InterMat Staff

Northwestern Lehigh via Delaware Valley

Niobrara/Verdigre

Mead

Woodbridge

Francis Scott Key

North Oconee

Alburnett

Burgettstown via Lock Haven

Kings Fork

Two weeks ago, we saw MatScouts release the final Big Board rankings for the high school Class of 2025. We've done plenty of studies over the years to figure out which programs recruit the best and here's another one to add to the mix. We'll look at MatScouts Big Board rankings for each of the last six years to determine how many of a specific category each school has signed. With national titles and All-American honors so heavily dependent on signing high school superstars - there are six different levels for the top 100. Top 5 recruits, Top 10 recruits, Top 25 recruits, Top 50 recruits, Top 75 recruits, and Top 100. After that we've used the top 150 and top 200 benchmarks. For purposes of this study, if a wrestler was ranked #24 in his graduating class, he counts for the top 25 category and all others behind it. We have only listed DI programs who have signed top 200 recruits within this period 2020-25. These years were used because prior to 2020 the MatScouts Big Board only went up to the top 100. 200 is the limit as some of the Big Boards in this time have 200, while others go up to 250 or 300. Air Force American Appalachian State Arizona State Army West Point Bellarmine Binghamton Brown Bucknell Buffalo Cal Poly California Baptist Campbell Central Michigan Chattanooga Clarion Cleveland State Columbia Cornell CSU Bakersfield Davidson Drexel Edinboro Franklin & Marshall George Mason Harvard Hofstra Illinois Indiana Iowa Iowa State Kent State Lehigh Little Rock Lock Haven Maryland Michigan Michigan State Minnesota Missouri Navy NC State Nebraska North Carolina North Dakota State Northern Colorado Northern Illinois Northern Iowa Northwestern Ohio Ohio State Oklahoma Oklahoma State Oregon State Penn Penn State Pittsburgh Princeton Purdue Rider Rutgers SIU Edwardsville South Dakota State Stanford The Citadel Utah Valley Virginia Virginia Tech West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

It is May 2nd which is a big day in terms of the transfer portal. Today, is the deadline for wrestlers to enter the transfer portal. They don’t have to make their transfer decisions yet, but barring a head coaching changes, it will be the last day they are able to file paperwork to enter the portal. Just because today is the deadline to enter, it doesn’t mean that wrestlers will appear in the portal today - that might take another couple of days. With a deadline looming, we heard of a handful of notable wrestlers who have entered the portal within the last 24 hours. Wrestlers like Chris Cannon, Rafael Hipolito, and Tate Picklo. Cannon remarkably has another year of eligibility remaining. He’s done two stints at Northwestern and another at Michigan. During his first two years of collegiate competition, Cannon finished seventh in the nation. If healthy, he could be a solid pickup. Hipolito was an ACC champion as a freshman for Virginia Tech in 2025. He’ll have three years of eligibility remaining and could be one of the more sought after wrestlers in the portion. Of course, he has been listed with a “Do Not Contact” designation, so he might have his mind made up already. Picklo was a top recruit in the Class of 2021. He has qualified for nationals once, but has yet to find the perfect weight in college, bouncing between 165 and 184 lbs. Pay attention, as we might have more entries as the day progresses. The first list of wrestlers we’ve listed have already publicly committed to a new transfer destination. That new school is listed first, along with their projected weight, followed by their former school. Below them are notable wrestlers that have gone into the transfer portal. It is not a comprehensive list. Transfers Appalachian State: Joe Fongaro (149) - Rutgers Arizona State: Gavin Bauder (133) - Clackamas CC Arizona State: David Szuba (285) - Rider Arizona State: Leo Tukhlynovych (174) - Rochester CTC Arizona State: Ane’e Vigil (125) - Clackamas CC Bloomsburg: Eric Alderfer (157) - Lock Haven Buffalo: Kelin Laffey (165) - Pittsburgh Cal Poly: Luke Gayer (165) - Rutgers Cal Poly: Andre Gonzales (141) - Ohio State Campbell: Ethan Ducca (184) - Wyoming Chattanooga: Hunter Mason (141) - Virginia Tech Chattanooga: Billy Meiszner (149) - Kent State Chattanooga: Carter Neves (285) - Ohio State Clarion: Connor Eck (157) - Lock Haven Clarion: Ky Szewczyk (133) - Ohio Edinboro: Tate Geiser (165/174) - Cleveland State Illinois: Ryan Boersma (285) - Triton College Illinois: Michael Gioffre (157) - Virginia Illinois: Spencer Moore (125) - North Carolina Indiana: Orlando Cruz (174) - Purdue Iowa: Nasir Bailey (133/141) - Little Rock Iowa: Massoma Endene (197) - Wartburg Iowa: Dean Peterson (125) - Rutgers Iowa: Jordan Williams (149) - Little Rock Iowa State: Isaac Dean (184) - Rider Iowa State: Rocky Elam (197) - Missouri Iowa State: Malton Powe (165) - Pratt CC Little Rock: Brock Herman (157) - Ohio State Little Rock: Draegen Orine (133) - NC State Lock Haven: Sam Gatreau (165) - Maryland Maryland: Chase Horne (285) - NC State Michigan: Taye Ghadiali (285) - Campbell Michigan: Lachlan McNeil (149) - North Carolina Michigan: Diego Sotelo (125) - Harvard Minnesota: Jore Volk (125) - Wyoming Missouri: Maxx Mayfield (165) - Northwestern Morgan State: Anthony Ferrari (157) - Long Island NC State: Zach Redding (133/141) - Iowa State Nebraska: Chance Lamer (149) - Cal Poly North Carolina: AJ Ferrari (197/285) - CSU Bakersfield North Carolina: Bryce Hepner (157/165) - Ohio State North Carolina: Kysen Terukina (125) - Iowa State Northern Illinois: Ali Adel (184) - Harper College Northern Iowa: Caleb Rathjen (149) - Iowa Ohio State: Cody Chittum (157) - Iowa State Ohio State: Ethan Stiles (149) - Oregon State Oklahoma: Tyson Charmoli (133) - Wyoming Oklahoma: Jack Gioffre (149) - Virginia Oklahoma: Peyton Kellar (157) - Ohio Oklahoma: Brian Soldano (184) - Rutgers Oklahoma: Tyler Wells (133) - Minnesota Oklahoma State: Alex Facundo (165) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Richie Figueroa (125/133) - Arizona State Oklahoma State: Zack Ryder (184) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Gary Steen (133) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Casey Swiderski (149) - Iowa State Oregon State: Joel Adams (149) - Michigan/CKWC Penn State: Rocco Welsh (184) - Ohio State Purdue: Blake Boarman (133) - Chattanooga Purdue: Gavin Brown (149) - Ohio State Rider: Brendon Abdon (165) - Little Rock Rider: Eli Griffin (141) - California Baptist Rider: Dylan Layton (149) - Cleveland State Rider: Hogan Swenski (285) - Ohio State Rutgers: Hunter Catka (285) - Virginia Tech Rutgers: Remy Cotton (197) - Michigan State Rutgers: Lenny Pinto (174) - Nebraska Sacred Heart: Anthony Clem (133) - West Virginia Sacred Heart: Joey Clem (133) - West Virginia Sacred Heart: John Hildebrandt (133) - Drexel Utah Valley: David Evans (149) - Penn State Virginia: Colton Washleski (157) - Rider Virginia Tech: Ethen Miller (157) - Maryland West Virginia: Louie Gill (125) - NC State West Virginia: Willie McDougald (149) - Oklahoma Wyoming: Christian Carroll (197/285) - Iowa State Wyoming: Sefton Douglass (125) - Western Wyoming Wyoming: Cody Phelps (133) - Michigan State Portal Chris Cannon (133/141) - Northwestern Jake Crapps (133) - Missouri Lucas Daly (184) - Michigan State Jordan Decatur (141) - Kent State Sergio DeSiante (174) - Chattanooga Kyle Dutton (149) - Little Rock Dylan Fishback (184) - NC State Rafael Hipolito (157 - Virginia Tech Caden Horwath (125) - Michigan Daschle Lamer (184) - Cal Poly Cade Lautt (197) - North Carolina Tate Picklo (174) - Oklahoma Isaiah Powe (141) - Chattanooga Nate Schon (197) - Iowa State Mike Slade (184/197) - Campbell Sean Spidle (133) - Central Michigan TJ Stewart (184) - Virginia Tech Jesse Vasquez (149) - Arizona State John Wiley (157) - Oklahoma Kevin Zimmer (285) - Wyoming

This afternoon, the Kent State athletic department announced that longtime head coach Jim Andrassy will step down and retire from his post as head coach of the Golden Flashes wrestling team. Andrassy, a Kent State alum, has led the program since the 2003-04 season and was an assistant coach for the nine years prior. During his tenure as head coach, Andrassy amassed a 203-197 career dual record. Under his direction, seven Golden Flash wrestlers combined to earn NCAA All-American honors on 12 occasions. Andrassy’s first All-American’s in 2009 (Nic Bedelyon and Jermail Porter) snapped a 23-year All-American-less drought at the school. In 2011, 197 lber Dustin Kilgore pinned Oklahoma State’s Clayton Foster to become the program’s first national champion. Two years later, Kilgore became the program’s first three-time All-American. Three years after that, Ian Miller also became a three-time All-American. As a team, Kent State finished atop the MAC or tied for a share of the regular season title on three occasions. At the MAC Championships, the Golden Flashes finished as conference runner-up seven times. Kent State will conduct a national search for Andrassy’s successor. The team is coming off a 1-15 dual season and was 11th at the MAC Championships with 43 points.

