Class of 2023 MAC Recruiting Deep Dive

Last week marked the release of our recruiting class rankings and yesterday we followed those up with five schools that earned honorable mentions. So, we’re all finished with the Class of 2023 recruiting? Not quite. Starting today, we’re going to drill down a bit and look further into each conference for more recruiting information. With some of the traditional superpowers consistently atop national recruiting rankings, this will be a way for more schools to get recognized for their recruiting efforts. MAC on the 2023 Big Board Buffalo: #170 Luke Poore (Caravel Academy, DE) Central Michigan: #200 Luke Cochran (Jefferson, GA) Clarion: #153 Scott Johnson (Muncy, PA), #176 David McClelland (DeSales Columbus, OH) George Mason: #143 Zac Jacaruso (Delaware Valley, PA) Kent State: #182 Kyle Snider (Cuyahoga Valley CA, OH) Lock Haven: #117 Patrick Jackson (Spring Mills, WV) Northern Illinois: #91 Collin Arch (Palmyra, MO), #141 Brett Smith (Troy, MO) Rider: #101 Brock Zurawski (Lower Cape May, NJ), #192 Brody Conlin (Washington, NJ) SIU Edwardsville: #144 Santino Robinson (Mascoutah, IL), #167 Braxton Strick (Ozark, MO), #169 Brock Woodcock (St. Clair, MO) Things are looking up for the MAC, as a whole. In 2022, the entire conference only signed seven of the top-250 recruits. In 2023, its schools doubled that number with 14. That with the 2023 Big Board only having 200 wrestlers, as well. Top Transfers: Kyle Davis (Rider; via George Mason) Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven; via Oklahoma) Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Clarion; via Oklahoma) Enrique Munguia (Rider; via Kent State) Nate Wemstrom (SIU Edwardsville; via Nebraska) Brandon Wittenberg (George Mason; via Virginia Tech) I don’t think it’s a reach to imagine any/all of these transfers making the national tournament in 2024. That would be a huge boost to the conference, combined with returning talent and incoming/redshirt freshmen. Under-the-Radar Signee’s Edinboro: Jacob Brenneman (Northern, MD), Hunter Johnson (Mifflin County, PA) George Mason: Colin Pederson (First Colonial, VA) Kent State: Dominic Paterra (Indian Creek, OH) Lock Haven: Conner Heckman (Midd-West, PA), Logan Sallot (McDowell, PA) Ohio: Dominic Hoffarth (Louisville, OH) Rider: Giovanni Alejandro (St. Joseph Metuchen, NJ) SIU Edwardsville: Deion Johnson (Homewood-Flossmoor, IL), Nick Nosler (Unity, IL), Hayden Whidden (Lake Gibson, FL) MAC Recruiting Rankings 1. SIU Edwardsville (Honorable Mention Nationally) See the honorable mention article for more information on the Cougars ranking. 2. Northern Illinois Recruits: Collin Arch (Palmyra, MO), Gavynn Carpenter (Hallsville, MO), Sean Carroll (St. Thomas Aquinas, KS), Danny Curran (Dekalb, IL), Tyler Martinez (Yorkville Christian, IL), Luca Riley (Belton, MO), Brayden Shelton (Centralia, MO), Trevor Silzer (Tinley Park, IL), Brett Smith (Buchanan, MO) Transfer: Tommy Curran (NC State) The Husky staff hit Missouri hard with a pair of top-200 recruits from the Show Me State. On top of that, NIU also inked another pair of Missouri state champions. Northern Illinois continues to identify (and develop) overlooked talent. 3. Rider Recruits: Lucas Ainbinder (Middletown North, NJ), Giovanni Alejandro (St. Joseph Metuchen, NJ), Eric Broadie (Bergen Catholic, NJ), Brady Conlin (St. Augustine, NJ), Kevin McBride (St. John Vianney, NJ), Kaden Naame (St. Augustine, NJ), Branden Palcko (Paul VI, NJ), Luke Tracey (Long Branch, NJ), Brock Zurawski (Lower Cape May, NJ) Transfers: Kyle Davis (George Mason), Mason Lynch (Kent State), Enrique Munguia (Kent State) As one would expect, a very New Jersey-heavy class with a pair of state finalists and proven competitors. Two of the Broncs transfers (Kyle Davis and Enrique Munguia) have significant experience as starters and should challenge for a spot at nationals in 2024. 