Michigan Grappler's 2009 Recruiting Roundup
8/5 - Within the next month Michigan's College Wrestling programs will see the fruits of their recruiting labors step foot on their campus soil. That's right, the fall semester is not far away which means that all of the incoming freshman will need to get moved into their dorm rooms, purchase books & school supplies, and get ready for the start of the college wrestling careers.
As usual, many of Michigan's schools roped in some big time recruiting classes this year. Last year it was CMU who earned a lot of national recognition for their three Senior National Champions but this year it is coach Joe McFarland and the Wolverines who signed the most nationally recognized class in the state. The Wolverines inked three wrestlers who graduated ranked in the top 4 of their weight class nationally by InterMat.
To hear about all the details regarding this year's incoming recruiting classes, including what impact these recruits should have in the coming years, read our in depth team-by-team analysis below:
Who they signed:
Sean Boyle (Blair Academy, NJ) - 125
Grant Pizzo (Brighton, MI) - 125
Eric Grajales (Brandon, FL) - 133/141
Pete Rendina (Dundee, MI) - 141
Mike Hillock (Massillon Perry, OH) - 141/149
Brandon Zeerip (Hesperia, MI) - 157/165
Dan Yates (Hesperia, MI) - 165/174
Analysis:
While Michigan has pretty good recruiting years almost every year, this one may be their best in recent years. They traditionally land one or two big name guys from out of state and this year is no different with Eric Grajales and Sean Boyle. Grajales and Boyle both come from premiere high school programs in Brandon and Blair Academy and they have as much national experience as anyone, so McFarland should expect them to be competitive right away in the Big Ten.
Argument can be made for Eric Grajales to be the top recruit in last year's high school class. Anytime you have a guy like that coming in, there is reason to be excited. Grajales was a 4x Florida High School state champ and won numerous National honors throughout his prep career. It is up in the air what Michigan will do with Grajales, but if they decide to wrestle him right away he should be an immediate impact type of guy for the Wolverines, a la Kellen Russell two years ago.
Senior National Champ Sean Boyle of New Jersey appears to be just the little guy that the Wolverines desperately need. Not since AJ Grant in the earlier part of this decade has Michigan had an All-American at the top of their lineup. Boyle, much like Grajales, could get a shot at wrestling right away and could make an immediate impact at 125lbs.
The 2nd Senior National Champ in this group is Dan Yates of Hesperia. Yates, the Michigan Grappler Wrestler of the Year, came on to the recruiting scene late and was the final piece of this Wolverine recruiting class. The 3x state champ comes in with fellow Hesperia native Brandon Zeerip. Zeerip, a 2x state champ, comes in with a good amount of national experience as well and will join brother Justin, who started at 165lbs last year. The question with Yates and Zeerip is what the Wolves will do with them. They already have Justin Zeerip at 165 (possibly moving up to 174), and blue chip recruit Hunter Collins from last year's incoming group should be in the mix at 174/184 as well after redshirting this year, so it will be interesting to see how Brandon Zeerip and Yates fit into this lineup. They should both be ready to contend for All-American honors in the near future, so Michigan's middle to paperweights should be all set for the years to come.
2x Michigan state champ Pete Rendina (141) and State Finalist Grant Pizzo (125) add depth to this star-studded class. Rendina is a tall kid who may grow into more than a 141lber and should provide great depth in the middle of the Wolverine lineup. Pizzo did well at the Senior Nationals, finishing just short of placing and adds much needed depth to the UM lightweights. He wrestled 119 last year and you can never have too many solid 125lbers so if he can stay there he should be a valuable asset for McFarland.
Senior National All-American Mike Hillock of Perry, OH was a late addition as well. Hillock was a 2x Ohio state placer and took 8th at this year's NHSCA Senior Nationals.
McFarland addressed his squad's most important need very well - lightweights. He got the dominant 125 and 133lbers that they need atop their lineup in Boyle and Grajales, and Pizzo, Rendina, and Hillock add depth to the first half of their lineup as well. They are already pretty solid in the middle weights, however, Yates and Zeerip bring some youth and make the future look solid for 157-184. They graduated NCAA Champ Steve Luke and 174 and All-American Tyrel Todd at 197, and the addition of Yates helps address those needs. However, they did not sign one wrestler who competed above 160lbs last year in high school, so upperweights will likely be a priority next year in recruiting.
