InterMat Staff

The pairings for the upcoming National Duals Invitational were drawn this evening. Iowa was awarded the top seed, followed by Nebraska, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State. The remainder of the field was randomly drawn into the bracket. This is what the bracket will look like. We'll have more on the first-round matchups tomorrow.

The RAF 02 card got some more Penn State flavor this evening as another matchup was announced involving a former Nittany Lion star. 2016 NCAA champion, Nico Megaludis, will take on Ukraine’s Andriy Yatsenko in the bantamweight class (135 lbs). Megaludis was a four-time NCAA All-American for Penn State, finishing second as a freshman and sophomore, before taking third as a junior, and then going out on top of the 125 lb weight class as a senior. Though Megaludis was a three-time national finalist, he never captured a Big Ten title. He was a runner-up in each of his final two seasons. He finished with a 119-19 career record for the Nittany Lions. Penn State won NCAA titles in all four years where Megaludis was the starter. After college, Megaludis made two US Open finals - and won the 2022 tournament. Earlier this year, he won three matches at the 2025 Open; however, he suffered a loss to the current RAF bantamweight champion, Nathan Tomasello. Megaludis also participated in the 2024 Olympic Trials. His opponent, Yatsenko, is a 2017 world bronze medalist at 57 kg. Yatsenko was one of the best Cadet wrestlers of his era. He earned three medals at the Cadet World Championships - two of the golden variety. Also at the age group level, Yatsenko was a U23 European champion in 2019. At the 2017 World Championships, Yatsenko fell in the opening round to Thomas Gilman, 5-2. He then battled back through repechage to earn his world medal. Within the last two years, Yatsenko was a silver medalist at the 2023 Rankings Series event in Egypt and won the 2024 Dan Kolov/Nikola Petrov Tournament. With the addition of this match, the October 25th event at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center now looks like this: Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Nico Megaludis vs. Andriy Yatsenko Welterweight (165 lbs) - James Green vs. Tajmuraz Salkazanov Welterweight (165 lbs) - David Carr vs. Amr Reda Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake (champ) vs. Boris Makoev Women’s Flyweight (120 lbs) - Helen Maroulis vs. Samantha Stewart Open - Keelon Jimison vs. Cayden Henschel Heavyweight (Unlimited) - Patrick Downey III vs. Jake Varner Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Nathan Tomasello (champ) vs. Roman Bravo-Young Heavyweight (Unlimited) - Mason Parris vs. Aleksandr Romanov

