NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

2002 NCAA Championships

197 lb

Champion Cael Sanderson, Iowa State.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Cael SandersonISU
  2. 2Jon TrengeLEH
  3. 3Nick PrestonOHST
  4. 4Owen ElzenMINN
  5. 5Justin RuizNEB
  6. 6Scott BarkerMIZZ
  7. 7Kyle SmithMICH
  8. 8Jason PayneUNI

Connected 2002 197-pound bracket

Select a name to highlight their path; select it again to open the profile. Select a score for the bout.

How to read this bracket
  • Tap a name to follow that wrestler; tap it again to open their profile.
  • "Cons →" is where the loser continues in the consolation bracket; tap it to go there.
  • "↩" is where a wrestler arrived from the championship bracket.
  • The score opens the bout.
Final →Placements →

Championship

Consolation

Championship

Opening round · 1 bout

31 byes into the round of 32

  1. Avery Zerkle, Lock Haven (PA) over Jason Gore, North Carolina State — Dec 8–4 · View bout

Round of 32 · 16 bouts

  1. Anthony Reynolds (12), Sacred Heart (CT) over John Wechter, Michigan State — Dec 8–5 · View bout
  2. Brent Miller, West Virginia over Tyrone Byrd, Illinois — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  3. Cael Sanderson (1), Iowa State over Eric Mausser, Clarion (PA) — Fall 3:32 · View bout
  4. Chris Jones, Drexel (PA) over Avery Zerkle, Lock Haven (PA) — Dec 3–1 · View bout
  5. David Sandberg, Pittsburgh (PA) over Erik Gladish (9), Arizona State — Dec 11–7 · View bout
  6. David Shunamon (11), Edinboro (PA) over Pat DeGain, Indiana (IN) — Dec 3–2 · View bout
  7. Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa over Pete Mielnik, Penn State — MD 10–2 · View bout
  8. Jon Trenge (2), Lehigh (PA) over Marcio Botelho, Fresno State (CA) — Fall 1:47 · View bout
  9. Justin Ruiz, Nebraska over Chris Skretkowicz (7), Hofstra (NY) — MD 12–3 · View bout
  10. Kyle Cerminara, Buffalo (NY) over Greg Eynon, Millersville (PA) — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  11. Kyle Smith (6), Michigan over Greg Sawyer, Rider (NJ) — Dec 8–3 · View bout
  12. Matt Greenberg, Cornell (NY) over Willie Gruenwald, Oklahoma State — Dec 7–4 · View bout
  13. Nick Preston (4), Ohio State over David Schenk, California-Poly — Dec 9–4 · View bout
  14. Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota over Nick Ciarcia, Brown (RI) — MD 14–3 · View bout
  15. Scott Barker (5), Missouri over Randy Davidson, Portland State (OR) — TF 19–2 · View bout
  16. Tom Grossman (10), Oklahoma over Austin David, Tennessee-Chattanooga — MD 12–3 · View bout

Round of 16 · 8 bouts

  1. Cael Sanderson (1), Iowa State over Kyle Cerminara, Buffalo (NY) — Fall 6:33 · View bout
  2. Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa over David Sandberg, Pittsburgh (PA) — Dec 8–5 · View bout
  3. Jon Trenge (2), Lehigh (PA) over Matt Greenberg, Cornell (NY) — Fall 3:15 · View bout
  4. Justin Ruiz, Nebraska over Tom Grossman (10), Oklahoma — Dec 5–4 · View bout
  5. Kyle Smith (6), Michigan over David Shunamon (11), Edinboro (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout
  6. Nick Preston (4), Ohio State over Brent Miller, West Virginia — Fall 6:26 · View bout
  7. Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota over Chris Jones, Drexel (PA) — MD 13–1 · View bout
  8. Scott Barker (5), Missouri over Anthony Reynolds (12), Sacred Heart (CT) — TF 16–1 · View bout

Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

  1. Cael Sanderson (1), Iowa State over Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa — TF 23–8 · View bout
  2. Jon Trenge (2), Lehigh (PA) over Justin Ruiz, Nebraska — Fall 1:20 · View bout
  3. Nick Preston (4), Ohio State over Scott Barker (5), Missouri — Dec 3–2 · View bout
  4. Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota over Kyle Smith (6), Michigan — Fall 4:15 · View bout

Semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Cael Sanderson (1), Iowa State over Nick Preston (4), Ohio State — MD 18–7 · View bout
  2. Jon Trenge (2), Lehigh (PA) over Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota — MD 16–6 · View bout

Final · 1 bout

  1. Cael Sanderson (1), Iowa State over Jon Trenge (2), Lehigh (PA) — MD 12–4 · View bout

Consolation

Consolation opening round · 1 bout

  1. Tyrone Byrd, Illinois over Jason Gore, North Carolina State — Dec 2–0 · View bout

Consolation round 1 · 8 bouts

  1. Avery Zerkle, Lock Haven (PA) over Nick Ciarcia, Brown (RI) — Dec 6–5 · View bout
  2. Chris Skretkowicz (7), Hofstra (NY) over Austin David, Tennessee-Chattanooga — MD 14–1 · View bout
  3. David Schenk, California-Poly over Tyrone Byrd, Illinois — Dec 7–6 · View bout
  4. Eric Mausser, Clarion (PA) over Greg Eynon, Millersville (PA) — MD 11–0 · View bout
  5. Erik Gladish (9), Arizona State over Pete Mielnik, Penn State — Dec 12–5 · View bout
  6. John Wechter, Michigan State over Randy Davidson, Portland State (OR) — MD 20–8 · View bout
  7. Pat DeGain, Indiana (IN) over Greg Sawyer, Rider (NJ) — MD 16–7 · View bout
  8. Willie Gruenwald, Oklahoma State over Marcio Botelho, Fresno State (CA) — Fall 1:48 · View bout

Consolation round 2 · 8 bouts

  1. Avery Zerkle, Lock Haven (PA) over David Sandberg, Pittsburgh (PA) — Dec 5–2 · View bout
  2. Brent Miller, West Virginia over Chris Skretkowicz (7), Hofstra (NY) — Dec 5–1 · View bout
  3. Chris Jones, Drexel (PA) over Erik Gladish (9), Arizona State — Dec 5–4 · View bout
  4. David Schenk, California-Poly over Tom Grossman (10), Oklahoma — Dec 6–4 · View bout
  5. Eric Mausser, Clarion (PA) over David Shunamon (11), Edinboro (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout
  6. John Wechter, Michigan State over Matt Greenberg, Cornell (NY) — Dec 6–1 · View bout
  7. Pat DeGain, Indiana (IN) over Kyle Cerminara, Buffalo (NY) — Dec 5–2 · View bout
  8. Willie Gruenwald, Oklahoma State over Anthony Reynolds (12), Sacred Heart (CT) — Dec 8–7 · View bout

Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts

  1. Brent Miller, West Virginia over Willie Gruenwald, Oklahoma State — Dec 8–2 · View bout
  2. Eric Mausser, Clarion (PA) over Chris Jones, Drexel (PA) — Dec 7–2 · View bout
  3. John Wechter, Michigan State over David Schenk, California-Poly — Dec 6–3 · View bout
  4. Pat DeGain, Indiana (IN) over Avery Zerkle, Lock Haven (PA) — Fall 3:38 · View bout

Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts

  1. Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa over John Wechter, Michigan State — Dec 5–3 · View bout
  2. Justin Ruiz, Nebraska over Pat DeGain, Indiana (IN) — Fall 1:50 · View bout
  3. Kyle Smith (6), Michigan over Brent Miller, West Virginia — Dec 8–2 · View bout
  4. Scott Barker (5), Missouri over Eric Mausser, Clarion (PA) — Fall 7:00 · View bout

Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

  1. Justin Ruiz, Nebraska over Kyle Smith (6), Michigan — Dec 7–3 · View bout
  2. Scott Barker (5), Missouri over Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa — Fall 6:40 · View bout

Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Nick Preston (4), Ohio State over Justin Ruiz, Nebraska — Dec 2–1 · View bout
  2. Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota over Scott Barker (5), Missouri — Dec 7–0 · View bout

Placement bouts

3rd-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Nick Preston (4), Ohio State over Owen Elzen (3), Minnesota — Dec 7–4 · View bout

5th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Justin Ruiz, Nebraska over Scott Barker (5), Missouri — Dec 7–6 · View bout

7th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Kyle Smith (6), Michigan over Jason Payne (8), Northern Iowa — Dec 10–4 · View bout