Re-Ranking Recruits from the Class of 2019
Carter Starocci high school pic courtesy of Marc Billett; PAPowerWrestling/College pic courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com
One of the longstanding traditions at InterMat is the re-ranking of high school recruiting classes five years after the wrestlers enrolled in college. During normal circumstances, this would encompass nearly all of the wrestlers in the high school Class of 2019. But we still aren’t in a typical stretch of wrestling seasons. Due to the extra year of eligibility for wrestlers active in 2021, due to COVID, nearly everyone in this recruiting class has another year of eligibility remaining, should they choose to use it. With another season’s worth of accomplishments, there could be some more shuffling on this list were it to be revisited a year from now.
The Class of 2019 was a solid one. As of 2024, four wrestlers from this class have captured NCAA titles, which is a bit low for most classes. While the distinction is definitely in play for other wrestlers, only one has earned multiple national titles. At the same time, 31 wrestlers have earned NCAA All-American honors, which is actually a low number for most recruiting classes; especially in a COVID-era.
Looking back at the top-ten from 2019, six of the ten wrestlers have earned NCAA All-American honors. A seventh has been about as good as you can be without getting on the national podium. That number drops a bit from the 2018 class, which had nine of ten earn All-American honors. The natural instinct is to blame the extra year of eligibility from COVID, for that number being inflated; however, upon second look, seven of the ten were multiple-time AA’s.
In the coming weeks, we’ll have features where it’s easier to compare past recruiting classes against each other, but for now, we’ll label the 2019 class as above average, but not an all-time great group (as a whole).
After perusing the original top-50 list, compiled by our own Willie Saylor, it’s not hard to figure out who comes in at number one. Carter Starocci just won his fourth NCAA title and has an opportunity to become the first five-timer. He was originally ranked ninth overall in the class.
Another legacy of this group is that it contributed to one of the deepest and most talented heavyweight eras in our sport. Three heavyweights from this class finished in the top-three at nationals and each has an age-group world title to their name. And that doesn’t even include Gable Steveson and Mason Parris, who were in the previous class.
So, let’s get down to it! Below are the top-50 wrestlers from the Class of 2019, re-ranked after considering their collegiate accomplishments. They are listed along with the schools they attended, along with their original high school class ranking.
After the top-50 is a list of the top-50 from 2019. On that list, wrestlers are noted by the schools they initially signed with.
1. Carter Starocci (Erie, PA) - Penn State (High School Rank: #9)
4x NCAA Champion, 4x NCAA All-American, 2x Big Ten Champion
2. Parker Keckeisen (Glendale, WI) - Northern Iowa (High School Rank: #14)
2024 NCAA Champion, 4x NCAA All-American (1,2,3,3), 4x Big 12 Champion
3. Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, MN) - Ohio State/Penn State (High School Rank: #1)
2024 NCAA Champion, 4x NCAA All-American (1,2,4,7), 2024 Big Ten Champion, 2x Big Ten Finalist
4. Andrew Alirez (Greeley, CO) - Northern Colorado (High School Rank: #3)
2023 NCAA Champion, 1x NCAA All-American, 2x Big 12 Champion
5. Wyatt Hendrickson (Newton, KS) - Air Force (High School Rank: #40)
2x NCAA All-American (3,3), 2x Big 12 Champion, 3x Big 12 Finalist
6. Cohlton Schultz (Parker, CO) - Arizona State (High School Rank: #2)
4x NCAA All-American (6,7,2,4), 4x Pac-12 Champion
7. Ridge Lovett (Post Falls, ID) - Nebraska (High School Rank: #16)
2x NCAA All-American (2,6), 2024 Big Ten Champion, 2x Big Ten Finalist
8. Kyle Parco (Danville, CA) - Fresno State/Arizona State (High School Rank: #71)
4x NCAA All-American (5,4,8,6), 3x Pac-12 Champion
9. Cam Amine (Brighton, MI) - Michigan (High School Rank: #17)
3x NCAA All-American (4,4,7), 1x Big Ten Runner-Up
10. Trey Munoz (Mission Viejo, CA) - Arizona State/Oregon State (High School Rank: #35)
2x NCAA All-American (3,6), 3x Pac-12 Champion
11. Jacob Cardenas (Kearny, NJ) - Cornell (High School Rank: #15)
2x NCAA All-American (4,8), 1x EIWA Champion, 2x EIWA Runner-Up
12. Bryce Andonian (Kirtland, OH) - Virginia Tech (High School Rank: #28)
3x NCAA All-American (6,7,3), 4x ACC Runner-Up
13. Matt Ramos (Lockport, IL) - Minnesota/Purdue (High School Rank: HM)
1x NCAA All-American (2)
14. Lucas Byrd (Cincinnati, OH) - Illinois (High School Rank: #18)
2x NCAA All-American (5,5)
15. Kai Orine (Imperial, MO) - NC State (High School Rank: #49)
2x NCAA All-American (8,8), 2x ACC Champion
16. Eric Barnett (Greenville, WI) - Wisconsin (High School Rank: #36)
2x NCAA All-American (4,7), 1x Big Ten Runner-Up
17. Sam Latona (Alabaster, AL) - Virginia Tech (High School Rank: #41)
2x NCAA All-American (6,7), 1x ACC Champion
18. Chris Foca (Cliffside Park, NJ) - Cornell (High School Rank: #21)
1x All-American (3), 1x EIWA Champion
19. Cade DeVos (Altoona, IA) - South Dakota State (High School Rank: #76)
1x All-American (5), 1x Big 12 Champion
20. Chris Cannon (Oceanport, NJ) - Northwestern/Michigan (High School Rank: #91)
2x All-American (7,7)
21. Edmond Ruth (Harrisburg, PA) - Lehigh/Illinois (High School Rank: #62)
1x All-American (7), 1x Big Ten Champion
22. Julian Ramirez (Miami, FL) - Cornell (High School Rank: #10)
3x NCAA Round of 12 Finisher, 2x EIWA Champion
23. Yaraslau Slavikouski (Rechitsa, Belarus) - Harvard/Rutgers (High School Rank: NR)
1x All-American (7), EIWA Runner-Up, 2020 NWCA 2nd Team All-American
24. Caleb Smith (High Point, NC) - Appalachian State/Nebraska (High School Rank: NR)
1x All-American (6), 1x SoCon Champion
25. Carson Kharchla (Powell, OH) - Ohio State (High School Rank: #4)
1x All-American (7), NCAA Round of 12
26. Taye Ghadiali (Warren, MI) - Campbell (High School Rank: NR)
1x All-American (8), 3x SoCon Champion
27. Jaden Abas (San Diego, CA) - Stanford (High School Rank: #8)
1x All-American (7), 1x Pac-12 Champion
28. Dylan D’Emilio (Curtice, OH) - Ohio State (High School Rank: #32)
1x All-American (8), NCAA Round of 12
29. Lennox Wolak (Columbus, OH) - Columbia (High School Rank: NR)
1x All-American (6), 1x EIWA Champion
30. Ben Pasiuk (Carrollton, OH) - Army West Point (High School Rank: NR)
1x All-American (8), 1x EIWA Champion, 3x EIWA Finalist
31. Jackson Turley (Chester, VA) - Rutgers (High School Rank: #43)
1x All-American (8), 3x NCAA Qualifier
32. David Key (Norcross, GA) - Navy (High School Rank: HM)
1x All-American (8), 1x EIWA Runner-Up, 3x NCAA Qualifier
33. Michael Colaiocco (Sparta, NJ) - Penn (High School Rank: #19)
1x EIWA Champion, 2x EIWA Finalist, 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2020 NWCA 2nd Team All-American
34. Johnny Lovett (Miami, FL) - Central Michigan (High School Rank: #84)
4x NCAA Qualifier, NCAA Round of 12, MAC Champion
35. Malyke Hines (Kissimmee, FL) - Lehigh (High School Rank: #68)
4x NCAA Qualifier, 1x EIWA Champion, NCAA Round of 12
36. Noah Surtin (Edwardsville, IL) - Missouri (High School Rank: HM)
4x NCAA Qualifier, NCAA Round of 12, Big 12 and MAC Runner-Up
37. Abe Assad (Carol Stream, IL) - Iowa (High School Rank: #29)
3x NCAA Qualifier, 2020 NWCA 2nd Team All-American
38. Owen Trephan (Summerville, SC) - NC State (High School Rank: #72)