There’s been a lot of recruiting news since our article last week. On Saturday afternoon, #2 Bo Bassett and #1 Melvin Miller shocked the wrestling community as they announced their commitment to Virginia Tech. Last night, the #4 wrestler in the Class of 2027, Landon Sidun, posted his commitment to top-ranked Penn State. Aside from those three, there were a lot of big-name wrestlers taking visits over the weekend. I’d expect this to die down a bit with Who’s #1 coming up this weekend and the Super 32 the following weekend. One of the things that makes following recruiting fun is the cloak-and-dagger secrecy surrounding parts of the process. For every Bo Bassett who routinely keeps the public informed on recruiting decisions, there are plenty of others who don’t discuss it as much. Therefore, it can be difficult to follow which recruit is interested in which school and vice versa. I suppose it’s fun, but you’re left wanting more! In order to try and help our fanbase feel more knowledgeable about the process, we’ll have a weekly column that recaps the recruiting weekend. Who has visited where? Maybe some background information on the recruits or the process from the school. The weekend of August 23rd The weekend of August 30th The weekend of September 6 The Weekend of September 13 The Weekend of September 20 Last Week's Article American NR Kaz Morosetti (North Kingstown, RI) - Class of 2026 The Eagles had a heavyweight prospect on campus in Kaz Morosetti. Morosetti is a two-time Rhode Island state champion, a third-place finisher in New England, and a three-time NHSCA age-group placewinner. Morosetti has already visited Rhode Island’s DI program, Brown. Buffalo #129 Maverick Beckwith (Norwich, NY) #237 Isaiah Taylor (AIM Academy, PA) NR Nathan Klingensmith (Norwin, PA) NR Declan McKee (Tioga Central, NY) The Buffalo staff has been on a tear recruiting under Donnie Vinson. This weekend, they turned their attention to the Class of 2027. In-state recruits and prospects from Pennsylvania have been their priority and that holds true with this group - one that includes two Big Boarders. Beckwith was a 16U freestyle All-American this summer in Fargo, while Taylor was an NHSCA Junior National champion earlier this year. McKee was a New York state champion in 2025 and Klingensmith is an under-the-radar recruit from a solid PA program. Taylor has already taken a visit to NC State. This is the first visit we’ve seen from the other three. Campbell #184 David Perez (Ponaganset, RI) - Class of 2026 NR Colby Vital (Ponaganset, RI) - Class of 2026 First-year head coach TJ Dudley is taking advantage of his time spent as an assistant coach at Brown University and hosted a pair of recruits from Rhode Island. David Perez was initially committed to Brown, but now has reopened the recruiting process. He was an NHSCA Freshman National finalist in 2023. Colby Vital was a fourth-place finisher in New England this year. Hofstra NR Wyatt Boice (Minisink Valley, NY) NR Anthony Verdi (St. Peter’s Prep, NJ) - Class of 2026 Hofstra hit both the junior and senior classes with their visitors over the weekend. Wyatt Boice is a junior who finished third in the New York DI classification at 160 lbs last year. Anthony Verdi has already placed twice at the New Jersey state tournament. Little Rock #77 Cayden Rios (Allen, TX) Cayden Rios has been busy thus far in the fall, but he didn’t have to travel that far over the weekend, as he took in the Little Rock campus. Rios has finished third at the NHSCA grade-level tournament in each of his first two years of high school. Before visiting Little Rock, Rios had also visited Northwestern and Virginia. Maryland #37 Mikey Batista (Blair Academy, NJ) #184 Bobby Duffy (Christian Brothers, NJ) - Class of 2026 NR Izaac Gaines (Geneseo, IL) NR Josh Piparo (St. Peter’s Prep, NJ) Maryland had a quartet of prospects in town. Three of the four are from New Jersey - the Terp staff is definitely trying to take advantage of their proximity to that power state. The highest ranked wrestler in the bunch is National Prep runner-up, Mikey Batista. The only senior in the bunch is New Jersey fifth-place finisher Bobby Duffy. The other Jersey kid is state qualifier Josh Piparo. Coming in from outside of the Mid-Atlantic is Izaac Gaines, who was a match away from placing at the Illinois 2A state tournament, but was a freestyle state champion. Batista has already taken visits to Columbia, Princeton, and Northwestern. Editor’s Note: As we finished this article, Batista has committed to Maryland Duffy visited Buffalo last fall. These are the first visits we’ve heard of associated with Gaines or Piparo. Michigan #7 Mario Carini (Poway, CA) #11 Clinton Shepherd (Crown Point, IN) #19 Gabe Logan (Delbarton, NJ) Michigan has been relatively quiet thus far on the official visit circuit; however, they had some huge names in town over the weekend. The Wolverines have had lots of recent success recruiting in California. They’ve reached out again with sophomore state champion Mario Carini. Then you have Junior freestyle runner-up Clinton Shepherd. Finally, Gabe Logan, a top-four finisher in New Jersey as a freshman. Logan is the son of Michigan two-time All-American, Damion Logan. Carini has already taken visits to Cornell, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. Shepherd has visited Ohio State and Nebraska. Logan has been to Arizona State, Penn, and Virginia Tech. Minnesota #141 Camden Rugg (Union Grove, WI) #149 Jake Kos (Simley, MN) NR Max Gonzalez (East Troy, WI) Two big weeks in a row for the Gopher staff. They hosted a pair of Big Boarders and three juniors overall. Camden Rugg was a Junior freestyle AA in Fargo this year. Jake Kos was a 16U Greco AA in 2024, the same year Max Gonzalez got on the podium in 16U freestyle. Simley is a program that Minnesota will always come back to and they’ve had good success, of late, recruiting in Wisconsin. Rugg is the only one we’ve seen on the recruiting trail before this weekend. He also took a trip to Northern