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  • Photo: Tony Rotundo

    Photo: Tony Rotundo

    Transfer Portal Update (5/9/2024)

    With the conclusion of the NCAA wrestling tournament and the calendar changing over to May, you’d think that it means it’s the offseason for college wrestling and all focus should turn to the Olympic styles, right? Maybe in the past, but in a new era of collegiate athletics, once the final whistle has blown on a particular postseason, it means it’s time to turn your attention to the transfer portal. 

    Love it or hate it, it’s the reality. Student-athletes have the ability to transfer much more freely than past generations. Couple that with the extra year of eligibility doled out by the NCAA in the aftermath of the COVID years and you have a wild combination. There was lots of movement last “offseason” and I don’t foresee that changing this year. 

    In just a week and a half since the NCAA finals, there have already been some huge names that have gone into the portal. Some have already announced their new homes, while others are still being courted. 

    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. Some (like Jacob Cardenas and Lennox Wolak) knew they were graduating and were unable to continue competing at their Ivy League schools and went into the portal before the season started. Others have just submitted their names. 

    Expect many updates to this feature in the coming weeks and months. 

     

    Cal Poly: Korbin Shepherd (133/141) - Missouri

    Edinboro: Colton Camacho (125/133) - Pittsburgh

    Edinboro: Ryan Michaels (149) - Pittsburgh

    Illinois: Ramazan Attasauov (125/133) - Iowa State

    Indiana: Angelo Rini (133) - Columbia

    Iowa State: Evan Bockman (197) - Utah Valley

    Little Rock: Brock DelSignore (184) - NC State

    Lock Haven: Max Elton (125) - Buffalo

    Lock Haven: Nick Stampoulos (157) - Buffalo

    Michigan: Jacob Cardenas (197) - Cornell

    Michigan: Chase Saldate (157) - Michigan State

    Minnesota: Tommy Askey (157) - Appalachian State

    Minnesota: Cooper Flynn (125) - Virginia Tech

    Minnesota: Clayton Whiting (174/184) - Missouri

    Morgan State: Xavier Doolin (285) - Northern Colorado

    Nebraska: Sam Ewing (141) - Buffalo

    North Carolina: Ryan Boersma (285) - Missouri

    North Carolina: Ethan Oakley (133) - Appalachian State

    North Carolina: Josh Ogunsanya (174) - North Carolina

    Northern Colorado: Clayton Ulrey (157/165) - Virginia Tech

    Northern Illinois: Markel Baker (125/133) - George Mason

    Northern Illinois: Spencer Mooberry (197) - North Dakota State

    Oklahoma: Gaven Sax (174) - North Dakota State

    Oklahoma: Carter Schubert (165) - California Baptist

    Oklahoma State: Caleb Fish (165) - Michigan State

    Oklahoma State: Dean Hamiti (165/174) - Wisconsin

    Oregon State: Sean Harman (174) - Missouri

    Pittsburgh: Nick Babin (125) - Columbia

    Pittsburgh: Chase Kranitz (184) - Buffalo

    Pittsburgh: Evan Tallmadge (125) - Navy

    Rider: Sammy Alvarez (149) - Oklahoma State

    Rutgers: Dagen Condomitti (157) - Oregon State

    SIU Edwardsville: Ben Lunn (141) - Minnesota

    SIU Edwardsville: Luke Odom (157) - Illinois

    SIU Edwardsville: Griffin Ray (165) - Nebraska

    Virginia Tech: Connor McGonagle (133) - Lehigh

    Virginia Tech: Lennox Wolak (174) - Columbia

    West Virginia: Tommy Maddox (133) - Buffalo

    Wyoming: Sam Mitchell (197) - Buffalo
     

    Although some huge names are still in the portal, there hasn’t been much portal-related news since the deadline to enter passed (Friday, May 3rd). With the coaching change at Oklahoma State, wrestlers there will have time to enter if they’d like. 

    One of the more interesting names to commit to a transfer is Cooper Flynn, who announced yesterday that he will be attending Minnesota for the 2024-25 school year. Flynn was the #20 overall recruit in the Class of 2021 and the Tennessee native initially stayed in the south to attend Virginia Tech. After a redshirt season, Flynn was embroiled in an almost season-long battle with Eddie Ventresca over the starting role at 125 lbs. Ventresca won out and eventually got on the NCAA podium. 

    Flynn appeared to be taking an Olympic redshirt for the 2023-24 season, but after Ventresca’s early-season struggles and subsequent injury, Flynn was pulled. In his first bout of the season, Flynn defeated Cliff Keen Las Vegas champion Nico Provo (Stanford), who was undefeated at the time and ranked #4 in the nation. 

    At one point during the 2023-24 season, Flynn was ranked as high as second in the country; however, he was unable to topple NC State’s Jakob Camacho - losing in their highly anticipated dual and in the ACC finals. Flynn ended up with the #11 seed at his first national tournament, but bowed out after going 1-2, with losses to both Big 12 finalists. 

    Flynn’s addition is yet another from the portal that has solidified the Minnesota lineup. They’ve added Tommy Askey (157/Appalachian State) and Clayton Whiting (174/184/Missouri) since the NCAA Tournament. With the departure of longtime starter and Big Ten finalist, Patrick McKee, 125 appeared to be an issue for the Gophers in 2024-25. No more with Flynn aboard. There’s a way that Minnesota head coach Brandon Eggum could send out a lineup that includes nine returning national qualifiers. 

    125 lbs in the Big Ten (and nationally) was quite chaotic and one of the talking points all year. A couple of the wrestlers that made the weight so unpredictable are gone; however, it still looks up for grabs. Flynn won’t initially be viewed as a conference title favorite, at the same time, he can’t be ruled out. 
     

    Portal

    Andrew Alirez (141) - Northern Colorado

    Cam Amine (165) - Michigan

    Cade Balestrini (149) - Bloomsburg

    Fernando Barreto (133) - North Dakota State

    Kaleb Burgess (149) - Buffalo

    Charlie Darracott (165) - Stanford

    Devon Dawson (285) - North Dakota State

    Massoma Endene (197) - Wartburg

    Logan Frazier (133) - Virginia Tech

    Max Hale (184) - Penn 

    Wyatt Hendrickson (285) - Air Force

    Nathan Higley (149) - George Mason

    Jared Hill (157) - Oklahoma

    Jacob Joyce (125) - Stanford

    Jason Kraisser (157) - Iowa State

    Hunter Mays (165) - Lehigh

    Peter Ming (285) - Stanford

    Peyton Moore (133) - Missouri

    Kyle Mosher (165) - Columbia

    Jack Nies (149) - American

    Danny Nini (157) - North Carolina

    Kyle Parco (149)  - Arizona State

    Isaiah Powe (141) - Chattanooga

    Bretli Reyna (149) - Iowa

    Chris Rivera (141) - Campbell

    Justin Rivera (149) - Campbell

    Rylan Rogers (184) - Michigan

    Cheaney Schoeff (133) - Indiana

    Tyler Stewart (285) - Morgan State

    Ethan Stiles (157) - Nebraska

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