UPDATED: Top wrestling journalists weigh in with predictions for NCAA Championships

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Craig Sesker (USA Wrestling)
03/15/2007


AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - A number of the nation's top wrestling journalists are weighing in with their predictions on this year's NCAA Championships, set for Thursday through Saturday in Auburn Hills, Mich. They are picking the results of the finals in each weight class, in addition to which teams they think will finish in the top five.

J.R. Ogden, sports editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, is the defending champion.

The winner will be announced following the tournament.

The picks of the journalists are as follows:

Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Valenti (Penn) over Simmons (Michigan State)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Moore (UC Davis)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Strouse (Hofstra)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Perry (Iowa)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Herrington (Penn)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Davis (Penn State)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Prendergast (Navy)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Missouri, Cornell, Oklahoma State

Jason Bryant, InterMat
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Valenti (Penn) over Simmons (Michigan State)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Rader (West Virginia)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Storniolo (Oklahoma)
157: Stith (Arizona State) over Poeta (Illinois)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Perry (Iowa)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Askren (Missouri)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Anspach (Penn State)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Missouri, Northwestern, Edinboro

Mike Finn, Wrestling International Newsmagazine
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Gardner (Stanford)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Reiter (Minnesota)
141: Moore (UC Davis) over Lang (Northwestern)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Becker (Indiana)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Tannenbaum (Michigan)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Varner (Iowa State)
197: Askren (Missouri) over Tamillow (Northwestern)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Prendergast (Navy)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Missouri, Cornell, Michigan

Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Valenti (Penn)
141: Rivera (Minnesota) over Moore (UC Davis)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Stith (Arizona State)
165: Perry (Iowa) over Paulson (Iowa State)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Gavin (Pittsburgh)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Askren (Missouri) over Glenn (American)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Gritter (Central Michigan)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma State

Jon Gremmels, Quad-City Times
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Valenti (Penn)
141: Morgan (Oklahoma State) over Lang (Northwestern)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Fay (Northern Iowa)
165: Paulson (Iowa State) over Tannenbaum (Michigan)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Askren (Missouri) over Glenn (American)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Anspach (Penn State)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa State, Cornell, Michigan

Andy Hamilton, Iowa City Press-Citizen
125: Nickerson (Cornell) over Ness (Minnesota)
133: Scott (Oklahoma State) over Valenti (Penn)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Tsirtsis (Iowa)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Stith (Arizona State) over Poeta (Illinois)
165: Perry (Iowa) over Paulson (Iowa State)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Askren (Missouri)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Gritter (Central Michigan)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Iowa, Iowa State

Andrew Hipps, RevWrestling.com
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Frey (Cornell)
141: Morgan (Oklahoma State) over Lang (Northwestern)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Poeta (Illinois) over Henning (Wisconsin)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Perry (Iowa)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Davis (Penn State)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Prendergast (Navy)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Missouri, Cornell, Iowa State, Northwestern

Roger Moore, Stillwater (Okla.) News Press
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Valenti (Penn)
141: Moore (UC Davis) over Lang (Northwestern)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Palmer (Ohio State)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Strouse (Hofstra)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Perry (Iowa)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Herrington (Penn)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Backes (Iowa State) over Glenn (American)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Anspach (Penn State)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa State, Iowa, Oklahoma State

J.R. Ogden, Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Valenti (Penn) over Simmons (Michigan State)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Moore (UC Davis)
149: Churella (Michigan) over Schlatter (Minnesota)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Strouse (Hofstra)
165: Perry (Iowa) over Hendricks (Oklahoma State)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Askren (Missouri)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Gritter (Central Michigan)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa

Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling
125: Ness (Minnesota) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Valenti (Penn) over Simmons (Michigan State)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Morgan (Oklahoma State)
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Stith (Arizona State)
165: Perry (Iowa) over Hendricks (Oklahoma State)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Luke (Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Askren (Missouri) over Brester (Nebraska)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Anspach (Penn State)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Iowa State, Northwestern

Bryan Van Kley, Wrestling International Newsmagazine
125: Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) over Nickerson (Cornell)
133: Simmons (Michigan State) over Valenti (Penn)
141: Lang (Northwestern) over Morgan (Oklahoma State) 
149: Schlatter (Minnesota) over Churella (Michigan)
157: Paulson (Iowa State) over Henning (Wisconsin)
165: Hendricks (Oklahoma State) over Perry (Iowa)
174: Askren (Missouri) over Sinnott (Central Michigan)
184: Herbert (Northwestern) over Kish (Minnesota)
197: Glenn (American) over Askren (Missouri)
Hwt.: Konrad (Minnesota) over Gritter (Central Michigan)
Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Iowa State, Missouri, Iowa, Northwestern