Pittsburgh wrestling classic
- Thread starter Warriordan
- Start date
A ton of guys ranked top 10 nationally on PA team. I don’t think I’d say no to any of them. We could use competition in many places.
A few that stand out. Ayden Smith or Louie Gill for 125 and Harer 157/165. Also like Simcox and Consiglio 141/149 maybe add weight to 157.
A few that stand out. Ayden Smith or Louie Gill for 125 and Harer 157/165. Also like Simcox and Consiglio 141/149 maybe add weight to 157.
Notre Dame GP is less than a hour from Rutgers and Koll is a far bigger name at Central Mountain than Gavin.
Outside of being in the same state Pitt wrestling is just another program the further you go east. They are having to compete with a lot of solid to good programs and there is no hometown draw.
I agree and I’m sure there is specific situation for everyone of these kids. The question of who we want…just about any of these kids. I’m sure we all agree we need more top guys to advance the overall room at Pitt.
Of course no one would say no to any of these kids but high level recruits aren’t going somewhere to add depth. I was more asking what weight classes does Pitt need?
I mentioned the weights. Nothing is guaranteed as far as starting. However I’d put my money on top 10 national ranked kids winning spots. I’m sure Pitt tried to get many of them. You have to keep recruiting the best kids to get better.
125 is by far the biggest need, 184 for after heller graduates next year, and HWT. And the funny thing is is people always talk about how nobody’s gonna come to be a back up well Maybe they beat a starter that we have or if they don’t you never know when somebody gets hurt and they take a medical red shirt while the other guy steps and we don’t lose a beat. That’s what a good program does.
I saw a post that listed Rutgers recruiting list for 2024 and 2025, 7 out of 8 kids are top 20 nationally in their respective weight classes(1 or 2 are from NJ). That’s where I want to be, maybe wishful thinking.
Nino winning natty and not being top recruit out of high school was a huge step. We need to keep that momentum going. Hopefully we have a few surprises at nationals.
Could help us land a kid like Maddox Shaw from TJ. Victory Heights also can’t come soon enough!
Could help us land a kid like Maddox Shaw from TJ. Victory Heights also can’t come soon enough!
You’re right, but Nino was a top recruit I mean he was number 51 in the nation pound per pound so that type of a Recruit I’ll take every day all day
To be fair, no one is anywhere close to PSU right now. They are in a league of their own. I have no idea how they will fit all of those kids in the lineup the next few years, but they always find a way .
Hence my grrrrrrrr post several weeks ago. We badly need a recruiter.
Yep. Always recruit the best kids. Top kids will compete and find their way to the lineup.
Top level recruiter plus Victory Heights plus what else?
It depends on who Pitt wants to compete with but more funding to the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club is where it starts and getting or producing wrestlers who are truly competing on the national/international stage.
I just read that neither Levi Haines nor Tyler Kaczak wrestled in high school in their last year of high school. Their families moved close to State College and they wrestled at David Taylor’s M2program at the NLWC and in open competitions. Haines finished second at the NCAAs as a freshman and won this year, going undefeated on the season. Kaczak came back through the consolation bouts to finish third as a true freshman.
I know that in sports like women’s soccer, lots of the top girls don’t play for their high school teams but only play for club teams because the competition is better, but to me this is different — and seems way over the line. These guys are not just wrestling against better high school competition; they are training with pros like Zane Retherford and David Taylor (to name just two) and top college wrestlers.
To me this is a bridge too far. The NLWC has to be paying these families to relocate, finding jobs for the parents and likely finding them housing at discount prices. These kids are pros. If the NCAA doesn’t crack down on this — and it apparently has done nothing so far — it might as well be abolished.
This may come as a surprise or maybe it won't but many wrestling parents are crazy people. Bo Bassett is the same age as most college freshman but is only going into his junior because his parents held him back twice. There are many families who will do things that may seem extreme to most to help their kids have a leg up in the sport.
With all NIL rules being thrown out by the courts wrestling clubs and can now throw money around openly.
You are spot on. I do not think it is a good thing, but you hit the nail right on the head.
