In a sport renowned for individual performances, collegiate powerlifting remains a TEAM sport. Every lifter approaches the platform knowing that they’re not just approaching the bar for individual glory, but for the glory of all those standing behind them with matching shirts and a shared dream. The raw emotion that is generated by the team aspect of collegiate powerlifting is unlike anything you will see at a typical meet. With 377 individual entries and 22 registered teams for the 2015 USAPL Collegiate National Championships, it will be the biggest, fiercest, and most celebrated event in the 40+ years of collegiate powerlifting. Adding to the excitement, is the fact that more than ever, the men’s competition is WIDE OPEN. There is no clear winner. Truth is, nobody knows how it is going to play out. Let’s take a look at the contenders in the men’s division….
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Odds: 3 to 1
UL was the proud home to some of the most dominant teams in the history of collegiate powerlifting, but slipped out of title contention for several years after their 2011 National Championship season. Four years later, not a single lifter remains from the glory days….but UL is BACK with a whole new roster that is thirsty for a return to the throne!
Team president Derek Ward decided that he was willing to go to any length for a team win and starved himself into the 116-pound class over several months of cardio and calorie restriction that would make a competitive bodybuilder cringe. Ward will join All-American Ricky Hu, a double- whammy at 116!
Moving in the opposite direction as Ward is Andre Sigure. Several years ago, Sigure entered UL after a below average high school campaign in the 198 class. Sigure ate his way to 264-pounds and added 200+ pounds to his total every year along the way! If he can hang close enough to Texas A&M’s Scott Dobbins through the subtotal, look for the winning pull to be loaded up on Sigure’s final deadlift attempt. It’ll take 2000+ to bring home the gold at 264 and neither Dobbins nor Sigure has plans to go home with a distasteful silver medal.
Rounding out UL’s roster is top-seeded Brennan Riche. Riche has patiently waited in the wing for 4 years, with the gold medal always slightly out of reach. In his final year as a Cajun, Riche is at his peak and primed for a gold, at last. The Cajuns are laying it all on the line in Atlanta.
University of Texas
Odds: 3 to 1
Over the past several years the Texas Longhorns were the most devastating team in the history of collegiate powerlifting, led by the two best individual lifters to ever compete on a collegiate platform: Ian Bell and Preston Turner. Under Bell and Turner’s tenure, no other team was even in contention for a title. It wasn’t a competition, it was a UT domination! What would become of the Longhorns post-Bell and Turner? Another AMAZING squad and a possible third consecutive national championship!
Veteran Mario Leos is the top-seeded lifter of the 130 pound class, but will have his hands full with Louisiana Tech’s Josue Leon. Leos and Leon went to battle in the 116 class two years ago, with Leos finishing on top. If the Longhorns hope to win again, this will be a critical win.
Rounding out their roster is top seeded Charles Okpoko (145 class) and fast-rising Aaron Pomerantz (163-class). Okpoko will have to outpace Houston-Downtown’s elite bench presser, Kenny Nguyen, if he hopes to bring home the gold and Pomerantz will have to go to battle in the most competitive weight class of the whole meet if he hopes to reign supreme. One thing is for sure, Texas did NOT need a rebuilding season to make it back to the top after Bell and Turner. They stayed on top!
Northeastern University
Odds: 4 to 1
Northeastern is home of the Superheavyweight. Between their program’s first great lifter (Joe Cappellino), head coach Mike Zawilinski, and defending SHW Champion Stephen King, it appears that perhaps Paul Bunyan was actually from Boston and his descendants have all enrolled at Northeastern. 800-pound squats and 700-pound bench presses have become the norm for the huskies and one thing is for certain about the Superheavyweight division this year….it’s good to be KING!
If Matt Cassista (205) or Vahe Misserian (231) can back up King with another gold medal, we could be looking at the first Championship team from the north in decades!
Texas A&M
Odds: 5 to 1
Scott Dobbins is stronger than ever as the leader of the Aggies. While we can count on Dobbins to bring his A-game, it’ll take an elite performance from his underclassmen to bring home the team Championship to College Station. If Blake Lehew (third seed at 163) or Abram Guerra (top seed at 205) can claw their way to a gold medal, Texas A&M will definitely be in the title hunt.
University of Texas – San Antonio
Odds: 6 to 1
Led by veteran Richard Pena as the top-seeded 205-pound competitor and the one-two punch of Mauricio Valdez and Coy Jorden at 182-pounds, the Roadrunners definitely have some heavy weapons in their arsenal. While it may appear that their roster lacks the supporting cast necessary to back up their big guns, I caution anyone that might take UTSA for granted. Coach Wes Zunker is at the top of the recruiting game and something tells me that he has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Other Great Lifters
- Scranton’s Dalton LaCoe bursted onto the powerlifting scene two years ago and hasn’t slowed down. He’s untouchable at 116-pounds and his 1207 qualifying should allow him to cruise to victory.
- Louisiana Tech’s Josue Leon is the defending 116-pound champion, but has bulked to 130-pounds in 2015. Look for some insane numbers from the leader of collegiate powerlifting’s most storied program.
- Benjamin Etringer (Navy) and Thomas Evans (Army) are the premiere lifters from the United States Service Academies. Look for an epic battle at 163-pounds!