The 2020 NCAA Pre-Show Awards
The 2020 NCAA Pre-Show Awards
Before we hand out the real awards during the big show, we bestow some 'technical' awards for particular achievements during the 2020 NCAA wrestling season.
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It's that time again! We have a wonderful real NCAA Awards Show scheduled for Friday evening, April 24, where we will dole out the real NCAA awards, but before we do that, let's take a moment to recognize some of the more special achievements that occurred during the 2019-20 D1 wrestling season.
Let's call them our "technical" awards, not for, like, the best wrestling technique but like how the Oscars do it. Sort of. We think. To be honest we're not sure how the Oscars do it. In fact, forget the Oscars entirely, we'll just call them the pre-show awards because they are happening before the studio show, although we reserve the right to change the name of this article later if we come up with something better.
From the Vault: 2018 NCAA Awards | 2019 NCAA Awards
Now, without any further pomp NOR circumstance, your award winners in fields not suitable for the studio show are...
The Mad Max Is Ready to Enter the Thunderdome Award
Max Murin, Iowa
We can't remember a more battle-ready looking wrestler. "Mad" Max Murin won Midlands with a shoulder-brace and shiner that had him prepared for a drive down Fury Road.
The Golden Corral Buffet Enjoyer Award
Tristan Moran, Wisconsin
If the @ncaawrestling would give me another year I’d take wicks spot?? https://t.co/Ls1BhYndNS
— Tristan Moran (@beanmachine4) April 7, 2020
The lean mean bean machine Tristan Moran has likely seen 141 pounds for the last time in his life.
The Arnold Schwarzenegger Biggest Biceps Award
Johnny Sebastian, Wisconsin
Johnny Sebastian has made the most of his 6th year and it isn't over yet!! Our Jersey boy is going to Minneapolis!!! pic.twitter.com/jNKClXquKs
— Wisconsin Wrestling (@BadgerWrestling) March 8, 2020
Badgers go back-to-back with another senior flexing his way into the winners' circle.
The Dave Navarro Ink Master Award
Evan Cheek, Cleveland State
The two-time national qualifier won over 100 matches for the Vikings while sporting an impressive collection of ink-redible tats.
The Chad Ochocinco Best Celebration Award
Trent Hidlay, North Carolina State
.@PackWrestle with the W over the Tar Heels in the last bout in front of a record crowd. This says it all! @pat_popolizio pic.twitter.com/CvjJ2OGbTt
— Meghan Fitzgerald (@MFITZ13) February 8, 2020
Not his most creative celebration but it doesn't get much better than Trent going ham and demolishing a rolling chair after a dual meet over collegiate rivals UNC (watch the lower right-hand corner of the embedded tweet).
CP’s Clutch Gene Award Presented By Jimmy Johns
Sammy Sasso, Ohio State
In CP's words:
Sammy downed Brayton Lee and Pat Lugo in the same weekend ON THE ROAD, in enemy territory, all within 3 days.
The David Bray Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Year
Kimball Bastian, Utah Valley
Like the rest of his classmates, Bastian had his senior season goals dashed by COVID-19. The Utah native qualified for three NCAA tournaments and David Bray, our official WWC expert, wanted to give him the Wolverine senior the recognition he was denied.
JD Rader Best Drip Award
Chad Red, Nebraska
We'll take the word of our youngest and swaggiest content creator at Flo and agree that Nebraska's two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifying junior Chad Red has award-winning steez.
Spey’s I Need A Shot of Whiskey with This Beer Award
Dylan Lydy, Purdue
Christian Brunner, Purdue
The cancellation of the NCAAs hit especially hard for these two Boilermaker seniors. They both finished in the bloodround in 2019, they were both seeded in the top eight (Brunner sixth and Lydy fourth), and they both never achieved All-American status before. We toast a drink to them, specifically two boilermakers, which is a shot of bourbon dropped into a big mug of beer, in case you were wondering.
