(167-174 lbs.) G.O.A.T. MATNESS: NCAA Champs
Okay, here we go! We here at Wrestle MATNESS found ourselves twiddling our thumbs, bored stiff with inactivity this off-season, so we dreamed up a way to get the MATNESS firing again. We’ve created a new “fantasy” event format in which our users will determine the outcome through their popular votes. And for our first fantasy event…., G.O.A.T. MATNESS!
Don’t we all love to debate who’s the best ever? For GOAT MATNESS, we’ve gone and seeded the top NCAA champions from 1970 to the present day, based on what we consider to be their prime year and weight of competition. The criteria used to determine seeding was, in this order of importance:
# of NCAA titles
# of outstanding wrestler and/or Hodge trophies
Additional finals appearances
Additional AA’s placed (highest to lowest)
Prime season record
Prime season number of FALLS
Career Record
It’s been absolutely exhilarating taking the deep-dive into the stats of the NCAA’s all-time greats, getting a 10,000ft view of the historical landscape of the sport we love. The first criteria is the years of eligibility. We settled on 1970-present, the post-Gable era, for a couple of reasons. This timespan allots for enough eligible champions to fill a 32 man bracket. Also, 1970 is the year the NCAA went to 10 weight classes that directly correlate with the present day weight classes that came to be in 1999. It’s a bit of a challenge finding accurate stats for some of the wrestlers from the 70’s, although the NCAA HoF website has been a godsend. Some schools keep better records than others and their sites help to fill in holes, but we quickly learned that some stats, like falls, were not officially kept by the NCAA in the 70’s, so accuracy is not guaranteed. In fact, through our research, we learned Gene Mills’s fall record is self-proclaimed and Wade Schalles is still the certified record holder at 106 career falls.
We noticed some other interesting trends through our research as well. Pins seemed to “fall” out of favor (get it?) in the late 80’s, through the 90’s and into the early 2000’s. However, during this same time period we see an uptick in overall bout totals in their career records.
Start thinking of your picks and be sure you Join the MATNESS to receive an email when G.O.A.T MATNESS is ready to go!
G.O.A.T. Bracket (Preview)
Here is the list of competitors and 1st round matchups:
—Wrestler’s Name/‘Year (College) Season Record (#FALLS*)(Career Record)—
Carter Starocci '23 (PSU) 24-0 (4*)(106-4) VS. Dean Hamiti ‘25 (OKST) 27-1 (3*)(108-15)
Dean Hamiti Jr. has always been capable of an NCAA title because of an insane amount of talent and length that allows him to control distance and his opponents. Not to mention, a truckload of creativity too! After spending his first few seasons in Madison, WI, Dean made the bold decision to take his talents to Stillwater. Hamiti's quiet confidence and stoic nature helped endear him to the Cowboy faithful immediately in 2024/25. After suffering a loss in the Big 12 championship (albeit in thrilling fashion), Hamiti entered the 2025 NCAA’s with confidence. Standing in his way were two former NCAA champs in his bracket, Mizzou's Keegan O'Toole (🐐) and Penn State's Levi Haines (🐐). "The Hitman" dispatched both of them. Defeating a couple champs in a weekend is one thing, but facing a 5x NCAA champ is a whole different ball game. Yes, you heard that correctly, Carter Starocci is the first person in history to win the NCAA Division I National Championships five times. It should be noted that this feat was made possible because of an extra year of eligibility that the rest of history did not receive. This matchup is a clash of styles but also a clash of personalities. Starocci is LOUD and proud. He believes he is the best and will scream it from a mountaintop if given the chance. Although his career accomplishments clearly earn him the top seed, we're not sure that he is the fan favorite. The votes will tell the story.
Dave Schultz '82 (OU) 33-3 (7*) (88-9-1) VS. Myles Martin '16 (OHST) 25-6 (4*) (110-19)
Typically, the #16 versus #17 seed matchup garners a ton of intrigue due to the similarities in the two competitors' accolades, but this duel has me scratching my head as to how these titans landed in this preliminary bout. Myles Martin broke out onto the scene by simply securing his one and only national championship as a freshman by defeating (🐐) Bo Nickal in an exciting 11-9 barnburner. The Buckeye would always be in the conversation to win another title from that point on, but never quite delivered on the projections. A 4x AA with an impressive 110-19 record, Martin would play a huge role in Ohio State's team success, but unfortunately this dominance tends to be overshadowed by his return to the finals in 2018, which resulted in a loss by fall to the aforementioned Nickal that ultimately lost Ohio State the team title. Martin can seek redemption in this GOAT competition with a strong showing, but he'll have to get out of the first round by beating a true icon of the sport… Dave Schultz is considered to be one of the most talented, competitive, yet fun-loving international-style grapplers of his generation. Perhaps it's his focus on winning world titles that kept his collegiate accomplishments somewhat pedestrian. Schultz is a 3x AA, placing third as a true freshman at Oklahoma State, then transferred to Oklahoma, where he would join his brother (🐐) Mark and make the finals twice. He defeated (🐐 and #4 seed) Mike Sheets in his senior season for his first and only title, finishing with an 88-9 record.
