2013 Recruiting Class Rankings
1. Michigan
2. Virginia Tech
3. Pittsburgh
4. North Dakota State
5. Illinois
6. Nebraska
7. Penn State
8. Iowa
9. Missouri
10. North Carolina State
11. Ohio State
12. Stanford
13. Rutgers
14. Clarion
15. Oklahoma State
16. Virginia
17. Arizona State
18. Minnesota
19. Princeton
20. Indiana
21. Harvard
22. Oklahoma
23. Rider
24. Purdue
25. Cal Poly
When it comes to success in college wrestling -- be it at the team or individual level -- there is no substitute for pure talent and ability. The key driver in team success at the college level is procuring those talented individuals, and rankings are one indicator of that. Rankings include the individual weight class rankings and grade-level rankings, as well as these recruiting class rankings that seek to measure how Division I programs did in procuring the talent of the present class.
1. Michigan
2. Virginia Tech
3. Pittsburgh
4. North Dakota State
5. Illinois
6. Nebraska
7. Penn State
8. Iowa
9. Missouri
10. North Carolina State
11. Ohio State
12. Stanford
13. Rutgers
14. Clarion
15. Oklahoma State
16. Virginia
17. Arizona State
18. Minnesota
19. Princeton
20. Indiana
21. Harvard
22. Oklahoma
23. Rider
24. Purdue
25. Cal Poly
An analysis of the lineup for Penn State this past year confirms that premise. All ten wrestlers qualified for the NCAA tournament, and out of that group nine of them won at least one state title; eight of those wrestlers won their titles in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or at National Preps. In terms of how the national finalists from 2013 stood at the end of their senior year, sixteen were ranked inside the top 50 of their grade level, with over half inside the top 20.
Without further ado here are the 2013 team recruiting class rankings.
1. Michigan
Top 100 recruits: No. 2 Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich.), No. 4 Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.), No. 11 Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio), No. 27 Brian Murphy (Glenbard North, Ill.), and No. 98 Payne Hayden (St. Johns, Mich.)
Weight class ranked: George Fisher (Marmion Academy, Ill.)
Other notables: Aaron Calderon (Brighton, Mich.) and Cameron Kennedy (Richmond-Burton, Ill.)
Commentary: This haul for the maize and blue is bar none the best in the nation this year with four truly elite prospects and two others that appear in the weight class rankings. A second consecutive super strong recruiting class validates the commitment that the administration and boosters have recently put into the wrestling program -- building the Bahna Wrestling Complex, retooling the coaching staff, and launching a rather strong Cliff Keen Wrestling Club RTC program. Now the onus is on the coaches and wrestlers to return the program to top ten and above finishes that the Wolverines had throughout the 2000s, eight consecutive from 2001-2008, including a runner-up trophy in 2005.
Read analysis for all 25 teams.
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2. Virginia Tech
Top 100 recruits: No. 8 Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.), No. 26 Zach Epperly (Christiansburg, Va.), No. 42 Kevin Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.), No. 68 Jared Haught (Parkersburg, W. Va.), and No. 81 Dennis Gustafson (Forest Park, Va.)
Commentary: Five Top 100 recruits as part of this class continue the upward trajectory that head coach Kevin Dresser has going for the Hokie wrestling program. Yet another strong haul in recruiting gets to ride the momentum that an ACC tournament title, and more importantly, a top ten finish at the NCAA tournament with four All-Americans brings to the table. It certainly helps Dresser that neighboring Christiansburg produced two excellent prospects this year, but he's done an excellent job identifying and procuring talent "up-and-down" the eastern third of the country.
3. Pittsburgh
Top 100 recruits: No. 14 Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), No. 21 Ryan Solomon (Milton, Pa.), No. 23 Mikey Racciato (Pen Argyl, Pa.), and No. 51 Edgar Bright (St. Edward, Ohio)
Other notables: Luke Fleck (Franklin Regional, Pa.), Aaron Rothwell (Sheboygan North, Wis.), and Nick Zanetta (Keystone Oaks, Pa.)
Commentary: The Panthers will be making transitions on multiple fronts heading into the 2013-14 season. They move from the EWL to the ACC, and Jason Peters steps in for long-time head coach Rande Stottlemyre. One of Peters' many tasks as a primary assistant at Pitt was the recruiting trail, and during this season he certainly got an A-plus. He landed four of the nation's best seniors, all of them in about a three-hour radius of the campus. If Peters and staff can continue to identify and get commitments from key wrestlers in this area alone, the Panthers will be well on their way to potential top ten in the nation finishes.
4. North Dakota State
Top 100 recruits: No. 34 Mitch Bengtson (St. Cloud Apollo, Minn.), No. 46 Preston Lehmann (West Fargo, Minn.), and No. 59 Clayton Ream (Holt, Mo.)
Impact newcomer: Tyler Lehmann (West Fargo, N.D./OTC)
Weight class ranked: Tommy Petersen (Lakeville North, Minn.)
Other notables: Mitch Friedman (Oconto Falls, Wis.), Kyle Gliva (Simley, Minn.), Grant Nehring (St. Cloud Apollo, Minn.), and Cole Sladek (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.)
Commentary: As Roger Kish comes off his second season as head coach with a maiden All-American in Trent Sprenkle, the Bison seek to make the next step up the ladder in the way of relevance on the national landscape. This recruiting class is certainly one that can provide the necessary pieces to accomplish that goal with three Top 100 Class of 2013 prospects, another in Tyler Lehmann that was a Top 100 prospect his senior year, and multiple other credentialed scholastic wrestlers. Kish and staff have done well in selling their program and vision in a wrestling-receptive area of the country.
5. Illinois
Top 100 recruits: No. 5 Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.), No. 12 Brooks Black (Blair Academy, N.J.), and No. 25 Kyle Langendorfer (Lincoln-Way East, Ill.)
Commentary: What this class may lack in quantity, with only three identified commitments to InterMat at present, it certainly compensates in the quality bucket with three of the nation's top 25 prospects from the Class of 2013. Associate Head Coach Mark Perry tapped into two areas where he has strong relationships -- California and Blair Academy -- to snare Martinez and Black for the Illini; while two-time state champion Langendorfer wrestled at Lincoln-Way East for former Illini wrestler Tyrone Byrd. All three -- Black and Martinez in particular -- will be expected to help the Illini sooner rather than later, and perform at a high level.
6. Nebraska
Impact newcomers: Eric Montoya (Campbell/Volcano Vista, N.M.). Anthony Abidin (Nassau Community College/Half Hollow Hills East, N.Y.), Patrick Downey (OTC/Oviedo, Fla./North County, Md.), and Destin McCauley (OTC/ Apple Valley, Minn.)
Other notables: Joey Dedick (East Troy, Wis.) and Colton McCrystal (Sgt. Bluff-Luton, Iowa)
Commentary: The clear lynchpins in this recruiting class for the 'Huskers are the four impact newcomers. Montoya was a national qualifier this past year at 125 pounds as a true freshman, and brings three remaining years of eligibility to the table; Abidin was a NJCAA national champion in 2012 and also has three remaining years of eligibility; McCauley was the nation's No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2011, while Downey was also a superlative Class of 2011 wrestler and a FILA Junior freestyle world silver medalist in 2012.
7. Penn State
Top 100 recruits: No. 3 Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), No. 49 Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area, Pa.), and No. 70 Garrett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.)
Weight class ranked: Cody Law (Forest Hills, Pa.)
Other notable: P.J. Steinmetz (Council Rock South, Pa.)
Commentary: Cael Sanderson certainly has it all going right in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions have won three consecutive national titles, are well-positioned to make it four in a row; and the Sanderson/Penn State brand continues to be an easy sell. There's an extremely loyal fan base, a strong commitment from athletics and boosters to wrestling, an excellent coaching staff, and the local talent in the Keystone State is second to none. This recruiting class takes clear advantage of that talent, signing four who have won PIAA state titles. While probably not going to be called on for immediate action, these are wrestlers who will be ready to perform -- and perform well -- when their turn comes calling.
8. Iowa
Top 100 recruits: No. 32 Aaron Bradley (Nazareth, Pa.), No. 55 Broc Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), No. 62 Brandon Sorensen (Denver-Tripoli, Iowa), and No. 65 Jake Marlin (Creston, Iowa)
Commentary: Even though this Hawkeye class is not rated number one, and falls outside of the top five in the rankings, it is still a solid group for Tom Brands and staff. The ability to bring in four top wrestlers who combine for eleven state titles between them in the midst of what else is on the roster speaks to the cache of the Iowa brand. Berge and Bradley will provide depth in the upper-weights, while Sorensen and Marlin do the same for the middle-weights.
9. Missouri
Top 100 recruits: No. 6 J'den Cox (Hickman, Mo.), No. 72 Joey Lavallee (Reno, Nev.), No. 74 Barlow McGhee (Rock Island, Ill.), No. 79 Parker Vonegidy (Piedmont, N.C.), and No. 92 B.J. Toal (Troy Christian, Ohio)
Other notable: Tim Miklus (Southeast Polk, Iowa)
Commentary: In recent years under Brian Smith, the Tigers have been known for balanced quality across all ten weight classes of the lineup. This group will do nothing to deviate from that track, as it addresses the lightest weight (McGhee), middleweights (Lavallee/Miklus/Vonegidy/Toal), and upper-weight (Cox). In the five years of compiling recruiting class rankings at InterMat, this is the best class that Smith has brought in (the 2009 group rated No. 15 overall). Cox is the clear star of the group, and it will be interesting to see if he can develop into a champion in the upper-weights like the Askren brothers, Mark Ellis, and Dom Bradley did before him at Mizzou.
10. North Carolina State
Top 100 recruits: No. 54 Peter Renda (Brandywine Heights, Pa.), No. 73 Scott Delvecchio (South Plainfield, N.J.), and No. 77 Peter Santos (Oakmont, Calif.)
Other notable: Shayne Brady (Carthage, N.Y.), Brendan Calas (Seton Hall Prep, N.J.), Beau Donahue (Westfield, Va.), Brian Hamann (Jackson Memorial, N.J.), Michael Macchlavello (Sun Valley, N.C.), Micah Perez (Central Union, Calif.), Chad Pyke (Woodward Academy, Ga.), and Chris Wilkes (Whitfield, Mo.)
Commentary: This marks the first true recruiting class for Pat Popolizio at the helm of the Wolfpack, and he has scoped the country from top to bottom looking for a group of wrestlers to remake the roster in his staff's image. Three weight-class ranked wrestlers anchor the group, with at least six other additional wrestlers having state titles on the resume. It is a group that marks the commitment to recruiting from Popolizio and staff, and for their sake, hopefully one that is a building block towards contending for ACC titles and more.
11. Ohio State
Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Bo Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and No. 15 Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio)
Other notable: Jake Ryan (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio)
Commentary: Typically a recruiting class with just two notable commitments is not going to be ranked this high. However, four-time state champions Jordan and Tomasello are not two typical notable commitments. Jordan is the nation's best recruit in this class, while Tomasello is the best projected 125 in this class, and likely to be that weight for his career as well. Each has the potential to thrive early and throughout their careers, and Jordan in particular may be pressed into service as a true freshman (with Taylor Massa's round of 12 finish this past year kind of an interesting benchmark comparison if you ask me).
12. Stanford
Top 100 recruits: No. 24 Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), No. 41 Garrett Krohn (Arvada, Colo.), and No. 64 Nathan Butler (Leavenworth, Kans.)
Other notables: Tommy Pawleski (Montini Catholic, Ill.) and Keaton Subjeck (Oak Ridge, Calif.)
Commentary: Jason Borrelli continues the incremental build of his program on "The Farm" with a fourth top 20 recruiting class in five seasons at the helm. Stanford did take a step back this past season, finishing without an All-American after finishing 16th with a pair of medalists in 2012. However, the Cardinal continues to find capable wrestling talent with the academic tools necessary to compete in Palo Alto. This year is no exception with the three Top 100 ranked wrestlers, in addition to a career lightweight with a previous state title and a two-time California state placing middle-weight.
