InterMat's 2023 Recruiting Class Rankings: (#1-25)

The 2023 recruiting class rankings were as unique as any I’ve ever done. With the transfer portal as prevalent and commonplace as it is, it made more of an impact this year compared to any. You’ll see that many of the top recruiting classes for this year also received a big boost from the portal. Overall, this was a two-horse race for the #1 spot, both of which could have made a compelling case to receive top billing. After that, there were plenty of deserving recruiting classes; probably six or seven others that deserved recognition amongst the top-25. Recruiting rankings mark the end of the respective class and put a bow on the hard work of coaching staffs around the nation. The question you ask is, how are these rankings tabulated? First, we have used the big board rankings courtesy of our sister-site MatScouts. Willie Saylor has taken the arduous task of projecting the top-200 wrestlers in the Class of 2023, making calculating these rankings slightly easier. Some of the factors that are taken into account when putting these rankings together include: - Numbers: Where were the signees ranked? How many top-ten, top-50, top-100, top-250, etc., does a school have? - Fit: After years of following these programs and their coaching staffs, does a particular recruit fit the "type" of kid that has success at their respective team. Or maybe a style of wrestling. - Filling a need: In years past, I have weighed this very heavily. Signing two highly ranked 184 lb prospects doesn't appear to fit a need when you have a stud junior returning at the same weight. However, after coming off a "free year" in 2021, that throws a loop into everything. At this time, we don't know whether everyone will actually use that extra year of eligibility. Compared to years past, this category doesn't factor in, as much, unless it's very evident that a team has a glaring logjam at a particular weight or weight range. - Impact on a program: This is subjective, but tends to favor teams that aren't consistent NCAA trophy contenders. If Iowa or Penn State sign the #80 overall recruit and he turns out to AA twice, taking seventh and eighth for them, it has a particular impact. But if Air Force or Drexel sign the same prospect and he has the same career, it will have a much more significant impact on those two programs. Both Air Force and Drexel may have benefitted from this criteria in 2023. So, with that out of the way, enjoy InterMat's 2023 Team Recruiting Rankings. 25 - tie) Drexel Recruits: #34 Jasiah Queen (St. John Vianney, NJ - 165/174 lbs), #72 Justin Griffith (Sanford, DE - 184 lbs), Billy Brosko (Haverford School, PA - 285 lbs), Trey Friedman (Lenape, NJ - 125 lbs), George Rhodes (Absegami, NJ - 197 lbs), Justin Soriano (Clarke, NY - 174 lbs) Transfers: Ibrahim Ameer (Cloud CC), Shane Whitney (Camden CC) Immediate Impact: The Dragons appear to have a vacancy at the 197 lb weight class. Luckily, 2023 NJCAA national runner-up Ibrahim Ameer should be able to fill in immediately. The St. Louis native does have two years of eligibility remaining plus a redshirt season. During the 2022-23 season, Ameer wrestled a 1-0 match against two-time DII national champion Dalton Abney. Recruiting Strategy: Head coach Matt Azevedo and the Drexel staff did well at retaining local talent. The bulk of the recruiting class hails from about an hour away from Drexel’s Philadelphia campus and that includes wrestlers from three different states (DE/NJ/PA). There’s enough talent within a couple hundred-mile radius from campus that the Dragon staff doesn’t have to venture far for DI-caliber wrestlers, if they choose. Overall: Drexel’s ranking largely stems from the recruiting ranking of Jasiah Queen and Justin Griffith. Queen was a two-time New Jersey state qualifier and state finalist as a senior, while Griffith captured three Delaware state titles. The late-blooming Queen capped his high school career with a title at NHSCA Senior Nationals. A year prior, Griffith made the finals at NHSCA Juniors. Depending on their weights, both could end up in the Dragon lineup in year one. The other recruit with big-time credentials is heavyweight Billy Brosko. The two-time National Prep finalist and three-time placewinner also earned All-American honors at NHSCA Juniors. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: NR 25 - tie) Wisconsin Recruits: #31 Zan Fugitt (Nixa, MO - 133 lbs), #82 Lucas Condon (Poway, CA - 174 lbs), #115 Dylan Russo (Olentangy Liberty, OH - 285 lbs), #126 Julian George (Christian Brothers, NJ - 141/149 lbs), Simon Kruse (St. Clair/Mankato Loyola, MN - 125 lbs), Royce Nilo (Milton, WI - 149 lbs) Transfers: Isaac Klarkowski (Rice - football), Shane Liegel (Loras), Max Maylor (Michigan), Luke Mechler (Oklahoma State) Immediate Impact: Graduate transfer Max Maylor has come back home to spend his final year of eligibility competing for the Badgers. He, Shane Liegel, and Luke Mechler are transfers that appear to be ready to step into the Wisconsin lineup next year. Maylor’s 2022-23 season was the best of his career and he nearly made the NCAA Tournament. Even so, Maylor scored wins over 2022 All-American Jackson Turley, 2022 national qualifier Dom Solis, and eventual qualifier Alex Cramer. With another year under his belt and a fresh set of training partners, Maylor could be making the trip to Kansas City. Recruiting Strategy: This will probably become (or already has) a staple for collegiate coaches going forward. Chris Bono and staff had some money left over late in the game and were able to land a pair of late transfers (Maylor and Mechler), along with Zan Fugitt and Dylan Russo, who flipped in late May after the coaching transition at Oklahoma. Overall: The late signings of Fugitt and Russo pushed the Badgers into the top-25. Fugitt is a three-time Super 32 placewinner who was third in UWW U20 Greco-Roman last month. He’s been good at the international styles, notably Greco, making the 2022 U17 World Team. The other former Sooner commit, Russo, was a Super 32 runner-up last fall and a fifth-place finisher in Fargo Junior freestyle a few months earlier. The second top-100 recruit, Lucas Condon, won a California state title in 2023 and placed into both styles at the Junior level in Fargo. The Badger staff continue to dip into New Jersey for talent with two-time top-three finisher Julian George. He could help in the effort to replace All-American and Big Ten champion Austin Gomez at 149 lbs. Keep an eye on the one transfer we haven’t mentioned in Isaac Klarkowski. The Wisconsin state placewinner is coming back home after placing football at Rice. We’d expect him to be physically capable, based on his football background, yet will have to work out the rust. Past Classes: 2022: #14 2021: #14 24) Pittsburgh Recruits: #18 Anthony Santaniello (Brick Memorial, NJ - 133 lbs), #105 Grant Mackay (Laurel, PA - 174 lbs), #140 Dylan Evans (Chartiers Valley, PA - 157/165 lbs), #183 Tyler Chappell (Seneca Valley, PA - 125 lbs), Daniel Gurovich (Camarillo, CA - 197 lbs) Transfer: Finn Solomon (NC State) Immediate Impact: The Pittsburgh staff hasn’t had to think about the 133 lb weight class lately as Micky Phillippi has been a mainstay at the weight since 2018-19. With Phillippi gone, late signee Anthony Santaniello could end up being the guy right away for Keith Gavin’s team. Aside from Santaniello, the Panthers don’t have a clear-cut starter at the weight. Recruiting Strategy: The Western Pennsylvania (WPIAL) area is the most talent-rich in the nation and for years (decades?) the Panthers were not able to fully benefit from their location. That’s changed under Gavin and continues this year with state champions Grant Mackay and Dylan Evans, along with Tyler Chappel. After solidifying their local recruiting base, the Panther staff can then go to other power states (California and New Jersey) and pluck recruits as they see fit. Overall: Like Wisconsin, a late addition formerly signed with Oklahoma propels the Panthers into the top-25. Santaniello was a four-time New Jersey state finalist and two-time champion which is remarkable in the single-class, power state. Not only were Mackay and Evans PA champs, but they also both placed at UWW U17 freestyle and the Super 32. Due to a couple of years of strong recruiting, both could redshirt in 2023-24. State placewinners Chappel and Daniel Gurovich will both provide depth at weights that could be considered a strength for