Chris Pendleton '05 (OKST) 36-1 (10*)(115-11) VS. Charlie Jones '92 (PUR) 33-1 (66-5)
You can safely bet on running across a few Cowboys when scrolling through G.O.A.T. MATNESS brackets, and here lies another Oklahoma State great! Chris Pendleton is as consistent as they come, accumulating a 115-11 record with 32 falls, alongside three All-Americans and two national titles, while playing a huge role in bringing the 31st-33rd team titles back to Stillwater over that three-year timeframe. Maybe most impressively, however, is that he seems to be the only one to handle the "funk" of our #3 seed in this tournament, having beaten (🐐) Ben Askren twice in the finals, qualifying him as the last NCAA wrestler to come out victorious over him. The fast starts Pendleton employed against Askren could come in handy against the "old man strength" of his first-round opponent, Charlie Jones. Jones served in the Air Force before enrolling in college and competing at the NAIA level for two years. He then transferred to Purdue for his last two years of eligibility, placing third and finally first, capping off a perfect senior season. The Boilermaker was 28 years old, making him the oldest champion in the modern era. It's the traditional rise to stardom within a storied program of winning consistency versus a nontraditional, improbable ascension to collegiate dominance. Which one wins?
Jon Reader '11 (ISU) 39-0 (3*)(124-23) VS. Dan St. John '90 (ASU) 40-0-1 (147-16-3)
When Jon Reader stepped on the mat for his senior season at Iowa State, opponents knew they were in for a long seven minutes. The Davison, Michigan native had been knocking on the door as a 2x AA, but something clicked at 174 pounds that made him absolutely unstoppable. We're talking 39-0 with 27 bonus-point victories - the kind of season that makes you wonder if he's the 🐐. Reader didn't just win matches; he demolished them. This monster went 60-0 as a high school senior with 53 straight pins! But I digress… Standing across from him is Dan St. John, Arizona State's first 2x NCAA champion. His 1990 title run at 167 pounds capped off a 75-match winning streak that sounds more like a typo than reality. St. John's style was beautifully simple: heavy hands, crushing collar ties, and the kind of mat awareness that made opponents feel like they were wrestling in quicksand. The big question is whether Reader's frenetic pace can crack St. John's defensive fortress, or if the Arizona State legend can weather the early storm and impose his grinding style. Who wins this bloodbath?
Marty Kistler '86 (IOWA) 37-1 (9*)(120-23) VS. Bill Simpson '73 (CLAR) 39-2 (19*)(79-6-2)
Let's talk about my favorite wrestling topic, SCORING. Marty Kisler was a scoring machine. Check this out: "MK-167" blitzed through the championship bracket to the tune of 79 points in five matches — an average of 15.8 points per match. He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning his second consecutive individual NCAA title (3x finalist) with a 15-3 major decision in the finals. And in the blue corner…? They called him "Elbows" Simpson, and if you ever wrestled the guy, you probably understood why pretty quickly. William Simpson made Clarion University wrestling crowds jump to their feet from 1971-74. 1973 was when "Elbows" really decided to show off, pulling off something that sounds like a fantasy football stat line: he won both a College Division title AND an NCAA Division I championship at 167 pounds in the same year. Simpson wasn't just beating people; he was pinning them at an alarming rate - 61 career pins, including 29 as a senior when everyone supposedly knew what was coming. I have no clue how to decide this one, good luck!
Mike Van Arsdale '88 (ISU) 28-4-1 (109-43-2) VS. Markus Mollica '95 (ASU) 27-2 (115-15)
Van Arsdale's Iowa State career culminated with a 167-pound NCAA title in 1988. "MVA" is one of just a few people who can say they defeated Cael Sanderson. Not afraid to shoot from space, Van Arsdale brings great length and athleticism to his game. This Cyclone's stance is interesting; his legs look like a sprinter ready to jump the gun, while his arms dangle like they're bored being there. No doubt Mike wants to get physical, but that might not work so well against his opponent this time. Markus Mollica can scrap too. Built like a Mack truck, Mollica, a 2x NCAA champ, uses positioning, heavy hands, and a very low defensive stance to frustrate guys. He employed this same tactic to defeat (🐐) Mark Branch in '95, who is certainly comparable to Van Arsdale in terms of body type. Once the Sun Devil lulls you to sleep, he'll snipe an accurate inside-reach single-leg and finish quickly. It's hard to see how Van Arsdale scores on Mollica too, but we all know he won't give up trying. Get your popcorn ready, because this will be a slugfest boys and girls.