Iowa. NC State #34 Maximus Fortier (Fairmont, WV) #74 Jon Smith (Oxford, PA) #146 Joel Welch (St. Francis DeSales, OH) They keep going! There are no off weeks in the recruiting game in Raleigh! The NC State staff had three more Big Boarders in town, two from the top 100. Maximus Fortier is a UWW U17 Trials All-American and a champion at NHSCA Sophomore and Freshman. Jon Smith finished fourth at both the PA state tournament and at NHSCA Sophomores. Joel Welsh was an Ohio DII state finalist at 165 lbs as a sophomore. Fortier has taken visits to the Naval Academy and West Virginia. Smith has visited Buffalo and the Naval Academy. This is the first visit we have on file for Welch. Nebraska #5 Israel Borge (Westlake, MO) #6 Grey Burnett (Perrysburg, OH) #12 Paul Kenny (Christian Brothers Academy, NJ) #27 Nick Singer (Faith Christian Academy, PA) #30 Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central, IL) #38 Dawson Youngblut (Don Bosco, IA) #39 Gage Lohr (Watertown, SD) #42 Mac Crosson (Indianola, IN) The award for the biggest recruiting weekend of this cycle goes to Nebraska. Eight top 50 recruits in town! This group included a pair of U17 world medalists (Burnett, Kenny) and a Junior freestyle national champion from this summer (Singer). Borge’s only other visit thus far has been to Iowa. Burnett has taken a visit to Ohio State. Kenny has visited Rutgers and Virginia Tech. Before traveling to Nebraska, Singer has visited Lehigh, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech. Jimmy Mastny has taken trips to NC State and Stanford. Youngblut has visited Cornell and Iowa’s three DI schools. This is the second visit for Lohr, who was at Minnesota last week. Crosson has been at Iowa, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, and South Dakota State. Northern Iowa #21 Rocco Cassioppi (Honanegah, IL) #48 Bruno Cassioppi (Honanegah, IL) The Cassioppi twins were back in the state where their older siblings wrestled. This week, they visited Northern Iowa. Both Cassioppi’s have combined to earn All-American honors nine times in Fargo. Before checking out Northern Iowa, the tandem has visited Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Ohio State #47 Michael Boyle (Bishop Watterson, OH) The Buckeyes hosted a great in-state big man as Michael Boyle was in town. Boyle has won two Ohio DII state titles, in as many tries. Boyle’s first championship came at 165 lbs and his most recent was at 215. Over the summer, Boyle made the Fargo Junior freestyle finals and was fifth in Greco. Purdue and Virginia Tech have already had Boyle in town for visits. Penn #92 Cael Mielnik (Blair Academy, NJ) #104 PJ Terranova (Delbarton, NJ) #133 Ray Fitzgerald (Malvern Prep, PA) NR Nicholas McGarrity (Peters Township, PA) Penn seems to focus on powerhouse private schools and that was consistent with three of their four visitors over the weekend. Cael Mielnik has been sidelined for a while, but has the potential to be a top big man prospect. PJ Terranova is a New Jersey state medalist and a former 16U freestyle finalist. Ray Fitzergald has gotten on the podium at both the Beast and NHSCA Freshman Nationals. Nicholas McGarrity is a two-time Pennsylvania AAA state placer at 107 lbs. This is the first visit we have noted for Mielnik and Terranova. Fitzgerald has visited Navy and Brown. McGarrity has also visited Navy. Purdue #46 Braylon Reynolds (Brownsburg, IN) #53 Grayson Fuchs (Detroit Central Catholic, MI) #89 Evan Stanley (Lowell, IN) #104 Peyton Hornsby (Center Grove, IN) Keeping the best in-state was the name of the game for Purdue this weekend. Three of their four Big Boarders hail from Indiana. Braylon Reynolds and Evan Stanley both finished second and third, respectively, in the 138 lb Indiana state bracket won by current Boilermaker freshman Isaiah Schaefer. Peyton Hornsby was a finalist at the next weight up. From Michigan is Grayson Fuchs. Fuchs was a 16U freestyle All-American in 2024. Before traveling to Purdue, Reynolds visited Indiana. Fuchs has visited Iowa State and Princeton. Stanley has been busy with visits to Brown, Indiana, and Princeton under his belt. Hornsby also visited Indiana. Stanford #31 Lukas Zalota (Malvern Prep, PA) #40 Justin Farnsworth (Malvern Prep, PA) #71 Brayden Koester (Bettendorf, IA) NR Gregory Torosian (Birmingham, CA) Let’s see if Stanford can top their previous recruiting weekend. Last week, Chris Ayres’ team received two verbals from the Class of 2027 soon after the weekend ended. This time, they had a pair of top 50 recruits from Malvern Prep, along with an in-state recruit and one from Iowa. The most credentialed of the bunch is Justin Farnsworth, who has made the Fargo freestyle finals in both age groups. Farnsworth has already taken visits to Bucknell, Cornell, and Rutgers. Farnsworth’s teammate, Zalota, has been one of the more active wrestlers on the fall visit circuit. Before going out west, he’s visited Army West Point, Indiana, NC State, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech. This is the first visit we’ve seen associated with Iowa 3A state third-place finisher Brayden Koester. Gregory Torosian has already visited Army, Brown, and Harvard. Utah Valley NR Brooks Blasko (Norwin, PA) NR Owen Proper (Marana, AZ) - Class of 2026 Utah Valley continues to stay busy on the recruiting front. They’ve done well, of late, with recruits from PA and they had another one in town, in Brooks Blasko. Blasko is still looking to make an impact on the national level. Arizona’s Owen Proper has finished second and third (x2) at the Arizona State tournament. Virginia Tech #14 Max Konopka (Simsbury, CT) Saturday’s commitment of #1 Melvin Miller and #2 (2026) Bo Bassett stole the recruiting headlines over the weekend. That had to leave a good impression with Max Konopka, who was down in Blacksburg. Konopka has won NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals and was third at the UWW U17 Trials this spring. Before coming to Virginia Tech, Konopka also toured Cornell, NC State, and Oklahoma.

