From the Iowa High School Athletic Association:
State Traditional Wrestling Tournament Seeding Information
The Iowa High School Athletic Association will begin using TrackWrestling to seed the state traditional wrestling tournament, starting with the 2018-19 season. Each weight class will be seeded using a computerized system – with oversight provided by the IHSAA – and the top eight wrestlers will be seeded, while the remaining eight will be drawn in at random. Efforts will be made to ensure wrestlers from the same district tournaments are placed in different quartiles of the bracket.
CRITERIA The criteria used by TrackWrestling to determine seeds gives points to qualifiers based on the following factors, listed in order of their use:
1. Head-to-head competition
2. Competition against common opponents
3. Returning state champion
4. Returning second- or third-place finisher in previous season (equal value)
5. Returning fourth- through eighth-place finisher from previous season (valued in order)
6. District champion
7. Returning state qualifier in previous season
8. Winning percentage in the current season
When compared to every other wrestler in their brackets, qualifiers receive one “point” for their criteria advantage, reaching a maximum of 15 “points” per bracket. If no decision can be made using the criteria and winning percentages are the same, each wrestler receives a half-point (0.5 points).
EXAMPLE Here is how the criteria would work with a hypothetical four-person draw. Wrestler A would be the No. 1, Wrestler C would be the No. 2, Wrestler B would be the No. 3, and Wrestler D would be No. 4. At the state tournament, this comparison would take place through TrackWrestling for all 16 wrestlers in all 14 weight classes for the IHSAA’s three classifications.
Wrestler A • Returning place-winner • Beat Wrestler B head-to-head (+1) • Beat a wrestler who beat Wrestler C (+1) • Wrestler D is not a returning place-winner (+1) Total: 3 points
Wrestler B • First-time qualifier • Lost to Wrestler A head-tohead • Wrestler C is a returning state qualifier • No common criteria with Wrestler D, 30-6 record (+1) Total: 1 point
Wrestler C • Returning qualifier • Lost to a wrestler who lost to Wrestler A • Wrestler B is not a returning state qualifier (+1) • Wrestler D is not a returning state qualifier (+1) Total: 2 points
Wrestler D • First-time qualifier • Wrestler A is a returning placewinner • No common criteria with Wrestler B, 28-14 record • Wrestler C is a returning qualifier Total: 0 points