Top journalists make predictions for NCAA Championships

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USA Wrestling ()
03/19/2013 

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 Des Moines.

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.

InterMat’s Andrew Hipps is the defending champion.

The picks of the journalists are as follows:

Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Chamberlain (Boise State)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Welch (Northwestern)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Brown (Penn State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Loder (Northern Iowa)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Bradley (Missouri) over Nelson (Minnesota)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri

Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Hanke (Oregon State)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Missouri

Eric Bettermann, The Open Mat
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Welch (Northwestern)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
285: Nelson (Minnesota) over Bradley (Missouri)
Teams: Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Oregon State

Jason Bryant, Amateur Wrestling News
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Chamberlain (Boise State)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Storley (Minnesota)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt: Bradley (Missouri) over Nelson (Minnesota)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Cornell

Mike Finn, Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine
125: McDonough (Iowa) over Garnett (Virginia Tech)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Graff (Wisconsin)
141: Stieber (Ohio State) over Mangrum (Oregon State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Vinson (Binghamton)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Welch (Northwestern)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Asper (Maryland)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wilps (Pittsburgh)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Bradley (Missouri) 
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Ohio State

Ron Good, Amateur Wrestling News
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Evans (Iowa) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Bradley (Missouri)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Cornell

Andrew Hipps, InterMat
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Stieber (Ohio State) over Maple (Oklahoma)
149: Chamberlain (Boise State) over Oliver (Oklahoma State)
157: Green (Nebraska) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Taylor (Penn State) over Dake (Cornell)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Hanke (Oregon State)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Missouri

Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over Dieringer (Oklahoma State)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Storley (Minnesota)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Hamlin (Lehigh)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Bradley (Missouri) over Nelson (Minnesota)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa

Matt Levins, Burlington Hawk Eye
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Ness (Minnesota) over Oliver (Oklahoma State)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Green (Nebraska)
165: Taylor (Penn State) over Dake (Cornell)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Kokesh (Nebraska)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Loder (Northern Iowa)
197: Gadson (Iowa State) over Kilgore (Kent State)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Bradley (Missouri)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Missouri

Roger Moore, NCAA.com
125: McDonough (Iowa) over Garnett (Virginia Tech)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Stieber (Ohio State) over Nevinger (Cornell)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Vinson (Binghamton)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over Dieringer (Oklahoma State)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Loder (Northern Iowa)
197: Wright (Penn State) over Kilgore (Kent State)
Hwt.: Bradley (Missouri) over Trice (Central Michigan)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State

Jim Nelson, Waterloo Courier
125: McDonough (Iowa) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Chamberlain (Boise State)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Welch (Northwestern)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Evans (Iowa)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Bennett (Central Michigan)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Bradley (Missouri) over Nelson (Minnesota)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State

K.J. Pilcher, Cedar Rapids Gazette
125: Megaludis (Penn State) over Delgado (Illinois)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Welch (Northwestern)
165: Dake (Cornell)) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Storley (Minnesota) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Loder (Northern Iowa)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt: Nelson (Minnesota) over Bradley (Missouri)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Ohio State

Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Megaludis (Penn State)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Chamberlain (Boise State)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Brown (Penn State) over Perry (Oklahoma State)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Hamlin (Lehigh)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Nelson (Minnesota) over Hanke (Oregon State)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Missouri

Craig Sesker, USA Wrestling
125: McDonough (Iowa) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Ramos (Iowa) over Stieber (Ohio State)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Ness (Minnesota)
157: St. John (Iowa) over Green (Nebraska)
165: Taylor (Penn State) over Dake (Cornell)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Storley (Minnesota)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Hamlin (Lehigh)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wilps (Pittsburgh)
Hwt.: Bradley (Missouri) over Nelson (Minnesota)
Top 5 teams: Iowa, Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Ohio State

Larry Slater, USA Wrestling
125: Delgado (Illinois) over Waters (Missouri)
133: Stieber (Ohio State) over Ramos (Iowa)
141: Maple (Oklahoma) over Stieber (Ohio State)
149: Oliver (Oklahoma State) over Chamberlain (Boise State)
157: Welch (Northwestern) over St. John (Iowa)
165: Dake (Cornell) over Taylor (Penn State)
174: Perry (Oklahoma State) over Evans (Iowa)
184: Ruth (Penn State) over Hamlin (Lehigh)
197: Kilgore (Kent State) over Wright (Penn State)
Hwt.: Gelogaev (Oklahoma State) over Bradley (Missouri)
Top 5 teams: Penn State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Ohio State