Report Card:
Talent = A
Depth = A-
Needs = A-
Instant Impact = A
Overall = A
Who they signed:
Joe Roth (Dixon, IL) - 125
Cameron Amaties (Lanse Creuse, MI) - 133
Justin Zimmerman (Hudsonville, MI) - 133
Taylor March (Kendallville, IN) - 141
Scott Mattingly (Uniontown, OH) - 141
Jake Jeske (Swan Valley, MI) - 157
Adam Miller (Sparta, MI) - 165
Craig Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN) - 184
Zach Aylor (Oklahoma City, OK) - 184
Dillon Kern (Fowlerville, MI) - 184/197
Zach Cline (Uniontown, OH) - 197
Jeff Beebe (Allendale, MI) - 197/285
Analysis:
It is obviously hard to live up to last year's Chippewa recruiting class that was argued as possibly the best in the country, however, Tom Borelli brought in another large class with a handful of potential players. This class does not have the big name, "Wow" kind of guys like last year, but it does have tremendous depth and 7 or 8 real quality kids who should fit in well in Mt. Pleasant.
8 wrestlers in this group come in as High School state champions. Roth and Miller are likely the most nationally known of these recruits. Roth was an undefeated state champ in Illinois this year and has been an All-American in Fargo and Senior Nationals, so he should be ready to contend for a MAC title soon. He should fit in nicely at 125 as it is hard to see Scotti Sentes staying there much longer for the Chipps.
Miller was a 2x state champ and finished 2nd at the Super 32s last October. He is a tall kid who could stay at 165 or grow into a 174 or 184lber if CMU needs him to. With Trevor Stewart graduating, Miller could be see time soon as the potential replacement at 165 or maybe 174 after Mike Miller graduates next year.
Aside from Miller, this class features 4 other Michigan state champs. Jake Jeske did not have a lot of national exposure, however, his athleticism and power give him a lot of possible upside. Amaties is another guy who flew under a lot of recruiting radars, however, Borelli has had a lot of success turning guys like that into studs. Amaties and Justin Zimmerman, who was a D1 state runner up this year, should both add depth to the 133/141 weights that should be thinning out for CMU in the next couple years with the graduation of DAlie & Beebe.
Dillon Kern and Jeff Beebe are the final two Michigan state champs in this class. Kern is good on the mat and has had a lot of national experience so he should be ready for the transition to college. Beebe is a big bruiser who won the state title at 215 last year. He is a quality big guy to add to the room. Kern, Beebe, and possibly Ohio state placer Zach Cline could be looking at a chance to compete for time at 197 as the departure of Dubose opens that weight up for CMU in the coming years.
You cannot deny the depth in this class and while they did not bring in any Grajales type guys like Michigan, Borelli does have a few guys who could be quality starters for him in the next couple years. They addressed a big need at 125 with Roth and Miller could fill the future hole at 165/174. Instant impact is unlikely out of most of these guys, with the exception of Roth possibly if Sentes goes up this year, however, Steintrager may have that taken care of with a year of eligibility left.
Grappler Video:
Report Card:
Talent = B
Depth = A
Needs = A-
Instant Impact = C+
Overall = B+
Who they signed:
Brenan Lyon (Ithaca, MI) - 125
Zach Crim (Haslett, MI) - 125/133
Josh Harper (Mishawanka, IN) - 133
Dan Osterman (St. Johns, MI) - 133/141
Nick Kacznowski (Rochester, MI) - 165
Michael McClure (West Ottawa, MI) - 285
Analysis:
This is not a huge recruiting class for Michigan State, however, it appears to make up for the lack of quantity with a good amount of quality. Osterman, Harper, and McClure are all guys who could step into the Spartan starting lineup within the next couple years.
Michael McClure is probably the biggest signing of this class as he is just about everything you look for in a Division 1 College Heavyweight. In terms of size, physical stature, and athleticism there are few guys, if any who match up with him. If McClure, who was a state champ and Senior National Runner-Up, can transition to college wrestling quickly, Minkel could opt to use him right away.
Osterman showed signs of what he is capable of in Fargo last month as he all-americaned in both styles and scored some big wins in freestyle, including a win over #6 ranked Austin Ormsbee of Blair, NJ. Osterman is tough on his feet and he, along with Harper, will also have the luxury of working out with NCAA Champ Franklin Gomez everyday. Harper comes highly touted as possibly the top recruit out of Indiana this year, he was a 3x IN state champ before getting upset in this year's state finals.
Senior National Champ Brenan Lyon and state placers Zach Crim & Nick Kacznowski round out this class. All three are quality guys that will add depth in the Spartan room. Lyon, who was one of the best 103lbers in the nation this year, will have to get significantly bigger if he wants to contend at 125lbs, however, if he does he has the skill set and national experience to do well at the next level.
They addressed their need to replace Gomez, who graduates after next year, with Harper and Osterman. In addition McClure could give MSU the all-american big man they have been in search of for the last decade. They still need to address 184/197, however, with the early commitments of Kamron Jackson and Nick McDiarmid for next year's class, they appear to be on track to addressing those needs.
In terms of instant impact, McClure is likely the only guy in this group who may possibly be ready to start right away. Osterman and Harper are college-ready, however, they will both likely need a year to make the transition and be ready to tackle the intimidating Big Ten schedule.
Grappler Video:
Report Card:
Talent = B+
Depth = B
Needs = A
Instant Impact = B-
Overall = B+
Who they signed:
Greg Goganas (Bowie, TX) - 125
Jared Germaine (Swan Valley, MI) - 125/133
Seth Schaner (Big Rapids, MI) - 141
Mike LeHolm (Jackson NW, MI) - 141
JT Rice (Hillard Davison, OH) - 165
Justin Joseph (Lapeer East, MI - 174
Nick Whitenburg (Bedford, MI) - 184/197
Analysis
In his third year of recruiting Derek Delporto brought in yet another solid group of wrestlers. Delporto continues to attract quality Michigan kids with the addition of 3 Michigan state champs.
Jared Germaine is not one of those state champs, however, he may be the most lucrative signing in this class. He has done well nationally and competed closely with many of the top guys in the country. Germaine, who was a Senior National All-American, may start out wrestling 125, but will likely end up as a 133lber and take over for Sean Clair.
141-149 is pretty solid already for EMU with Novak, Phillips, and JJ Johnson, however, Schaner and LeHolm will add to that depth. LeHolm showed that he can compete at the next level with big wins in Fargo last year and Schaner has gained a lot of national experience as well.
JT Rice, Justin Joseph, and Nick Whitenburg will give a much needed boost to the Eagles upperweights. Joseph won a Division 2 state title this year and Whitenburg was a runner up in Division 1. Whitenburg did not rack up any big wins nationally, however, he is very athletic and moves well for a big guy. He will likely need a year to acclimate to college wrestling, but he may be Delporto's guy at 184 or 197 very soon. Rice was an Ohio state runner-up at 160lbs this year in Division 1 (big school division).
EMU has struggled in their upperweights the past couple years, so the addition of Rice, Joseph, and Whitenburg are probably the biggest plus in this class. Mike Curby just commited for next year's class, which will help as well. The depth of this class is not as great as Delporto's first couple groups, however, they have a good amount of talent, led by Germaine. All of these guys could probably use a redshirt year, however, Germaine could be used right away, especially if he can stay at 125. Whitenburg may also be the best choice for EMU right away at 184/197.
Last year EMU had only one NCAA Qualifier, however, they continue to do well recruiting so Derek Delporto and company should be about ready to start competing in the MAC and this year's class will be pivotal if they want to do that.
Grappler Video:
Report Card:
Talent = B
Depth = B
Needs = B+
Instant Impact = B-
Overall = B
Who they signed:
Scott Noble (Clinton, MI) - 133
Kameron Olsen (East Kentwood, MI) - 133
Kenny Richmond (Brighton, MI) - 133/141
Danny Sharrard (Gaylord, MI) - 133/141
Taylor Misel (Three Rivers, MI) - 149
Rick Weirich (Tecumseh, MI) - 157
Josh Crawford (Birch Run, MI) - 174
Drew Simspon (Tecumseh, MI) - 174
Nick Licari (Anchor Bay) - 174
Logan Renas (Big Rapids) - 197
Layne Upcott (Lake Orion) - 197
Dylan Smith (Oxford, MI) - 285
Jake Ceslick (Alpena, MI)
Joe Covarrubias (Mt Pleasant, MI)
Jack Griggs (Brighton, MI)
Jeff Salmon (Martin, MI)
Alan Wheeler (Union City, MI)
Analysis
With the Todd Hibbs era officially over in Olivet and the graduation of their National Finalists Jason Brew and Kyle Vanderhyde, new coach Brandon Brissette will need this class to step in and contribute right away.
The group only includes one state champ in heavyweight Dylan Smith, however, a few guys appear to have the tools to thrive at the Division III level. Smith is an athletic heavyweight who beat some studs en route to the D2 state title this year. If he can get a little more size he could be very competitive for Olivet at the bottom of their lineup.
Among the 10 other Michigan state placers in this group, Brissette will likely be looking for a couple to emerge as key contributors in the next couple years. Danny Sharrard of Gaylord has the build and athleticism of a college wrestler, which makes him seem like a promising option at 133 or 141 and Nick Licari, Josh Crawford and Drew Simpson are all athletic bigger guys who may have the opportunity to take over for Vanderhyde.
State placers Scott Noble, Kam Olsen, Kenny Richmond, and Taylor Misel also add a good amount of talent to the bottom half of the Comet lineup while Logan Renas and Layne Upcott are state placers who boost the upperweights for Olivet.
Brissette will have a good group coming in for his first year, however, it does not appear that any of these guys will be contending for All-American honors right away. The class is deep with 11 state placers and a state champ, so Brissette should be happy to have a good group to work with and the next year will be his first shot at recruiting his own group of freshman.
Report Card:
Talent = B+
Depth = A
Needs = B
Instant Impact = C
Overall = B
**note grading based on D-III scale**
Who they signed:
Nick Vanduine (Dansville) - 125/133
Justin Walls (Riverview, MI) - 125/133
JT Gustin (Kelloggsville, MI) - 125/133
Dan Sabin (Mary/Transfer) - 133
Jimmy Mann (Westland JG) - 133/141
Eric Telford (Durand) - 141
Ben Breslin (Dansville) - 141
Jeff Sabin (Kent City, MI) - 141
Sean White (Shelby, MI) - 149
Jake Potyraj (Wyoming Park, MI) - 157
Bill Krisch (Pine River, MI) - 157/165
Chris Lucas (Grand Haven, MI) - 174
Nathan Bazan (Zeeland West, MI) - 184
Andrew Banas (New Boston Huron, MI) - 184
Cody Vandonkelaar (Orchard View, MI) - 285
Analysis:
Coach Ron Gaffner roped in one of the deepest classes of his long tenure at MCC with 15 wrestlers, all of whom are Michigan state placers.
State Champ JT Gustin of Kelloggsville is probably the most accomplished of this group as he went undefeated during his senior season to win the D3 125lb state title. Gustin downed Senior National All-American Jared Germaine in the finals, which shows that he has the talent to compete with some of the nation's best.
A couple other state finalists to keep an eye on are Chris Lucas, Eric Telford, and Jeff Sabin. Lucas finished 2nd at 171lbs in Division 1, losing to Jake Dorulla in the finals. Lucas is a tall kid with a good amount of national experience so he should be capable of transitioning to JUCO wrestling relatively quick. Telford is built similar to Lucas, tall, lanky and tough on the mat. Sabin comes in with his brother Dan who transferred from Mary College. Dan Sabin was 3rd in the state in Division 1 two years ago for Grand Haven.
This is a good looking group of kids coming in for Coach Gaffner, however, as always with JUCO the real question is how many of these guys will pan out and contribute in the Jayhawk lineup in the next two years.
