Brackets, Seeding Announced for 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Mar 11 | Wrestling
Alvarez No. 10 seed at 133 pounds
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Brackets and seeding for the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships were revealed on Wednesday, as five members of Rutgers wrestling are set to compete from March 19-21 in Minneapolis.
Sammy Alvarez (133) earned the highest seed for a Scarlet Knights at No. 10 and faces No. 23 Jaime Hernandez (North Carolina) in the opening round. With all 33 competitors seeded in each weight class, No. 16 Nicolas Aguilar (125), No. 17 Jordan Pagano (197), No. 21 Billy Janzer (184) and No. 31 Michael VanBrill (157) will also represent RU at nationals.
This marks the sixth consecutive season the Scarlet Knights will send five or more competitors to nationals under reigning NCAA Tournament Coach of the Year Scott Goodale. RU sent six competitors to last year's NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh, where Nick Suriano (133) and Anthony Ashnault (149) claimed individual titles to help Rutgers to its first Top-10 finish in program history.
2020 NCAA Wrestling Opening-Round Matchups
125: (16) Nicolas Aguilar vs. (17) Jacob Schwarm (Northern Iowa)
133: (10) Sammy Alvarez vs. (23) Jaime Hernandez (North Carolina)
157: (31) Michael VanBrill vs. (2) Hayden Hidley (North Carolina State)
184: (21) Billy Janzer vs. (12) Zach Carlson (South Dakota State)
197: (17) Jordan Pagano vs. (16) Ethan Laird (Rider)
Alvarez locked up an automatic bid to nationals at the 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, held March 7-8 at the RAC. Alvarez finished sixth in his weight class after a 3-3 showing in his first career Big Tens, which included wins over 2020 NCAA qualifier Ridge Lovett (Nebraska). Alvarez owns a 27-10 record and wins over eight ranked foes in 2019-20.
Janzer also locked up an automatic bid to NCAAs after his 10th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. In his first varsity season, Janzer is 21-10 with wins over five wrestlers in the 2020 championships field. His resume includes a 6-4 decision over No. 6 seed Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) on Jan. 12 in East Lansing.
Now a two-time NCAA qualifier, Pagano finished the 2019-20 season with a 22-9 record, which included a 6-5 record against ranked foes from Intermat. Pagano's resume is highlighted by three victories over Top-10 opponents – Laird, No. 7 Christian Brunner (Purdue) and No. 3 Patrick Brucki (Princeton). The team's active wins leader with 81 career victories, Pagano also qualified for NCAAs as an at-large selection in 2017 at 174 pounds.
VanBrill earns his first trip to the national tournament after he finished seventh at the Big Ten Championships this past weekend. VanBrill picked up three wins en route to his seventh-place finish, which included a two-time NCAA qualifier Eric Barone (Illinois) in the opening round of the championships along with wins against Jahi Jones (Maryland) and Garrett Model (Wisconsin). VanBrill is currently 18-17 and did not miss a dual match this season.
Aguilar is also set to make his NCAA debut after he finished the 2019-20 season with a 20-9 record. Aguilar picked up wins over two ranked foes this season, which included a 3-1 decision over then-No. 11 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) on Feb. 14 at the RAC. Aguilar went 4-2 at the Big Ten Championships over the weekend, as he wrestled back for a ninth-place finish in his weight class after three consecutive wins over Brendan Meredith (Penn State), Justin Cardani (Illinois) and Eric Barnett (Wisconsin).
Rutgers Wrestling is presented by Eat Clean Bro, an Official Partner of Rutgers Athletics.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling) and Instagram (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com. For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
Sammy Alvarez (133) earned the highest seed for a Scarlet Knights at No. 10 and faces No. 23 Jaime Hernandez (North Carolina) in the opening round. With all 33 competitors seeded in each weight class, No. 16 Nicolas Aguilar (125), No. 17 Jordan Pagano (197), No. 21 Billy Janzer (184) and No. 31 Michael VanBrill (157) will also represent RU at nationals.
This marks the sixth consecutive season the Scarlet Knights will send five or more competitors to nationals under reigning NCAA Tournament Coach of the Year Scott Goodale. RU sent six competitors to last year's NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh, where Nick Suriano (133) and Anthony Ashnault (149) claimed individual titles to help Rutgers to its first Top-10 finish in program history.
2020 NCAA Wrestling Opening-Round Matchups
125: (16) Nicolas Aguilar vs. (17) Jacob Schwarm (Northern Iowa)
133: (10) Sammy Alvarez vs. (23) Jaime Hernandez (North Carolina)
157: (31) Michael VanBrill vs. (2) Hayden Hidley (North Carolina State)
184: (21) Billy Janzer vs. (12) Zach Carlson (South Dakota State)
197: (17) Jordan Pagano vs. (16) Ethan Laird (Rider)
Alvarez locked up an automatic bid to nationals at the 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, held March 7-8 at the RAC. Alvarez finished sixth in his weight class after a 3-3 showing in his first career Big Tens, which included wins over 2020 NCAA qualifier Ridge Lovett (Nebraska). Alvarez owns a 27-10 record and wins over eight ranked foes in 2019-20.
Janzer also locked up an automatic bid to NCAAs after his 10th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. In his first varsity season, Janzer is 21-10 with wins over five wrestlers in the 2020 championships field. His resume includes a 6-4 decision over No. 6 seed Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) on Jan. 12 in East Lansing.
Now a two-time NCAA qualifier, Pagano finished the 2019-20 season with a 22-9 record, which included a 6-5 record against ranked foes from Intermat. Pagano's resume is highlighted by three victories over Top-10 opponents – Laird, No. 7 Christian Brunner (Purdue) and No. 3 Patrick Brucki (Princeton). The team's active wins leader with 81 career victories, Pagano also qualified for NCAAs as an at-large selection in 2017 at 174 pounds.
VanBrill earns his first trip to the national tournament after he finished seventh at the Big Ten Championships this past weekend. VanBrill picked up three wins en route to his seventh-place finish, which included a two-time NCAA qualifier Eric Barone (Illinois) in the opening round of the championships along with wins against Jahi Jones (Maryland) and Garrett Model (Wisconsin). VanBrill is currently 18-17 and did not miss a dual match this season.
Aguilar is also set to make his NCAA debut after he finished the 2019-20 season with a 20-9 record. Aguilar picked up wins over two ranked foes this season, which included a 3-1 decision over then-No. 11 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) on Feb. 14 at the RAC. Aguilar went 4-2 at the Big Ten Championships over the weekend, as he wrestled back for a ninth-place finish in his weight class after three consecutive wins over Brendan Meredith (Penn State), Justin Cardani (Illinois) and Eric Barnett (Wisconsin).
Rutgers Wrestling is presented by Eat Clean Bro, an Official Partner of Rutgers Athletics.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling) and Instagram (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com. For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
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