Pitt in the upcoming season. Pittsburgh has lost some huge pieces over the last two years and will need to get production from their back-to-back ranked recruiting classes to replenish and keep up with the traditional ACC powers. Past Classes: 2022: #15 2021: NR 23) Air Force Recruits: #104 Jackson Dewald (Westwood, IA - 197 lbs), #107 Josh Palacio (North Bergen, NJ - 174 lbs), #127 Bryan Burburija (Countryside, FL - 184 lbs), #154 Soren Herzog (Simley, MN - 197/285 lbs), #188 Josh Cordio (Wyoming Seminary, PA/MA - 184 lbs), #198 Myles Johnson (Springboro, OH - 197 lbs), Mike Avelar (Sunnyside, AZ - 157/165 lbs), EJ Beloncik (Heritage Hall, OK - 157 lbs), Jake Doone (Nazareth, PA - 149 lbs), Ethan Freund (Kelso, WA - 149 lbs), Andrew Harmon (Bethlehem Catholic, PA - 165 lbs), Owen Heiser (Evansville, WI - 174/184 lbs), Jacob Jones (Rancho Bernardo, CA - 125 lbs), Nate King (Pine Creek, CO - 285 lbs), Trason Oehme (Brandon Valley, SD - 141 lbs), Colby Ryan (Gellis, AZ - 149/157 lbs), Jason Shaffer (Troy Christian, OH - 125 lbs) Immediate Impact: A large roster and the option of a prep school make it so that Air Force doesn’t necessarily “need” to get a boost from the 2023 Class already. Recruiting Strategy: Air Force has a massive recruiting class coming in, so there are plenty of different strategies you could say the Falcon staff employed. After casting a large net, there’s no real geographical link between their recruits. What stands out is the weights of the wrestlers from this class. Again, they hit every weight class, but if you look at the highest-ranked recruits, they all project at 174 or higher. Head Coach Sam Barber and his staff really placed an emphasis on getting talented big men. They have an incredibly talented heavyweight in Wyatt Hendrickson and with only a year of eligibility remaining, this would be the proper time to find his successor. Since the service academies are forced to get their recruiting classes secured earlier than most other schools, I’m interested to see a boost on the recruiting trail after Hendrickson’s exploits. Producing their first All-American in 20 years should raise the athletic profile of the Air Force program. Overall: There isn’t enough time and space to hit on all of the wrestlers from this recruiting class, but the key number is six, which is the number of top-200 recruits Coach Barber’s team has heading to Colorado Springs. This class has a pair of Super 32 placers (Bryan Burburija and Myles Johnson), an Ironman placer (Andrew Harmon), and three Fargo All-Americans. (Burburija, Soren Herzog, and Trason Oehme). The team’s highest-ranked recruit, Jackson Dewald, is a three-time Iowa 1A finalist and 2023 champion. There aren’t enough spots in the lineup for all of these recruits to make a significant impact on the mat; however, should a handful do so, it would certainly justify a ranking like this for Air Force and make their 2022-23 season a regular occurrence rather than an outlier. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: NR 22) North Dakota State Recruits: #99 Luke Barker (Dodge City, KS - 174 lbs), #132 Markell Rivera-Cain (Ironwood, AZ - 197 lbs), #139 Boeden Greenley (Lisbon, ND - 157/165 lbs), #156 Zane Licht (Lodi, WI - 165 lbs), #178 Adam Cherne (Wayzata, MN - 184 lbs), #187 Amantee Mills (Stone Mountain, GA - 133 lbs), Jesse Aarness (Billings West, MT - 149 lbs) Transfer: Devon Dawson (Pratt CC) Immediate Impact: With former head coach Roger Kish taking the Oklahoma head coaching post, it could open up a couple of holes in the NDSU lineup for the 2023-24 season. We’ve already seen last year’s starter at heavyweight, Juan Mora, indicate that he’ll follow Kish to Norman. That paves the way for two-time NJCAA All-American Devon Dawson to step in right away at 285 lbs. Dawson was third last year after making the national finals in 2022. Recruiting Strategy: Recruiting at home, along with neighboring Minnesota and Wisconsin has been a must for North Dakota State. That has been consistent with the 2023 class They’ve also done well at hitting some of the states that are underserved by DI wrestling (Kansas and Montana). Since Obe Blanc has taken the reins as head coach, I expect those points to continue. Going forward, it’ll be interesting to monitor if Hayden Hidlay (NC State via PA) can open any new recruiting doors. Overall: Blanc has to get credit for this recruiting class not falling apart after Kish left. It makes sense because Blanc was instrumental in the recruiting process. Amantee Mills, the lowest ranked of the six new Bison ranked in MatScouts top-200, finished his high school career as an NHSCA Senior National Champion. Top recruit, Luke Barker, won NHSCA’s as a junior. Home state product Boeden Greenley was a Fargo Junior freestyle AA last year and Zane Licht was fourth in UWW U17 freestyle last year. The transition from Kish to Blanc shouldn’t be as drastic as if there was a completely new face in Fargo. Having a deep class like this, should ensure that there’s plenty of talent in the room for Blanc to work with as he sets the foundation for his own program. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: #15 21) Lehigh Recruits: #75 Luke Stanich (Roxbury, NJ - 133 lbs), #76 Jared Schoppe (Delsea, NJ - 184 lbs), #116 Logan Wadle (North Hunterdon, NJ - 125 lbs), #124 Richie Grungo (St. Augustine, NJ - 141/149 lbs), #161 Matt Repos (Central Dauphin, PA - 157 lbs), Zeke Dubler (Glendale, PA - 165 lbs), Griffin Gonzalez (Lebanon, PA - 157 lbs), Justin Onello (Bergen Catholic, NJ - 174 lbs), Ethan Smith (Paramus Catholic, NJ - 125 lbs) Transfer: Hunter Mays (Rider) Immediate Impact: Barring injuries or some unforeseen circumstances, I don’t see Pat Santoro’s team “having” to rely on anyone from this class in year one. Of course, Lehigh has dealt with some of those situations the past few years, so I’m sure someone will see significant mat time in 2023-24. Recruiting Strategy: Despite being located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s fabled District XI, Lehigh is also extremely close to New Jersey. This year’s class is very heavy on New Jersey talent. Counting Rider transfer Hunter Mays, this class features four New Jersey state champions (Luke Stanich, Logan Wadle, Richie Grungo and Mays), along with a runner-up in Jared Schoppe. This has to be considered a win, especially when EIWA rivals Penn and Princeton have recruited New Jersey extremely well, of late. Overall: This is a really solid group. There’s not necessarily anyone who stands out as a bona fide superstar at the next level; at the same time, there are plenty of guys that can be productive collegiate wrestlers. I like the upside trajectory of some of the headliners in this class. Stanich and Grungo both made significant strides late in their high school careers. Last summer, Stanich put together a surprising Fargo Junior finals run in a loaded weight class. The Pennsylvania contingent is led by state finalist Matt Repos and features two-time state placers Zeke Dubler and Griffin Gonzalez. Pat Santoro’s teams typically have success with unheralded or underranked recruits, so it wouldn’t be shocking if someone outside of the top 200 goes on to win plenty of matches in the brown and white. Past Classes: 2022: #17 2021: NR 20) Penn Recruits: #40 Max Gallagher (Bayport-Blue Point, NY - 125/133 lbs), #96 Cross Wasilewski (Delbarton, NJ - 149/157 lbs), #174 Spencer Barnhart (Malvern Prep, PA - 141 lbs), #196 Reed Fullmer (Malvern Prep, PA - 157 lbs) Immediate Impact: Years of really solid recruiting have Penn in a position where they don’t need to rely on any Class of 2023 recruits right away. Now, they may end up being the best wrestler in the room and win a spot in the lineup based on merit. The highest-ranked of the bunch is Max Gallagher who should start his career at 125 lbs. A top-five finisher at the Ironman, Super 32, Fargo Junior freestyle, and NHSCA Junior’s, Gallagher could push incumbent Ryan Miller for the starting role. Recruiting Strategy: The Quakers have compiled back-to-back top-20 classes and three ranked in a row, so they have a good blueprint for how this recruiting game works. Being an Ivy League institution, Penn has to consider plenty of other factors outside of the wrestling room. The Penn staff has identified a group of high school programs that prepare student-athletes for the rigors of an Ivy League education, along with high-level wrestlers and tend to hit those programs frequently. Malvern