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 St. Louis. 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. USA Wrestling’s Jason Bryant is the defending champion. The picks of the journalists are as follows: Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Oliver (Oklahoma State) 141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Mangrum (Oregon State) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Sorenson (Iowa State) 174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over Bosak (Cornell) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Jack (Oregon State) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Cornell Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Maple (Oklahoma) 149: VonOhlen (Air Force) over Molinaro (Penn State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Onufer (Wyoming) 174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: Steinhaus (Minnesota) over Bennett (Central Michigan) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Flores (American) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Cornell Cody Bryant, Wrestling USA Magazine 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Carter (Virginia Tech) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Novachkov (Cal Poly) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Onufer (Wyoming) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Amuchastegui (Stanford) 184: LeBlanc (Wyoming) over Wright (Penn State) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Honeycutt (Edinboro) Hwt.: Rey (Lehigh) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Cornell, Oklahoma State, Minnesota Jason Bryant, USA Wrestling 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Marion (Iowa) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Asper (Maryland) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Perry (Oklahoma State) 184: Wright (Penn State) over LeBlanc (Wyoming) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Rey (Lehigh) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Cornell Mike Finn, WIN Magazine 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Waters (Missouri) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Novachkov (Cal Poly) over Russell (Michigan) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over VonOhlen (Air Force) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Asper (Maryland) 174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: LeBlanc (Wyoming) over Bennett (Central Michigan) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Haynes (Missouri) Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Rey (Lehigh) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Cornell Andrew Hipps, InterMat 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Oliver (Oklahoma State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Novachkov (Cal Poly) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Nauman (Pittsburgh) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Asper (Maryland) 174: Amuchastegui (Stanford) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over Bosak (Cornell) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Haynes (Missouri) Hwt.: Rey (Lehigh) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Cornell, Oklahoma State Matt Levins, Burlington Hawk Eye 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Oklahoma State) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ramos (Iowa) 141: Novachkov (Cal Poly) over Russell (Michigan) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over St. John (Iowa) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Sorenson (Iowa State) 174: Amuchastegui (Stanford) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over Steinhaus (Minnesota) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Wilps (Pittsburgh) Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Rey (Lehigh) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Cornell Roger Moore, NCAA.com 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Novachkov (Cal Poly) 149: Parks (Oklahoma State) over Molinaro (Penn State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Yohn (Minnesota) 174: Amuchastegui (Stanford) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: LeBlanc (Wyoming) over Ihnen (Nebraska) 197: Yohn (Minnesota) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Jack (Oregon State) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Cornell Jim Nelson, Waterloo Courier 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ramos (Iowa) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Marion (Iowa) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Sorenson (Iowa State) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Amuchastegui (Stanford) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over LeBlanc (Wyoming) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Jack (Oregon State) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Cornell, Minnesota, Oklahoma State Jim and Tony Nordland, TheMatSlap.com 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ramos (Iowa) 141: Novachkov (Cal Poly) over Russell (Michigan) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Onufer (Wyoming) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Amuchastegui (Stanford) 184: LeBlanc (Wyoming) over Hamlin (Lehigh) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Honeycutt (Edinboro) Hwt.: Rey (Lehigh) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Cornell, Minnesota, Iowa Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Waters (Missouri) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Novachkov (Cal Poly) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over VonOhlen (Air Force) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Asper (Maryland) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Amuchastegui (Stanford) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over LeBlanc (Wyoming) 197: Simaz (Cornell) over Honeycutt (Edinboro) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Jack (Oregon State) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Cornell Willie Saylor, The Open Mat 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Novachkov (Cal Poly) 149: Parks (Oklahoma State) over Molinaro (Penn State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Onufer (Wyoming) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Perry (Oklahoma State) 184: Hamlin (Lehigh) over LeBlanc (Wyoming) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Cornell Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ramos (Iowa) 141: Marion (Iowa) over Russell (Michigan) 149: Parks (Oklahoma State) over Molinaro (Penn State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Sorenson (Iowa State) 174: Amuchastegui (Stanford) over Ruth (Penn State) 184: LeBlanc (Wyoming) over Hamlin (Lehigh) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Iowa, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Cornell Larry Slater, USA Wrestler 125: McDonough (Iowa) over Sanders (Minnesota) 133: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Stieber (Ohio State) 141: Russell (Michigan) over Maple (Oklahoma) 149: Molinaro (Penn State) over Parks (Oklahoma State) 157: Dake (Cornell) over Welch (Northwestern) 165: Taylor (Penn State) over Onufer (Wyoming) 174: Ruth (Penn State) over Amuchastegui (Stanford) 184: Bosak (Cornell) over Hamlin (Lehigh) 197: Honeycutt (Edinboro) over Simaz (Cornell) Hwt.: Flores (American) over Nelson (Minnesota) Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Missouri