13. Rutgers
Top 100 recruits: No. 7 Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.), No. 44 Tyson Dippery (Central Dauphin, Pa.)
Weight class ranked: Corey Stasenko (South Plainfield, N.J.)
Other notables: Nick Gravina (Northern Highlands, N.J.), Taylor Jackson (The Villages, Fla.), Anthony Messner (Franklin, N.J.), Dylan Painton (South Plainfield, N.J.), and Joshua Patrick (Ligonier Valley, Pa.)
Commentary: Much has been made about the lack of an All-American while Scott Goodale has been head coach in Piscataway. However, much has been accomplished in his reign -- the program has achieved a degree of relevance unseen previously, the administration has committed resources towards the program's success, and the talent recruited to the roster has seen a massive upgrade. That pattern continues with this year's recruiting haul consisting of the first-ever undefeated four-time state champion in the Garden State, along with a group of other wrestlers that have placed high and/or multiple times in elite state tournaments.
14. Clarion
Top 100 recruits: No. 28 Austin Matthews (Reynolds, Pa.) and No. 97 Justin Arthur (Huntington, W. Va.)
Impact newcomer: Quinton Muprhy (Holley Central, N.Y./Indiana University)
Other notables: Seth Carr (South Fayette, Pa.), Dustin Conti (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.), Cam Cyphert (Cochranton, Pa.), Evan Daley (Fort LeBoeuf, Pa.), and Tim Schaefer (Warsaw, N.Y.)
Commentary: This marks the first recruiting class for head coach Troy Letters, who just completed his first year as head coach of the Golden Eagles. As James Fleming finished his career with a second All-American finish, Letters turned his eye towards strengthening the Clarion roster for years to come; something that has been clearly accomplished with this group. It addresses all areas of the lineup, and provides credentialed wrestlers in all areas. The group is anchored by a pair of Top 100 recruits in state champion Matthews and NHSCA Senior National runner-up Arthur, as well as impact transfer Murphy who was a Top 100 recruit in the Class of 2012.
15. Oklahoma State
Top 100 recruits: No. 17 Dean Heil (St. Edward, Ohio) and No. 20 Anthony Collica (Solon, Ohio)
Other notables: Davey Dolan (Berryhill, Okla.), Zac Gentzler (Andover Central, Kans.), and Keilan Torres (Altus, Okla.)
Commentary: The five listed commitments here combine for 18 state titles during their high school career; Heil, Dolan, and Gentzler won four each, while Collica and Torres won three respectively. Heil and Collica are elite talents out of Ohio, possibly the first such wrestlers to end up in Stillwater since Alan Fried; while the other three are more local in nature. It's a group of wrestlers that augments the depth already present in the first half of the lineup and provides a couple of potential near-term starters.
16. Virginia
Top 100 recruits: No. 56 Tyler Askey (Northgate, Ga.), No. 57 T.J. Miller (Camden Catholic, N.J.), and No. 100 Andrew Atkinson (Liberty Christian Academy, Va.)
Weight class ranked: Emilio Martinez (Greeley West, Colo.)
Other notables: Addison Knepshield (Blair Academy, N.J.), Richard Robertson, Jr. (Maple Hts, Ohio), and Alex Uhre (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.)
Commentary: Steve Garland and crew have the Cavaliers on the positive track coming off an NCAA tournament, which featured a pair of All-Americans and two others who lost in the round of 12. This is yet another high quantity recruiting class that also has solid quality with three Top 100 prospects and another ranked wrestler, all who are positioned to help the front half-to-two-thirds of the lineup.
17. Arizona State
Top 100 recruits: No. 82 Kaleb Baker (Christian Brothers, Tenn.), No. 94 Mech Spraggins (Belleville West, Ill.), and No. 96 Lawrence Otero (Volcano Vista, N.M.)
Impact newcomers: Kyle Colling (Pioneer, N.Y./Oklahoma), Josh DaSilveira (Cardinal Gibbons, Fla./North Carolina State), and Coltin Fought (Benton, Pa./North Carolina State)
Other notables: Deshun Brown (West Mesa, N.M.) and Seth Monty (Mesa Mountain View, Ariz.)
Commentary: There have been isolated pockets of success in Tempe in recent years with national titles won by Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins. However, that has not necessarily translated into solid performances up and down the lineup on a consistent basis. However, head coach Shawn Charles and primary recruiting assistant Lee Pritts hope that this recruiting class is the catalyst to broader success. This group features three Top 100 Class of 2013 prospects and three potential impact transfers; DaSilveira and Colling can fill the back two weights capably, while Fought can potentially make significant contribution at a lower-weight having qualified for nationals as a true freshman.
18. Minnesota
Top 100 recruits: No. 22 Nick Wanzek (Simley, Minn.) and No. 30 Jake Short (Simley, Minn.)
Other notables: Judson Preskitt (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), Jordan Rothers (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Minn.), and Nate Thomas (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.)
Commentary: Interestingly this is a third consecutive class for the Gophers that is ranked outside the top ten. However, the Gophers at present have a high quality starting lineup, with solid complimentary depth. Coach J. Robinson has perennially done an excellent job of recruiting and developing quality wrestlers, and the group here should fit that bill well. Short and Wanzek are the obvious stars with seven state titles and multiple Fargo AA's between them, while Preskitt, Rothers, and Thomas come in with strong credentials and development potential.
19. Princeton
Top 100 recruits: No. 40 Raymond O'Donnell (Saucon Valley, Pa.) and No. 45 Brett Harner (Norristown, Pa.)
Other notables: Trey Aslanian (Edgemont, N.Y.), Jordan Laster (Montini Catholic, Ill.), Troy Murtha (Georgetown Prep, Md.), and Jake Moore (Rootstown, Ohio)
Commentary: Seeing the Tigers in this type of recruiting position can only be viewed as a good thing. It's not a team that has been viewed as strong on a year-to-year basis, and recruiting wrestlers to Princeton can be a "hard sell," though it's an excellent academic school. However, Chris Ayres and staff have been working hard, and hope that this group can mark a new positive beginning. Harner and O'Donnell are both Top 100 recruits, were both Super 32 Challenge runners-up, and combine for seven PIAA state tournament placements. Aslanian and Laster fit the bill of solid career light-weights, while Murtha and Moore are multi-time state placers and will bolster the upper-weights along with O'Donnell and Harner.
20. Indiana
Top 100 recruits: No. 38 Neal Molloy (Danville, Ind.)
Impact newcomer: Ethan Raley (Indian Creek, Ind./Lincoln College)
Other notables: Luke Blanton (Alexandria, Ind.), Gabriel French (St. Xavier, Ky.), Jake Masengale (Perry Meridian, Ind.), Brant Schafer (St. Johns, Mich.), and Kyle Springer (Davenport Assumption, Iowa)
Commentary: This marks a fifth consecutive top 25 class for the Hoosiers, yet the tangible measures of improved performance within the Big Ten and NCAA tournament prism is not apparent to the general fan. It goes to show you that there is more to program success than just recruiting. Hopefully Coach Goldman and staff can find the right formula to retain and develop this group of young men, which is anchored by two-time state champion Molloy and 2012 NJCAA runner-up Raley (also a multi-time Indiana state champion). The other five young men noted here have at minimum appeared in a state final and are multi-time state placers.
21. Harvard
Top 100 recruits: No. 16 Eric Morris (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) and No. 61 Brad Perkins (Oak Park, Mo.)
Weight class ranked: Tyler Grimaldi (Half Hollow Hills West, N.Y.)
Other notable: Colby Knight (Urbandale, Iowa)
Commentary: This marks a second consecutive top 25 recruiting class for the Crimson, which will provide another positive injection of talent onto the roster. The top four wrestlers in this class combine for 11 state/National Prep finals appearances between them, with all winning at least one title along the way; anchored by the pair of National Prep titles won by Morris. The group features two among the Top 100 in the Class of 2013 (Morris and Perkins) and an additional weight class ranked wrestler in Grimaldi.
