Takedown Report

College Recruits, Transfers & News # 10

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Even when wrestling is suspended the process of recruiting wrestlers at Division-I and D-II schools goes on and scholastic students make plans for their future education. Thus the following articles are shared for readers to learn more about the choices by high school wrestlers as they are looking forward to collegiate studies and competition.
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1 } – PITT WRESTLING SIGNS FIVE FUTURE PANTHERS FROM CLASS OF 2021
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh wrestling head coach Keith Gavin announced the addition of five future Panthers to his team’s roster this week after a group of talented student-athletes signed a National Letter of Intent confirming their commitment to the Pitt wrestling program.  
Pennsylvania natives Luca Augustine, Ethan Finch, Brock McMillen and Gary Steen and Ohio native Cole Hivnor each submitted NLIs to the University of Pittsburgh this week as Class of 2021 student-athletes. … rest of story at _{https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2020/11/13/pitt-wrestling-signs-five-future-panthers-from-class-of-2021.aspx?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Lake Erie College 2020 Signing Day Breakdown and Season Update
Host Rob Gore goes into detail with LEC Wrestling’s head coach Jeff Breese and assistant coach Andrew Bearden about the strong 2021 recruiting class and other exciting upcoming events for The Storm. … rest of story at _{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHYTw1WffOo&feature=youtu.be&mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – University of Northern Iowa’s Blockhus enters transfer portal
CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa sophomore wrestler Michael Blockhus announced on Twitter Monday that he is entering the transfer portal. Blockhus was coming off a 22-10 season as a freshmen when he took fifth at the Big 12 championships and was seeded 13th for the NCAA Championships. “I want to first off thank UNI wrestling family for everything they’ve done for me and I am thankful for their support with my time at UNI,” Blockhus said in a Tweet. “My family and I have been blessed with so many opportunities throughout my wrestling career and I am thankful for every single one of them. This is a very hard decision but I have decided to enter the transfer portal for personal reasons and look forward to a new place to call home.” … rest of story at _{https://wcfcourier.com/sports/blogs/half_nelson_half_fiction/college-wrestling-unis-blockhus-enters-transfer-portal/article_0089e578-d745-59ec-9476-70ac585e9351.html?mc_cid=7e05e44971&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – Storniolo Announces Three Talented Wrestlers To Class of 2025
EVANSTON, Ill. – Head Coach Matt Storniolo announced the signings of three new recruits to the Northwestern wrestling program on Friday, as Joel VanderVere, Carter Young and Evan Bates will join the Wildcats in the 2021-22 season. “I am thrilled to announce the addition of Joel, Carter and Evan to our Wildcat Wrestling Family,” said Storniolo. “This is arguably the best early signing class the program has seen.  Each of them are impact-recruits who will help us continue to work towards becoming an NCAA championship team.  NU Wrestling has never been stronger.” All three signees rank in the Top-100 of FloWrestling’s Class of 2021 rankings, with Vandervere ranked 11th, … rest of story at _{https://nusports.com/news/2020/11/11/wrestling-storniolo-announces-three-talented-wrestlers-to-class-of-2025.aspx?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Signing Day 2020 Social Media Rankings
Wednesday, November 11th, marked the beginning of the Fall Signing Period. Even though we are in an unprecedented time where many colleges are operating online and the NCAA has extended a “dead period,” which prevents in-person contact between DI coaches and recruits until January 1st, 2021, there was plenty of action. Notifications of recruits signing with DI and DII schools flooded my Twitter timeline for the rest of the week. There were a variety of ways that schools used to announce their signees, some of which were more creative and flashy than others. Since Wednesday, we have kept track of the best social media efforts and ranked a top-12. Remember this has nothing to do with the quality of the recruits, but the social media presentation itself.  By the way, make sure to salute your favorite school’s coaching staff, sports information directors, interns, director of operations, and anyone else that assists in this process. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/signing-day-2020-social-media-rankings/79415?mc_cid=0db378071a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – A man of few words, York’s Lyons lets his work on the mat do the talking
YORK – Kobe Lyons is a man of few words. The York senior would rather let his work on the wrestling mat do the talking. That much was clear last Friday afternoon in York High School’s auxiliary gym where his college signing ceremony was held. Lyons, who made it all the way to the Class B 170-pound state championship match but fell just short to earn runner-up last year as a junior, officially signed with Chadron State College. Lyons, who went 50-5 last year, once thought he’d wrestle for North Dakota State, but realized Chadron was the best spot for him. “Chadron just felt like a place where I could grow myself,” he said. “I wouldn’t have to worry so much about everything. It’s more isolated, and I just liked it more.” Lyons won’t be the only former York wrestler at Chadron when he gets there. Harrison Gocke is currently a redshirt freshman for the Eagles. Lyons has a prep record of 133-24. … rest of story at _{https://yorknewstimes.com/sports/a-man-of-few-words-york-s-lyons-lets-his-work-on-the-mat-do/article_62d76abe-2882-11eb-9545-efbc81b272f4.html?mc_cid=7e05e44971&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – Four Sign with California State University Bakersfield
