Jackson Shoe, a photo journalist with the Hickory Daily Record in North Carolina, scored 33 points to win the 2024 journalist picks contest for the 2024 NCAA Div. I Championships in Kansas City, Mo..
Participants received three points for every champion, two points for every runner-up and one point for a finalist in the wrong placement. This year, 34 journalists gave their picks for the contest. The tie-breaker (top five teams) was not needed this year to determine first place.
Shoe picked the champion and runner-up exactly correct in four weight classes (133, 141, 157, 197). He selected seven of the champions.
Second place went to David Mirikitani of the Weighing In podcast, who scored 32 points. He picked the champion and runner-up exactly correct in four weight classes (141, 174, 184, 197) and selected six of the champions.
Taking third place were AJ Grieves of Mat Focus and Dylan Morrison of Mor Wrestling, who finished with 31 points.
This year, there was no individual champion who was selected by each of the 34 journalists. Mirikitani and photographer Larry Slater were the only ones to select Richard Figueroa of Arizona State as champion. Two journalists selected Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech as champion, Grieves and photographer Edgar Sanchez.
2024 NCAA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR PICKS STANDINGS
33 – Jackson Shoe (Hickory Daily Record)
32 – David Mirikitani (Weighing In podcast)
31 – AJ Grieves (Mat Focus), Dylan Morrison (Mor Wrestling)
30 – Dan Fickel (Wrestling USA)
27 – Cameron Drury (Indiana Mat), Mark Trevino (Stillwater News Press)
26 – Joe Caprino (Indiana Mat), Tom Elling (Pennsylvania Roundup), Jim Kalin (Amateur Wrestling News), Bill Rudick (Digital 1st Media, PAWF), Grant Turner (Weighing In podcast), Lars Underbaake (IAWrestle)
25 – Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling), Justin Hoch (JHoch Photography)
24 – Nate Cobler (Centre Daily Times), John Hoke (Amateur Wrestling News), Greg Kaup (Greg Kaup Photography), Matt Levins (The Hawkeye), Earl Smith (InterMat)
23 – Johnnie Johnson (Amateur Wrestling News), Larry Slater (Photography)
22 – Jim Carlson (Harrisburg Patriot News), Zach Miller (Bergen Record), Edgar Sanchez (Ed Sanchez Sports Media)
20 – Brad Wilson (Lehigh Valley Live/Express Times)
21 – Sina Etamadi (Super Fan), Mike Finn (WIN Magazine)
19 – Gerry DiSimas (Connecticut Wrestling Online), Tristan Towey (WrestleTimes)
18 – Ryan Blake (Illinois MatMen), Seth Preisler (Steelwood Radio)
17 – Brett Anderson (The Wrestling Spot)
16 – Mark Lundy (LutteLens)
12 – Ryan Hayes (Crank Mat)
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