Mike Mal's Dirtiest Sequence of the Year
Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State and Sammy Alvarez, Rutgers
What. A. Finish. RBY vs. Alvarez was ?!!!
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 7, 2020
Did it score points? No, but it’s still nasty.
The Mark Bader Best Hair Award
Cam Caffey, Michigan State
You can only pick 3...? pic.twitter.com/nLL3qhOEaK
— Spartan Wrestling (@wrestlingmsu) April 9, 2020
How could it be anyone else? By the way, you can still donate to a worthy cause and make Bader cut that filthy rats' nest off his head.
Kyle Bratke’s BWest Virginian Award
Noah Adams, West Virginia
Coal City stand up.
The Daniel Nomad Lobdell Itinerant Wrestler of the Year
Seth Gross, Iowa/South Dakota State/Wisconsin
We're not trying to infer a stigma to changes location. As they say, a rolling stone gathers no moss and the one they call Nomad would just like to give a special shout to a fellow traveler.
The Billy Baldwin Best Bearcat Award
Zach Trampe, Binghamton
The Binghamtonian redshirt sophomore qualified for his second straight NCAA after finishing third at the 2020 EIWAs. Trampe joins Lou DePrez and Frank Garcia as previous Quadruple B award winners.
The Exxon Mobile Gas Tank of the Year Award
Gary Traub, Ohio State
Was there a bigger fan-favorite phenomenon this season than Gas Tank Gary? We say no. Gas Tank Gary inspired all who bore witness.
The Foreign-Born Heavyweight Wrestler of the Year (tie)
Yaraslau Slavikouski, Harvard & Jere Heino, Campbell
There were two foreign-nationals that qualified for the 2020 NCAA National Championship, and they both wrestled heavyweight, thus, they share the award. Slavikouski arrived at Cambridge by way of Belarus, and Heino came to Buies Creek via Finland.
The Bookends of the Year
Drew Hildebrandt, Central Michigan
Matt Stencel, Central Michigan
Though they didn't get the opportunity to make a run at the podium, Chippewa teammates Matt Stencel (285-pounds) and Drew Hildebrandt (125-pounds) both qualified for the 2020 NCAAs with top-six seeds (sixth for Hildebrandt and fifth for Stencel). No other Central Michigan wrestler received a top-eight seed. Had they and no other teammates placed, Central Michigan would have the first 285/125-pound All-American combo since Ronnie Bresser and Amar Dhesi did it two times in a row for Oregon State in 2018 and 2019. Truly they are the bookend prototypes.
The Moen Kitchen Sink Award
Taylor Lujan, Northern Iowa
We thank you, sir. @Little_Lujan @uni_wrestling pic.twitter.com/rMqtVfqTWt
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 31, 2020
Few wrestlers were as innovative and exciting to watch at Taylor Lujan. Never a dull moment in a Lujan match, as the senior from Carrollton, Georgia threw the kitchen sink and then some at his opponents. Lujan got stopped in the bloodround in 2018 and 2019 and was robbed of his chance to make his first podium after receiving the #1 seed at 184.
The Red Roof Inn Raising the Ruff Award
Gannon Gremmel, Iowa State
G-Gremz is a natural showman and got the crowd and his teammates pumped up when he beat in-state rival Carter Isley in one of the best duals of the year. To facilitate the pumping, Gremmel raised the roof (or ruff, as head coach Kevin Dresser would say in the post-match presser), in the second period. It actually wasn't exactly a ruff raising but it was close. You can watch the match below.
That does it for the pre-show technical awards. But that's not it for the FloWrestling 2020 NCAA Awards. They're still going happen on Friday, April 24. We'll be releasing the nominees soon for the following categories.
Team Upset of the Year
Freshman of the Year
Most Improved Wrestler
Individual Upset of the Year
Breakout Performance
Coach of the Year
Team of the Year
FloWrestler of the Year
Tune and to see who wins!