"We couldn't be more excited about having these three guys join our program," said McFarland. "We were able to fill a lot of our team's needs with this class, and I think they will all fit into our program quite well. They're good workers, and they fit the aggressive style of wrestling that we're always looking for at Michigan. I know people will be reading about all three of them in the future, because they are the type of guys that can step up at the collegiate level and compete well nationally. They will certainly help ensure a continued tradition of success for Michigan wrestling in the years to come."
Boyd enters his senior season ranked as the No. 5 high school 152-pound wrestler in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. Named the 2007 Greater Miami Valley Wrestler of the Year, Boyd captured the 145-pound title at last season's Ohio state championships and is a three-time placewinner, taking third place as a sophomore and sixth as a freshman. He carries a 125-15 career record into his senior season and already ranks as St. Paris Graham's career pin leader with 88 during his three seasons. In freestyle competition, he captured the 2005 Cadet National title at 58 kg/127.75 pounds. Boyd is projected to compete at 149/157 pounds at Michigan.
"Coby really wanted to come to Michigan," said McFarland. "He and his family felt that this was the kind of program that they wanted to be a part of. So, that's exciting. You certainly want those types in your program -- the guys that really want to be here. Coby is a pinner. He's physical, and he really gets after it when he wrestlesHe's one of those guys that will have an opportunity to step into the lineup right away and have immediate success."
Heading into his senior season, Collins holds the No. 3 ranking at 189 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News. He captured the 2007 NHSCA Junior National title at 171 pounds and is a three-time California state placewinner, placing third as a junior (2007), second as a sophomore (2006) and eighth as a freshman (2005). Boasting a 124-16 career prep record, Collins twice placed at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions, winning the 171-pound title at last season's event. He is a two-time national freestyle All-American, claiming fifth place in the junior division (2007) and second in the Cadet division (2006). Collins will likely wrestle at 184 or 197 pounds for Michigan.
"I think Hunter might have slid under the radar a little bit," said McFarland, "but he has a big, big upside to him. He had some big wins as a junior. He won the Reno Tournmanet of Champions, beating a top national recruit, Kirk Smith, in the finals. He's got a big tank on him. He wrestles hard and just goes and goes. I like his wrestling. I like him on his feet, but I think he's going to be equally good on top. He's another guys that loves to train and loves to work out, so we're really excited about having him."
Weber enters his senior season ranked as the No. 2 high school 130-pound wrestler in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. He is a three-time Michigan state champion at Goodrich High School, where he boasts a career mark of 163-4 and has re-established the school's single-season standards for wins and falls in each of his three years. In freestyle competition, he was a 130-pound finalist at the 2007 Junior National Championships and a 105-pound finalist at the 2005 Cadet National Championships. He also placed fourth in the 119-pound division at the 2006 FILA Cadet Nationals. Weber is projected to compete at 141 or 149 pounds at Michigan.
"Mark has done very well nationally," said McFarland, "and he'll be going for his fourth state title this year. I like his style of wrestling. He's got great fundamentals; he's solid in all three areas and always stays in good position. He's been a runner-up at the Cadet and Junior National tournaments, so I think that speaks volumes about the type of competitor he is. He's a Michigan guy, and he's really excited about becoming a Wolverine."
Michigan kicks off its 2007-08 season on Saturday (Nov. 24) at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y. Michigan will square off against Bucknell, Maryland, Bloomsburg and Virginia at the dual-meet event.
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