The Brown & White will take to the mats in the Qwest Center come Thursday. Lehigh is sending seven with Ciasulli and Kennedy receiving wild cards to join the other 5 AQs.
Certain prognositcators are saying Lehigh’s best expectation would be to finish 16th based upon seedings and comparative rankings. I would be satisfied if we go around 20th, and at least one AA. We have an excellent dual meet team, but tournament wise, we’re ‘not quite there yet’.
Best shot at AA is Rey at 285. He got a #3 seed so the committee obviously sees him as an AA as well. David Craig received a #12 seed and could make AA if he gets as motivated as he did in the last 10 seconds of his consolation match at the EIWA’s.
The other ‘dark horse’ for an AA is Matt Fisk. The senior captain has had a very good year and has shown good aggression. His one weakness is on his feet, which has been his nemesis in tournaments. But this is Matt’s last hurrah and I expect him to bring a big intensity. His first match is, unfortunately, a pigtail round against #11 seeded wrestler, so his work will be tough from the get-go. A loss and the road to the podium will be long.
Ciasulli at 141 has the same ‘on the feet problem’ with his being compounded by his short stature. His loss in the consolations at the EIWA was the epitome of this, with Kemmerer getting in him deep many times. Seth is a terror on the mat, but he needs to be in control when he gets down there. Not digging out of a hole.
Brandon Hatchett, Robert Hamlin and Joe Kennedy will be making their initial forays into the bright lights of the Nationals for the first time. For Lehigh to ‘do well’ at the Tourney will require them to come up with some nice points in either the championship or consolation brackets. For any one of them to make the podium would be a surprise, but then, that’s why it’s done on the mats. All are talented and Lehigh has been known to spring a surprise or two on the NCAA’s