outscored his opponents 32-1 in those five matches and the lone point scored against him came via penalty. 

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)       61% of the votes

                              2. Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)             16%

                              3. Matt McDonough (Iowa)               10%

Andrew Howe was  the runner-up in this category in 2009, the previous time the poll was conducted.  Howe has used his rare blend of brute force and sneaky-good technique to finish top-three in the nation (2nd, 1st, 3rd) in each of his first three seasons.  2010-11 saw Andrew battle injuries and miss the entire second half of the regular season.  He will likely redshirt in 2011-12 while making a run at the 2012 Olympic Team.  

Incoming Freshman Who Will Have the Best Career

                              1. Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)   52% of the votes

                              2. Nico Megaludis (Penn State)             12%

                              3. Logan Storley (Minnesota)                8%

                              3. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)              8%

This voting might have been a little bit closer Pre-Fargo 2011.  At "Fargo" or Junior Freestyle Nationals, Morgan McIntosh dominated the field at 215, a weight class higher than the 189 he competed at in the high school season.  McIntosh did so while only weighing around 205lbs at the most.  Morgan, a 3x undefeated California State Champion, is the likely starter at 197lbs for Penn State in the upcoming season. 

Coaches Analysis:

                         Best Leg Rider
       

                              1. Scott Sentes (Central Michigan)  26% of the votes

                              2.  Kyle Dake (Cornell)                          22%

                              3. Frank Molinaro (Penn State)             15%

                              4. Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford)          11%

In a slight upset over 2x NCAA Champ Kyle Dake, the Central Michigan 133lber Scott Sentes was named the top Leg Rider.  At first glance it's very evident that the lanky Sentes is probably a leg rider.  Scott squeezed the life out of his competition at the 2011 NCAA Tournament, shutting out 4 of his opponents en route to his second All-American finish.  21 of Sentes' 35 victories last season came by bonus points.

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)  50% of the votes

                              2.  Ed Ruth (Penn State)                        16%

                              3.  Kyle Dake (Cornell)                            9%

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Matt McDonough (Iowa)   21% of the votes

                              2.  Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)    17%

                              3.  Cam Simaz (Cornell)              12%

It shouldn't be a shocker that an Iowa Hawkeye has been thought to have the "Biggest Gas Tank".  125lber Matt McDonough personifies the "Iowa Style" of constant pressure until his opponent breaks.  And they usually break!  McDonough has won 64 of his first 67 matches and appeared in two NCAA Championship Finals, winning the title in 2010.  Matt is on track to become the Hawkeyes first 4x NCAA Finalist since Lincoln McIlravy in 1997.

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Donny Pritzlaff (Michigan)   26% of the votes

                              2.  Terry Brands (Iowa)                  9%

                              2.  Lou Rosselli (Ohio State)             9%

                              2.  Damion Hahn (Cornell)               9%

                              2. Cody Sanderson (Penn State)      9%

It could be argued that the biggest coaching move of the off-season didn't not involved the hiring of a new Head Coach, it was the Michigan Wolverines bringing Donny Pritzlaff into Ann Arbor.  Pritzlaff is coming off a great five year run at his alma mater Wisconsin.  In Madison, he was able to help recruit D1CW's #4 ranked class in 2008 followed by another top 20 ranking in 2009.  Donny's prized pupil was 3x All-American and 2010 undefeated National Champion Andrew Howe, a wrestler who competes at the same weight class (165).  Look for him to help Michigan reel in top recruiting classes in the years to come.

                          Best Pinner

                              1. Andrew Alton (Penn State)   27% of the votes

                              2.  Quentin Wright (Penn State)      15%

                              3.  Cam Simaz (Cornell)                   11%

In his true Freshman season Andrew Alton recorded the fourth highest single season pin total in Penn State history with 18.  Six of the 18 falls came under a minute.  Alton's 23 bonus point victories ranked him 10th all-time in the Nittany Lions single season list.  Although he lost 10 matches and came up one match short of All-American honors, all ten of Andrew's losses came to wrestler's who were All-American's in 2010-11.

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. Kellen Russell (Michigan)   27% of the votes

                              2.  Kyle Dake (Cornell)               16%

                              3.  Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma)    11%

                              3.  Zach Rey (Lehigh)                 11%

After a season away taking a redshirt, Kellen Russell came back better than ever going a perfect 38-0, en route to his first NCAA Championship.  Although undefeated, Russell had plenty of close matches.  He won five bouts that went to either sudden victory or the tiebreaker criteria.  One huge reason why Kellen was able to pull out so many close victories was his defense and underrated scrambling ability.

Coaches Analysis:

                              1. David Taylor (Penn State)   23% of the votes

                              2.  Kyle Dake (Cornell)                  19%

                              3.  Kellen Russell (Michigan)           16%

                              4.  Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)        10%

David Taylor burst onto the collegiate scene dominating opponents and winning his first 38 bouts, before falling in the NCAA Finals.  He did so with a blend of funky scrambling and devastating scoring ability from the top position.  Taylor broke Josh Moore's single season bonus point victory mark with his 34 combined pins, techs, majors and forfeits.  After the 2010-11 season, Taylor was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and D1CW's National Freshman of the Year.

Coaches Analysis:

                   Best Head Coach
           

                              1. Mark Cody (Oklahoma)        23% of the votes

                              2.  Rob Koll (Cornell)                     17%

                              3.  Tom Brands (Iowa)                  14%

                              3.  Cael Sanderson (Penn State)    14%

                              5.  Tom Borrelli (Central Michigan)  9%

For years Mark Cody has been known as one of the coaches that can "get the most of the least".  In nine seasons at American, Cody produced a National Champion, 14 All-American's (all since 2005) and most recently a 5th place team finish at the 2011 NCAA Championships.  This spring he took over for a retiring Jack Spates at Oklahoma, so now he will have the resources needed to consistently compete for NCAA Team Titles. 

Coaches Analysis:

            Best Wrestler Pound for Pound
                

                              1. Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State)   38% of the votes

                              2.  Kyle Dake (Cornell)                            31%

                              3.  David Taylor (Penn State)                  13%

                              3.  Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)                 13%

In the 2010-11 season Jordan Oliver finished second in the Hodge Trophy voting after winning a National Title at 133lbs.  Oliver finished 29-0, capturing bonus points in 24 of those matches.  In his two seasons competing for the Cowboys, Oliver has won 2 Big 12 Championships and finished 4th and 1st at the NCAA Tournament.  His 61-4 record gives him a 93.9% winning percentage, which ranks him 12th on Oklahoma State's all-time list.

Coaches Analysis: