2024 Fargo Preview for Big 12 Recruits
Fargo aka 16U and Junior Nationals is upon us. The largest wrestling tournament in the world is set to kick off on Saturday with the women’s freestyle portion of the tournament. Last year’s version of Fargo included over 7,000 participants!
To get ready for Fargo, we’re looking at the tournament from a collegiate perspective. A recruiting perspective. Over the next few days, we’ll go conference-by-conference to look at recruits from each school who have signed up for the tournament.
Our last conference to preview is the Big 12. The Big 12 has grown by one school over the offseason as Arizona State has moved for all sports. The addition of a team that has placed in the top-seven at NCAA's in each of the last four years makes a strong conference just that much more difficult to navigate. Including ASU, six Big 12 teams finished in the top-15 at NCAA's in 2024.
Looking ahead to the future, the Big 12 had three teams in the top-ten of InterMat's 2024 Recruiting Class Rankings. Four others made the top-25 and two others were listed as honorable mentions. The future is very bright in the Big 12
Editor's Note: As of the writing of this article, Team Oklahoma had not released their entries for the tournament. No recruits from Oklahoma are listed in this preview. It was purposely held to the end, in case they were made available. As of Monday morning, entries have been listed on FloArena, so you can see any Oklahoma recruits who have registered to compete.
Recruits have been grouped by team. They are listed alphabetically alongside the weight listed in USA Wrestling’s registration, the state they represent, and their graduating class. The # next to a wrestler’s name denotes their MatScouts Big Board ranking in their respective class.
We’ve sorted through six or seven thousand entries to bring you these previews, so there could be a recruit or two that slipped through the cracks. If that’s the case, please let me know. Earl@matscouts.com
Additionally, no preview or historical analysis for anything Fargo-related could be done without some assistance from Jason Bryant’s massive Fargo Guide. There’s still time to get yours!
Air Force
165 lbs: Cy Fowler (Tennessee) - Class of 2025
285 lbs: #63 Rylan Kuhn (Missouri) - Class of 2025
138 lbs: Chancellor Matthews (Colorado) - Class of 2025
Air Force’s 2025 Class will be on display with two of the three wrestlers here who have made the Fargo podium in the past. Rylan Kuhn was a 16U All-American in both styles in 2022 - taking fifth in freestyle and appearing on the raised stage in the Greco finals. Chancellor Matthews was a 16U freestyle All-American last year taking eighth place at 132 lbs.
Cy Fowler hasn’t been a Fargo All-American just yet, but he has finished top-five at the NHSCA grade-level tournament in 2023 and 2024.
Arizona State
285 lbs: Nick Hutchins (Arizona) - Class of 2024
190 lbs: #11 Harvey Ludington (New Jersey) - Class of 2025
144 lbs: #31 Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2024
New Big 12 members, Arizona State, have a pair of high-caliber recruits from the Class of 2024 and 2025. Pierson Manville is the incoming freshman and he has an absurd Fargo resume. Manville has been third in both styles, at the Junior division, in 2022 and 2024. In 2021, Manville made the 16U finals in both styles and came away with a title in Greco. Also in the international styles, Manville has placed fourth times at the UWW U17 Trials.
Two-time New Jersey state champion and three-time finalist Harvey Ludington was fifth in 16U Greco-Roman in 2021. Ludington is also a champion at the Beast of the East and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals.
Heavyweight prospect, Nick Hutchins, is an Arizona state third-place finisher and was second at Arizona’s Fargo qualifier.
California Baptist
190 lbs: Adonis Bonar (Nebraska) - Class of 2025
138 lbs: Richie Clementi (California) - Class of 2025
150 lbs: #46 Paul Kelly (California) - Class of 2024
175 lbs: #178 Anthony Rinehart (Indiana) - Class of 2025
California Baptist’s top recruit from the Class of 2024, Paul Kelly, will be on display (once again) in Fargo. Kelly has had plenty of success in the FargoDome with four career All-American honors. Kelly was fourth in both styles last year at the Junior division. Prior to that, Kelly had finished sixth in Junior and U16 Greco. Another freestyle accolade for Kelly is an eighth-place finish at the UWW U17 Trials in 2021.