Report Card:
Talent = B+
Depth = A
Needs = A-
Instant Impact = B
Overall = B+
**Note grading on JUCO scale**
Who they signed:
Andrew Stepanovich (Forest Hills Northern, MI) - 125/133
Zach Johnson (Rockford), 141/149
Ryan Thomas (Heidelberg/Transfer), 165
Kyle Summerfield (Hartland), 174
Kyle Hillard (Heidelberg/Transfer), 174
Frank Bastien (West Catholic), 197
Matt Lueder (Berkley)
Analysis:
Coach Rick Bolhuis brings in a solid group of Michigan kids with this year's recruiting class. While this is not an overly large class, there are a good number of kids here who should be able to contribute and help keep Grand Valley among the top of the NCWA.
This group is headlined by three Top 50 recruits coming out of Michigan this year. Zach Johnson never won a state title, however, the former Rockford standout has the build and tools of a college wrestler and should be competitive right away at the NCWA level. Andrew Stepanovich has a similar makeup to Johnson and the 2008 State Champ could also provide an immediate impact to the GVSU lineup. Kyle Summerfield is the third guy in this group that is ranked by Michigan Grappler as a top 50 recruit. He has been one of the elite 171lbers in Michigan the past couple years and he should be well-suited to develop into a top contender at 174lbs for the Lakers.
Two transfers from Heidelburg college, Ryan Thomas and Kyle Hillard, should be able to contribute to the GVSU squad right away as well with a year of college wrestling already under their belt. Frank Bastien is an athletic big man who should provide depth to the Laker upperweights.
Grand Valley finished within 10 points of winning the NCWA National Tournament last year and with much of their squad returning, they did not need a huge class this year. Therefore, the addition of Stepanovich, Johnson, and Summerfield only add to what they have. Whether they step in right away or in a couple years, all three of these guys could be pivotal parts of the future Laker lineup. The only need that went un-addressed appears to be the upperweights, as GVSU graduated 5 of their 7 grapplers from 184 to 235 and only brought in one recruit in that range (Bastien).
Report Card:
Talent = B+
Depth = B+
Needs = B+
Instant Impact = B+
Overall = B+
**Note grading on NCWA scale**
Who they signed:
Don Gorman (MH Lamphere) - 125
Luke Gillespie (Kalkaska) - 141
Jason Musall (Mott CC/Transfer) - 141
Bo Cantara (Oxford) - 149
Payden Armstrong (Jonesville) - 149
Dan Salyers (Warren Mott) - 157
Jake Hyde (Holly) - 165
Mike Wranosky (Macomb Dakota) - 165
Will Vincent (Mott CC/Transfer) - 174
Aaron Hyde (Ortonville Brandon) - 184
John Logan (CMU/Transfer) - 197
Sloan Hadsall (Clarkston) - 197
Shane Hegedus (Holly) - 285
Analysis:
Entering their third year as a NCWA program, Oakland appears to be heading in the right direction with this large, talented group of Michigan kids. This is a great example of why Michigan needs more college programs and it shows the value of having wrestling at Oakland.
The two biggest additions are probably Don Gorman and Jake Hyde, who are both Top 50 recruits coming out of Michigan this year. Hyde was Division 1 state champ from Holly and wrestling right in his backyard, he should fit in nicely for the Grizz. Gorman is a very talented little guy who was one of the top 119lbers in the state last year and he may jump in as the OU starter at 125 right away. Both of these guys should be competitive at the NCWA level and could very well be OU's first multiple time all-americans before it is all said and done.
Among the other notables in this group are three transfers, Will Vincent and Jason Musall from Mott CC, and John Logan from CMU. Their college experience should be a great addition to the OU practice room and lineup.
Some other notable Michigan state placers in this group include Bo Cantara, Payden Armstrong, Aaron Hyde, and Sloan Hadsall. With a group like this the depth and overall quality of the Oakland team should take a leap forward this year as they look to improve on their 30th place finish in last year's NCWA National Tournament.
Report Card:
Talent = B+
Depth = A
Needs = A
Instant Impact = B+
Overall = A-
**Note grading on NWCA scale**
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