Recruiting

[CMUandPitt]

Don't know much about how wrestling recruiting works, but was on a long plane ride and saw that the WPIAL has some very strong talent coming through the ranks.

Carter Dibert - Franklin Regional (Junior, PIAA champ at 106)
Alejandro Herrera - Seneca Valley (Junior, two-time PIAA champ at 106 & 113)
Sam Hillegas - North Hills
Gerrit Nijenhuis - Canon-Mac

And a few more from the NW part of the state.

I would assume Pitt is at least in the conversation with some of these kids. Is there a site ala Rivals for this stuff?

 

[DevilDog42]

I know for a fact that Herrera and Hilegas have already committed elsewhere

 

[Mikefln]

I would assume Pitt is at least in the conversation with some of these kids. Is there a site ala Rivals for this stuff?

Flowrestling but they keep a lot of info behind a paywall. There is also the Mat.com and Intermat

 

[singregardless]

I know for a fact that Herrera and Hilegas have already committed elsewhere

Gerrit Nijenhuis, too...

 

[goalieman]

Hillegas to Virginia Tech

Herrera to Oklahoma

Nijenhuis to Purdue

 

[CMUandPitt]

Gerrit Nijenhuis, too...

Is Pitt not a player for the local talent? Or is it something because there's no professional ambition here, they're going to go to a school where they can contribute from day one?

 

[Mikefln]

Is Pitt not a player for the local talent? Or is it something because there's no professional ambition here, they're going to go to a school where they can contribute from day one?

VA Tech has really built up.their program recently and are the top ACC team.

Oklahoma has traditionally been a strong wrestling school. It isn't Okie St but it is still a traditional wrestling school who is rebuilding their program to its old self.

Purdue, no idea why he chose there. I'm assuming because he just like it there for things outside of wrestling. Or maybe he just clicked with the coaches.

Who knows why kids pick the schools they do.

 

[singregardless]

Is Pitt not a player for the local talent? Or is it something because there's no professional ambition here, they're going to go to a school where they can contribute from day one?

Closer to the latter than the former, but I think it's something else entirely. Pitt actually has a strong local flavor:

125 - State finalist from the Western PA in Newell backed up by another state finalist from Western PA in Camacho
133 - State champ from Western PA in Phillipi backed up by a State champ from the WPIAL in Sullivan
141 - State champ from Western PA in Matthews
157 - State champ from Ohio in Rahmani
165 - State champ from WPIAL in Wentzel
174 - State champ from PA in McGill (back up right now, but will be a stud)
184 - State finalist from the WPIAL in Bonaccorsi backed up by State champs from Ohio in Crawford and New York in Meglino
197 - State champ (albeit a transfer) from the WPIAL in Stout backed up by both a state champ from PA in Nye (another transfer) & a Prep Champion who prepped in PA in Cooley.


They also have regional recruits with State championships in the pipeline in Mick Burnett (Ohio - 2020 recruit) and Colby Whitehill (Western PA - 2020 recruit) and Brock McMillen (Western PA - 2021 recruit).


Dibert (who has committed to Arizona State) & Hillegas are the only two you mentioned who I think would have a chance to succeed if they started Day 1. But that's not the only factor. They are both going to Coaches that have produced a grip of All-American performers and National finalists during Gavin's tenure as HC. Gavin has produced none. Even if they don't start from Day 1, they know they're working with coaches who get kids to the top when they do get their chance.

I'm not convinced the other two are better than what we already have...

 

[bwh05]

Who you go after depends a lot on what weights you’re looking for and how much scholarship $$ you have in a given year to give. We recruited Hillegas really hard but didn’t get him obviously. You don’t get everyone you recruit, but I we’re on an upward trajectory, no matter where our recruits come from.

 

[mike412]

I think Hillegas has a relative or former teammate at VT also. He is part of one of the top 2 or 3 recruiting classes in the country according to Intermat. Another thing that some top recruits consider is who the school has at the weights near your weight. If a school has top notch wrestlers at 165 and 184 and you are going to wrestle at 174, that means you will have great practice competition every day in the wrestling room. If their best wrestlers are at 125 and 133, that isn’t as meaningful.