AJ Ferrari Commits to CSU Bakersfield

Today, 2021 NCAA champion AJ Ferrari announced via social media that he will wrestle for CSU Bakersfield in the 2024-25 season. Ferrari had recently visited CSU Bakersfield and had also taken a trip to Northern Colorado earlier in the summer. 

The top overall recruit in the Class of 2020, Ferrari signed with Oklahoma State and immediately became a force at the 197 lb weight class. Ferrari captured an NCAA title after a 19-1 season that saw him defeat Olympic bronze medalist Myles Amine (Michigan) in the NCAA semifinals and Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) 4-2 for a national title. 

The following year, Ferrari picked up where he left off and jumped out to a 10-0 start. In late January, Ferrari got into a serious car accident and missed the remainder of the season. 

Shortly after the 2021-22 season, Ferrari was dismissed from the Oklahoma State program. 

Ferrari did not compete collegiately in any form during the 2022-23 campaign as he was working through various legal issues. 

It appeared as if Ferrari may be close to a return with Iowa midway through the 2023-24 season. One younger brother, Angelo, had signed with the Hawkeyes, and another, Anthony, was training with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in an attempt to gain admission to the school. 

That return was brought to an abrupt halt after the Soldier Salute tournament in late-December, when Ferrari appeared to have beaten Iowa’s Zach Glazier, but took a swing at him and was disqualified. He would leave the mat to boos and hit the now-infamous splits, while giving the double middle fingers. 

Ferrari will join a CSU Bakersfield team that is in need of a boost after failing to have an NCAA qualifier in 2024 and only having one in the two years that preceded it. 

While there are risks associated with bringing Ferrari in, if he’s anywhere close to top form he’ll be a national title favorite at 197 lbs for the Roadrunners - a program that last had an All-American in 2014. 

Ferrari’s arrival will make the 197 lb weight class much more intriguing. Both finalists from 2024 have graduated. Stephen Buchanan (Oklahoma) is the highest finisher who is returning and four-time national champion Carter Starocci (Penn State) has been rumored to move all the way up from 174 lbs.