Blair Academy

St. John Bosco

Here are the wrestlers who have earned NCAA All-American honors, at some point in their careers, and are active in 2025-26. They are sorted by expected weight class for the upcoming season. There are a few teams with multiple AA’s at the same weight class. They have been included. The number in parentheses at the weight, is the number of AA’s in that respective class. Which weight classes will be the toughest? 125 lbs (7) Luke Lilledahl: Penn State (3) Stevo Poulin: Iowa State (8) Vince Robinson: NC State (1) Sheldon Seymour: Lehigh (6) Troy Spratley: Oklahoma State (2) Eddie Ventresca: Virginia Tech (5,7) Jore Volk: Minnesota (7) 133 lbs (10) Drake Ayala: Iowa (2,2) Lucas Byrd: Illinois (1,7,7) Chris Cannon: Minnesota (7,7) Ryan Crookham: Lehigh (3) Richie Figueroa: Oklahoma State (1) Evan Frost: Iowa State (6) Zan Fugitt: Wisconsin (4) Tyler Knox: Stanford (8) Dylan Shawver: Rutgers (7) Jacob Van Dee: Nebraska (7) 141 lbs (12) Nasir Bailey: Iowa (4) CJ Composto: Penn (4,8) Braeden Davis: Penn State (5) Anthony Echemendia: Iowa State (5) Brock Hardy: Nebraska (2,3,6) Ryan Jack: NC State (7) Jesse Mendez: Ohio State (1,1,6) Aaron Nagao: Penn State (5) Dylan Ragusin: Michigan (5) Zeth Romney: Cal Poly (3) Luke Stanich: Lehigh (5) Vance Vombaur: Minnesota (8,8) 149 lbs (5) Jacob Frost: Iowa State (7) Caleb Henson: Virginia Tech (2,1,5) Lachlan McNeil: Michigan (5,6,4) Ethan Stiles: Ohio State (6) Shayne Van Ness: Penn State (3,3) 157 lbs (8) Daniel Cardenas: Stanford (4) Gavin Drexler: North Dakota State (8) Tyler Kasak: Penn State (3,3) Meyer Shapiro: Cornell (5,3) Casey Swiderski: Oklahoma State (7) Antrell Taylor: Nebraska (1,8) Ty Watters: West Virginia (4) Vinny Zerban: Iowa State (6) 165 lbs (6) Joey Blaze: Purdue (2) Matt Bianchi: Little Rock (7) Michael Caliendo: Iowa (2,4,7) Peyten Kellar: Oklahoma (5) Hunter Garvin: Stanford (6,6) Mitchell Mesenbrink: Penn State (1,2) 174 lbs (8) Levi Haines: Penn State (3,1,2) Patrick Kennedy: Iowa (4) Carson Kharchla: Ohio State (7) Christopher Minto: Nebraska (4) Simon Ruiz: Cornell (5) Matthew Singleton: NC State (7) Cam Steed: Missouri (7) Danny Wask: Navy (8) 184 lbs (4) Silas Allred: Nebraska (7) Max McEnelly: Minnesota (3) Jaxon Smith: Maryland (6) Rocco Welsh: Penn State (2) 197 lbs (7) Josh Barr: Penn State (2) Bennett Berge: South Dakota State (4) Rocky Elam: Iowa State (6,3,4,5) Stephen Little: Little Rock (6,7) Camden McDanel: Nebraska (8) Joey Novak: Wyoming (5) Mac Stout: Pittsburgh (7) 285 lbs (6) Yonger Bastida: Iowa State (5) Nick Feldman: Ohio State (5) AJ Ferrari: Nebraska (3,1) Taye Ghadiali: Michigan (8) Ben Kueter: Iowa (8) Isaac Trumble: NC State (4)

A week ago, we wrote about Penn State getting their first commitment from the Class of 2027, as they received a verbal from #13 Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River, NY). The Nittany Lion staff didn’t have to wait long for their second as #4 Landon Sidun (Norwin, PA) committed, too. Sidun is currently ranked first in the nation by MatScouts at 120 lbs. As a freshman, Sidun won a Pennsylvania AAA state title at 114 lbs. He was unable to compete in the 2025 postseason due to an injury. Even so, Sidun had a very highly productive sophomore year. Early in the season, he earned titles at the Beast of the East, the Powerade, and the Doc Buchanan Invitational. Sidun has also placed in the top four in freestyle at the UWW U17 Trials on two occasions. He also was a Fargo 16U freestyle national champion in 2023. This weekend, Sidun will be in action at FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 dual meet. He’ll take on the winner between #2 Rocklin Zinklin (CA) and #3 Dom Munaretto (IL). The following weekend, Sidun will be in action at the Super 32. He’s seeking his first Super 32 belt after taking third in 2023. Sidun chose Penn State after visiting Ohio State and Pittsburgh. He visited Penn State last weekend (9/27). Though the Nittany Lions are pretty loaded at most weights, Sidun should slide in well with Penn State’s current roster. Current 125 lb starter Luke Lilledahl would be a senior during Sidun’s first year on campus. That would allow Sidun to redshirt; however, Lilledahl might move up at some point. In that case, Sidun could come in right away and start. Penn State now has two of the top 13 wrestlers committed in the Class of 2027. Action is really picking up on the Class of 2027 recruiting front. Here are the current juniors who have committed.