Greco specialist Adonis Bonar will move up from the 16U to the Junior division in 2024. Bonar was a national champion last year in Greco-Roman and seventh in freestyle. Earlier this year, Bonar fell in the finals of the UWW U17 Trials.
The other ranked wrestler from this group is Anthony Rinehart a two-time Indiana state placewinner who made it to the top six at the Ironman.
Iowa State
126 lbs: #43 Christian Castillo (Arizona) - Class of 2025
285 lbs: #35 Daniel Herrera (Iowa) - Class of 2024
After a three-year hiatus, Christian Castillo is returning to Fargo to take care of some unfinished business. In 2021, Castillo was a 16U national runner-up in freestyle. He hasn’t been to the tournament in each of the last two years because he won a spot on the U17 World Team. In 2022, Castillo earned a U17 World silver medal and was eighth in the Greco-Roman tournament. Last year, Castillo made the U17 world team in freestyle and didn’t medal.
Graduated senior, Daniel Herrera, is seeking his first Fargo medal before moving on to college. Herrera won a pair of California state titles before moving to the Ames area for his senior year and claiming an Iowa title in the process. Currently, Herrera’s best national-level credential is a second-place finish at the 2023 Super 32.
Missouri
165 lbs: #64 Dom Bambinelli (Georgia) - Class of 2025
120 lbs: Hank Benter (Missouri) - Class of 2025
157 lbs: #96 Danny Heiser (Wisconsin) - Class of 2025
126 lbs: Draven Johns (Idaho) - Class of 2025
126 lbs: #6 Seth Mendoza (Illinois) - Class of 2025
175 lbs: #79 Jake Stoffel (Wisconsin) - Class of 2024
In a previous preview, we mentioned that Cornell could be a leading candidate in the 2025 recruiting class rankings. Well, Missouri will be in the mix, as well, and have a good chunk of their Class of 2025 in Fargo. The only graduating senior is Jake Stoffel who was a Fargo All-American in 2022 taking eighth place in 16U freestyle. A year later, Stoffel was sixth at the UWW U17 Trials.
Aside from Stoffel, three other future Tigers have found the podium in Fargo, at one point or another in their careers. One of the top recruits in the Class of 2025, Seth Mendoza was U16 freestyle champion and has never finished lower than third in freestyle in three tries. Danny Heiser was also a U16 freestyle finalist in 2023. Earlier this year, Heiser was fifth at the UWW U17 Trials in freestyle.
The final member of the group with past Fargo credentials is Georgia’s Dom Bambinelli. In 2021, Bambinelli AA’ed in both styles at the 16U level. Last year, he was eighth in Junior Greco-Roman.
North Dakota State
132 lbs: Jack Castagneto (Idaho) - Class of 2024
190 lbs: Tayshaun Glover (North Carolina) - Class of 2024
165 lbs: Luke Hoag (Minnesota) - Class of 2025
165 lbs: Dante Hutchings (Colorado) - Class of 2024
285 lbs: #167 Shilo Jones (Idaho) - Class of 2024
190 lbs: #140 Andrew McMonagle (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2024
120 lbs: Kody Tanimoto (Texas) - Class of 2024
113 lbs: #86 Ezekiel Witt (Kansas) - Class of 2024
Second-year head coach Obe Blanc had a great first-full recruiting class in a group that earned honorable mention accolades in InterMat’s 2024 recruiting rankings. There is a large contingent of incoming freshmen who are heading to their new home to compete for All-American honors. This group has a staggering four wrestlers who have AA’ed multiple times in Fargo over the years.
Ezekiel Witt was top-five at the Junior age group last year in both styles. He was also third in 16U Greco in 2021. Witt has also placed three times at the U17 Trials. Heavyweight Shilo Jones has AA’ed three times in the Junior division. He was second in Greco and sixth in freestyle last year. In 2022, he was sixth in Greco.
The other two returning AA’s are Kody Tanimoto and the Class of 2025’s Luke Hoag. Tanimoto’s best work has come in Greco-Roman. He was a Junior finalist last year and fifth in 16U Greco in 2022. He’s also earned All-American honors twice at the UWW U17 Trials. Hoag got on the podium last year in both styles while in 16U.