Andy Matter '72 (PSU) 21-0 (59-2) VS. Steve Luke '09 (MICH) 32-0 (4*) (107-20)
Steve Luke walked into the 2009 NCAA tournament as Michigan's golden boy, riding a perfect 32-0 record and looking absolutely unbeatable. Luke pinned his way through the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and then dominated Penn State's Quentin Wright (🐐) 12-5 in the Big Ten finals. Luke's championship run was the stuff of highlight reels, navigating a bracket with (🐐) Jay Borschel and Freedom High School alum Kurt Brenner (IYKYK). But here's where it gets interesting: standing across from Luke is Andy Matter, a name that probably makes modern wrestling fans reach for Google. That's the recency bias talking, because Matter's resume reads like something out of wrestling folklore. A 2x NCAA champion at 167 pounds (1971, 1972), and the owner of Penn State records that still make current Nittany Lions jealous. Fascinating matchup here. Luke may have the YouTube highlights and Sports Illustrated mentions, but Matter has the kind of statistical dominance that doesn't care what decade it happened in.
David Lee '89 (WISC) 32-2 (145-28-8) VS. Mike Sheets '83 (OKST) 37-0 (123-12)
"Giddy up, Cowboy!" This first-round bout features the highest seeded of the five Oklahoma State 🐐's competing in this bracket. Mike Sheets nicely backfilled the void left in the upper middleweights when (🐐) Dave Schultz transferred out to join his brother Mark (🐐,🥉177/184lbs) at Oklahoma. Sheets is sixth for career wins in the storied program's history, going undefeated his last two seasons. A 4x AA, taking seventh as a freshman, second to the aforementioned Schultz (by criteria) as a sophomore, Sheets closed out with back-to-back titles, including Outstanding Wrestler honors in his '83 junior campaign. Sheets might be the lightest in this class as well. A true 158-pounder, Sheets walked into a room that had a 2x national champ, (🐐) Ricky Stewart, already at that weight, so he simply wrestled up and thrived nonetheless. So who has the pleasure of strategizing for this Cowboy great? Wisconsin's David Lee, that's who. Lee started out at Stanford, qualifying for the NCAA tournament as a freshman (DNP) and sophomore (fifth), before making the move to Madison to become a Badger. After sitting a year, Lee was an AA again, finishing sixth, but it was the senior season that the arduous journey reached the pinnacle. With an M.O. for scoring points at a high rate, Lee relatively rolled through the tournament claiming the title. Begs the question, can he get that offense going against Sheets?
—Wrestler’s Name/‘Year (College) Season Record (#FALLS*)(Career Record)—
Ben Askren '07 (MIZZ) 42-0 (29*) (153-8) VS. Matt Brown '15 (PSU) 31-3 (11) (149-4)
Matt Brown is SOLID. Fundamentally sound and sets a good pace, Matt will hand-fight with the best of them. The Nittany Lion's hard work paid off his senior year to claim an NCAA title; however his bracket was NOT stacked with 🐐's. Not to take anything away from Mr. Brown, but in this matchup, voters are gonna need more prestige to vote Matt Brown's way. It's a tough draw in the first round as Brown draws an absolute legend on the mat and one of the most adored off of it. Ben "Funky" Askren was unbelievable. When you saw this man walk around the gym, with his afro puffed high and goofy look, few would predict that he was feared by all, and he was. Askren could FINISH his opponents in a million different ways, and in ways even Ben himself didn't visualize ahead of time. The creativity is off the charts. Askren literally invented the "FUNK," which references a scrambling style of flexibility, contortion and pressure points to score. With that record of 42-0 with 29 falls 🤯, it’s gonna be hard to pick against the Tiger Style wrestler. Rumor had it there may have been a request for a delayed wrestle-off, but recent reports conclude that Ben Askren is ready to go, and looking to funk up some people!
