197 Projected Starter: Derek Thomas (Senior)

• Credentials: 3 year starter at 197, 14-11 record in 2014/15, placed 3rd at conference
• Challengers: Aryton Almberg
• Redshirts: Tanner Orndorff, Richard Ybarra-Brandt
• Expected Intrasquad matches
  • Derek Thomas vs. Tanner Orndorff
  • Aryton Almberg vs. Ritchie Ybarra-Brandt

Derek Thomas will be the guy at 197lbs barring any injuries. As a 3 year starter Derek will look to have a break through year and qualify for the NCAA Championships. For the past two seasons Derek has placed 3rd at conference just narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament. Coming in as a senior Derek is poised to make a run this year. Challengers to Derek will be Sophomore Aryton Almberg (from Nevada) and Freshman Logan Blackwood (from Idaho). Redshirting will be Tanner Orndorff and Richard Ybarra-Brandt. Orndorff just returned home from an LDS mission but had an excellect High School career in Washington and finished as a state champion. Richard was a runner-up in California as a Junior but an injury prevented him from competing at state his senior year. 

285 Projected Starter: Dustin Dennison (Sophomore) Jordan Karst (Sophomore)

• Credentials: Dennison redshirted last year and went 17-6. Karst started for the Wolverines and placed 4th at conference.
• Challenger: Dustin Dennison or Jordan Karst
• Redshirts: None
• Expected Intrasquad matches
  • Dustin Dennison vs. Jordan Karst

Jordan Karst got some valuable starting experience last year and seemed to improve quickly placing fourth at conference barely missing out on qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Dennison took a redshirt year and went 17-6 placing 6th at the Reno Tournament of Champions. This is going to be a year long battle on who will be the Wolverine starter and should be fun to watch.