22. Oklahoma
Top 100 recruit No. 9 Oliver Pierce (Allen, Texas)
Impact newcomer: Danny Chaid (Bellarmine, Calif./OTC)
Other notables: Jon Townsend (Comanche, Okla.), Shayne Tucker (Bella Vista, Calif.), and Sean Williams (Lemoore, Calif.)
Commentary: Though this might be perceived as a low ranking for the Sooners' recruiting haul, it is still a very positive one for Mark Cody and staff. Pierce has been a two-sport star through his high school career, serving as a key figure on a state title winning football team in Texas's biggest and best classification this past fall in addition to his many wrestling exploits. Chaid was a two-time California state placer, spending this past year at the OTC in Colorado Springs. Among the others, Towsend finished his career as a three-time state champion; while Tucker was a two-time California state runner-up and Super 32 placer, and Williams was also a state runner-up this past year in the Golden State.
23. Rider
Top 100 recruits: No. 10 B.J. Clagon (Toms River South, N.J.) and No. 85 Wayne Stinson (Northern Burlington, N.J.)
Impact newcomer: Robert Deutsch (Old Dominion/Eastern Regional, N.J.)
Other notable: J.R. Wert (Christiansburg, Va.)
Commentary: With Rider being in such a wrestling rich area, they certainly have the potential to build an excellent program. Even though recent results do not show this to be the case, this is the type of recruiting group that can help turn things around as they move into the EWL. It is anchored by two-time state champion and four-time NHSCA grade-level champion Clagon, as well as fellow Top 100 prospect and New Jersey state champion Stinson. The Broncs also added a pair of impact lightweights in Deutsch, who was an NCAA qualifier this past season; as well as two-time Super 32 Challenge placer Wert, who also won four state titles in his high school career.
24. Purdue
Weight class ranked: Aaron Assad (Brecksville, Ohio), Josh Farrell (Greenfield Central, Ind.), Andrew Geers (Neuqua Valley, Ill.), and Jacob Morrissey (Oconto Falls, Wis.)
Impact newcomer: Garth Lakitsky (Tamaqua Area, Pa./Lackawanna College)
Other notable: Luke Welch (Castle, Ind.)
Commentary: Though the Boilermakers' class lacks a true elite wrestler, it is one that possesses a high quantity of quality with four wrestlers that finished their senior season in the weight class rankings. The five Class of 2013 wrestlers listed here all appeared in the state final this past year, with Assad, Farrell, and Morrissey earning championships. Lakitsky was a 2011 state champion and Dapper Dan participant. This class provides head coach Scott Hinkel with talent across the weight classes.
25. Cal Poly
Top 100 recruits: No. 36 Spencer Empey (Reed, Nev.) and No. 89 Luke Wilson (Righetti, Calif.)
Weight class ranked: Travis Berridge (Brandon, Fla.)
Impact newcomer: Trent Noon (Oakdale, Calif./Clackamas C.C.)
Other notables: Tommy Espinoza (Otay Ranch, Calif.), Tyler Hecht (Franklin, Calif.), Nick Johnson (Murietta Valley, Calif.), Sohrab Mohavedi (Granda Hills, Calif.), Colton Schilling (Sweet Home, Ore.), Nick Troquato (Ponderosa, Calif.), and Victor Trujillo (Bella Vista, Calif.)
Commentary: This marks a second straight top 25 recruiting class for Brendan Buckley and the Mustangs. The group features a pair of Top 100 recruits in NHSCA Senior runner-up Empey and third place finisher Wilson, along with a weight class ranked wrestler in Super 32 Challenge placer Berridge. Noon was a NJCAA champion this past year, while the five California natives listed in the other notables all finished inside the top four of the single class state tournament this past year, and Schilling is a three-time state champion in Oregon. The talent yet again spans across the lineup, with the bulk focusing on the middle and upper-weights.
Honorable Mention: Iowa State, North Carolina, and Northwestern
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