THIS WEEK: Five Stanford wrestlers - redshirt senior Garrett Schaner (149 pounds), redshirt junior Evan Silver (125 pounds), redshirt sophomore Jim Wilson (165 pounds) and redshirt freshmen Nathan Butler (285 pounds) and Connor Schram (133 pounds) - will cap off the season at the 2015 NCAA Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri, March 19-21.
CATCH THE CARDINAL: ESPN is providing coverage of every match in every session via ESPN, ESPNU and ESPN3. Stanford’s Facebook (Stanford Wrestling) and Twitter (@CardWrestling) will also provide updates on Cardinal wrestlers throughout the event. Below is the broadcast schedule with ESPN3 (WatchESPN) carrying individual mat feeds throughout the entire tournament.
Thursday, March 19 - 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PT - First Session (ESPNU)
Thursday, March 19 - 4 p.m.-7:30 p.m. PT - Second Session (ESPNU)
Friday, March 20 - 8 a.m.-11 a.m. PT - Quarterfinals/Third Session (ESPNU)
Friday, March 20 - 5 p.m.-8 p.m. PT - Semifinals/Fourth Session (ESPN)
Saturday, March 21 - 8 a.m. -11 a.m. PT - Medal Round/Fifth Session (ESPNU)
Saturday, March 21 - 5 p.m.-8 p.m. PT - Championship Finals (ESPN)
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Each Cardinal wrestler will be competing in a 33-man bracket for the individual national title in their respective weight classes. The top-eight finishers in each weight class will be named 2015 All-Americans.
HOW THEY GOT THERE: Stanford has crowned at least one individual conference champion in each of the past six years (2010-pres.). Jim Wilson won his second conference title becoming just the sixth Cardinal wrestler to accomplish that feat. Heavyweight Nathan Butler secured his first title, becoming just the fourth Stanford freshman to do so. Connor Schram placed second at the Pac-12 Tournament to earn an automatic berth to St. Louis. Redshirt senior Garrett Schaner finished third, but defeated Abraham Rodriguez (Oregon State), 8-7, in a true second-place match to snag the automatic qualifying spot. Evan Silver (125 poundS) received an at-large bid from the NCAA. Stanford’s five qualifiers ties a program-high (2004, 2007, 2008, 2014).
STANFORD AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: Stanford’s highest team finish at the NCAA Championships came in 2011 when the Cardinal placed 11th. Matt Gentry is the lone Cardinal to win an individual title, capturing the 157-pound crown in 2004. In 2011, Nick Amuchastegui (‘12) joined Gentry as the only NCAA finalists in program history. Amuchastegui went on to become just the second three-time All-American at Stanford and reached the finals for a second time in 2012.
THE WILSON FILE: Redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Jim Wilson has already amassed 65 career wins and is on track to finish in the top 3 all-time in Cardinal history. Last season, he became the first Stanford freshman to capture a conference title since Jimmy Aguirre in 1993. At the end of the year, he was named the Pac-12 Newcomer/Freshman of the Year, joining Matt Gentry (2002) and Zack Giesen (2007), who also received the honor.
FRESHMAN WINS: Redshirt freshman Nathan Butler is 28-7 in his first season competing for the Cardinal. His 28 wins are the sixth-most by a freshman in school history. In addition to his Pac-12 championships, he has placed third at three tournaments this season, including the Roadrunner Open, the Keystone Classic and the Reno Tournament of Champions.
SENIOR SACRIFICE: Fifth-year senior Garrett Schaner, who redshirted last season, has dropped down a weight class to be Stanford’s starter at 149 pounds. The science, technology and society major is 21-15 overall, and took third at the conference tournament and placed fifth at the Reno Tournament of Champions. His 21 wins on the year mark a season-best for the Big Rapids, Michigan native as he joins Nathan Butler and Jim Wilson as the only Cardinal wrestlers to reach the 20-win plateau this season.
THIRD APPEARANCE: Redshirt junior Evan Silver is making his third appearnce at the NCAA Championships. He has gone 1-2 in each of his first two national tournaments and looks to improve on that mark in St. Louis. He was the runner-up at the Pac-12 Championships, but dropped a 6-3 decision to Arizona State’s Ares Carpio in the true second-place match, ultimately needing an at-large berth to make his third postseason appearance.
MAKING HIS DEBUT: Redshirt freshman Connor Schram has put together a successful rookie campaign, racking up 18 wins with just three losses. He placed second in his first conference tournament and captured the Edinboro Open title in early February.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP: The Cardinal finished the regular season with an 11-4 overall record in duals. For the second straight season, Stanford went 4-1 in Pac-12 duals, falling only to Oregon State (19-12). Stanford tied for second at the Reno Tournament of Champions in Decenber, marking a program-best finish. Redshirt sophomore Jim Wilson (30-4) won the 165-pound title and leads the Cardinal this season in victories.
HEAD COACH JASON BORRELLI: Stanford is under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Jason Borrelli. During his time on The Farm, Borrelli has accrued a 70-62-3 record and sent 13 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships a total of 25 times. Borrelli, a former Central Michigan standout, first came to Stanford as an assistant coach in 2007 and has quickly turned the Cardinal into a national contender. Under Borrelli, the Cardinal has finished in the top 20 at the NCAA Championships twice, including a program-best 11th at the 2011 tournament in Philadelphia, Pa.
