Tag: Rutgers Wrestling

Donny Pritzlaff leaves Rutgers wrestling to become head coach at Columbia

Donny Pritzlaff ready to leave Rutgers for the Ivy League.

Rutgers wrestling announced on Friday that Donny Pritzlaff is leaving their program. The assistant coach had been with the program a decade and leaves an undeniable mark on the Scarlet Knights.

Pat Mineo had broken the news of Pritzlaff leaving Rutgers for the Ivy League earlier this week.

Pritzlaff formed a dynamic partnership with head coach Scott Goodale. This past season was very much the case in point. This past season, Rutgers finished 12-5 (4-4 Big Ten).

Last season includes wins over ranked programs UPenn and Indiana as well as Maryland (receiving votes). Rutgers finished the season ranked No. 14 nationally.

In addition, Pritzlaff was an asset recruiting prospets to Rutgers. This current Scarlet Knights recruiting class is among the best in the nation and is ranked No. 13 by Flo Wrestling.

The class includes three commits who are top 100 nationally.

 

“Over the last 10 years at Rutgers University, my family and I have made lasting relationships and although I am sad to leave my team behind, I am extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead Columbia Wrestling,” Pritzlaff. said in a statement released by Rutgers “I want to thank the entire Rutgers community for their friendship and support. It was an honor to work alongside the best students and coaches in the country. Red Team, Upstream!”

Pritzlaff wrestled at Wisconsin, where he was twice a national champion.

[lawrence-related id=39036,39031]

Columbia went 5-8 last year and 4-3 in the Ivy League.

Rutgers wrestling finishes with one of the top recruiting classes in the nation

On Wednesday, InterMat named the Scarlet Knights’ 2024 recruiting class the fourth-best in the country

Things are certainly trending right for Rutgers wrestling.

On Wednesday, InterMat named the Scarlet Knights’ 2024 recruiting class the fourth-best in the country. That is welcome news for the Scarlet Knights as they look to build on their 12-5 record.

When Rutgers returns to action for the 2024-2025 campaign, there will be a few new faces. That includes Andrew Barbosa, Nate Blanchette, Ryan Ford, Conner Harer, and Alex Nini. Three members of that group, Harer, Nini, and Blanchette, are ranked in the top 100 nationally.

It is a huge recruiting class for Rutgers as they look to move up in the Big Ten standings. The Big Ten, the unquestioned toughest conference in the sport, is stacked from top-to-bottom.

Four of the top six programs in the nation are from the Big Ten.

A class like this should be able to help head coach Scott Goodale make some noise in the Big Ten.

.@RUWrestling officially locks up its highest-rated rookie class since 2008! https://t.co/XOYeHvSv5E

— Bradly Derechailo (@Bradly_D) June 12, 2024

[lawrence-related id=38827,38823]

While Rutgers freshmen will be looking to make their mark, they will also have plenty of veterans to rely on, including Yaraslau Slavikouski, who will be using his final year of eligibility. He is regarded as one of the top heavyweights in the country.

 

Seven incoming Rutgers wrestlers are top 25 in their weight class

Rutgers wrestling has a tremendous incoming recruiting class.

This incoming class of freshmen for Rutgers wrestling is absolutely loaded and might represent the best class in program history.

Head coach [autotag]Scott Goodale[/autotag] managed to land seven incoming Rutgers wrestlers who nationally are ranked top-25 in their respective weight class. That is a seriously good haul for Goodale and his staff.

For those who don’t follow wrestling recruiting closely, the clearest comparison would be that Goodale has landed seven (if not eight) incoming freshmen who would be four-star recruits in the football world. That’s some impressive recruiting.

MatScouts ranks Rutgers with five freshmen ranked in the top 55 of all recruits, regardless of weight class. Individually, four of the verbals are top-10 nationally in their weight class.

Seven of the eight are among the top-200 recruits in the nation. This is a top-tier Big Ten recruiting class:

 

Rutgers is coming off a season where they had two All-Americans. They finished the season 12-5 (4-4 Big Ten) and with an impressive 6-3 record at home.

[lawrence-related id=38296,38293,38288]

All five of their losses on the season were against ranked opponents.

Eight Rutgers wrestling commits ranked top 250 in the nation

The Rutgers wrestling class has the potential to be quite strong.

Rutgers wrestling is having quite the incoming class, with eight of the verbals currently among the highest-ranked recruits in the nation.

The news follows a strong bounceback season for Rutgers wrestling and head coach Scott Goodale. The Scarlet Knights finished 12-5 (4-4 Big Ten) and secured two All-Americans on the season.

They did this with one of the toughest schedules in the nation. All five of Rutgers’ losses on the year came against ranked programs. Four of those losses came in the Big Ten, the consensus toughest conference in wrestling.

Rutgers was boosted by a strong home environment, posting a 6-3 record at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The environment made for quite a recruiting backdrop for Goodale, and it showed in this class.

As Rutgers wrestling analyst Nick Kosko points out, the recent rankings released for the class of 2024 underscore just how strong of a class this is for the program:

 

Four recruits in the top 40 nationally is certainly impressive, with a top of five recruits in the top 55 according to MatScouts.

 

Brandon Toranzo commits to Rutgers wrestling

Brandon Toranzo commits to Rutgers.

Following an impressive season, Rutgers wrestling is expected to build on its success next season. That is partly due to its incoming recreating class, which now includes Brandon Toranzo. On Monday night, the Nutley High School product announced on social media that he had committed to Rutgers. 

The New Jersey native joins Rutgers following an impressive high school career. In February, he made headlines due to his performance in the Region 3 Wrestling Finals. Toranzo won the heavyweight title in the tournament and took home Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.

Additionally, Toranzo has shown he can overcome whatever adversity is put in his path. He suffered his first loss during his senior season due to a medical forfeit. He had torn his ACL, which required months of rehab. Due to his determination, Toranzo was able to get back on the mat and will soon call Piscataway home. 

For Rutgers, the addition of Toranzo is exciting news. Last season, they went 12-5 but struggled in conference play. Against Big Ten teams, they posted a 4-4 record. With Toranzo in the mix, they will be looking to reverse their luck and become a team that other schools in the conference don’t want to face.

While the start of Toranzo’s college career is months away, he is ready to make his mark. At the high school level, he showed that he was a talented athlete determined to make an impact at the next level. 

Rutgers wrestling lands a commitment from Brandon Toranzo

Brandon Toranzo commits to Rutgers wrestling.

An already strong recruiting class for Rutgers wrestling got another boost with the commitment of Brandon Toranzo this week.

Toranzo is a high-level addition for Rutgers who finished off his high school career. He took third-place in the NJSIAA State Championships at 285 pounds for Nutley High School (Nutley, New Jersey). During his run at the state championships, Toranzo defeated two wrestlers who were ranked above him pre-tournament by NJ Wrestle.

He also won the Region 3 heavyweight championship this season.

Rutgers has five wrestlers in the top 50 in the nation on the FloWrestling Big Board.

Toranzo announced via social media his commitment on Monday afternoon:

 

Last week, Rutgers landed a commitment from Dagen Condomotti out of the transfer portal. In addition, heavyweight Yaraslau Slavikouski announced that he will be returning to Rutgers.

[lawrence-related id=37883,37887]

Rutgers is coming off a strong bounce-back season.  Rutgers finished the season 12-5 and with a 4-4 record in the Big Ten.

Rutgers wrestling – Shane Cartagena-Walsh wins Sam Cali Award

Shane Cartagena-Walsh wins top freshman award for Rutgers wrestling.

After entering the 2023 campaign with high expectations, Rutgers wrestling did not disappoint with a 12-5 overall record. While the Scarlet Knights got contributions from everyone on the roster, one player who stood out was Shane Cartagena-Walsh. On Wednesday, he received recognition for his stellar play when he won the Sam Cali Award given to the top freshman.

In his first season with Rutgers, Cartagena-Walsh finished with a 4-1 record. The New Jersey native also added one bonus point win to his resume. In the 174 weight class he posted a 8-5 record. For head coach Scott Goodale, the performance of Cartagena-Walsh was a welcome sign.

As Goodale shifts his focus to next season, Cartagena-Walsh is expected to have an important role. He showed last season that he could hold his own in the in the 174 and 184 weight class and should see more opportunities. 

Our Sam Cali Award for Top Freshman goes to Shane Cartagena-Walsh!

#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/ZdADsZ8HfH

— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) May 1, 2024

While Cartagena-Walsh’s career is just getting started, he has joined impressive company. The 2022-2023 Sam Cali Award winner was Michael Crete, who added to his trophy case this week. The New Jersey native was named Rutgers’ Most Improved Wrestler on Wednesday night. 

[lawrence-related id=37843,37813]

With Cartagena Walsh in the mix, Rutgers wrestling has a bright future.

Yuge boom! Rutgers wrestling Yaraslau Slavikouski is coming back for one more ride

Yaraslau Slavikouski is returning to Rutgers wrestling.

Yaraslau Slavikouski isn’t going anywhere but will return to Rutgers wrestling.

A transfer portal addition last spring, Slavikouski had a strong first season at Rutgers. He compiled a 22-8 record on his way to All-American honors.

Following the season, Slavikouski entered the transfer portal. His return gives Rutgers a potential top-10 team heading into next season.

Slavikouski joined Rutgers last year from Harvard, instantly filling a pressing need at heavyweight.

In a statement on the Rutgers athletics website, Slavikouski underscored his commitment to the program and his return to the Scarlet Knights.

“I am really excited to use my final year of eligibility here at Rutgers,” Slavikouski said in a statement. “We had an awesome finish to the season, and I look forward to getting back after it with my coaches and the rest of our team.”

 

He was one of two Rutgers wrestlers to earn All-American honors, joining Dylan Shawver at 133 pounds.

Last year, Rutgers finished the season 12-5 and with a 4-4 record in the Big Ten. The Big Ten is considered the toughest conference in the country for wrestling.

Boom! Rutgers wrestling lands a commitment from Mason Gibson

Mason Gibson commits to Rutgers wrestling.

Scott Goodale built on the momentum of this past season with a recruiting class that is among the best in the nation. And on Monday afternoon, Rutgers wrestling landed a huge piece with the commitment of Mason Gibson.

Gibson, formerly committed to Penn State, posted on social media that he is committed to Rutgers. He joins the class of 2024 which is shaping up to be a solid group for Rutgers.

Earlier in his recruitment, Gibson was committed to Cornell. Then in June of 2022, he flipped to Penn State.

Two weeks ago, he de-committed from Penn State and now is with Rutgers.

Gibson is No. 13 in the nation at 132 pounds according to Flo Wrestling.

He is an outstanding addition for Rutgers, having competed at a very high level including the national stage.

 

Last season was a strong bounce-back for Rutgers wrestling as they finished 12-5 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten.

[lawrence-related id=37561,37554,37548]

Rutgers placed two All-Americans at the NCAA Tournament as they finished the season No. 14 in the nation.

Rutgers wrestling head coach Scott Goodale on Big Ten champ Dylan Shawver: ‘He believes he can win this tournament’

Dylan Shawver won the Big Ten Tournament at 133 pounds and now goes into the NCAA Wrestling Championships as a favorite.

Fresh off a successful Big Ten Tournament where seven from his team outright qualified for the NCAA Tournament, Rutgers wrestling head coach Scott Goodale has the task to center and focus his squad on a bigger task ahead.

With the NCAA Wrestling Championships kicking off this week, Rutgers has the legitimate chance to place several wrestlers as All-Americans. But the attention will be the brightest on Dylan Shawver.

Shawver is the fourth-seed at 133 pounds and is fresh off taking the title at the Big Ten Tournament. He is one of eight wrestlers from Rutgers who qualified for the NCAA championships but his situation heading into this week is unique.

As a conference champion, Shawver must now his turn his focus back to once again competing. As the Big Ten Tournament champion at 133 pounds, he enters the NCAA championships with a target on his back.

“The biggest thing for me from a staff standpoint is getting off that high,” Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale said on a conference call this week.

“It’s one of the harder things we have to deal with is getting off the highs with the Big Ten Tournament and getting right back in the mindset of  ‘Let’s get ready for the national tournament’ because the Big Ten is over .Of course, it’s great when there’s momentum when you’ve wrestled well, and you’re training well,

“He’s (Shawver) done that – he’s really, really trained well. I really think he wants the tournament….he believes he can win this tournament. So that’s that’s our job and that’s really, really important.

“But at the end of the day, it all starts over around. 11 o’clock Thursday morning. He’s got a very difficult match. So that’s the way we got to move on and that’s the way to approach it. And he’s super confident but you got to get off of what happened two weeks ago and really lock in on to what’s about to take place. These next – I shouldn’t say these next three days but the three days Thursday, Friday, Saturday – nothing can happen unless you get the first one.”

Shawver is 22-5 on the season and looks very comfortable at 133 pounds. He will start the NCAA Wrestling Championships against No. 29 Jace Koelzer (Oklahoma).