Another recruit who didn’t make the rankings, but who could surprise in Fargo is Tayshaun Glover of North Carolina. Glover was fourth at NHSCA Senior Nationals.
Northern Iowa
138 lbs: #135 Carter Freeman (Iowa) - Class of 2024
126 lbs: Jace Hedeman (Iowa) - Class of 2025
157 lbs: #41 Kyler Knaack (Iowa) - Class of 2025
150 lbs: #31 Logan Paradice (Georgia) - Class of 2025
285 lbs: Grant Stromberg (Wisconsin) - Class of 2024
We’ve got a good mix between the Class of 2024 and 2025 in the FargoDome for Doug Schwab’s team. From the incoming freshmen, Carter Freeman is a three-time Iowa state champion, who has also won the same number of state freestyle titles at the Junior division. Grant Stromberg is a two-time state placewinner in Wisconsin who was third in the state in freestyle.
The Class of 2025 are the ones with the winning experience from Fargo. Kyler Knaack was a double champion last year at the 16U level. This year, he advanced to the finals of the U17 Trials. Logan Paradice has placed three times in Fargo. Last year, Paradice was sixth in Junior freestyle. In 2022, at the 16U level, Paradice got on the podium in both styles.
Oklahoma
138 lbs: #19 Alex Braun (Minnesota) - Class of 2024
174 lbs: #99 Bryce Burkett (Minnesota) - Class of 2025
126 lbs: #225 Koufax Christensen (Iowa) - Class of 2024
126 lbs: #62 Sebastian DeGennaro (Florida) - Class of 2025
157 lbs: #185 Owen Eck (Kansas) - Class of 2024
215 lbs: #49 Anthony Harris (New Jersey) - Class of 2025
285 lbs: Jacob Henry (Texas) - Class of 2024
132 lbs: #39 Jake Hockaday (Indiana) - Class of 2025
215 lbs: #56 Austin Johnson (Pennsylvania) - Class of 2025
157 lbs: Jake Moon (Texas) - Class of 2024
190 lbs: #55 Anders Thompson (Montana) - Class of 2024
Oklahoma has a massive group headed to Fargo and that’s without considering any in-state recruits - which they have plenty of. The Sooners entire Class of 2025 (thus far) is scheduled to compete, while the majority of their fourth-ranked Class of 2024 is ready to toe the line, as well.
Four of Oklahoma’s recruits have already earned All-American honors from Fargo, led by Alex Braun who was a double AA last year at the Junior level and doubled in 2022 at 16U. Also in 2022, Bryce Burkett was a double finalist in 16U. He claimed the stop sign in Greco and was a runner-up in freestyle.
The other two returning AA’s in the bunch are Jake Hockaday and Austin Johnson. Hockaday made his mark last year by taking fourth in Junior freestyle. Johnson was top-four in both styles in 16U in 2022.
Another item to keep in mind is Anthony Harris’ return. Harris missed the high school postseason due to injury. Should he return to his previous form, his stock could continue to rise.
Oklahoma State
144 lbs: #188 Kolter Burton (Idaho) - Class of 2024
132 lbs: Devon Harrison (Missouri) - Class of 2025
150 lbs: #20 Landon Robideau (Minnesota) - Class of 2025
Like their Bedlam rivals, we don’t have any Oklahoma natives listed here for the Cowboys, but I’d imagine a few end up competing. Landon Robideau made some news last week as he announced he was flipping college commitments from Minnesota to Oklahoma State. With Robideau, the Cowboys are getting a prospect who has made the 16U freestyle finals and was third in Junior freestyle in 2023. Robideau has also placed in the UWW U17 Trials twice. He’ll be a contender at a loaded 150 lb weight class.
Incoming freshman, Kolter Burton, is no stranger to the awards podium in the FargoDome, either. He’s placed five times already in his Fargo career - one which is highlighted by a Junior title in Greco-Roman in 2021 and a Junior freestyle runner-up finish in 2022.
