Transfer Tracker

[jdalu75]

While I realize that wrestling is now a sport with no off-season, athletes can still gain and lose some weight depending on the circumstances.

In our first undergraduate year the starting fullback for Fred Dunlap's squad was Jack Rizzo (who had a cup of coffee with the Giants a year later). Rizzo was also the track team's top sprinter, ran the 100 (yards) in 9.7. But not at football weight, where he was limited to 10.1. When track mattered he'd drop 15 pounds or so.

Also recalling a conversation with a friend of mine from Leavitt House a year later. A sub on the wrestling team lived in Leavitt; my friend swore that the guy had slacks in his closet with every waist size from 34 to 42.

While I agree that guys grow (mostly; I was at my full height sophomore year of high school and weighed less at age 40 than at age 16), a 230-pound HWT is small. The days of Larry Bielenberg and Howard Harris winning NCAAs are long past. Max Wessell (it's Wessell!) tried mightily to hold 197; when given clearance to move up, he was over 220 within a few days. But then he was a smallish HWT, struggling to keep his weight over 250. I'll be happy to see Casale at whatever weight he chooses, but I'd prefer it be the one where he's more likely to be a factor at NCAAs. We'll find out what that is in about 18 months.

[gimpeltf]

The days of Larry Bielenberg and Howard Harris winning NCAAs are long past.

Yes, the days of those two guys winning are long gone but Kurt Angle was under 210 as I recall the first time he won. McCoy was 190 freshman year and then I think under 220 when he won as a soph. Jeff Walter under 230 and 189 coming out of HS. Rowlands was a 220. Zabriskie was smallish. Snyder had to stay within reach of 213. Cassar wasn't huge (197 the year before although listed at 228 2019) and 170 then 195 out of HS.
https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/20406

[TMH]

I wonder if the dramatic weight loss helped or hindered PJ at the Cadet World Trials. He had a 1st period pin, followed by 2 one point decisions (one of which he had to hang on) and then got beat fairly soundly in the finals.

I'll guess there is an answer to this trivia question but I have no idea who it would be. Has anyone ever wrestled at a weight class in college that was at least 23# lighter than where they wrestled in their freshman year of HS?

[drd5748]

>>>I wish I were as excited as you about Casale making it to 202 for the Cadet World Trials. He lists himself at 230# for football so he already dropped 28 lbs. He will need to drop another 5. He is still a teenager (17?) who will be lifting and growing over the next 2 years before he even steps on a mat at Grace Hall. Still seems like a tall order but the beauty about the future is that no one is certain what can happen.

... Agree with what you write; who the heck knows except him? But he opened the door, not I. If I'm not mistaken there was a 213.8 wt besides hwt in his tourney when he chose 202.8. Dropping football will likely help. Still 100% up to him

[TMH]

I believe the next weight was 110 Kg which would translate to 242.5# which probably really explains why he went down to 202.5.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/F ... d-Team-set

BTW, the winner at 110 Kg was Jim Mullen, the other NJ wrestler who took the NJ State tournament off to compete in the Cadet World trials.

[gimpeltf]

Football weights are often overstated.

[D3 for LU]

... and, sometimes, height as well.
(Especially in the HS football programs at gametime. )

I remember one of my HS wrestling teammates was on the football team, who had his ht & wt listed in the program as 5'6" & 155lbs. He was 2" shorter than I was (I'm 5'4") and was 115lbs sopping wet (he wrestled @ 98lbs!) He sure intimidated the opposing side as defensive back!
D3

[jdalu75]

I remember reading about a trick that Johnny Majors used to use, early in his career as a head football coach. Most coaches inflated the heights and weights of their players -- a 6' 0", 200 pound linebacker would be listed as 6' 1", 220. Majors went the other way; he'd list that player as 5" 11", 190, and the other teams would spend all game wondering why those little guys could hit so hard.

[mookie]

I’ll tell you what I know about dwarves...

Very little.

[HFO]

While I realize that wrestling is now a sport with no off-season, athletes can still gain and lose some weight depending on the circumstances.

In our first undergraduate year the starting fullback for Fred Dunlap's squad was Jack Rizzo (who had a cup of coffee with the Giants a year later). Rizzo was also the track team's top sprinter, ran the 100 (yards) in 9.7. But not at football weight, where he was limited to 10.1. When track mattered he'd drop 15 pounds or so.

Also recalling a conversation with a friend of mine from Leavitt House a year later. A sub on the wrestling team lived in Leavitt; my friend swore that the guy had slacks in his closet with every waist size from 34 to 42.

While I agree that guys grow (mostly; I was at my full height sophomore year of high school and weighed less at age 40 than at age 16), a 230-pound HWT is small. The days of Larry Bielenberg and Howard Harris winning NCAAs are long past. Max Wessell (it's Wessell!) tried mightily to hold 197; when given clearance to move up, he was over 220 within a few days. But then he was a smallish HWT, struggling to keep his weight over 250. I'll be happy to see Casale at whatever weight he chooses, but I'd prefer it be the one where he's more likely to be a factor at NCAAs. We'll find out what that is in about 18 months.

Snyder, Gwiz and McMullen are all small heavyweights. None of them even close to 250.