Doug Wyn '74 (WMU) 30-0 (89-15) VS. Mark Hall '17 (PSU) 31-3 (11*) (115-6)
This GOAT bracket is full of juicy storylines, and this next matchup of wannabe 🐐’s is ripe with historical relevance. Western Michigan's Doug Wyn is one of two contestants (Edmond of Tennessee the other) in this weight class representing their respective schools for the only time throughout this entire tournament. Not only the program's lone national champion, but he also holds an array of team records, most notably career wins (89) and career falls (29). The Bronco was an AA three consecutive times, placing fifth, then second, and finally first, which also culminated in a flawless 30-0 season. It's apparent Wyn is a rock-solid adversary, but has he ever countered the level of technical prowess seen from this next competitor? Mark Hall was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school for Penn State and was amidst his redshirt freshman season when the top brass (namely Cael) decided the Nittany Lions required Hall's services in an attempt to secure a huge Big Ten dual meet win (against Iowa) for the team. That bout didn't go Hall's way, but nonetheless, it cemented him in the starting lineup from there on out. Hall went on to be runner-up at the Big Ten that season, placing him on a collision course with another freshman phenom by the name of Zahid Valencia (🐐, #7 seed in this bracket). Hall would win that first of many run-ins with Valencia in dramatic fashion, 4-3, to make the final and avenge his conference tournament finals loss to Bo Jordan of Ohio State and win the title. Unfortunately, this is the last 🥇 Hall would wear on the NCAA podium, losing to Valencia in the finals the following two seasons. When the Arizona State Sun Devil finally outgrew the 174-pound weight class in 2020, leaving Hall poised to grab a second title, the tournament was canceled due to COVID, cutting his collegiate career short, leaving wrestling fans longing for more Hall.
Jason Smith '70 (ISU) 21-1-1 (9*)(44-5-5) VS. Keith Gavin '08 (PITT) 27-0 (91-20)
Four decades separate these two athletes competing in this round one matchup. Maybe we see a huge clash of styles, though maybe not. Keith Gavin subscribes to the adage, "if at first you fail, try again." His sophomore season at Pittsburgh yielded a berth into the NCAA tournament, but at 184 pounds, Gavin went 0-2 and exited early. So after taking a redshirt, the next year he proceeded to drop a weight class and put himself in the finals where he lost to (🐐) and the #3 seed of this bracket competition, Ben Askren. So, the Panther simply poured it all into his final season of eligibility and rattled off 27 consecutive wins for a perfect season and an NCAA title to crown it. Comfortable in the upper body ties thanks to his Greco background, he's always in relatively good defensive position but can fire off a shot of his own if the opportunity presents itself. Maybe that grappling approach of Gavin's won't be so unorthodox to the great Jason Smith of Iowa State. Smith was one of the best wrestlers on a historically great Cyclone team that won back-to-back (…and three out of six years) national team titles, and his two consecutive individual titles were integral. Smith's a thick 167-pounder with legs like tree trunks. Good luck chopping that oak down, Gavin.
Chris Edmond '85 (TENN) 42-7-2 (72-15-2) VS. Mark Branch '97 (OKST) 31-0 (98-19)
Here's the David vs. Goliath matchup for this G.O.A.T. MATNESS bracket… "In this corner, hailing from Stillwater, OK, Mark Branch!" Oklahoma State put five wrestlers into this 🐐 bracket, and Branch pulled a #6 seed, giving himself a legitimate shot at this thing. He never didn't make the finals in his four years of competition and won the title half the time. At first glance, the Cowboy doesn't look like much, and that's kind of how he wrestles. Using his length and leverage, he always seemed to be in good position. Patient with his attention on the details, Branch is just a tough nut to crack. "…and in this corner, from the Tennessee hills of Knoxville…" Yes, that's correct, the University of Tennessee's one and only national champion, Chris Edmond. Edmond can put up points. He acquitted himself well at the '84 NCAA tournament until running into (🐐) and the #4 seed of this bracket, Mike Sheets, who decked him, but yet he battled back to take fourth. The next and final season, however, was all his. The Volunteer came into the tournament with seven losses and two ties, but after a second-round nail-biter, rolled through to take the title. Edmond hopes to catch 🔥 like that again.
