Wolverines Finalize Nationally Ranked Recruiting Class
5/12/2020 5:15:00 PM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan wrestling program has landed another nationally ranked recruiting class, according to all major wrestling media outlets. The eight-man incoming class combined for nine state titles and 13 Fargo All-America honors over their high school careers and is ranked No. 16 by Flowrestling, No. 12 by InterMat and No. 11 by The Open Mat.
"We're really excited about this incoming class of Wolverines," said head coach Sean Bormet. "It's a very tough and athletic class with strong leadership traits that will have an immediate impact on our program. Through the recruiting process, one of the key elements I noticed and loved about this group is the way they embrace and attack hard training. They are hungry to work and improve, and I know they are all eager -- just as we are -- for their arrival in Ann Arbor and for the start of their next chapter."
The Wolverines' 2020-21 freshman class will include Jaden Bullock (Chesapeake, Virginia), Gaige Garcia (Catawissa, Pennsylvania), Chris Kim (Ambler, Pennsylvania), Fidel Mayora (Northlake, Illinois), Matt McKenna (Winnetka, Illinois), Dylan Ragusin (Elk Grove Village, Illinois), Joe Walker (Mishawaka, Indiana) and Brendin Yatooma (South Lyon, Michigan).
The class includes two wrestlers listed among the top 40 national recruits by InterMat and FloWrestling, while four are ranked among the top 12 at their respective weight classes. It is the Wolverines' eighth ranked recruiting class in nine years.
Bullock is ranked No. 12 nationally at 170 pounds and as the No. 105 overall recruit by The Open Mat. He was a two-time Virginia state champion at Oscar Smith High School, winning at 160 pounds (2019) and 170 pounds (2020), and a four-time state placewinner. He posted a 157-17 career record with a 43-7 mark as a senior. He earned strong finishes at a pair of national tournaments last semester, taking second at Ironman and fifth at Beast of the East. He secured Fargo All-America honors last summer with an eighth-place finish in Greco-Roman. He is projected to wrestle at 174 pounds at Michigan.
Garcia is ranked as high as No. 2 nationally at 195 pounds and as the No. 22 overall recruit by Flowrestling and No. 20 recruit by InterMat. He is a two-time Pennsylvania state champion at 195 pounds for Southern Columbia High School and a four-time state placewinner. He posted a 163-6 career record and won his final 98 matches, including a perfect 48-0 senior season with 37 pins. Committed to also play football at Michigan, Garcia established Pennsylvania state records for rushing touchdowns (138) and total touchdowns (159), and finished with 8,232 total rushing yards. He is projected to wrestle at 197 pounds at Michigan.
Kim was a three-time National Prep placewinner at Germantown Academy, twice placing top four, and captured a pair of Pennsylvania independent schools state titles (2018, '19). He compiled a 140-25 career record. He also earned a pair of Fargo All-America citations, including a fifth-place Greco finish in 2019. He likely will wrestle at 125 or 133 pounds at Michigan.
Mayora is ranked as high as No. 18 nationally at 145 pounds and as the No. 74 overall recruit by The Open Mat. He was a four-time Illinois state placewinner and two-time finalist (2018, '19) at Montini Catholic High School and never placed worse than third, most recently at 145 pounds last season. He posted a 162-26 career record. Mayora captured a cadet freestyle national title at 138 pounds in 2017 and is a four-time Fargo All-American. He likely will wrestle at 149 or 157 pounds at Michigan.
McKenna was a CSL Conference champion, two-time finalist and four-time placewinner. He earned 101 career wins and 53 pins -- both ranking among New Trier High School's all-time leaders -- and scored bonus points in 81 percent of his victories. His older brother, Alec, was a four-year starter at 141 pounds at Northwestern. He likely will wrestle at 165 or 174 pounds at Michigan.
Ragusin is ranked as high as No. 4 nationally at 126 pounds, the No. 38 overall recruit by Flowrestling and No. 30 recruit by InterMat. He captured two Illinois state titles at 126 pounds (2019, '20) and was a four-time state finalist for Montini Catholic High School. He posted a 169-16 career prep record. Ragusin also was a six-time Fargo All-American and claimed three titles, including double cadet crowds in 2017, and is a two-time Greco-Roman cadet world team member. He likely will wrestle at 133 or 141 pounds at Michigan.
Walker is ranked No. 12 nationally at 182 pounds and as the No. 122 overall recruit by The Open Mat. He captured an Indiana state title at 182 pounds as a senior (2020) and was a two-time state placewinner for Mishawaka High School. He claimed third place at the prestigious Super 32 tournament last fall and posted a 108-27 career prep record, including a 33-2 mark as a senior. He likely will wrestle at 174 or 184 pounds at Michigan.
Yatooma was a two-time Michigan state champion, winning consecutive titles at 215 pounds as a junior and senior (2019, 20), and was a three-time state placewinner for Detroit Catholic Central High School, where he contributed to four straight team state titles. He compiled a career prep record of 162-26, including a 45-1 mark as a senior, and posted 97 career pins. Off the mat, he was a three-year starter at linebacker and h-back on DCC's football team. He is projected to wrestle at 197 pounds at Michigan.