Prep has a pair of recruits in the 2023 class and fits this bill, as does Delbarton. They’ve done this in the past with multiple wrestlers from Blair Academy and St. Ed’s. Overall: Past recruiting classes have been huge in numbers. This one, not so much. That’s not a bad thing as Penn can unveil a lineup that features six returning national qualifiers. Getting a pair of top-100 recruits and two others listed in the top 200 is a good haul for a team that’s smaller than those of the past. In Gallagher, the Quakers are getting a recruit that’s really vaulted up the rankings during his final season. The Malvern Prep pair, Spencer Barnhart and Reed Fullmer, were both National Prep runners-up as seniors. Fullmer had the misfortune of competing against one of the top pound-for-pound wrestlers in the nation. In regular season action, both have a top-four finish at the Ironman under their belts, while Cross Wasilewski was a Beast of the East runner-up and was third in New Jersey in each of his last two years. Past Classes: 2022: #18 2021: #23 19) Bucknell Recruits: #65 Myles Takats (Perrysburg, OH - 174 lbs), #78 Aiden Davis (Dundee, MI - 149 lbs), #109 Noah Mulvaney (Arrowhead, WI - 197 lbs), #160 Ethan Lebin (Hempfield, PA - 141 lbs), Owen Bell (Hereford, MD - 125/133 lbs), Kade Davidheiser (The Hill School, PA - 133 lbs), Dylan McCullough - River Hill, MD - 174 lbs), Hunter Sloan (The Hill School, PA - 141/149 lbs), Cade Wirnsberger (Meadowbrook Christian, PA - 149 lbs) Immediate Impact: Though not Ivy League, Bucknell is a program that doesn’t use redshirts, so you can count on wrestlers from this class seeing significant mat time in 2023-24. A few are likely to end up in the postseason lineup. The most obvious is the Bison’s highest-ranked recruit Myles Takats. The Ohio State champion and Ironman third-place finisher rose significantly over the course of his senior year and could be ready to win the 174 lb slot. Bucknell lost a pair of seniors at that weight, so should be up-for-grabs. Recruiting Strategy: The Bison staff turned to an old friend and colleague David Hoffman, head coach at Pennsylvania’s The Hill School for a pair of quality recruits. Both of his pupils, Kade Davidheiser and Hunter Sloan are 2023 National Prep placewinners. Aside from that, I like how Bucknell’s top-three recruits, all of whom are from out-of-state, come from high schools that are traditional powers. They’ll come to Lewisburg already having high-quality coaching and should only need some fine-tuning before competing against the EIWA. Overall: There’s a lot to like about Bucknell inking a pair of top-100 recruits and four of the top 160. Takats, Aiden Davis, and Noah Mulvaney were all state champions in 2023, Mulvaney may end up as the best of the bunch. He had an excellent showing at UWW U20 Nationals, taking sixth place at 79 kg. Aside from the Pennsylvania prep recruits, they also have fourth-place finisher Ethan Lebin and state runner-up Cade Wirnsberger in the fold. Yes, that’s a familiar last name for Bison fans and he finished his high school career with a Senior National title. Once March rolls around, it wouldn’t be that surprising to see three of four of these recruits in the Bison lineup and not because of necessity, but because they are talented. This class could be a sign of positive things to come in the future, as well. We can’t look ahead too far, but the Class of 2024 is shaking out to be very good, as well. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: NR 18) NC State Recruits: #24 Koy Buesgens (New Prague, MN - 149 lbs), #50 Vince Robinson (Marian Catholic, IL - 133 lbs), Jackson Baglio (Central Cabarrus, NC - 133 lbs), Josh Boykin (Lake Highland Prep, FL - 165/174 lbs), Matt Karagias (Stuart Cramer, NC - 157/165 lbs), Tyler Tracy (Cardinal Gibbons, NC - 149 lbs) Immediate Impact: A stacked lineup returning means that head coach Pat Popolizio doesn’t have to rush anyone from the Class of 2023 into the mix next fall. That being said, should they choose to let Jackson Arrington, a Round of 12 finisher as a true freshman, take a redshirt, Koy Buesgens should be able to manage just fine. Buesgens was a top-three finisher at the Super 32 in each of the last two seasons and capped off his high school career with a perfect senior season and a third state title. Recruiting Strategy: NC State has had some massive classes in recent years. This one is much smaller and without quite as many ranked recruits. At some point, you have to have a small class or two to make things work financially. Overall: Despite having a smaller recruiting class, the Wolfpack did sign a pair of top-25 recruits in Buesgens and Vince Robinson. A two-time Ironman placer and 2021 champion, Robinson has some great national-level credentials. Before his junior year in high school, Robinson was top-five in Fargo Junior freestyle and at the Super 32. Even with a history of highly-ranked recruits, NC State has had success with some of the more unheralded in-state signees. Mike Macchiavello, Malik McDonald, Tyrie Houghton, and Alex Faison certainly fit that bill. Could Jackson Baglio, Matt Karagias, or Tyler Tracy add their name to the list? As seniors, Matt Karagias and Tyler Tracy were state champions, while Jackson Baglio was a finalist. Past Classes: 2022: #3 2021: #5 17) Army West Point Recruits: #43 Cooper Haase (Osceola, FL - 157 lbs), #119 Andrew Christie (Bishop McDevitt, PA - 174 lbs), #120 Sam Sorenson (Homer, NY - 285 lbs), #162 Joel Brown (Landon, MD - 141 lbs), #164 Tommy Link (Malvern Prep, PA - 133 lbs), #181 Conor Collins (Southern Regional, NJ - 141 lbs), #184 Taythan Silva (Aurora Christian, IL - 165 lbs), #190 Brady Colbert (Paul VI, VA - 285 lbs), David Barrett (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA - 184 lbs), Jake Gilfoil (Bishop McDevitt, PA - 184/197 lbs), Tristen Hitchcock (Warrensburg/Lake George, NY - 285 lbs), Chris Murphy (Green Farms, CT - 285 lbs), Reid Schroeder (Southridge, IN - 197 lbs), Luke Sirianni (Abington Heights, PA - 125 lbs), Caleb Uhorchuk (Signal Mountain, TN - 133 lbs) Immediate Impact: Once again, a huge roster, a prep school and plenty of returners make it uncertain whether or not anyone from this class will make a huge impact in 2023-24. Army West Point lost their 184 lb starter to graduation, so maybe a David Barrett or Jake Gilfoil works their way into the lineup (provided they go directly to West Point). Recruiting Strategy: Between associate head coach Scott Green’s history coaching at the National Prep level and the structure and high-quality education that private schools provide, it’s no surprise that Army leans heavily on recruiting those student-athletes. Barrett, Joel Brown, Tommy Link, and Chris Murphy were all National Prep third-place finishers in 2023. Brady Colbert was fifth. Overall: Head Coach Kevin Ward’s team continues to stack large, talented recruiting classes on top of each other. The Black Knights have been a part of InterMat’s recruiting rankings in each of the last three seasons. This year’s crop featured eight top-200 recruits. The highest ranked of the bunch is Cooper Haase, a four-time Florida state champion that was NHSCA Junior’s last season before finishing fourth at the Super 32. Past Classes: 2022: #23 2021: #24 16) Wyoming Recruits: #55 Joey Novak (New Prague, MN - 197 lbs), #71 Sloan Swan (Buchanan, CA - 174 lbs), #95 Riley Davis (Amarillo, TX - 184 lbs), #135 Brayden Sonnentag (Cadott, WI - 133/141 lbs), #150 Cole Brooks (Collinsville, OK - 149/157 lbs), Lane Catlin (Thunder Basin, WY - 285 lbs), Hudson Davis (Newberg, OR - 197 lbs), Winston McBride (Valor, CO - 285 lbs), Austin Richens (Uintah, UT - 197/285 lbs), Paolo Salminen (Skyview, MT - 174 lbs) Transfers: Cooper Birdwell (Oklahoma State), Ethan Ducca (Edinboro), Stockton O’Brien (Utah Valley), David Saenz (Mt. San Antonio CC), Gabe Willochell (Edinboro) Immediate Impact: The Cowboys have a large group of transfers coming in so you can bet that a few of them will work their way into the lineup in the earlygoing. 