Zahid Valencia '19 (ASU) 32-0 (9*) (123-4) VS. Mark Reiland '91 (IOWA) 44-5 (18) (105-34-3)
"You have to check out this Valencia kid…" is all any collegiate wrestling fan heard in 2017. The redshirt freshman from Arizona State mounted an undefeated record going into the NCAA tournament, but perfection was cut off at the knees in his semifinal match with (🐐) Mark Hall, who upset him by a score of 8-2, but still came back to take third in dominant fashion. The Sun Devil would follow that impressive campaign up with a perfect season, avenging his previous year's loss to Hall in the finale, claiming his first championship. Two regular season losses the following season, one of which was to Hall (again), erased a chance to repeat the perfect season feat, but it didn't stop him from avenging both of the losses at NCAAs and again denying Hall his second title. It's hard to say where Valencia stacks up in all-time G.O.A.T. status since his final year of competition was cut short by the COVID pandemic which forced the cancellation of the championships, in which he was riding a 20–0 record into the contest for a guaranteed #1 seed and a more-than-good chance to three-peat in the 184-pound weight. Smothering on top with the leg ride, impossible to score on from his feet, it's a marvel to see his athleticism in action. Maybe the only area of weakness is the gas tank, but few can push him to the point of it becoming a factor. So that must mean that's the target Mark Reiland will be shooting at? If any school of wrestling knows how to force the action by pushing pace, it's Iowa, so Reiland has the blueprint. His finals fall over (🐐) Kevin Randleman in '91 proves he can counter Valencia's athleticism, at least for a bit, but the question is, "…will the real Mark Reiland please stand up?" The prototypical, mullet-rocking, muscle-bound, great defense transitioned into offense, bully of a wrestler, this Hawkeye can go with anyone, yet only mustered a 75% winning percentage over his career. Maybe if he can hang in and start to tire out the Arizona State phenom, he can somehow manage to catch him on his back?!
Jay Borschel '10 (IOWA) 37-0 (10*) (98-10) VS. Chris Perry '14 (OKST) 30-1 (7) (122-11)
Spoiler ALERT: We have another “too close to call” on our hands. Jay Borschel was an Iowa state highschool superstar, winning 4 state championships and committing to wrestle for the Brands at Virginia Tech. Borschel followed the brothers to IOWA after his RS freshman year, when they left to take over the iconic program they both wrestled for and proceeded to mold Borschel into an authentic Hawkeye. He preceded to AA twice with a 3rd place finish as a sophomore, then closing out with a championship in his senior effort. That title year was a perfect one at 37-0 and 10 FALLS. Now, if this write up wasn’t already sounding cliche, let’s discuss OKST’s Chris Perry. Yet another highly decorated athlete hailing from another historically storied program, the edge has to go to Perry, making 2 finals and winning both. With a bit more consistency and performance under pressure in his holster, this Cowboy might just ride off with this one, but on a given day, these two could duel to the death.
Josh Koscheck '01 (BORO) 42-0 (14*) (127-17) VS. Ray Miller '93 (ASU) 29-0 (115-24-2)
Josh Koscheck came fighting out of the BORO, where the Scot earned 4x AA honors, two of which were finals appearances, his '01 junior campaign resulting in a perfect 42-0 season and a title. At the 174-pound class for all four years, Koscheck managed to at least make the consolation finals, while racking up 27 falls over his career. Lightning quick and pocketing a mean bottom leg cradle, he could either rack up takedowns or rock you back for multiple near-fall. So what is Ray Miller gonna do about it? Miller grew into this weight class, starting out as a 158-pounder before graduating to 167 pounds his senior year at Arizona State. The Sun Devil also boasts a 4x AA career with two finals appearances. In fact, these two combatants are relatively equal. Both Koscheck, (at the time) Edinboro's second only Division I champ, and Miller, second ever (at the time) 4x AA in his school's history, are benchmarks at their respective universities. Both have an undefeated season to their name…, 🤔 guess these two will just have to wrestle this one out to decide?!
Keith Stearns '78 (OU) 22-4-1 (78-28-3) VS. Joe Williams '98 (IOWA) 34-0 (4*) (129-9)
Joe Williams is a "bad man." An integral member of those '90s IOWA teams that won nine of 10 team titles within that span, he held down the upper middleweights between '94-'98. The Hawkeye was a 2x champion at 158 pounds, but it was his perfect championship senior season at 167 pounds (34-0, four falls) that lands him the second seed in this G.O.A.T. bracket. Williams has all the tools; fast, strong, slick, smart, and scary with no real holes to exploit. His first-round opponent will need to draw on his strengths to have a chance. Keith Stearns lacks the overall accolades to be in this match, but his grit that won him a title in '78 gives him a puncher's chance. Stearns' coach at Oklahoma, Stan Abel, is quoted saying, "(Keith)…isn't real slick…he looks better from week to week…right now, he's wrestling as good as anyone." He has the aggression and strength to stand in with Williams, but persistence is the Sooner's trump card. As evident in his championship run to the top, when he (#3 seed) outlasted both the sixth seed and second seed in overtime bouts, to then best the #1 seed by the score of 3-2. One would have to conclude that Stearns' strategy would be to take the match to overtime.