Breaking down the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Brackets: 165-Pounds

Published Mar 17, 2022

Lex Knapp

Wrestling Analyst

With the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships coming up this weekend, Rivals wrestling analyst Lex Knapp has decided to go one by one in each weight class offering his predictions and a breakdown of the top and bottom halves of the bracket.

With that being said, let's take a look at the 165-pound bracket.

Not a Subscriber? Join us With Our FREE 30-Day Premium Trial

THE TOP SEED -- Evan Wick (Cal Poly)

THE DARK HORSE -- No. 4 Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin)

THE NITTANY LION – N/A

TOP HALF OF BRACKET.....

This bracket has three legitimate contenders to make the finals up top, which could make for a very exciting bracket in the Friday rounds. Evan Wick is the top seed, and has been dominant all year. Wick has three wins over the returning National Champion, Shane Griffith, who sits at the fifth seed. Griffith, in order to get a fourth round with Wick, will have to get pass the ultra-talented freshman, Dean Hamiti, who could meet Griffith in the quarter-finals. Wick is a safe bet to make the semi’s, but it is a matter of who he sees, whether it likely be Hamiti or Griffith. I like the frosh to get past the returning champion, with Hamiti and Wick meeting in the semis. A national final is likely in Hamiti’s bright future, but not this year. I am taking Wick to come out of the top of this bracket.

BOTTOM HALF OF BRACKET....

Much like the top part of this bracket, the bottom bracket has a number of wrestlers who could make a finals appearance. Alex Marinelli, the three seed, is coming off his fourth Big Ten title, and is certainly a contender to make the finals. Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole took third in last year’s tournament as a true freshman, and is capable of winning the whole tournament. Carson Kharchla could be a bracket buster as the 7th seed, and could be a threat to O’Toole coming out of the bottom-half. Kharchla has a win over Alex Marinelli this year, and it would not shock many people to see him make a run. My picks are Marinelli and O’Toole to make the semi-final down low, with Marinelli edging out O’Toole in a very tight match. Marinelli has been chasing the National crown since his career begun, but has always fallen short at the National tournament. I think this is the year he gets the job done.