NCAA Wrestling: Ranking 2021-2022 weight classes
By Chris Snyder
Taking a way too early look at each NCAA Wrestling weight class heading into the 2021-2022 season, and how Penn State Wrestling stacks up
With June right around the corner, nothing screams “college wrestling” like 89 degree weather and backyard BBQs.
But to be fair, I have witnessed my fair share of what could be loosely termed “wrestling” later at night after a backyard BBQ or two.
However the similarities between elite level collegiate wrestling and two dudes squaring off after one person insulted the other person’s “hotdog cooking ability” begins and ends at “two humans grappling”.
Speaking of hot dogs, did you know America typically consumes 7 billion of them between Memorial Day and Labor Day? And that a hot dog is a sausage but a sausage isn’t necessarily a hot dog?
Wait, where was I again?
I get side tracked easily.
Oh yeah, wrestling.
So let’s take a look at each upcoming weight class and try to rank them. More specifically, I’m going to put them into different categories of how one-sided they are versus one’s which are completely wide open.
One slight caveat. I realize true freshman have and will make impacts for various schools. But since it’s May, I won’t know where many of them will be slotted until much closer to the season. So I’m going to look at each weight class based on the current wrestlers. Additionally, with last year being a “free year”, I don’t think there will be as many true freshman hitting the mat in the upcoming season.
Move on. Nothing to see here – No. 1.
As you can probably guess by the title of this section, these weight classes are pretty much a forgone conclusion. While there might be some jockeying for position between the top 2-8 guys throughout the season, the No. 1 guy is head and shoulders above everyone else.
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2021 Top 4
1. Spencer Lee (Sr.) Iowa
2. Brandon Courtney (Jr.) Arizona State
3. Patrick Mckee (So.) Minnesota
4. Drew Hildebrandt (Sr.) Central Michigan
Try this on for size:
-3x NCAA Champion (2018, 2019, 2021)
-2x Hodge Trophy Winner (2020 & 2021)
-2x B1G Wrestler of the Year (2020 & 2021)
-Outscored his 12 opponents in 2021 141-15
-Outscored his 5 opponents in the NCAA Championships 59-8
And what’s even more impressive about Spencer Lee’s dominant run in this past year’s 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships? He apparently did it while wrestling on exactly 0 healthy ACLs. Lee re-injured his right ACL in the 2019 NCAA Championships and then in the 2021 B1G Championships he indicated he tore his left ACL.
Can anyone image what Lee could do if he was actually healthy?
Anyway, moving on to the next weight class which is already pre-determined.