2022 national qualifiers Gabe Willochell could be the most likely of the crew. During his national qualifying season, Willochell scored wins over the eventual EIWA champion Matt Kazimir, redshirting freshman Lachlan McNeil, Iowa State’s Zach Redding, and Central Michigan standout Dresden Simon. Willochell is one of two transfers that took the unusual path from northwest Pennsylvania to Laramie this offseason (Ethan Ducca, also). Recruiting Strategy: Wyoming has really taken advantage of an “in” with Minnesota as that’s where top-recruit Joey Novak calls home. Last year, the Cowboys plucked U20 world champion Jore Volk and Quayin Short from the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” With Wyoming lacking a giant in-state recruiting base to take advantage of, head coach Mark Branch and staff have had to develop pipelines to other states. Minnesota being one, California, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Colorado are others that they’ve used often and again in 2023. Overall: Wyoming seemed to come out of nowhere and signed the #13 class last year. Instead of it being an aberration, that class may have been the first of many. The Minnesota state champion, Novak, was fifth at the Super 32 before his senior season. Perhaps a recruit that’s already outwrestling his ranking is #150 Cole Brooks. At UWW U20’s, Brooks finished fourth with an 8-2 record. Brooks defeated a pair of 2023 EIWA finalists, including the champion Vince Cornella, a U20 world team member in 2022 and the first wrestler to defeat Brooks in the tournament. Interestingly enough, a pair of Wyoming’s unranked signees, Lane Catlin (7th) and Austin Richens (3rd) shined with All-American performances at Senior Nationals. The Cowboys are coming off an uncharacteristically rough season where they finished 1-10 in dual competition. The 2023 class will provide some immediate help, in the form of transfers and perhaps Novak and/or Brooks, but also long-term promise with three top-100 recruits and five in the top-200. Past Classes: 2022: #13 2021: NR 15) Oregon State Recruits: #56 Justin Rademacher (West Linn, OR - 184 lbs), #62 TJ McDonnell (Fountain Valley, CA - 184 lbs), #84 Aden Attao (Borah, ID - 285 lbs), #103 Vaun Halstead (Thurston, OR - 197 lbs), #123 Sergio Montoya (Clovis, CA - 174/184 lbs), #142 DJ Gillette (Crescent Valley, OR - 141 lbs), #185 Dagen Condomitti (Northampton, PA - 157 lbs), McKinley Robbins (Greene County, IA - 141 lbs), Cade White (Meridian, ID - 165 lbs) Transfer: Victor Jacinto (Clackamas CC), Boone McDermott (Rutgers), Brett Mower (Iowa Western CC), Steele Starren (Clackamas CC) Immediate Impact: Though they generally will be a veteran-laden bunch in 2023-24, Oregon State will likely have a few opportunities for new faces to contribute immediately. 174 and 197 lbs are both losing NCAA qualifiers, while 149 was a weight the Beavers didn’t qualify for NCAA’s last year. Clackamas transfer Victor Jacinto could be someone who brings stability to the 149 lb weight class for Chris Pendleton’s team. Jacinto was an NJCAA third-place finisher in 2022. Late addition, Boone McDermott should step in right away at heavyweight and will build off his 2023 appearance at the NCAA Tournament. Recruiting Strategy: Since Pendleton took over in March of 2020, the recruiting strategy has appeared to be in-state kids, California, and surrounding states without DI programs. That trend has continued in 2023 with a handful of homegrown talent, a dash of California, and a couple of prospects from Idaho. Just for good measure, the Beaver staff ventured out to some traditional powers (Iowa and Pennsylvania) for a couple of signings. With so many potential recruits out there, it’s great to establish an area or region as your own and OSU has taken those steps. With a 174 and 197 departing and a heavyweight coming into his final year of eligibility, it’s obvious the Beaver staff felt the need to target the upperweights. They’ll get at least five new faces at 174 or higher. Overall: The wrestler in this group with the longest list of credentials is heavyweight Aden Attao. A double Fargo Junior champion and a U20 World bronze medalist in Greco, Attao is the highest-ranked “wrestling only” 285 lber in the Class of 2023. Justin Rademacher, Vaun Halstead, DJ Gillett, and Cade White all finished their high school careers on top of the podium in Oregon. TJ McDonnell was a California state champion and a placewinner at NHSCA Juniors, Fargo Juniors, and the Super 32. Oregon State is ranked in its current spot because of the sheer numbers of the class. They don’t appear to have a sure-fire superstar of the group, but a handful of solid contributors. Since Pendleton and the new staff arrived in Corvallis, Oregon State has established itself as a key player in the recruiting game. There’s no reason to expect any difference going forward. Past Classes: 2022: #22 2021: NR 14) Minnesota Recruits: #15 Max McEnelly (Waconia, MN - 184 lbs), #20 Gavin Nelson (Simley, MN - 197 lbs), #143 Ethan Riddle (Germantown, WI - 174 lbs), Rhett Koenig (Prairie du Chien, WI - 141 lbs), Kyler Wong (Wayzata, MN - 157/165 lbs) Immediate Impact: There isn’t necessarily a clear path for anyone in the Class of 2023 to start immediately; however, Gavin Nelson could force his way into the lineup at 197 lbs. Nelson is a huge prospect at a tough-to-fill weight. In April’s UWW Junior Open, Nelson finished fourth in a weight class that was largely comprised of collegiate talent. In 2021, Nelson won UWW U17’s and was a match shy of medaling at world’s. Few 197 lb prospects can jump in and compete in the Big Ten right away, but Nelson could be one of those select few. Recruiting Strategy: For decades, Minnesota has been regarded as heavyweight U. This recruiting class didn’t necessarily address 285 lbs, but Brandon Eggum and staff did retool the upperweights. In Nelson, Ethan Riddle (174) and Max McEnelly (184), the Gophers have the foundation for a stacked group of big men, along with a heavyweight prospect in the Class of 2024. This class is also typical for Minnesota as it largely consists of wrestlers from in-state as well as Wisconsin, another usual spot for the staff to hit. Overall: This class is an excellent example of “quality over quantity.” A pair of top-20 prospects typically provides more impact than five recruits ranked between #100-150. The highest-ranked of the bunch is McEnelly who was a finalist at the U20 Open at 86 kg. Like Nelson, McEnelly also made a U17 World Team (2022), however, he was able to come away with a bronze medal. Ethen Riddle also placed at the U20 Open, grabbing eighth-place at 79 kg. He and Rhett Koenig were also Wisconsin state champions in 2023. In-state product Kyler Wong was a three-time Minnesota state medalist that didn’t compete in the postseason as a season due to injury. Past Classes: 2022: HM 2021: #7 13) Purdue Recruits: #17 Joey Blaze (Perrysburg, OH - 157/165 lbs), #29 Greyson Clark (Kaukauna, WI - 141 lbs), #118 Orlando Cruz (Crown Point, IN - 184 lbs), #177 Ashton Jackson (Laporte, IN - 125 lbs), Dominic Burgett (Hamilton Southeastern, IN - 285 lbs), Cooper Rider (Liberty, MO - 125/133 lbs), Delaney Ruhlman (Bloomington South, IN - 174 lbs), Cole Solomey (Kankakee Valley, IN - 141 lbs) Transfers: Joey Milano (NC State), Marcos Polanco (Minnesota), James Rowley (Wisconsin) Immediate Impact: This class should be very impactful in year one for head coach Tony Ersland. For most of Ersland’s tenure, Purdue has been stronger as a dual team than in tournaments. That flipped in 2022-23. Getting three plug-and-play transfers should help the Boilermakers trend toward strength in both duals and tournaments. Marcos Polanco is a past national qualifier and should hold down 149 lbs for Purdue. James Rowley and Joey Milano were both top-100 recruits (in the upper third) that can slot in at 174 and 184 lbs, respectively. Rowley was a U17 World silver medalist in freestyle who redshirted in 2022-23 for Wisconsin. Milano amassed a 30-10 record for NC State redshirting and sitting behind Trent Hidlay. We haven’t even gotten to the possibility of top recruit Joey Blaze getting the call in year one. Purdue likely will have a need at 157 lbs and the Super 32 champion and three-time Ohio State champion wrapped up his high school career at 160 lbs. Recruiting Strategy: Purdue really went in heavy on the portal this offseason. That typically hasn’t been a normal method of operation for the Boilermakers; however, this is how collegiate athletics is trending. From the high school recruits standpoint, Purdue has followed a usual blueprint for obtaining talent. They’ve locked in some of the better in-state recruits and cherry-picked some high-profile signees from Big Ten country (Ohio/Wisconsin). Overall: This class should be very impactful for Purdue. The transfers will help the Boilermakers compete immediately. Milano and Rowley have three and four years of eligibility remaining, respectively, so they’re not a short-term fix either. Not only have the signings of Blaze and Greyson Clark provided talent for the Class of 2023, but they also seem to have opened the door for high-caliber wrestlers in the Class of 2024 to commit. Clark is a four-time Wisconsin state champion who placed at the Super 32 twice and three times in Fargo. He originally committed to Wisconsin, but flipped to Purdue. Two of the in-state recruits, Orlando Cruz and Ashton Jackson, were state champions in Indiana’s one-class tournament. Cruz was also an Ironman fifth-place finisher, while Jackson claimed Indiana titles as a sophomore and Junior. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: #20 12) Princeton Recruits: #12 Marc-Anthony McGowan (Blair Academy, NJ - 125/133 lbs), #72 Eligh Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, FL - 141 lbs), #80 Holden Garcia (Notre Dame-Green Pond, PA - 174/184 lbs), #83 Tyler Vasquez (Delbarton, NJ - 141 lbs), #111 Drew Heethuis (Detroit Central Catholic, MI - 133 lbs), #137 Zander Silva (Christian Brothers, NJ - 157 lbs), Joe Davi (Delbarton, NJ - 141/149 lbs), Anthony Moscatello (Mt. Olive, NJ - 285 lbs), Cody Tavoso (Hinsdale Central, IL - 141 lbs) Immediate Impact: The last time we saw Princeton in action, 125 lber Patrick Glory captured the school’s first national title in 71 years. Glory ended his career at Princeton as a two-time finalist, one-time champion and leaves a huge void at 125 lbs. Hopefully, top-recruit Marc-Anthony McGowan can step in and start a remarkable career of his own. McGowan, a 2019 Cadet World Champion, won three National Prep titles for prep power Blair Academy and was a three-time finalist at the Ironman (two titles). Though Glory’s shadow will loom large, McGowan is as good of a prospect as possible to step in and compete immediately for the Tigers. Recruiting Strategy: Princeton has done well with recruiting Pennsylvania’s District XI and in New Jersey. That proved to be the case again in 2023 with McGowan, two Delbarton kids, Christian Brothers and Mt. Olive from New Jersey and Holden Garcia from that section of PA. Despite having a huge national footprint, two of the best wrestlers during Chris Ayres’ time in Princeton have been from Blair Academy (Matt Kolodzik) and Delbarton (Glory). You also have to like getting a blue-chip recruit at 125 lbs to take over for Glory immediately. Overall: In addition to McGowan, Lake Highland Prep’s Eligh Rivera was also a National Prep champion in 2023. Rivera started his senior year off with a fifth-place showing at the Ironman marking the second time he’s placed at that event. Two-time Pennsylvania state finalist, Garcia, had top-four finishes at the Ironman and Beast during his senior year. Two middle weight additions, Tyler Vasquez and Zander Silva, made the New Jersey state finals in 2023, with Vazquez capturing his second title. The Princeton staff was able to get into Michigan and pried away three-time state champion Drew Heethuis from perennial power Detroit Central Catholic. With the loss of Glory and fellow NCAA finalist Quincy Monday, Princeton needed a big recruiting class in 2023. This one should deliver and help keep the Tigers in the hunt for the crown in an increasingly tough Ivy League (and EIWA). Past Classes: 2022: #20 2021: NR 11) Illinois Recruits: #10 Kannon Webster (Washington, IL - 149 lbs), #30 Braeden Scoles (Kewaskum, WI - 174 lbs), #60 Will Baysingar (Prospect, IL - 141 lbs), #113 Chris Moore (McHenry, IL - 165 lbs), #179 Logan Swaw (Lockport, IL - 165/174 lbs), #180 Brandon Morvari (Simley, MN - 125 lbs), Hudson Goebel (Findlay, OH - 133 lbs), Peter Marinopoulos (Marist, IL - 197 lbs) Transfer: Charlie Heydorn (Ohio), Tony Madrigal (Oklahoma) Immediate Impact: 149 lbs has been a thorn in Illinois’ side for a long time. The Illini have only had three national qualifiers at the weight since 2013 and have gone without an All-American at 149 since 2001, when Adam Tirapelle won a national title. Kannon Webster looks like the long-term solution at the weight, but is he right away? Judging by his performance at UWW U20’s, maybe. Webster teched his way to the quarters, then downed All-American Jesse Mendez to make the finals. He solidified himself as a top-ten recruit by placing top-three in Fargo on six occasions, including Junior titles in both styles, along with two Ironman finals appearances (won as a senior). The late addition of Tony Madrigal gives Illinois some flexibility and options in the 133/141 range. Recruiting Strategy: When Mike Poeta assumed the reins as head coach of the Illini, most thought he would be successful if he kept the best Illinois kids at home. His first major recruiting win was getting an early verbal from Webster. Poeta proceeded to get some of the best from the Land of Lincoln by signing Will Baysingar, Chris Moore, and Logan Swaw, all top-200 recruits. That’s a great start. Something unusual for Illinois was getting top-flight recruits from both Minnesota and Wisconsin, which they did with #180 Brandon Morvari and #30 Braeden Scoles, respectively. If Poeta’s staff can take care of business at home, then cherry-pick top talent from those Big Ten rivals, you’ll continue to see the Illini in these rankings. Overall: It’s the first recruiting class ranking for Poeta as a head coach. Their in-state contingent combined to make five Illinois state finals and came away with two titles (Webster, Chris Moore). After Webster, Scoles was the highest-ranked of this class. He earned a top-30 billing after a pair of consolation finals appearances in Fargo’s Junior freestyle division. In 2021, Scoles was fourth in UWW U17 freestyle. Morvari also has a pair of All-American finishes in Junior freestyle, though his came at 106 and 113 lbs. We’ll have to see if Poeta and crew can continue to build a proverbial fence around Illinois and keep some of the top prospects at home. Should he do that, this could be a class that helps Illinois rise up the always-competitve Big Ten (and national) standings. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: NR 10) Iowa State Recruits: #27 Tate Naaktgeboren (Linn-Marr, IA - 184 lbs), #88 McCrae Hagarty (Waverly-Shell Rock, IA - 197 lbs), Cody Chittum (Tennessee - 157 lbs), Blake Giomio (Cedar Rapids Prairie, IA - 125/133 lbs), Thomas Freking (Jackson County Central, MN - 141 lbs), Colby Runner (Severance, CO - 174/184 lbs), Logan Stotts (Waukee NW, IA - 165 lbs) Transfers: Will Feldkamp (Clarion), Garrett Grice (Virginia) Immediate Impact: Talk about immediate impact, this class has a lot of it! The latest addition was 2023 All-American Will Feldkamp. The NCAA seventh-place finisher at 184 lbs will be able to contribute at either that weight or 197 lbs. The Cyclones two-time All-American at 184 lbs, Marcus Coleman, has exhausted his eligibility, while 197 lb AA Yonger Bastida looks to move to heavyweight. Iowa State also had the recent signing of Cody Chittum. Before reclassifying and moving to Iowa City, Chittum was once considered the top prospect in the Class of 2023. Technically, he doesn’t have the ranking, but we’re still considering his immense talent. Last summer, Chittum captured a stop sign in Fargo by winning the Junior freestyle national championship at 152 lbs. He moved up a weight for Greco and was third. Iowa State returns starter Jason Kraisser at 157 lbs; however, Chittum may force his way into the lineup. The third big transfer for the Cyclones is redshirt freshman Garrett Grice formerly of Virginia. Grice had a sparkling 13-2 redshirt campaign highlighted by a fall over eventual qualifier Brendan Ferretti of Navy. Though there’s plenty of talent in the 133/141 range for Iowa State, Grice will be in the mix. Recruiting Strategy: Iowa State tends to recruit more on a national basis than strictly in-state, but the bulk of the incoming freshmen are from Iowa. As mentioned above, the Cyclones look to have some potential holes at 184 and 197 lbs. Feldkamp is only a one-year plug, so they did need more help at both weights. The staff foresaw this and signed Tate Naaktgeboren and McCrae Hagarty to fill both weights. Overall: The Cyclones had the #2 overall recruiting class last year. They’ll need another strong crop in 2023 to finally break into the top-ten at nationals and rise to NCAA trophy-level. Both Naaktgeboren and Hagarty are two-time Iowa state champions that ended their high school careers on a semi-sour