4. Clarion Recruits: Ryan Avalos (Perrysburg, OH), Adrian Gacek (Parkland, PA), Dustin Gue (Skyline, VA), Conner Heckman (Midd-West, PA), Connor Jacobs (Armstrong, PA), Scott Johnson (Muncy, PA), David McClelland (DeSales, OH), Deegan Ross (Lackawanna Trail, PA), Seth Ross (Lackawanna Trail, PA) Transfers: Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Oklahoma), Tye Varndall (Edinboro) Clarion’s staff has really seemed to hit their stride with identifying the types of high schooler’s that will thrive in their program. Their 2023 class is highlighted by a pair of Pennsylvania third-place finishers. Also, Clarion has recruited Ohio hard and picked up two talented lightweights. They also brought Alejandro Herrera-Rondon home, just two years ago he was deemed a top-ten recruit nationally. 5. Lock Haven Recruits: Brett Barbush (Manheim Central, PA), Chase Burke (Benton, PA), Patrick Jackson (Spring Mills, WV), Kelly Kakos (Perkiomen Valley, PA), Lucas Kapusta (Franklin Regional, PA) Austin Pollard (Brooke Point, VA), Logan Sallot (McDowell, PA), Robbie Schneider (Lackawanna Trail, PA), Joey Sentipal (Burgettstown, PA) Transfers: Wyatt Henson (Oklahoma) Lock Haven has the blueprint for finding tough, overlooked, oftentimes small-school recruits who have what it takes to thrive at the next level. This class is no different. Their group is primarily from Pennsylvania and features at least five state medalists. Interestingly enough, their highest-ranked recruit is West Virginia champion Patrick Jackson. 6. George Mason Recruits: Charlie Bunting (Nazareth, PA), Gunner Chambers (Rockmart, GA), JT Chance (Western Reserve, OH), Ruben Karapetyan (St. John’s, DC), Cameron McKay (Deep Run, VA), Remus Montalvo (Brooke Point, VA), Collin Pederson (First Colonial, VA), Cale Roggie (St. Christopher’s, VA) Transfers: Brandon Wittenberg (Virginia Tech) Had he been able to wrestle in the postseason, George Mason signee Zac Jacaruso may have been the highest-ranked recruit in the conference. As it was, Jacaruso checked in at #143 after making the PA AAA state finals in his sophomore and junior seasons (winning as a junior). The Patriots also have three National Prep placers on the way. Virginia Tech transfer Brandon Wittenberg and another in the works, both have the potential to compete in Kansas City for Frank Beasley’s team. 7. Central Michigan Recruits: Mason Alessio (Joliet Catholic, IL), Kellan Aure (Menomonie, WI), Kaden Chinavare (Dunee, MI), Luke Cochran (Jefferson, GA), Brayden Gautreau (Gaylor), Cole Hopkins (Evart, MI), Wyatt Skebba (Hrorton, Brock Smith (Riverdale, IL), Grant Stahl (Mt. Pleasant) The CMU staff hit Michigan and its neighbors hard and the result was a strong class that will probably look even better once they get in the Central Michigan room. Four Michigan champions and another finalist lead the way. They also inked an Illinois champ and two from Wisconsin. 8. Kent State Recruits: Hunter Andel (Garfield, OH), Cael Andrews (Batavia, IL), Adan Benevidez (Bloomfield, NM), Corey Boerio (Greater Latrobe), Jackson Collins (Berea Midpark, OH), Hunter Gundry (Cardinal Gibbons, NC), Elijah Llewellyn (Indian Creek, OH), Holden Martin (Westmoore, OK), Harris Mitchell (Vestavia Hills, AL), Dom Paterra (Indian Creek, OH) Nate Roth (Greater Latrobe, PA), Brenten Simmermen (Morrow Little Miami, OH), CJ Spencer (Indian Creek, OH), Gunner Havens (Teays Valley, OH), Kyle Snider (Cuyahoga Valley, CA), Trent Thomas (Bedford, PA), Waylon Wehner (St. Mary’s, PA) In-state recruit Kyle Snider was the headliner for Kent State. Snider proved his mettle with a pair of top-eight finishes at the Walsh Ironman. After Snider, the Golden Flash staff cast a wide net searching for recruits in the Class of 2023. They ended up with signees from Alabama, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, in addition to mainstays like Pennsylvania and Illinois.

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