WIN’s 2025 NCAA DI Weight Class Preview: 133
Photo: Illinois senior Lucas Byrd won the 2025 Big Ten title with a second-period fall over Iowa’s Drake Ayala. Photo by Sam Janicki.
The following is a look at WIN’s top 133-pound contenders before the 2025 NCAA DI Championships commence in Philadelphia March 20-22.
*Note the rankings and records were last updated prior to the NCAA-qualifying tournaments. For WIN’s final TPI and individual ranks, click here.
1. Drake Ayala, Iowa, Jr., Fort Dodge, Iowa
Note: Moved up a weight after finishing as the 125-pound runner-up in 2024.
Season/Career Record: 15-1/54-14
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a 5-3 postseason record: 2nd in 2024; 1-2 in 2022.
Regular-season Notes: Only loss came to Stanford’s Tyler Knox, 15-10, in a dual meet on Nov. 9. Won the Soldier Salute.
2. Lucas Byrd, Illinois, RSr.,
Cincinnati, Ohio
Note: Took a medical redshirt in 2023-24.
Season/Career Record: 15-1/88-16
NCAA Resume: Fourth Nationals with a postseason record of 14-6: reached R12 in 2023; 5th in 2022; 5th in 2021.
Regular-season Notes: A 4-2 setback against top-ranked Drake Ayala in a dual meet on Jan. 17 was the graduate senior’s only setback on the season.
3. Evan Frost, Iowa State, So., Metairie, La.
Note: First AA from Louisiana since UNI’s David Bonin in 2013.
Season/Career Record: 16-2/38-9
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 4-3: 6th in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Has not lost since Dec. 6 at CKLV Invite to Cal Poly’s Zeth Romney, 7-2, good for a 17-match win streak.
4. Nasir Bailey, Little Rock, So., Park Forest, Ill.
Note: First AA for Little Rock program in 2024 alongside 197-pounder Stephen Little.
Season/Career Record: 19-3/48-7
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 5-2: 4th in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Southern Scuffle champion. Avenged early-season loss to Zeth Romney with an 8-2 decision on Feb. 14.
5. Zeth Romney, Cal Poly, So., Simi Valley, Calif.
Note: Moved down a weight from his 141-pound season as a redshirt in 2022-2023.
Season/Career Record: 13-3/32-12
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 0-2: 0-2 in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Was ranked as high as No. 2 nationally after earning wins over Evan Frost and Nasir Bailey.
6. Braeden Davis, Penn State, So., Belleville, Mich.
Note: Entered 2024 NCAA Championships as No. 1 seed at 125 pounds as a true freshman.
Season/Career Record: 8-3/30-7
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 2-2: reached R12 in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Up a weight in 2024-25, Davis’ biggest win came against Nasir Bailey by a 1-0 margin on Dec. 22.
7. Tyler Knox, Stanford, RFr., Groveland, Mass.
Note: Placed fifth at CKLV Invite as a redshirt in 2023.
Season/Career Record: 22-4/22-4
NCAA Resume: First Nationals
Regular-season Notes: Defeated Iowa’s returning NCAA runner-up Drake Ayala in fourth collegiate match on Nov. 9. Midlands champion, defeating returning All-American Dylan Shawver, 10-3, for the title.
8. Braxton Brown, Maryland, Jr., Allen, Texas
Note: Hails from same high school as former Dan Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal.
Season/Career Record: 20-2/65-22
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with a postseason record of 2-4: 1-2 in 2024; 1-2 in 2023.
Regular-season Notes: Only two blemishes on the season came at the hands of Top-5 opponents Lucas Byrd and Zeth Romney.
9. Dylan Shawver, Rutgers, Sr., Lorain, Ohio
Note: Wrestled at Elyria High School in Ohio under Erik Burnett (featured in this issue on page 15).
Season/Career Record: 17-6/79-32
NCAA Resume: Third Nationals with a postseason record of 6-4: 7th in 2024; 2-2 in 2022.
Regular-season Notes: Midlands runner-up. Led Scarlet Knights in total team points during 2024-25 dual season with 52.
10. Tyler Wells, Minnesota, So., Princeton, Minn.
Note: Reached Blood Round as a true freshman for the Gophers in 2024.
Season/Career Record: 11-5/27-13
NCAA Resume: Second Nationals with a postseason record of 3-2: reached R12 in 2024.
Regular-season Notes: Started season on six-match winning streak; defeated Virginia Tech’s Connor McGonagle at Mountaineer Invite.
Others to Watch-
• NC State’s Kai Orine, a two-time returning eighth-place finisher, looms as a savvy veteran with experience reaching the NCAA podium.
• Nebraska sophomore Jacob Van Dee has recorded wins this season over Penn State’s Braeden Davis as well as Minnesota’s Tyler Wells.
• Wisconsin redshirt freshman Zan Fugitt is riding a six-match winning streak which includes an 11-1 major decision over Van Dee.
• Virginia Tech senior Connor McGonagle, a 2023 transfer from Lehigh, hasn’t wrestled at an NCAA Championship since 2022 but is 12-1 on the season and owns victories over Tyler Knox and Kai Orine.
• Northern Colorado’s Dominick Serrano owns a 17-2 record which includes a victory over Tyler Wells. At the Southern Scuffle, Serrano took Nasir Bailey to the wire in a 4-1 OT setback.
• The always dangerous Nic Bouzakis of Ohio State, who went 2-2 at the 2024 NCAAs, is 18-6 on the season and owns a 17-7 major decision over Tyler Knox.
