Rodriguez makes early commitment to Michigan State
Michigan's Top Junior grappler announces plans to wrestle for the Green and White

9/2 - There has been a growing trend in college wrestling the past few
years when it comes to the recruiting process – everything is happening
sooner.  Wrestlers are committing earlier and earlier each year and the
amount of late recruiting and signings is going down.

The first big time wrestling recruiting news for the high school class of
2012 comes from right here in Michigan as 2x state champ and Fargo
Double Champ Freddie Rodriguez has informed Michigan Grappler that
he has already made his college plans, he will be staying in Ingham
County and wrestling for the Michigan State Spartans.

“I have been a Michigan State fan since I was little and I’ve always
wanted to be a Spartan,” said Rodriguez on a phone call to Michigan
Grappler.  “When I went and saw the campus I got to see the athletic
academic support buildings and it ensured me that MSU can help me
stay on task and do good academically. From a wrestling standpoint I
know I will work hard on improving my skills but I feel the academic
support at Michigan State will be really good for me

Rodriguez, who is currently ranked #1 in the country at 112lbs by
TheOpenMat, will also be able to go to school and compete close to
home, just minutes from his hometown of Holt.

“It’s near home for me and I know I have my family there to support me and I like being close to my parents, plus my family and friends will be able to watch me throughout my career,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who won Division 1 state titles at 103 and 112lbs his freshman and sophomore year, has been one of the premiere wrestlers in the country ever since coming up on the youth scene, and throughout his career he has attended numerous Michigan State camps and clinics.  According to him, his confidence in the MSU staff was a big part in his decision as well.

“I have known (MSU Assistant Coach) Chris Williams since I was really little
and he wrestled for State.  I have worked with him a lot so I wouldn’t want to
go somewhere where another coach would have to get to know me and how
I wrestle – Chris already knows what kind of kid I am, how I wrestle, and how
to coach me.”

Rodriguez follows a line of the nation’s top juniors in the past couple years to
make very early commitments, including Logan and Hunter Stieber of Ohio
(Ohio State) and Nico Megadulis of Pennsylvania (Penn State).  He is the first
wrestler in the country from the Class of 2012 to announce his college plans.

“I am happy to get it done early so I don’t have to wait around and think about
it or have to feel the stress of the whole process,” said Rodriguez.  “I know
where I want to be, so why not get it done now?”

Last summer, Rodriguez competed in just about every National event that he could find and racked up a laundry list of big wins and tournament titles.  He won the FILA Cadet Nationals in both styles, the FloNationals, the USAW Folkstyle Nationals, and the Fargo Junior Nationals in both styles.  Wrestling most of this summer at 103 and 105lbs, many might question his size for college, with the lightest weight class being 125lbs, however, Rodriguez is confident it will not be an issue.

“I don’t feel like my weight is going to be an issue because I know my work ethic is good and as long as I push myself in the room I will have success on the mat, no matter what size I am.”

He has been widely considered one of the best wrestlers in Michigan and the country throughout his grappling career, however, Rodriguez’s recent summer success has officially propelled him into the national forefront.  He has beaten just about every notable wrestler in the country at 103/112lbs, and his aggressive, high paced style of wrestling has not changed since winning his 2nd state title in March.

“I think before this summer I was considered one of the better kids from Michigan,
but my name wasn’t really known that much nationally.  But after everything I’ve
done this summer I feel I have made a big name for myself,” said Rodriguez. “The
difference for me has been that I have been wrestling a lot smarter and been more
aggressive.  In the past I have not been real aggressive at big national tournaments
but this year I have really turned up my aggressiveness and was heavy on people’s
heads and it has made a big difference.”

Rodriguez’s commitment falls just days after one of the best Michigan wrestlers
from the class of 2011, Roger Wildmo, also gave a verbal commitment to the
Spartans.  He will also join former Lansing area standout Dan Osterman of
St.Johns, who competed as a true freshman this year for MSU, and the Spartan
Wrestling team is starting to gain a good crop of home-grown talent.

“I feel that when others see that we (Roger Wildmo and myself) are staying home
to wrestle at Michigan State that they will see that we can build a team with pure
Michigan guys and it would be a lot more special to win a title with guys who
grew up together, training together and traveling together.”

While Rodriguez is a grade behind Wildmo and three grades behind Osterman,
he could very well end up competing right alongside them sooner than you would think, as he does not rule out the idea of waiving his redshirt year and wrestling right away.

“I think I will wrestle right away, but it depends on how big I am, how I feel, and what the coaches want me to do, but I think I will be ready to compete right away”

If you glance at Freddie Rodriguez’s track record you might think he is almost already in college, however, he still has two full years of high school wrestling left before moving on to the next level and he says he still has a lot to do before getting to college.

This year he and his brother Martin, a freshman, will wrestle for Grand Ledge High School, but he will also be competing in a couple more big-time preseason events before the MHSAA season kicks off, the Grappler Fall Classic (Oct 16 in Tecumseh, MI) and the Super 32 Challenge (Oct 30-31 in Greensboro, NC).

Rodriguez also gave thanks to MSU coach Tom Minkel for giving him the opportunity to continue his career in college as well as his parents and family for their support over the years.  Luckily for them they will be able to continue supporting him and not have to drive far to do it as the blue-chip prospect will be right up the road in East Lansing.












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Rodriguez will follow a long line of nationally proven prep lightweights to take their talents to East Lansing.  He will be the third Fargo Freestyle Champ to enter the MSU program as a 125lber since 2000 (Nick Simmons, Franklin Gomez being the others)
As an undersized 112lber, Rodriguez dominated the competetion en route to his 2nd Division 1 State Title
Rodriguez dropped to his natural weight of 103 for the FloNationals last spring and handily beat then #1 ranked Cody Phillips of Indiana in the finals
Freddie Rodriguez will be at the Grappler Fall Classic!
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