Bakersfield, Calif. – Four student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent with CSU Bakersfield Wrestling during the early signing period, as part of Interim Head Coach Luke Smith‘s first recruiting class. Junior college transfer Jacob Hansen and high school signees Cade Lucio, Isaac Salas and Johnathon Viveros will join the Roadrunner program beginning in the fall of 2021. All four commitments are California natives.
“I’m excited about the talent and potential of our four early signees,” said Smith. “This is a great start to the class. Adding these four to our current student-athletes gives us a great group, capable of taking our program to the next level. The future is bright for Roadrunner Wrestling!”  
Hansen currently attends Moorpark College, where he posted a 32-1 record, en route to the 2019 State Champion at 165 pounds, and was named as the CCCAA’s Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. He competed for Royal High School in Simi Valley, Calif., as a prep, for head coach Richard Carillo. As a senior, Hansen won the CIF SS Northern Division Championship at 145 pounds and placed 8^th in the CIF State Tournament. He was also a three-time Coastal Canyon League Champion and qualified for three CIF Championship Tournaments in his career at Royal. He finished his high school career with 161 wins against just 43 losses. “Despite all of the success he has had, Jacob still has so much untapped potential,” Smith said. “He’s going to make big strides when we get him on campus and into the room.” … rest of story at _{https://gorunners.com/news/2020/11/17/four-sign-with-csub-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=97ab69a0c8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Pappas continues Big Red’s storied wrestling tradition, goes Division I with Edinboro
STEUBENVILLE – Ethan Pappas said he had two goals as a kid — win a state championship and wrestle at the Division I level. The Big Red senior made one of those a reality on Monday, signing his letter of intent to wrestle for Edinboro University. “Since I was a little kid, when I first stepped on the mat at four years old, I always wanted to go D-I and win a state title,” Pappas said. “It means everything to me.” Pappas is the reigning 160-pound OVAC champion, has over 100 career wins and was a state placer as a sophomore. He is set to wrestle at 170 pounds this year. “If you’ve followed Ethan the last couple of years, you know what an exciting wrestler he is,” Big Red head wrestling coach Mike Blackburn said. “He lives and dies by this sport. He’s one of the hardest workers that I’ve had in 16 years (at Big Red). He is definitely deserving and Edinboro picked up a great future college wrestler.” He didn’t get the chance to try for the state title last season with the coronavirus pandemic canceling the state tournament, but, like all winter athletes around the area and state, he’s hopeful to get another shot at the fulfilling the rest of his goals this season. … rest of story at _{https://www.heraldstaronline.com/sports/local-sports/2020/11/pappas-continues-big-reds-storied-wrestling-tradition-goes-division-i-with-edinboro/?mc_cid=97ab69a0c8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – RYAN ADDS GALLAGHER, GONZALES AND BELL TO WRESTLING PROGRAM
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three student-athletes will further their academic and athletic careers as members of the Ohio State wrestling program, head coach Tom Ryan announced today. The newest Buckeyes are Paddy Gallagher, a 165-pounder from Chesterland, Ohio (St. Edward High School), Andre Gonzales, a 125/133-pounder from San Diego, Calif (Poway High School) and Gavin Bell, a 184-pounder from Beavercreek, Ohio (US Naval Academy Prep School and Beavercreek High School).
Gallagher won the 160-pound state championship as a sophomore and then added a Junior National Championship to his resume during the summer of 2019 with a dominating performance in Fargo, N.D. He was 7-0 and six of his wins came by technical fall with a combined score of 78-15. In the state finals in 2019, he defeated Connor Brady of Olentangy Liberty, who was ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.
Before the 2020 state tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Gallagher won the Walsh Jesuit Ironman, considered the nation’s toughest and most competitive in-season tournament. He was also named Ohio’s Most Outstanding Wrestler in 2020 after going 33-1 … rest of story at _{https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ryan-adds-gallagher-gonzales-and-bell-to-wrestling-program/?mc_cid=d63f9879b6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – Five Sign National Letters of Intent to Join U-M Wrestling Program
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — University of Michigan wrestling head coach Sean Bormet announced Wednesday (Nov. 18) that five student-athletes — Patrick Brucki, Chance Lamer, Zack Mattin, Christian Tanefeu and Wilfried Tanefeu — have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Michigan and join the wrestling program in 2021-22. “We are really excited about this group,” said Bormet. “It is a great combination of proven elite talent at a college level in Pat Brucki and four incoming freshmen that we think all have enormous upside and potential. They love to compete, love to work hard and want to excel in every area of their lives. They’re high-character young men who are going to really add to our program, and we can’t wait to get them to Ann Arbor.”
Brucki, a native of Orland Park, Ill., will join Michigan as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining after completing his bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University. He is a two-time All-American, earning first-team NWCA honors in 2020 after claiming fourth place at 197 pounds as a sophomore (2019), and posted an 82-18 record over his three seasons at Princeton. Brucki was an Illinois state champion and three-time state placewinner at Carl Sandburg High School, where he posted a 175-24 career prep record and was Flowrestling’s No. 35 overall recruit in the Class of 2017. He will wrestle at 197 pounds at Michigan. … rest of story at _{https://mgoblue.com/news/2020/11/18/five-sign-national-letters-of-intent-to-join-u-m-wrestling-program.aspx?mc_cid=d63f9879b6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

December 5, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized