Reno Tournament of Champions Preview: Part I

This Sunday we will compete at the Reno Tournament of Champions.  It is a good opportunity to see a lot of teams that we do not normally get to compete against from the west coast.  There are 24 teams competing.  Here are the teams and a weight class breakdown of some of the top contenders in each weight class.

Teams entered:  #18 Adams State University, Appalachian State University, #20 Boise State University, #40 Cal Poly, #51 CSU Bakersfield, Campbell University, #28 The Citadel, #3 Clackamas CC, #2 Grand Canyon University, #48 Michigan State University, #7 Missouri Valley College, #12 Montana State – Northern, NC State University, Northern Colorado, #52 Ohio University, #14 Oregon State University, Sacramento State University, Simpson University, #1 Southern Oregon University, Stanford University, Utah Valley University, #24 University of Wyoming, #52 West Virginia, and #14 Western Wyoming CC

125 Pounds

NCSU Entrants:  None

Other Top Contenders:  Tyler Cox (Wyoming – Nationally Ranked), Shyane Young (WVU – Nationally Ranked), Evan Silver (Stanford – Nationally Ranked), Jade Rauser (UVU – Nationally Ranked), Joey Palmer (Oregon St – Nationally Ranked), Dominic Parisi (App St – Nationally Ranked), Kyle McCrite (Grand Canyon – D2 National Champion), Mitchell Lofstedt (Southern Oregon – Ranked #1 in NAIA), Drew Templeman (Wyoming – won 3 opens this year), Jerry Huff (Adams St – Ranked top 10 D2), Tyler Iwamura (Cal Bakersfield – top 12 Las Vegas Invite), Eric Montoya (Campbell – PSU Open Place Winner), Stevan Knoblauch (CCC – Ranked 4^th JUCO), Ryan Sterns (MO Valley – Nationally Ranked NAIA), and Hermilo Esquivel (MSU – EMU Open Champ)

133 pounds

NCSU Entrants:  Sam Speno

Other Top Contenders:  Devin Lotito (Cal Poly – Ranked top 15), Drew Van Anrooy (Oregon St – Nationally Ranked), Ian Nickell (Cal Bakersfield – Nationally Ranked),Brian Owen (Boise – Nationally Ranked), Colin Johnson (WVU – Nationally Ranked), Zach Zehner (Wyoming – 2^nd Reno last year), Kasey Garnhart (Wyoming – 5^th Reno last year), Martin Gonzalez (GCU – Ranked top 10 D2), Brian Bitney (MO Valley – Ranked 4^th NAIA), Logan Welch (MO Valley – Ranked 8^th NAIA), Cameron Neiss (MT St Northern – Ranked 11^th NAIA), Prescott Gardner (Southern OR – Ranked 5^th NAIA), Luis Baltazar (Southern OR – Ranked 9^th NAIA), Val Rauser (UVU – 3^rd Wolfpack Open), and Terry Turner (MSU – 3^rd EMU Open)

141 pounds

NCSU Entrants:  None

Other Top Contenders:  Michael Mangrum (Oregon St – Ranekd top 5), Ugi Khishignyam (Citadel – Ranked top 10), Nathan Pennesi (WVU – Nationally Ranked), Tim Box (Cal Bakersfield – Nationally Ranked), Ryan Fillingame (Adams St – Ranked 6^th D2), Shane Yacuta (CCC – Ranked 9^th JUCO), Todd Brackett (MO Valley – Ranked top 15 NAIA), Hunter Azure (MT St Northern – Ranked Nationally NAIA), Jonathan Gay (Southern OR – Ranked 7^th NAIA), Justin Eldred (Southern OR – Ranked top 15 NAIA), Mario Luna (Western Wyoming – Ranked 8^th JUCO), Kagan Squire (Ohio – 4^th MSU Open), Brandan Rocha (Cal Poly – Roadrunner Open Champ), Nick Adams (Northern CO – Cowboy Open 2^nd), and Jose Mendoza (Cal Bakersfield – Roadrunner Open 2^nd)

149 pounds

NCSU Entrants:  Tommy Gantt

Other Top Contenders:  Jason Chamberlain (Boise – Ranked top 5), Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon St – Ranked Top 10), Dan Osterman (MSU – Ranked top 20), Justin Gonzales (Northern CO – Ranked top 20), Josh Wilson (UVU – Nationally Ranked), Jimmy Eggemeyer (Southern Oregon – Nationally Ranked #1 NAIA), Bobby Ward (GCU – Nationally Ranked 3^rd NAIA), Kevin Maelfeyt (CCC – Nationally Ranked JUCO), Jake Briggs (Cal Bakersfield – Roadrunner Open Champ), Grant Blumenthal (Campbell – Citadel Open Champ), Blake Kastl (Cal Poly – Roadrunner Open 3^rd), Jordan Dix (Citadel – Navy Classic 5^th), Andrew Romanchik (Ohio – MSU Open 6^th), Brandon Richardson (Wyoming – Cowboy Open 3^rd), and Austin Breckenridge (Wyoming – UNK Open 6^th)

157 pounds

NCSU Entrants:  Mardel Gabriel and Matt Nereim

Other Top Contenders:  RJ Pena (Oregon St – Ranked top 10), Andy McCulley (Wyoming – Ranked top 15), David Cheza (MSU – Ranked top 20), George Ivanov (Boise – Ranked top 20),Ed Cheff (MT St Northern – Ranked 6^th NAIA), Dalton Urrutia (Southern Oregon – Ranked 4^th NAIA), Scott Verner (Western Wyoming – Ranked 4^th JUCO), Adam Fierro (Cal Poly – Top 12 Las Vegas Invite), Kyle Chene (Cal Poly – Top 8 Keystone), Matt Frisch (Citadel – 3^rd Navy Classic), Mitchell Polkowske (Northern Colorado – Cowboy Open 2^nd), Spartak Chino (Ohio – MSU Open 2^nd), Kory DeBerry (GCU – Cowboy Open Champ), Ryan Watts (MSU – MSU Open 2^nd), and Zach Rohr (Ohio – MSU Open 5^th)

For more information about the Reno TOC, check out their official website here.