South Dakota State
175 lbs: Burk Blasius (South Dakota) - Class of 2024
150 lbs: #85 Bas Diaz (Iowa) - Class of 2025
120 lbs: #111 Carson Dupill (Tennessee) - Class of 2025
285 lbs: #59 Micah Hach (South Dakota) - Class of 2025
157 lbs: #191 Jacob Herm (Wisconsin) - Class of 2025
126 lbs: #172 Liam Neitzel (Wisconsin) - Class of 2024
132 lbs: Cale Seaton (Iowa) - Class of 2024
175 lbs: Keenan Sheridan (South Dakota) - Class of 2024
132 lbs: #72 Logan Swensen (Minnesota) - Class of 2024
South Dakota State has an impressive recruiting Class of 2025 that features five members of the Big Board. All five are slated to compete in Fargo, along with a handful of incoming freshmen. The highest-ranked member of the Class of 2025 is big man Micah Hach, who was a 16U All-American in both styles last year. Additionally, Hach was an NHSCA Junior National champion.
Jacob Herm and Liam Neitzel are other rising seniors that have past Fargo credentials. Herm has specialized in Greco-Roman. He found the podium both years in 16U and was a U17 Trials finalist this year. Neitzel has AA’ed in both styles in the 16U age group.
Amongst the incoming freshmen, Logan Swensen is the one with the best accomplishments in the international styles. He was fifth in 16U Greco in 2021. That same year, he finished sixth in both styles at UWW U17’s.
Utah Valley
144 lbs: Smokey McClure (Washington) - Class of 2024
175 lbs: #175 Hudson Rogers (Idaho) - Class of 2024
As he gets ready for his first season as a head coach, Adam Hall will be able to watch a pair of his incoming freshmen take the mat in Fargo. Hudson Rogers was a double 16U All-American in 2022. It marked the third time that he had gotten on the Fargo podium. Smokey McClure also has AA’ed in both styles with an eighth-place showing in U16 freestyle in 2021 and that same finish the following year in Junior Greco.
West Virginia
132 lbs: #119 Casen Roark (Tennessee) - Class of 2025
132 lbs: Luke Satriano (New York) - Class of 2025
West Virginia got on the rankings map this year as they inked the #17 class in the land. Tim Flynn’s staff has built off of that success and got off to a good start with the Class of 2025 - a group that already features the Big Boarders.
One of those ranked prospects is Tennessee’s three-time state champion Casen Roark. This spring, Roark made the NHSCA Junior National finals. Roark has also won state freestyle titles after every high school season, two at the 16U level and the most recent as a Junior.
The other future Mountaineer in the field, Luke Satriano, is also a multiple-time state champion. Satriano won his second New York DII state title in 2024. Satriano’s best national level finish was went he took fourth place at NHSCA Sophomore’s.
Wyoming
138 lbs: John Alden (Nebraska) - Class of 2024
126 lbs: Tucker Bowen (Idaho) - Class of 2024
144 lbs: #82 Tyson Charmoli (Minnesota) - Class of 2024
120 lbs: #81 Isaiah Harrison (Colorado) - Class of 2025
190 lbs: #180 Gunner Henry (Indiana) - Class of 2025
The Cowboys have been really strong on the recruiting trail for quite some time now and the Classes of 2024 and 2025 are only more evidence of that fact. A pair of top-100 recruits for Wyoming will be on the mats in Fargo in Isaiah Harrison and Tyson Charmoli. Last year, it was Harrison who used Fargo as his coming out party and success in the FargoDome has led to plenty of wins outside of it. Harrison was overlooked on a national level, but came into the 2023 tournament and made the 16U freestyle finals at 113 lbs. Charmoli has been more of a known commodity. He was a 16U freestyle finalist in 2022 and then was seventh in Junior freestyle last year. Charmoli has also placed top six at the UWW U17 Trials in freestyle on two occasions.
The other ranked recruit of the bunch is Indiana state finalist Gunner Henry. Henry was a Super 32 placewinner and an NHSCA Sophomore National champion in 2023.
Incoming freshman John Alden is a Nebraska freestyle state champion; while Tucker Bowen has been a two-time Idaho Junior freestyle runner-up.