Norwin

The news in the offseason never seemed to stop and much of it centered around the transfer portal. While there are gripes about it (and many are understandable), it does add an element of intrigue around each collegiate season. Plenty of familiar faces have traded singlets over the past few months. The transfer portal isn’t just limited to a few select teams. The five teams atop InterMat’s preseason tournament rankings all had at least one major addition via the portal. Other teams hope to crash that party, potentially led by additions of their own. This year’s crop of transfers was about as good as any ever. There were two national champions who switched teams. How about a four-time All-American transfer? Or some young stars with multiple years of eligibility remaining. Yes, yes, and yes. All of the above were in and out of the portal this offseason. And since everyone loves a good set of rankings. We’ve ranked the wrestlers that have swapped teams via the portal leading into the 2025-26 season. The criteria for these rankings were potential impact on the upcoming season and beyond. Wrestlers who have more than one year of eligibility jumped over some more accomplished wrestlers with only one year remaining. 1. AJ Ferrari: Nebraska (from CSU Bakersfield) Even up a weight class, Ferrari will be a national title contender at 285 lbs. The 2021 NCAA champion, returned to college wrestling with Bakersfield and finished third in the nation at 197 lbs. The returning NCAA runner-up Cornhuskers could roll out a lineup that includes seven returning All-Americans and two past NCAA champions. There’s also a chance that Ferrari could have another year of eligibility after the 2025-26 campaign. 2. Rocco Welsh: Penn State (from Oklahoma State) Going from Zack Ryder to Rocco Welsh, Penn State has a wrestler who has made the NCAA finals once (in his only previous appearance at nationals). He still has three years of eligibility remaining. 3. Zack Ryder: Oklahoma State (from Penn State) The reason Ryder moved above many wrestlers with NCAA credentials is that he has four years of eligibility remaining. The U20 world silver medalist, Ryder, plus David Taylor/Zahid Valencia/Dustin Plott, and more, is a scary proposition. 4. Rocky Elam: Iowa State (from Missouri) It’s not every day that you can add a four-time All-American to your roster. Actually, after this year, I’m not sure it will be possible at all! Rocky Elam gives Iowa State an instant title contender at 197 lbs and will form a formidable 1-2 punch with Yonger Bastida at the end of the ISU lineup. 5. Richie Figueroa: Oklahoma State (from Arizona State) Two former NCAA champions on the move! Richie Figueroa has one year of eligibility remaining and seemed poised to wrestle 133 lbs for the Cowboys. Could the change in weight, new scenery, and training partners like Roman Bravo-Young and Daton Fix help Figueroa finish on top of the podium? 6. Ethan Stiles: Ohio State (from Oregon State) Stiles was someone who really burst onto the scene for Oregon State in the second half of the season and ended up on the NCAA podium. He has three years of eligibility remaining, which helps his value here. Stiles can be even more dangerous than before after working alongside a two-time NCAA champion in Jesse Mendez. 7. Nasir Bailey: Iowa (from Little Rock) Entering the 2024-25 season, Nasir Bailey was seen as one of the favorites at 133, as he was fourth in the country the previous year. That didn’t end up happening, but Bailey is expected to be up a weight class for Iowa and will have the opportunity to establish himself as a title contender. 8. Jore Volk: Minnesota (from Wyoming) The former Big 12 champion and All-American is returning to wrestle in his home state. With a potential high NCAA finish at 125 lbs, Volk could help lead Minnesota into NCAA team trophy territory. His addition spices up the Big Ten as this weight, the conference only had one returning AA at 125 lbs, prior to Volk’s arrival. 9. Lachlan McNeil: Michigan (from North Carolina) The move to Michigan makes sense on a couple of different levels for the three-time All-American McNeil. Lots of talent in the Wolverine room. He’s much closer to his hometown, Toronto. Michigan’s Cliff Keen Wrestling Club has a reputation for adding competitors who aren’t representing the USA internationally. McNeil has wrestled the preseason #1, Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech), very tough. Can Michigan push him over the top? 10. Casey Swiderski: Oklahoma State (from Iowa State) A loaded Oklahoma State squad adds a past All-American in Casey Swiderski. As of now, he looks like the projected starter for the Cowboys at 149 lbs. Swiderski missed the entire 2024-25 campaign after finishing seventh at 149 lbs in 2024. 11. Stevo Poulin: Iowa State (from Northern Colorado) 12. Vinny Zerban: Iowa State (from Northern Colorado) Stevo Poulin and Vinny Zerban were not initially in the transfer portal; however, they jumped in after UNC head coach Troy Nickerson took the Army job. Each of these wrestlers were All-Americans in 2025. Each has a conference title from the Big 12. The pair, along with other transfers, could help push Iowa State into the top three - after missing out on the top 20 entirely last year. 13. Dylan Fishback: Ohio State (from NC State) In two years at NC State, Dylan Fishback finished as an ACC runner-up twice and advanced to the NCAA Round of 12 both years. Could going back closer to home help Fishback get over the hump? He’ll have to fight a lot of young talent for spaces on the podium in 2026. 14. Alex Facundo: Oklahoma State (from Penn State) Also joining Oklahoma State is Alex Facundo. He likely had some sort of a relationship with David Taylor, while he was at Penn State, and Taylor the NLWC. Facundo only really has had one year of collegiate action. In that season, he was seeded 13th at NCAA’s. He’s higher than some more accomplished wrestlers on this list because of his new home and two years of eligibility. 15. Rafael Hipolito: Oklahoma (from Virginia Tech) Rafael Hipolito stormed on the scene for Virginia Tech and captured an ACC title at 157 lbs and the fourth seed at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Unfortunately, Hipolito only went 1-2 and was eliminated much earlier than he anticipated. He’ll join an Oklahoma program that went through a huge facelift over the summer and will feature plenty of redshirt freshmen and transfers in their 2025-26 lineup. 16. Dean Peterson: Iowa (from Rutgers) It’s not very often that Iowa missed out on the NCAA podium at 125 lbs, but that’s what happened in 2025. The Iowa staff went to the portal to ensure that doesn’t happen again and landed Dean Peterson. Peterson is a two-time NCAA Round of 12 finisher who hopes that the Brands brothers and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club will help him break through in 2026. 17. Peyten Kellar: Oklahoma (from Ohio) Another new face in the Sooner wrestling room is 2024 All-American Peyten Kellar. Kellar was fifth at the 157 lb weight class in 2024 and started the following year with a 10-2 record. He missed the remainder of the season due to eligibility concerns. Kellar is expected to move up to 165 lbs for Oklahoma. 18. Lenny Pinto: Rutgers (from Nebraska) Lenny Pinto has been a Big Ten finalist, seeded in the top eight twice, but is still looking for his first All-American honor. For the past two years, Pinto’s seasons have ended in the NCAA Bloodround. He’s hoping that a reunion with former Nebraska teammate, turned Rutgers assistant, Mikey Labriola will provide the winning recipe for success. 19. Chance Lamer: Nebraska (from Cal Poly) The graduation of 2025 NCAA champion, Ridge Lovett, left Nebraska with a hole at 149 lbs. Luckily, they added Chance Lamer, a two-time NCAA Round of 12 finisher. Lamer spent most of last season ranked in the top 15, but ended up going 1-2 at nationals. He’ll have a great training situation with NCAA finalists Brock Hardy and Antrell Taylor surrounding him - plus Lovett from the RTC and assistant coach James Green. 20. Jordan Williams: Iowa (from Little Rock) A year ago, we wrote about Jordan Williams leaving Oklahoma State for Little Rock. At Little Rock, Williams won a Pac-12 title, went 26-6, and came up a match shy of the NCAA podium. With his move to Iowa, Williams will likely move up to 157 lbs. 21. Christian Carroll: Wyoming (from Iowa State) Will a Wyoming room that has produced a handful of high-quality upperweights be the perfect spot for Christian Carroll? He’s expected to compete at heavyweight for the Cowboys and has a returning All-American, Joey Novak, to work with. 22. Isaac Dean: Iowa State (from Rider) 2024-25 was a breakout season for Isaac Dean. Previously, he had not made an NCAA Tournament. He announced his presence with a fifth place finish in Vegas and winning a MAC title and earned a seventh seed at NCAA’s. 23. Chris Cannon: Minnesota (from Northwestern) Strictly based on past credentials, Chris Cannon should be much higher on this list. He isn’t because he’s been hampered by injuries for the last two years. During that time, Cannon has wrestled a combined 15 matches. Last year, he did compete at the Big Ten Championships, but wasn’t able to qualify for NCAA’s. Should Cannon get healthy and return to the form that made him a two-time All-American, he’d be a huge boost for the Gophers. 24. Cody Chittum: Chattanooga (from Iowa State) Here’s another case of a wrestler transferring back to his home state in search of success. Cody Chittum was a two-time national qualifier for Iowa State and made the Big 12 finals once. He’s looking to break into the top ten (and beyond), as he’s been around #15 in the nation for most of his collegiate career. Chittum will lead a group that could be very good at Chattanooga, perhaps the SoCon favorites, in 2025-26. 25. David Evans: Utah Valley (from Penn State) The formula for an All-American in year one at Utah Valley for Adam Hall was to find a graduate student who had been stuck behind some studs in a loaded Penn State room and give him a chance. It worked with Terrell Barraclough, who was third in the Big 12 and fifth in the nation. Could it work in 2025-26 with David Evans? Back in 2023-24, Evans defeated All-American CJ Composto (Penn) and gave teammate, Tyler Kasak, a couple of good matches.

Rumson-Fair Haven

Roosevelt

Over the weekend, Melvin Miller, the top recruit in the high school Class of 2027 announced his college decision. Virginia Tech was the choice. He, along with brother Bo Bassett, committed to wrestle for the Hokies. Provided Miller signs with the Hokies, 13 months from now, we have college commitment data from over 20 years worth of #1 overall recruits. The same could be said for high school teammate Jax Forrest, who is expected to sign with Oklahoma State in November. Below are every #1 overall recruit in their class since 2005 and the school that they originally signed with coming out of high school. Arizona State Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, CA) - 2015 Cornell Meyer Shapiro (Wyoming Seminary, PA/MD) - 2023 Iowa Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, PA) - 2017 Lehigh David Craig (Brandon, FL) - 2006 Minnesota Dustin Schlatter (Massillon Perry, OH) - 2005 Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, MN) - 2018 Northwestern Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, IN)) - 2012 Jason Welch (Los Lomas, CA) - 2008 Ohio State Nick Feldman (Malvern Prep, PA) - 2022 Paddy Gallagher (St. Edward, OH) - 2021 Bo Jordan (Graham, OH) - 2013 Greg Kerkvliet (Simley, MN) - 2019 Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, MD) - 2014 Logan Stieber (Monroeville, OH) - 2010 Oklahoma State AJ Ferrari (Allen, TX) - 2020 Jax Forrest (Bishop McCort, PA) - 2026 Penn State PJ Duke (Minisink Valley, NY) - 2025 Mark Hall (Apple Valley, MN) - 2016 Luke Lilledahl (Wyoming Seminary, PA/MO) - 2024 Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, CA) - 2011 David Taylor (Graham, OH) - 2009 Virginia Tech Cody Gardner (Christiansburg, VA) - 2007 Melvin Miller (Bishop McCort, PA) - 2027

