Wyoming Adds Former Top Prospect Carroll Through Portal

One of the more interesting prospects in the transfer portal announced his future plans today. Christian Carroll will move from Iowa State to Wyoming for the 2025-26 season. Carroll began the year as Iowa State’s starter at 197 lbs and won his first two matches before falling to the eventual national champion, Stephen Buchanan of Iowa, 10-0. 

Carroll later finished eighth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and then lost a dual against North Dakota State. It proved to be his last action of the season and Carroll entered the transfer portal. During his abbreviated season, Carroll managed to post three wins over eventual national qualifiers - including one over Big 12 champion Wyatt Voelker of Northern Iowa. 

Carroll was regarded as the #2 overall recruit in the high school Class of 2023. He earned such a high ranking with back-to-back Super 32 belts in 2020 and 2021, along with a stop sign in Junior freestyle in Fargo - earlier in 2021. Carroll has also made a pair of U20 world teams, one in freestyle and another in Greco-Roman. 

A question always surrounding Carroll is his potential collegiate weight class. He has a short, compact, muscular frame that appears to be difficult to maintain down at 197 lbs; however, he’s much shorter than your typical DI heavyweight. 

Wyoming brings back All-American 197 lber Joey Novak, a sophomore who is fresh off a fifth-place finish in Philly. With Novak in the fold, it could signal that Carroll intends on wrestling at 285 lbs in 2025-26. Novak does have a redshirt available. 

The move is the latest in a handful of collegiate moves and commitments from Carroll. He initially committed to Illinois then Penn, before signing with Oklahoma State. Carroll redshirted in Stillwater but left for Iowa State after the coaching change. Carroll seemed to have a sense of humor about the move during his social media posting announcing the transfer to Wyoming. 

Carroll will definitely have three years of eligibility remaining; however, there are rumors that he’s able to get an injury waiver for the 2024-25 season and has four years to compete.