Athens

Christiansburg

Fremd via Harper College

Red Bank Catholic

Yuma Catholic

Bakersfield

Kamehameha

Oakdale

Fountain Inn

Immaculata

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced that Marcus Blaze of Perrysburg, Ohio is the 2025 national winner of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA). The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation. “I’m incredibly honored to receive the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award,” said Blaze. “Dave Schultz was not only a phenomenal wrestler, but a phenomenal person. “I am thankful for my family, coaches and friends. Grateful for all the opportunities and mentors I have today. Blessed for the moments God gives me,” he added. “Being recognized in Dave Schultz’s name means a lot to me and I’m really thankful, grateful and blessed.” The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced that Piper Fowler of Cleveland, Tennessee is the 2025 national winner of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. Blaze and Fowler will be honored during the 48th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 6 and 7 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To purchase tickets for Honors Weekend, visit https://bit.ly/2025NWHOFHonorsWeekendTickets. “Marcus should be incredibly proud of the remarkable accomplishments he’s achieved during his high school career,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “His dedication on the wrestling mat, combined with his excellence in the classroom and commitment to his community, truly sets him apart. “As the newest recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, Marcus joins an elite group of young men whose achievements reflect the very best of our sport,” he added. “We look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish in the future as he continues to embody the values and spirit this award represents.” The son of Joe and Addie Blaze, Marcus will continue his career at Penn State University. His older brother, Joey, was an NCAA runner-up for Purdue University in 2025 and was the Ohio winner of the DSHSEA in 2023 and a three-time Ohio state champion. Marcus was a four-time Ohio state champion for Perrysburg High School. He had a career record of 200-2, including a 55-0 record as a freshman and 43-0 as a senior, while winning four sectional and four district titles. He finished third at 61 kg at last weekend’s Senior National men’s freestyle tournament. A gold medalist at the 2023 U17 World Championships, he finished second at the 2024 U.S. World Team Trials and earned a bronze medal at the 2024 U20 World Championships. His most impressive performance, however, was finishing third at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He was a Fargo champion and named Outstanding Wrestler in 2022 and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Ohio state tournament in 2025. Blaze is a four-time champion and two-time Outstanding Wrestler at the Brecksville Holiday Tournament while also winning the Walsh Ironman tournament twice and finishing second and third the other two years. He earned Academic All-Ohio honors and was a member of the High Honor Roll all four years. Blaze is also a member of DECA, which prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. He becomes the sixth national winner from Ohio, joining NCAA champion and Junior World Champion David Carr, Distinguished Member, World Champion and four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber, Olympic gold medalist, three-time World champion and two-time NCAA champion David Taylor, C.P. Schlatter, and Jeff Knupp. Ohio has the most national winners with six followed by Oklahoma and Pennsylvania with three and California, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin with two winners each. Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia have each had one winner. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. Coleman Scott (2004) and Logan Stieber (2010) became the first DSHSEA national winners to be inducted as Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame when they were inducted in 2024. Cael Sanderson, who was the Utah and West Region winner of the DSHSEA in 1997, and Jake Varner, who was the California winner of the DSHEA in 2005, are also Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame. National winners of the DSHSEA have combined to win 20 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners David Carr (2018), Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009), Teyon Ware (2002) and Zahid Valencia (2015). All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award 2025 - Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Ohio 2024 - Aeoden Sinclair, Milton High School, Edgerton, Wisconsin 2023 - Cael Hughes, Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Oklahoma 2022 - Cory Land, Moody High School, Moody, Alabama 2021 - Alex Facundo, Davison High School, Essexville, Michigan 2020 - Braxton Amos, Parkersburg South High School, Mineral Wells, West Virginia (Freestyle Junior World Champion and Greco-Roman Junior World Bronze Medalist) 2019 - Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado (Greco-Roman Cadet World Champion) 2018 - David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio (NCAA Champion and Junior World Champion) 2017 - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (World Silver Medalist, Junior World Champion and 2X Junior World Bronze Medalist) 2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion, 2X Junior World Champion and Cadet World Champion) 2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (2X NCAA Champion and Junior World Silver Medalist) 2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion) 2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan 2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California 2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (World Champion and 4X NCAA Champion) 2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (Olympic Gold Medalist, 3X World Champion, World Silver Medalist, World Bronze Medalist and 2X NCAA Champion) 2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah 2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota 2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida 2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion) 2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist) 2003 - C.P. Schlatter, St. Paris Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio 2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion) 2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian) 2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina 1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion) 1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian) 1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio 1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa 2025 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award Regional Winners Central Region – LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwater High School, Oklahoma State University Midwest Region – Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg, Ohio, Perrysburg High School, Penn State University Northeast Region – PJ Duke, Slate Hill, New York, Minisink Valley High School, Penn State University Southeast Region – Dominic Bambinelli, Hoschton, Georgia, Mill Creek High School, University of Missouri West Region – Daniel Zepeda, Gilroy, California, Gilroy High School, North Carolina State University 2025 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending Alabama - Yanik Simon, Huntsville High School, Huntsville Alaska - Jacob Strausbaugh, Soldotna High School, Soldotna, Cornerstone University (Not for Wrestling) Arizona - Sergio Vega, Sunnyside High School, Tucson, Oklahoma State University Arkansas - Ryan Rogers, Central Arkansas Christian School, Little Rock, McKendree University California - Daniel Zepeda, Gilroy High School, Gilroy, North Carolina State University Colorado - Traven Sharon, Home Schooled, Ordway, University of Wyoming Connecticut - Scott Romano, Joel Barlow High School, West Redding Delaware - Malachi Stratton, Sussex Central High School, Frankford Florida - Maximus Brady, Mariner High School, Cape Coral, University of Northern Iowa Georgia - Dominic Bambinelli, Mill Creek High School, Hoschton, University of Missouri Hawaii - Tyger Ta'am, Moanalua High School, Honolulu, Menlo College Idaho - Matthew Martino, Bishop Kelly High School, Eagle, Princeton University Illinois - Seth Mendoza, Mount Carmel High School, Mokena, University of Missouri Indiana - Jake Hockaday, Brownsburg High School, Pittsboro, Nebraska University Iowa - Kyler Knaack, Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville, University of Northern Iowa Kansas - Taye Wilson, Pratt High School, Pratt, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Kentucky - Isaac Johns, Woodford County High School, Nicholasville, Bellarmine University Louisiana - Richie Clementi, Brother Martin High School, Slidell, California Baptist University Maine - Eli Potter, Wells High School, Wells Maryland - Calvin Kraisser, Centennial High School, Ellicott City, Frostburg State University Massachusetts - Sid Tildsley, Shawsheen Tech, Billerica Michigan - Sebastian Martinez, Gabriel Richard Catholic High School, Lincoln Park, United States Air Force Academy Minnesota - Landon Robideau, St. Michael-Albertville High School, St. Michael, Oklahoma State University Mississippi - Jaiden Gipson, Oxford High School, Oxford Missouri - Hank Benter, Hickman High School, Columbia, University of Missouri Montana - Zach Morse, Billings West High School, Billings, Northern State University, Aberdeen South Dakota Nebraska - Tyson Terry, Omaha North High School, Omaha, University of Nebraska Nevada - Manuel Saldate, Sports Leadership & Management of Nevada, Las Vegas, Oregon State New Hampshire - David Pento Jr., Londonderry High School, Londonderry New Jersey - Harvey Ludington, Brick Memorial High School, Brick, University of Iowa New Mexico - Mason Posa, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, Wisconsin (Football) New York - PJ Duke, Minisink Valley High School, Slate Hill, Penn State University North Carolina - Liam Hickey, Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, University of North Carolina North Dakota - Ben DeForest, Bismarck High School, Bismarck, University of Mary Ohio - Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Penn State University Oklahoma - LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Oregon - Oscar Doces, West Linn High School, West Linn Pennsylvania - Aaron Seidel, Northern Lebanon High School, Jonestown, Virginia Tech Rhode Island - Preston Marchessault, Ponaganset High School, Cranston, Brown University South Carolina - Cason Howle, Greenwood High School, Greenwood, North Carolina State University South Dakota - Moses Gross, Huron High School, Huron Tennessee - Maximus Norman, Baylor School, Abingdon, Brown University Texas - Caio Aron, The Woodlands College Park High School, Willis, California Baptist University Utah - Geronimo Rivera, Layton High School, Hooper, Utah Valley University Vermont - Elias Kalat, Spaulding High School, Rochester Virginia - Tyler Hood, St. Christopher's School, Chesterfield, United States Naval Academy Washington - Alan Salguero Jr., Orting High School, Puyallup, Colorado Mesa University West Virginia - Brock Kehler, University High School, Morgantown, West Virginia University Wisconsin - Daniel Heiser, Evansville High School, Oregon, University of Missouri Wyoming - Liam Fox, Cheyenne East High School, Cheyenne, Western Wyoming Community College

Russell

Pearl City