Bishop McDevitt

Delran

Parkersburg

Graham

Mount Vernon

Skutt Catholic

Bishop McCort

Bishop McCort

Saturday afternoon could prove to be a pivotal moment for the Virginia Tech wrestling team. The Hokie staff received verbal commitments from two of the top prospects in the nation. The top junior in the nation, Melvin Miller, and his older brother Bo Bassett, the number two overall senior, both committed to wrestle at Virginia Tech. Bassett originally committed to Iowa, but reopened his recruiting over the summer. Since then, he visited Nebraska multiple times and Virginia Tech. He and Miller spent last week in Blacksburg. Miller is a two-time Pennsylvania AA state champion, with his most recent title coming at 160 lbs. This summer, Miller captured a Junior freestyle national championship in Fargo, marking his second title in that age group. He also won a 16U title in 2023. Miller also has won the Powerade and earned a belt at the Super 32 before he even wrestled a high school match. Last year, Miller earned a spot on the U17 world team and came up a match shy of earning a medal in the 71 kg weight class. Bassett has won PA AA state titles in both years he was eligible to compete at the tournament. Over the summer, Bassett also took home a stop sign after a Junior freestyle title in Fargo. Heading into his senior season, Bassett is aiming to earn his fourth title at the Super 32, the Ironman, and the Powerade. Both are slated to compete next weekend at FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 event. Miller will take on Maximus Dhabolt at the 165 lbs weight class. Bassett will square off with Jordyn Raney at 150 lbs. Raney was previously ranked #1 at 144 lbs. Bassett could step in for 2024 NCAA champion, Caleb Henson, next year at 149 lbs. Henson will use his final year of eligibility in 2025-26. While there are plenty of quality young wrestlers for the Hokies at that weight, Bassett might be able to unseat them. Miller might end up at 174 lbs by the time he hits Blacksburg. Miller is the first recruit from the Class of 2027 to commit to Tony Robie’s team. Bassett joins #17 Revin Dickman (IN), #37 Jonathan Rocha (CA), and #38 Alex Rozas (LA) in the Hokies Class of 2026. Once Miller signs with the Hokies, he’ll be only the second ever #1 recruit to ink with Virginia Tech. Cody Gardner did so back in 2007. We’ll have to see if these two commitments lead to more in the near future for Virginia Tech.

The 2025 NWCA All-Star Classic is coming to Rutgers University's Jersey Mikes Arena on November 1st. The dual will take place at 7pm and feature ten DI matches, along with a D2 vs D3 matchup and four women's matches. The initial lineup for the event will be as follows: Men's Matches 125 lbs: #4 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) vs. #5 Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) 133 lbs: #1 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs. #8 Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) 141 lbs: #1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. #6 Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State) 149 lbs: #3 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan) vs. Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State) 157 lbs: #4 Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) vs. #6 Ty Watters (West Virginia) 165 lbs: #4 Hunter Garvin (Stanford) vs. #11 Max Brignola (Lehigh) 174 lbs: #3 Simon Ruiz (Cornell) vs. #6 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) 184 lbs: #4 Jaxon Smith (Maryland) vs. #7 Zack Ryder (Oklahoma State) 197 lbs: #3 Joey Novak (Wyoming) vs. #4 Stephen Little (Little Rock) 285 lbs: #1 Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs. #4 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) 141 lbs: Khyvon Grace (West Liberty) vs. Mark Samuel (Roanoke) Women's Matches 117 lbs: #1 Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) vs #1 Christianah Ogunsanya (William Penn) 138: #1 Zaynah McBryde (Life) vs #1 Katie Lange (Grand Valley State) 145: #1 Esther Kolawole (William Penn) vs #1 Reese Larramendy (Iowa) 160: #1 Latifah McBryde (Life) vs TBD

Sunday's Journeymen Fall Classic in Schenectady, New York promises to deliver fireworks across multiple weight classes, but none more explosive than the loaded 113 pound division. What we're witnessing isn't just a tournament bracket; it's a preview of the future of American wrestling at the lighter weights The depth at this weight class reads like a who's who of prep wrestling royalty. Xavier Seabury, Chase Dubuque, Anthony Curlo, Jake Benyo, Paden Alyea, and Reid Grandmason headline a field that could legitimately produce six different champions on any given day. Each brings unique credentials and proven ability to perform under pressure. The Frontrunner Xavier Seabury of North Babylon enters Sunday as the wrestler to beat. His US Open National Championship at U15 Freestyle, where he dominated elite competition, represents the most impressive individual achievement in this loaded field. While freestyle and folkstyle present different challenges, a Fargo-level championship carries tremendous weight in assessing elite talent. The New York freshman's technical arsenal translates perfectly between wrestling styles, and his Section 11 championship proves his folkstyle credentials remain elite. His victory over Paden Alyea at Fargo showcased his ability to score consistently against top competition, though the 11-2 result requires context. Nine of his eleven points came from stepouts, non-controlled exposures, a step-over leg laces, and feet-to-back takedowns out of bounds. While these scoring opportunities won't exist in Sunday's folkstyle event, Seabury's underlying technical ability and competitive drive remain formidable. His consistent national rankings and ability to peak for major tournaments make him the logical favorite entering Schenectady. The Physical Advantage Chase Dubuque represents perhaps the most dangerous wrestler in the bracket, and his physical maturity sets him apart in a significant way. As a senior competing at 113 pounds, Dubuque brings a level of physical development that carries tremendous weight at this level. The Delran, New Jersey product's strength and conditioning advantages become magnified against younger competition. What makes Dubuque particularly dangerous is his southpaw attack. As one of the pure lefties in the field, he presents unique challenges that many opponents rarely face. His ability to score from the outside with a lefty swing single creates constant threat, while his lefty high crotch provides close-quarters offense. These techniques, refined through his Fargo Junior Freestyle All-American experience, give him multiple pathways to points against any opponent. His NJ high school record includes quality victories over nationally-ranked opponents, and his recent performances suggest he's hitting peak form at the perfect time. The combination of physical maturity, technical versatility, and championship experience makes him a legitimate threat to emerge from this loaded field. The Blair Effect Anthony Curlo brings the pedigree and training that comes with representing perennial powerhouse Blair Academy. The New Jersey prep school has a long history of producing some of the best young talent in the country, and Curlo exemplifies the technical precision and tactical awareness that defines Blair wrestling. What sets Curlo apart is his positional wrestling and defensive awareness. He holds position exceptionally well and relies on his Blair training to avoid coming out of position and giving up meaningless points. This defensive foundation was on full display in his NHSCA finals appearance against Jake Benyo, where only one point was scored in the entire match. Interestingly, that lone point came when Curlo made the tactical decision to cut Benyo loose for an escape in the second period, demonstrating the calculated risk-taking. The daily training environment at Blair, facing elite competition in practice, provides preparation that should serve him well against this loaded field. The Eastern PA Grinder Jake Benyo of West Scranton embodies everything that makes eastern Pennsylvania wrestling legendary. The stereotypical eastern PA wrestler, Benyo's cross wrist tilts are absolutely elite, as demonstrated in his performance against Vincenzo Mannello where his top prowess was on full display. His NHSCA Freshman National Championship victory over Anthony Curlo tells a fascinating story of tactical wrestling. The only point scored came when Curlo cut Benyo loose for an escape in the second period, meaning Benyo's ability to neutralize Curlo's offense and force that tactical decision proved decisive. This type of grinding, positional wrestling exemplifies the eastern PA style that has produced countless champions. The Pennsylvania sophomore's training at Mat Assassins Wrestling Club has refined his natural grinding ability into a complete skill set. His cross wrist tilts provide a constant threat from top position, while his defensive awareness and ability to win low-scoring matches make him dangerous against any style of wrestler. The Multi-Style Master Paden Alyea's dual-style state championships in both freestyle and Greco demonstrate technical versatility that makes him dangerous in any format. The Skyline High School junior's victory over Anthony Curlo at the America's Cup Fall Duals proved his ability to score consistently against elite competition. His dominant 10-0 tech over the number one seed at Fargo showcased the offensive firepower that makes him dangerous in any bracket. While his loss to Seabury in freestyle competition might raise questions, the format differences and his proven folkstyle credentials suggest Sunday could produce different results. The Perfect Foundation Reid Grandmason's undefeated freshman season and New Hampshire state championship represent the type of consistent excellence that often translates to breakthrough performances at national events. The Exeter High School product's perfect record demonstrates both technical proficiency and the mental approach necessary for sustained success. His regular participation in national-level tournaments provides the experience base necessary to compete with this elite field, while his youth suggests significant upside potential. The Format Factor Sunday's folkstyle format creates fascinating strategic considerations for wrestlers accustomed to competing across multiple styles. The emphasis on control, riding time, and traditional takedowns favors wrestlers with strong positional awareness and grinding ability. This could particularly benefit wrestlers like Curlo, whose Blair Academy training emphasizes positional control and avoiding unnecessary risks. The absence of freestyle's step-out and exposure scoring removes some weapons from wrestlers like Seabury, while potentially favoring the grinding, positional style that characterizes elite folkstyle wrestling. Dubuque's lefty attack becomes even more valuable in folkstyle, where opponents have less time to adjust and adapt. Championship Implications What makes this bracket particularly compelling is its preview of the future 106-pound landscape. Many of these wrestlers have the ability to drop down for the postseason, making Sunday's results a potential roadmap for state tournaments and beyond. The head-to-head results and stylistic matchups provide crucial data points for coaches and wrestlers preparing for championship season. Dubuque's physical advantages as a junior could become even more pronounced at 106 pounds, while Seabury's technical ability and championship experience translate to any weight class. The Blair Academy system that has shaped Curlo's approach will be tested against diverse styles and backgrounds. The Verdict The Journeymen Fall Classic has consistently produced breakthrough performances and established new hierarchies within weight classes. Sunday's 113-pound bracket possesses all the ingredients for another classic chapter in the tournament's storied history. With Seabury's championship pedigree leading the way, Dubuque's physical and technical advantages creating intrigue, and proven competitors like Curlo bringing elite program training, Sunday's 113 pound division promises to deliver the type of elite competition that defines championship wrestling. The future of 106 pounds will be on full display in Schenectady.

Neenah

Trinity