Big Ten Lineup Look: Young Badgers Stepping In

This year there are going to be a lot of new faces in the lineup for Wisconsin. To be exact, there are seven guys that could see some action for the first time. Needless to say, these young Badgers are going to have to step up and follow the lead of some vets that are both in and out of the lineup. Also, there’s a new coach on staff as multiple-time NCAA All-American Anthony Cassioppi has joined Coaches Bono and Reader with Seth Gross leaving to start his own club.
 
Potential Lineup
125: Nicolar Rivera
133: Zan Fugitt
141: Dylan Coy or Brock Bobzien 
149: Daniel Sheen
157: Luke Mechler
165: Cale Anderson
174: Lucas Condon
184: Dylan Russo
197: Nicolo Colucci
285: Gannon Rosenfeld
 
Listen to Wisconsin Head Coach Chris Bono discuss this year’s team:

 
Biggest Dual
1/12/25 – vs Iowa
1/19/25 – at Rutgers
1/24/25 – vs Minnesota
1/31/25 – at Nebraska
 
Here is a look at the key losses, returners and newcomers we will see in the Huskers’ lineup this season.
 
Key Losses
125: Eric Barnett – 3x All-American
165: Dean Hamiti – 2x All- American
174: Max Maylor – 2023 NCAA qualifier
184: Shane Liegel – 2023 NCAA qualifier
 
Summary: Eric Barnett was a consistent leadoff hitter for the Badgers at 125 as he collected All-America honors three times during his career. He was certainly a tone setter that will be missed. Additionally, it was announced shortly after the NCAA tournament last year that two-time All-American Dean Hamiti would be transferring to Oklahoma State. Hamiti was the leader of the Badgers during his tenure there. While Maylor and Liegel didn’t have as big of an impact, their NCAA qualifiying finishes last year is still something that one of the new youngsters in the lineup will have to live up to. 
 
New additions to the lineup
141: Dylan Coy or Brock Bobzien 
149: Daniel Sheen
165: Cale Anderson
174: Lucas Condon
184: Dylan Russo
197: Nicolo Colucci
 
Summary: As Coach Bono alluded to during his pre-season interview, there are going to be a lot of new faces getting into the lineup for the first time. Notably, at 184, Dylan Russo will be slotting in there. Russo was a top 10 recruit at 220 coming out of the class of 2023. But he has since slimmed down and will be in the lineup during his redshirt freshman year after not seeing any action last year due to an injury. The rest of the newcomers have gotten some mat time, but it was exclusively in open tournaments over the last year or two. Then at 197 Nicolo Colucci, a transfer from Rutgers, is the lone guy listed at this weight on the roster. He spent some time at 285 before joining the Badgers as well.
 
Key Returners
125: Nicolar Rivera - Returning NCAA qualifier
133: Zan Fugitt
149: Joey Zargo - Returning NCAA qualifier
157: Luke Mechler
285: Braxton Amos Returning NCAA qualifier; Gannon Rosenfeld
 
Summary: Although most of the lineup is filled with first-time starters, vets such as Nicolar Rivera and Zan Fugitt will be returning down below at 125 and 133, respectively. Rivera manned the spot at 133 last season and will be making the move down in hopes of filling the shoes of three-time All-American Eric Barnett. Fugitt, who wrestled in four duals last year at 133 will be a full-time starter this year in that spot. Fugitt finished the season with an 8-5 record. Also returning is Luke Mechler to the 157-pound spot once again. He had a rough season a year ago posting just eight wins on the year. It’s likely that vets Joey Zargo and Braxton Amos won’t be returning to the mat this season. Zargo has double hip surgery in the off-season and Amos suffered his second dislocated shoulder injury wrestling at the Greco Olympic World Team Trials and had another surgery to repair the damage. While Zargo would be making a return at 149 if he was to come back, Amos is “a good sized heavyweight” now according to Coach Bono. The likely scenario is that we don’t see them back to action until next year. Gannon Rosenfeld will be back in the lineup at 285.