2x ACC Champion, 2x NCAA Qualifier
39. DJ Washington (Portage, IN) - Indiana (High School Rank: NR)
3x NCAA Qualifier
40. Connor McGonagle (Timberlane, NH) - Lehigh/Virginia Tech (High School Rank: #51)
3x NCAA Qualifier
41. Trevor Chumbley (St. Charles, IL) - Northwestern (High School Rank: #74)
2x NCAA Qualifier
42. Josh Heindselman (Piedmont, OK) - Oklahoma (High School Rank: HM)
4x NCAA Qualifier, NCAA Round of 12
43. Connor Brady (Powell, OH) - Virginia Tech (High School Rank: #13)
4x NCAA Qualifier, 2x ACC Runner-Up
44. Nick Incontrera (Flemington, NJ) - Penn (High School Rank: HM)
3x NCAA Qualifier, EIWA Finalist
45. Jacob Nolan (Saranac, NY) - Binghamton (High School Rank: NR)
4x NCAA Qualifier, EIWA Finalist
46. Cleveland Belton (Corona, CA) - Arizona State/Oregon State (High School Rank: HM)
2x NCAA Qualifier, NCAA Round of 12, 1x Pac-12 Champion, 2x Pac-12 Finalist
47. Sam Wolf (Warsaw, NY) - Air Force (High School Rank: NR)
2x NCAA Qualifier
48. Max Shaw (Pittsburgh, PA) - North Carolina (High School Rank: #73)
3x NCAA Qualifier, 1x ACC Finalist
49. Alex Cramer (Grayslake, IL) - Old Dominion/Central Michigan (High School Rank: #75)
3x NCAA Qualifier, 2x MAC Champion
50. Matthew Olguin (Fresno, CA) - Fresno State/Oregon State (High School Rank: #12)
2x NCAA Qualifier, Pac-12 Champion
Class of 2019 Recruiting Rankings; As posted in 2019
1. Greg Kerkvliet (Simley, MN/Ohio State)
2. Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, CO/Arizona State)
3. Andrew Alirez (Greeley Central, CO/Northern Colorado)
4. Carson Kharchla (Olentangy Liberty, OH/Ohio State)
5. Jordan Decatur (Cuyahoga Valley CA, OH/Ohio State)
6. JoJo Aragona (Pope John XXIII, NJ/Rutgers)
7. Julian Chlebove (Northampton, PA/Arizona State)
8. Jaden Abas (Rancho Bernardo, CA/Stanford)
9. Carter Starocci (Cathedral Prep, PA/Penn State)
10. Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, NJ/Cornell)
11. Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic, PA/Centenary College)
12. Matthew Olguin (Buchanan, CA/Fresno State)
13. Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty, OH/Virginia Tech)
14. Parker Keckeisen (Nicolet, WI/Northern Iowa)
15. Jacob Cardenas (Bergen Catholic, NJ/Cornell)
16. Ridge Lovett (Post Falls, ID/Nebraska)
17. Cam Amine (Detroit CC, MI/Michigan)
18. Lucas Byrd (LaSalle, OH/Illinois)
19. Michael Colaiocco (Blair Academy, NJ/Penn)
20. Aden Reeves (Albia, IA/Iowa State)
21. Chris Foca (Bergen Catholic, NJ/Cornell)
22. Chris Donathan (Mason, OH/Tiffin)
23. Peter Christensen (Montini Catholic, IL/Wisconsin)
24. Reece Witcraft (Broken Arrow, OK/Oklahoma State)
25. Brevin Balmaceda (South Dade, FL/Oklahoma State)
26. Ryan Vulakh (Pope John Paul II, PA/Rutgers)
27. Devin Winston (Park Hill, MO/Minnesota)
28. Bryce Andonian (St. Edward, OH/Virginia Tech)
29. Abe Assad (Glenbard North, IL/Iowa)
30. Kevon Davenport (Detroit CC, MI/Nebraska)
31. Jordan Crace (Elyria, OH/Michigan State)
32. Dylan D’Emilio (Genoa, OH/Ohio State)
33. James Whitaker (St. John’s, MI/Virginia)
34. Sammy Alvarez (St. Joe’s Regional, NJ/NC State)
35. Trey Munoz (Trabuco Hills, CA/Arizona State)
36. Eric Barnett (Greenville, WI/Wisconsin)
37. Kurt McHenry (St. Paul’s, MD/Michigan)
38. Gabe Tagg (Brecksville, OH/North Carolina)
39. Luke Luffman (Urbana, IL/Illinois)
40. Wyatt Hendrickson (Newton, KS/Air Force)
41. Sam Latona (Thompson, AL/Virginia Tech)
42. Jared McGill (Chestnut Ridge, PA/Pittsburgh)
43. Jackson Turley (St. Christopher’s, VA/Rutgers)
44. Adam Busiello (Eastport South Manor, NY/Arizona State)
45. Jake Logan (New Rochelle, NY/Lehigh)
46. Kyle Mosher (South East, NY/Columbia)
47. Daniel Manibog (Katy, TX/Oklahoma State)
48. Kyle Burwick (Hettinger, SD/Wisconsin)
49. Kai Orine (Seckman, MO/NC State)
50. Isaac Wilcox (Olympus, UT/Ohio State)
