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)

Beginning with the 2024-25 season, high school wrestlers will be inbounds with only one point of contact of either wrestler inside or on the boundary line.
This fundamental change to high school wrestling was one of six major changes impacting almost 30 rules recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 1-3 meeting in Indianapolis. All recommended changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Previously, high school wrestlers were considered to be inbounds if a total of two supporting points of either wrestler were inside or on the boundary line. The two supporting points could be two supporting points of one wrestler or one supporting point of each wrestler inside or on the boundary line.
“Without increasing risk, this change eliminates the subjectivity of the out-of-bounds call,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee. “The change also helps officials to call ‘out of bounds’ more consistently, and it provides wrestlers, coaches and spectators a better understanding of out of bounds.”
While the One Point of Contact change will be noted under the definition of Inbounds in Rule 5-15, it also impacts a number of other sections in Rule 5 on Definitions, as well as Rule 6-4-1 on Stopping and Starting the Match.
In addition to the One Point of Contact change, points awarded for a Near-Fall have been revised in high school wrestling. Overall, the changes simplify the points awarded based on how long the wrestler is held in near-fall criteria. The change in Rule 5-11-3 is as follows:
Two points will be awarded when near-fall criteria are held for two seconds, three points for three seconds, four points for four seconds and five points if the defensive wrestler is injured, indicates an injury or bleeding occurs after the four-point near-fall has been earned. These changes will affect other rules including individual match scoring in Rule 9.  
“The goal in wrestling is to pin the opponent,” Hopkins said. “Changing the near-fall points should motivate wrestlers to work for a fall.”
In another change in scoring rules, opportunities to earn more points will also be available when executing a Takedown. Beginning next season, wrestlers will be awarded three match points instead of two when securing a takedown.  
The committee also approved a change regarding the Technical Fall. Rule 5-11-4a now states that “if a takedown or reversal, straight to a near-fall criteria creates a 15-point advantage, the match shall continue until the near-fall criteria is no longer met. Conclusion of the near-fall criteria is immediate.” The change clarifies when the technical fall has concluded in relation to the near-fall criteria being met. Hopkins said the offensive wrestler cannot be penalized appropriately after the technical fall has been earned.
In another change, the 10-Foot Circle at the center of wrestling mats is now optional. Wrestlers now will be encouraged to “stay in the center of the mat” instead of “within the 10-foot circle.”
“The committee determined that the starting lines of a mat indicate the center of the mat and the 10-foot circle is no longer needed,” Hopkins said. “With the new mat designs that have a large mascot or logos, it gives a refreshing look to the mats. Wrestlers and officials know where the center of the mat is located without the 10-foot circle.”
Finally, the committee approved a new Referee’s Time-Out Signal. The signal, which is used in many other sports, is both hands/fingers pointing inward to the referee’s chest.
A complete listing of the wrestling rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Wrestling.”
According to the 2022-23 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys with 259,431 participants in 10,962 schools. It also continues to gain popularity among girls with 50,016 participants in 6,545 schools nationwide.

The 2024 college coaching carousel is in full swing even after two head coaching positions have been filled within the last five days. Once one job has been filled, it likely results in another vacancy, be it from an assistant slot or another head coaching opportunity. As of Thursday morning, there are still two head coaching vacancies (Columbia and Oklahoma State). Each has the potential to create ripples felt around the wrestling coaching…..and so the carousel continues to spin. And that doesn’t even include current openings at the assistant level. 
The first set of coaches have already accepted new positions during this hiring cycle. Even though the Esposito/Hall moves were announced during the regular season, they are still relatively recent and will spend their first season on a new bench in 2024-25. 
The second group is current openings that InterMat has been made aware of. If you don’t see one listed that needs to be please let me know earl@matscouts.com . 
As with the transfer portal feature, this is a fluid situation that will be monitored and updated regularly throughout the spring and summer. There will be no timetable for updates - just as more movement occurs.
Offseason Coaching Movement
Binghamton: Louie DePrez - Assistant Coach (Binghamton athlete)
Buffalo: Donnie Vinson (Cornell Associate Head Coach)
Central Michigan: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan Associate Head Coach)
NC State: Zack Esposito - Associate Head Coach (USOPTC) 
Penn: Matt Valenti - Associate Head Coach (Penn athletic administration)
Princeton: Cody Brewer - Head Assistant Coach (Virginia Tech Assistant Coach0
Utah Valley: Adam Hall - Head Coach (NC State Associate Head Coach)
Utah Valley: Andrew Hochstrasser - Unannounced Role (Utah Club Coach)
Virginia Tech: Zach Tanelli - Associate Head Coach (Columbia Head Coach)
 
Current Openings
Army West Point: Assistant Coach
Binghamton: Assistant Coach
Buffalo: Assistant Coach(es?)
Campbell: Assistant Coach
Central Michigan: Assistant Coach
Columbia: Head Coach
Cornell: Assistant Coach
Edinboro: Assistant Coach
Oklahoma State: Head Coach
Pittsburgh: Assistant Coach
Princeton: Assistant Coach (x2)
Utah Valley: Assistant Coach(es?)