note (not on the top of the podium). Naaktgeboren was a Super 32 finalist and recently seventh at UWW U20’s. Hagarty finished third in both styles in Fargo at the 16U level and matched that placement at UWW U17’s last year. The rest of the recruiting class features two-time Iowa state finalist Blake Gioimo, Iowa fifth-place finisher Logan Stotts, Minnesota champion Thomas Freking, and two-time Colorado champion Colby Runner. Past Classes: 2022: #2 2021: #16 9) Virginia Tech Recruits: #13 Jim Mullen (St. Joseph’s, NJ - 285 lbs), #42 Sonny Sasso (Nazareth, PA - 197 lbs), #47 Rafael Hipolito (Independence, VA - 165/174 lbs), #49 Mac Church (Waynesburg, PA - 149 lbs), #85 Hunter Mason (Greeneville, TN - 141/149 lbs), #157 Logan Frazier (Crown Point, IN - 133 lbs), Chris Bacchioni (Bergen Catholic, NJ - 149/157 lbs), Jack Bastarrika (Mt. Olive, NJ - 133 lbs), Donovan Chavis (St. Peters, NJ - 133/141 lbs) Immediate Impact: Last year, the Hokie received an incredible boost from their freshmen class. Two wrestlers from the Class of 2022 started immediately and one earned All-American honors. This, combined with only one starter leaving, has Virginia Tech in a position to redshirt their entire freshman class, if they choose. If Mac Church or Hunter Mason is ready at 141 lbs, they may go and let Tom Crook redshirt. Recruiting Strategy: If you would have had a stud from Ohio mixed in, this would have been the exact formula for a typical Virginia Tech recruiting class. Tony Robie’s team tends to get the top-100 recruits from in-state, along with high-quality kids from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and “the South.” Crook and Caleb Henson fit the bill last year, coming from Florida and Georgia, respectively, this time they sign Hunter Mason of Tennessee. Overall: Virginia Tech really made strides to solidify their upperweights with their top-two recruits. Like Iowa, the Hokies have a heavyweight prospect that is also supposed to play football, so it’s difficult to gauge Jim Mullen’s potential impact. Mullen was a three-time New Jersey state champion and the main factor that prevented him from winning four was having to choose between the state tournament and U17 worlds in 2021. Mullen likely made the correct choice as he claimed a silver medal in freestyle and was fifth in Greco. The other big man coming to Blacksburg is two-time Pennsylvania state champion Sonny Sasso. The younger brother of the Ohio State superstar, Sammy, Sonny was a 16U national finalist in freestyle during the summer of 2021. Virginia Tech also has a pair of high-quality middleweights joining the fold in Church and Mason. Church was a three-time Ironman finalist and four-time Super 32 champion, in addition to winning a pair of titles in PA. Mason was a Junior freestyle AA (7th) in Fargo and placed top-three at the Super 32 on three occasions. Aside from Mullen, the recruit in this group with the highest ceiling could be Rafael Hipolito. Initially a judo player, HIpolito picked up the sport late, yet won NHSCA Nationals as a Junior and Senior. Last summer, he was fourth in Fargo in Junior freestyle. Virginia Tech will lose some highly decorated seniors following the 2023-24 season; however, this class and great recruiting efforts of the recent past will make it so that the Hokies continue to be a top-ten team and even can challenge for another team trophy. Past Classes: 2022: #7 2021: #22 😎 Stanford Recruits: #36 Lorenzo Norman (Blair Academy, NJ - 174/184 lbs), #37 Tyler Knox (St. John’s Prep, MA - 133 lbs), #39 Zach Hanson (Lakeville, MN - 157 lbs), #67 Tye Monteiro (Bakersfield, CA - 197 lbs), #90 Jacob Joyce (Ponaganset, RI - 125 lbs), #134 Abe Wojcikiewicz (Bethalto, IL - 174/184 lbs), #197 Thor Michaelson (Bremerton, WA - 184 lbs), Jackson Mankowski (LaFollette, WI - 285 lbs) Transfer: Dom Lajoie (Cornell) Immediate Impact: With three-time national qualifier Tyler Eischens in the transfer portal, it looks as if one of the true freshmen could be thrust into the Cardinal lineup in 2023-24. That could be either Lorenzo Norman or Abe Wojcikiewicz. Norman was a two-time National Prep champion for Blair Academy and a two-time finalist at the Ironman. Wojcikiewicz won an Illinois state title after finishing third the previous season. Before his senior season, Wojcikiewicz was sixth at the Super 32. With the new redshirt rules, both may see time in the Cardinal lineup during the earlygoing. Recruiting Strategy: The Cardinal staff really went after the 174-197 lb range with this class. There are four wrestlers in this group that are ranked among the top-200 seniors and fit in that range. In addition to Norman and Wojcikiewicz, Stanford also brings in Tye Monteiro and Thor Michaelson. With a true sophomore at 157 and a redshirt freshman at 165, the back half of the Cardinal lineup looks promising for the next few seasons. Overall: The Cardinal have an impressive group of non-upperweights in the fold, as well. The top lightweight in this group is Tyler Knox, a Beast of the East champion, and a winner at NHSCA Junior and Senior Nationals. Knox is likely a 133 lber, while New England champ Jacob Joyce could help out at 125 lbs. Joyce was a Super 32 placer before his senior season. The first wrestler from this class to commit was Zach Hanson, a 16U double national champion in Fargo and a placer in both styles at the Junior level. Hanson finished with Minnesota state titles in each of his final two seasons. In two full years of recruiting classes under Rob Koll, Stanford has landed in the top-ten both times. Their Class of 2024 might be the deepest, too. Koll and the Cardinal staff’s efforts on the recruiting trail could turn Stanford into a consistent national power sooner rather than later. Past Classes: 2022: #5 2021: NR 7) Nebraska Recruits: #41 Ethan Stiles (Conant, IL - 165 lbs), #44 Camden McDanel (Teays Valley, OH - 197 lbs), #52 Weston Dalton (Pueblo East, CO - 157 lbs), #66 Alan Koehler (Prior Lake, MN - 125/133 lbs), #79 Kael Lauridsen (Bennington, NE - 133 lbs), #94 Christopher Minto (Mariner, FL - 165 lbs), #114 Matthew Moore (Mesa Ridge, CO - 285 lbs), Drew Cooper (Skutt Catholic, NE - 133/141 lbs), Ethan DeLeon (Bishop Heelan, IA - 174 lbs), Tanner Frothinger (Eagle, ID - 141 lbs), Dom Thebeau (Belleville East, IL - 197 lbs) Transfer: Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) Immediate Impact: 2023 All-American Liam Cronin is out of eligibility so it appeared the Cornhuskers would have a hole at 125 lbs. Rather than turn to a true freshman, Nebraska picked up Appalachian State transfer Caleb Smith. Smith is a two-time national qualifier and earned the fifth seed in Tulsa after capturing his first SoCon title. In Vegas, at the CKLV Invitational, Smith actually majored Cronin last December. Nebraska goes from having a problematic weight to it being a strength with Smith’s addition. Recruiting Strategy: Nebraska (as a high school state) doesn’t typically churn out many top recruits, so it’s important for the Cornhuskers to sign those types of recruits when they come along. Last year, they did that with Antrell Taylor and in 2023 it happened again with Kael Lauridsen. The Nebraska staff also looked to some familiar states for signees. They got a top-50 recruit from Illinois (Ethan Stiles), two Big Boarder’s from Colorado (Weston Dalton and Matthew Moore) and another stud from Minnesota (Alan Koehler). Overall: Nebraska signed a huge class with seven Big Boarder’s six of whom were ranked in the top-100. The class contains a lot of really solid prospects, but no “sure-thing’s” which is evident by the fact that Stiles is the highest-ranked recruit at #41. Stiles leads the way after an Ironman title and a fifth-place showing last summer in Fargo’s Junior freestyle tournament. The other top-50 recruit in the class is 2023 U20 freestyle World Team member Camden McDanel. A year ago, McDanel was a runner-up at the U17 Trials. The rest of this group features a pair of top-five Junior freestyle All-Americans in Alan Koehler and Kael Lauridsen, two top-four finishers from the Ironman (Dalton and Moore), Frothinger was also a double AA at the Cadet WTT’s in 2021. All-in-all, Nebraska is getting a lot of help in the middleweights, which is somewhere where depth is always needed. When it’s all said and done, getting two top prospects at the two biggest weights (McDanel and Moore) could end up being where this class makes its mark. We’ll have to see how eligibility works out at 197 as Big Ten champion Silas Allred still has three years remaining. Past Classes: 2022: #8 2021: #13 6) Iowa Recruits: #6 Ben Kueter (City High, IA - 285 lbs), #19 Gabe Arnold (City High, IA - 174 lbs), #26 Ryder Block (Waverly-Shell Rock, IA - 149 lbs), #64 Kale Peterson (West Fork, IA - 133/141 lbs), Isaiah Fenton (Notre Dame - Burlington, IA - 157 lbs), Koye Grebel (Valley City, IA - 141 lbs) Transfers: Joey Cruz (Oklahoma), Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State) Immediate Impact: We’d expect to see Oklahoma State transfer Victor Voinovich in the lineup right away for the Hawkeyes. Voinovich, the #15 recruit in the Class of 2021, had a solid, but not spectacular redshirt freshman year in Stillwater. He turned it up at the NCAA Tournament and picked up a pair of wins before bowing out. Voinovich comes in right at the right time as Iowa is looking to replace All-American Max Murin at 149 lbs. Recruiting Strategy: With the incoming freshman, the Iowa staff did well to address weights that could become open after the 2023-24 season. Ben Kueter and Gabe Arnold both project at weights with All-Americans heading into their final year of eligibility. The same goes for Kale Peterson at 133 or 141. This would ideally be how you recruit every year, but it usually doesn’t work out as easily in practice as it does on paper. Overall: Iowa’s top recruit, Kueter, is perhaps the most unique athlete in this Class. He was an all-everything football player and is expected to be an immediate contributor to the Hawkeyes football team. He also was all-state in baseball and track, in addition to winning a U20 world title before his senior year of high school. Because of his football potential, it’s hard to project his impact on the mat. Were he a wrestling-only prospect, Kueter could have been the #1 recruit in this entire class and it likely would have nudged Iowa up a few spots in these rankings. After Kueter, this class is still impressive. After committing to Iowa, Arnold moved to Iowa City from Wyoming Seminary and proceeded to defeat Iowa State signee Tate Naaktgeboren multiple times, including in the 3A state finals. Arnold then went to the U20 Open and claimed a title in a loaded weight class. Speaking of the Open, Kale Peterson significantly raised his stock with a finals appearance at 61 kg. Peterson’s signature win at that event was fall over Nasir Bailey in the semis. The Hawkeyes will also get the services of star middleweight Ryder Block. After a Junior freestyle national title, Block was selected to wrestle in the Who’s #1 dual. In addition to Voinovich, Iowa will also add Joey Cruz as a transfer from Oklahoma. Just a year ago, Cruz was ranked #51 in the Class of 2022. He has four years of eligibility remaining and should contribute at 125 lbs. Past Classes: 2022: #11 2021: #4 5) Ohio State Recruits: #3 Rocco Welsh (Waynesburg, PA - 174 lbs), #22 Ryder Rogotzke (Stillwater, MN - 184/197 lbs), #33 Vincent Kilkeary (Greater Latrobe, PA - 125/133 lbs), #35 Brandon Cannon (Ponderosa, CO - 157 lbs), #53 Brock Herman (Brecksville, OH - 141/149 lbs) Immediate Impact: Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan has never been shy about starting true freshmen and this class could be no different. Based on lineup decisions and the effectiveness of untested upperclassmen, we could see Rocco Welsh and/or Vincent Kilkeary in the Buckeye lineup immediately. Andre Gonzales was thrust into the Ohio State lineup due to a late-season injury at 125 lbs. Should he or some of the other incumbents stumble, the three-time Pennsylvania state champion, Kilkeary, could be called upon. All-American Ethan Smith has moved on as well, so Welsh could see action right away at 174 lbs. Welsh was a four-time Pennsylvania finalist and two-time champion. If the Buckeyes don’t bump at one (or more) of the middleweights, 174 could belong to Welsh. Recruiting Strategy: Ohio State is typically one of the schools that opt to shoot for the top blue-chip recruits rather than have classes with seven or eight wrestlers on the back end of the Big Board. That has proven to be the case again in 2023, with the two Pennsylvania champions and two-time Super 32 winner Ryder Rogotzke. This strategy can lead to minimal depth at some weights and a few uncharacteristic dual losses, but has plenty of big tournament potential. Overall: This group, along with the #1 ranked class in 2022, should help propel the Buckeyes back into consistent national team title contention. The Ohio State staff didn’t have to go very far to see this class in action as three of its wrestlers finished in the top three at the Walsh Ironman last December. Welsh won the tournament, while Brandon Cannon was a finalist and Brock Herman was third. Cannon is perhaps the best story from the 2023 class. He was a top wrestler in this class as a freshman, but had a tumor found on his back, then fought back to become the #35 overall wrestler in the Class of 2023. Past Classes: 2022: #1 2021: #9 4) Cornell Recruits: #1 Meyer Shapiro (Woodbine, MD - 149/157 lbs), #28 Simon Ruiz (Delbarton, NJ - 174 lbs), #63 Mikey Dellagatta (St. Joe’s, NJ - 184/197 lbs), #70 Marcello Milani (St. Mary’s, MI - 125 lbs), #89 Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks, NY - 141 lbs), #128 Matt Furman (Canon-McMillan, PA - 174/184 lbs), Eric Carlson (Manahasset, NY - 184/197 lbs), Zahir McLean-Felix (Green Farms, CT - 174/184 lbs), Ernie Perry (Airline, LA - 133 lbs) Immediate Impact: You have to get credit for getting the top wrestler in this class and that’s what Cornell has with #1 Meyer Shapiro. Shapiro is already a U17 world champion (2021) and is looking to add more hardware to his collection at this year’s U20 World Championships. To make the 2023 team, Shapiro outscored Nebraska’s redshirt freshman 19-0 across two matches. With the graduation of Cornell legend Yianni Diakomihalis, the Big Red has a huge hole at 149 lbs. It’s not fair to Shapiro to say he’ll pick up exactly where Diakomihalis left off, but he should be really good, right away. The Big Red captured an NCAA team trophy last year and returns most of their key players, aside from Diakomihalis. That means they don’t need to “rely” on this class to contribute right away. Recruiting Strategy: While Cornell’s recruiting reach goes nationwide, they tend to hit the east coast extremely hard. That’s not surprising with two coaches hailing from New Jersey and the other two from New York. Looking at the 2023 recruits, there are a pair of top-75 recruits from Jersey and #89 Tyler Ferrara from New York. Overall: Four or five years from now, Shapiro’s impact will definitely steer how we judge this Cornell class. That’s not entirely fair as Cornell has some other high-quality recruits coming in. New Jersey state champions Simon Ruiz and Mikey Dellagatta should stabilize the Big Red upper weights, which should be manned by seniors in 2023-24 at the three largest weights. Contributing at the lower weights are Super 32 fourth-place finisher Marcello Milani and Beast of the East champion Tyler Ferrara. After missing out on the recruiting rankings in 2022, Cornell is back in the mix with a #4 ranked class this year. The Big Red hasn’t missed a beat during their coaching transition on the mat or on the recruiting trail. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: #3 3) Penn State Recruits: #4 Josh Barr (Davison, MI - 174/184 lbs), #9 Tyler Kasak (Bethlehem Catholic, PA - 149 lbs), #46 Braeden Davis (Dundee, MI - 125/133 lbs), #93 Cael Nasdeo (Williamsport, PA - 125/133 lbs), #175 Brandan Wentzel (Montoursville, PA - 125/133 lbs), AJ Fricchione (Bergen Catholic, NY - 285 lbs), Kyison Garcia (Mountain Ridge, UT - 133 lbs) Transfers: Kurt McHenry (Michigan), Mitchell Mesenbrink (California Baptist), Aaron Nagao (Minnesota), Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) Immediate Impact: The rich get richer as Penn State, with six returning All-Americans, will add another pair of All-Americans to their 2023-23 lineup with Aaron Nagao and Bernie Truax. There were some questions as to who would replace two-time NCAA champion Roman Bravo-Young; however, his Big Ten finals opponent and NCAA fifth-place finisher Nagao is in State College. Nagao’s transfer is huge because he comes with three years of eligibility. Truax has already placed fourth at NCAA’s on three occasions. He should go wherever Aaron Brooks doesn’t go (184/197). Penn State also gets four years of eligibility from 2022 U20 World silver medalist Mitchell Mesenbrink. Mesenbrink will be on the world team again this year at 74 kg. It’s unclear how/where he fits into the lineup in 2023-24 (157/165), but suffice to say, it will be difficult keeping him out of the starting ten. Kurt McHenry also comes over from Michigan and provides insurance in case Robbie Howard is unable to wrestle or gets injured again. McHenry began the 2022-23 season as the Wolverines starter at 125. Recruiting Strategy: Two years after inking a top prospect from Michigan, the Penn State staff returned to the Mitten and picked up a pair of top-50 recruits in Josh Barr and Braeden Davis. As much as anyone else in the game today, Penn State’s staff does a great job at identifying the personalities of the wrestlers that will fit in well with their existing team. The thinking is that Penn State should get every in-state stud, which isn’t possible. They did sign two of them with this class in Tyler Kasak and Cael Nasdeo. Overall: After a small class in 2022, Penn State is now back in the mix with one of the best recruiting classes in the country. The Nittany Lions have two of the top-ten wrestlers in the nation with Josh Barr and Tyler Kasak. Barr is a two-time Junior national champion and was a finalist at the U20 WTT’s Challenge Tournament. Kasak is a 2022 U17 World silver medalist and was a champ at the Ironman and Beast as a high school junior. Earlier, we mentioned Penn State’s Howard’s injuries which have been a part of Penn State’s history of trouble at 125 lbs. The staff has done their part to address this with a handful of new faces in that area. Davis, Cael Nasdeo, and Brandan Wentzel all project in the 125/133 range. Davis is a Cadet and Junior national champion in Fargo and a two-time top-three finisher at the Super 32. Nasdeo is one recruit that jumped levels as a senior and finished his year with a AAA state title. Wentzel was in the top-three all four years in high school at the AA level. This class isn’t necessarily a game-changer (like the 2024 class could be), but it will have enough high-end talent and potential, eventual title contenders, but they also filled some pressing needs. They also add some big names via the portal that have multiple years of eligibility remaining. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: #1 2) Michigan Recruits: #7 Beau Mantanona (Palm Desert, CA - 157/165 lbs), #11 Sergio Lemley (Mt. Carmel, IL - 133/141 lbs), #14 Joel Adams (Millard South, NE - 149 lbs), #16 Dylan Gilcher (Detroit CC, MI - 157 lbs), #38 Caden Horwath (Davison, MI - 133 lbs), #51 Hayden Walters (Crescent Valley, OR - 197 lbs), Amann Gulacha (Hillfield Strathallen, Ontario - 165 lbs), Connor Owens (Powers Catholic, MI - 165 lbs), Zack Ramsey (SLAM Academy, NV - 157 lbs) Key Transfers: Chris Cannon (Northwestern), Lucas Davison (Northwestern), Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern), Shane Griffith (Stanford) Immediate Impact: I feel confident in saying that no other school will receive the immediate impact from their recruiting class like Michigan is getting from theirs, which is primarily based on their portal additions. The Wolverines will add a stunning four past All-Americans to their lineup. What could have been a down year, suddenly puts Michigan back into NCAA trophy contention. We’ll have to see how things shake out at 133/141 and 165/174, as Chris Cannon and Shane Griffith have competed at weights where Michigan has very strong returners (Dylan Ragusin and Cam Amine, respectively). One assumes that the former national champion, Griffith, would move up to 174 lbs. In Michael DeAugustino and Lucas Davison, Michigan gets bookends that have placed in the top-five at nationals. Recruiting Strategy: Sean Bormet’s staff continues to hit the in-state powers (Detroit Central Catholic and Davison), while casting a huge net for some of the nation’s top prospects, otherwise. The Wolverine staff also inked Beau Mantanona, the latest in a long line of wrestling brothers, with another whose a top prospect in the Class of 2024. Overall: Focusing just on the incoming freshmen, Michigan signed four top-20 prospects and six of the top-51. The aforementioned Mantanona was a Super 32 champion and a Fargo Junior freestyle finalist. He also was a member of the 2021 U17 World team in freestyle. Speaking of “recruiting strategy” this class focused heavily on the middleweights (149-165), and their three top recruits targeted at those weights. U17 Greco-Roman world champion Joel Adams has shown he could be in the mix for the 2024 Olympic Team in Greco and may have his focus there, before joining the Wolverines. Adams can also do the freestyle, as he was a U17 WTT finalist and won both styles in the 16U age group in Fargo. The in-state guys, Gilcher and Horwath, both have Super 32 champion belts to their name and Horwath was a Fargo Junior freestyle finalist. Sergio Lemley was a Super 32 champ along with two top-three's at the Ironman. Oregon’s Hayden Walters was....wait for it.... also a Super 32 champ and placed top-four in Junior freestyle twice. While the attention is immediately driven towards the four All-Americans that Bormet’s staff added, they also did a great job at solidifying their middleweights and getting the foundation for a trophy-winning team after the transfers are gone. Past Classes: 2022: NR 2021: NR 1) Oklahoma State Recruits: #2 Christian Carroll (Elkhart, IN - 285 lbs), #5 Brayden Thompson (Lockport, IL - 184 lbs), #8 Cael Hughes (Stillwater, OK - 133 lbs), #48 AJ Heeg (Stillwater, OK - 184/197 lbs), #68 Jersey Robb (Bixby, OK - 197 lbs), Jayce Caviness (Bixby, OK - 133 lbs), Sam Smith (Stillwater, OK - 141 lbs), Jaxen Wright (Morris, OK - 165 lbs) Key Transfers: Tagen Jamison (Minnesota), Mirzo Khayitov (Ellsworth CC), Izzak Olejnik (Northern Illinois), Troy Spratley (Minnesota) Immediate Impact: One of the reasons why Oklahoma State gets the nod over Michigan is because of the age of their transfers. They added Troy Spratley (#15 in Class of 2022) and Tagen Jamison (#41 in Class of 2021) from Minnesota, both with four years remaining. Spratley should jump in and fill the 125 lb slot which was unexpectedly an issue midseason for John Smith’s team. The Cowboys also add experience in the middleweights with Mirzo Khayitov and Izzak Olejnik. Khaytiov was a two-time NJCAA All-American, while Olejnik found the podium for Northern Illinois in the rugged 165 lb weight class. With mainstay Wyatt Sheets departing, 165 could have been an issue without the addition of this pair. Recruiting Strategy: Since Stillwater high school has become a national power, Oklahoma State has had the luxury of keeping some great talent at home, while venturing out for nationally ranked recruits, as needed. That was evident here with Brayden Thompson, Cael Hughes, AJ Heeg, and Sam Smith all spending some time at Stillwater. Overall: It’s hard to compete with a team that signs three of the top-eight recruits in the country. Earlier this month, Christian Carroll locked up his second berth on a U20 world team. This time it’s in freestyle after making the 2022 Greco team. Carroll needed less than a minute and a half (combined) to dispatch of Aden Attao twice in the Trials finals. He’s a two-time Super 32 champion and won Fargo’s Junior freestyle bracket before his junior year of high school. Carroll could go right away and be very competitive for OSU if they choose to go that way. The same could be said for Brayden Thompson, a U20 World Team member in 2022 and a Trials finalist in 2023. Thompson was an Ironman champion this year and make the Fargo Junior finals in 2021. He’s got elite defensive skills and would fare well immediately, if needed. Cael Hughes became Stillwater High School’s first four-time state champion since Cowboy star and assistant coach Chris Perry accomplished the feat in 2006-09. Hughes was recently a finalist at the U20 WTT’s and was an Ironman champion. AJ Heeg and Jersey Robb are both multiple-time Oklahoma state champions that will be factors in the upperweights. With the talent from the top-three recruits, plus the potential from transfers, and others in this group developing, this could be the class that helps Oklahoma State rise back into the national title picture on a regular basis. Past Classes: 2022: #6 2021: #6

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InterMat's 2023 Recruiting Class Rankings: (#1-25)

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