2023 AAs - mind blowing how many transfers

[Just another PSU Fan]

Hard to believe how many AAs transferred ...

 

[Cowbell Man]

How many out of 80? How many of the 80 graduated?

 

[El-Jefe]

I counted 12 who ever did. About half transferred after graduating, or the program got cut, or the program was halted. At least 2 more transferred when their coach left.

Not sure what is hard to believe about this.

 

[wrestlingfan22]

Is Nagao the only one who was an underclassmen transfer w/o a coaching change at his old school. Because that is the "bad" new era transfer

 

[El-Jefe]

Is Nagao the only one who was an underclassmen transfer w/o a coaching change at his old school. Because that is the "bad" new era transfer

Kerk too, though we all know he followed Snyder.

Possibly Feldkamp to Clarion. I think Olejnik was a grad transfer.

 

[goldenanimal]

I’ve got eighteen, but I could easily be in error. After a quick perusal of the current weight class rankings, I’m confident in stating that in excess of 1/4 of 2024 AAs will have transferred at some point in their collegiate careers. And I expect that number to continue to rise.

The easing of transfer restrictions helps Penn State to a greater degree than any other wrestling program in the country. Not only can they continue the traditional route of filling lineup holes with grad transfers (Truax) or improved younger wrestlers looking to continue to level up (Nagao, Mesenbrink), but they can sign a surfeit of elite high school talent at similar weights and make lineup decisions based solely upon how the recruits are performing on the mat. And if the correct shirts are used at the correct times, all of this can be near consequence-free to the student-athlete. Looking into the future of 157/165/174 at PSU, there is obviously a potential glut of high-level wrestlers that will require sorting between Van Ness, Duke, Haines, Mesenbrink, Sealey, Henckel, Cunningham, Facundo, and Ryder. Henckel, for instance, might have an uphill climb to break into the lineup, but if I’m him, why not head to State College, spend a year rolling with the best wrestlers in the country/world, and see how things shake out? The worst that happens is that I transfer out a far better wrestler who has had exposure to the best coaching staff in the country and has gained valuable knowledge and insight into some of my closest competitors. It’s very clearly a win-win scenario.

Between NIL and the relaxing of transfer restrictions, a perfect storm of external factors has aligned to ensure continued national dominance and world-level excellence at PSU/NLWC. It’s a veritable wrestling Shangri-La in Happy Valley right now.

2023 AA Transfers
125
Matt Ramos: Minnesota -> Purdue
Liam Cronin: Indiana -> Nebraska
Killian Cardinale: ODU -> WVU
133
Michael McGee: ODU -> ASU
Aaron Nagao: Minnesota -> PSU
141
Real Woods: Stanford -> Iowa
149
Kyle Parco: Fresno St -> ASU
Michael Blockhus: UNI -> Minnesota
157
Jared Franek: NDSU -> Iowa
165
Shane Griffith: Stanford -> Michigan
Michael Caliendo: NDSU -> Iowa
Izzy Olejnik: Northern Illinois -> OKSt
174
N/A
184
Trey Munoz: ASU -> Oregon St
Will Feldkamp: Northern Illinois -> Clarion -> Iowa St
197
Bernie Truax IV: Cal Poly -> PSU
Max Dean: Cornell -> PSU
HVY
Greg Kerkvliet: tOSU -> PSU
Lucas Davison: Northwestern -> Michigan

 

[wrestlingfan22]

Kerk too, though we all know he followed Snyder.

Possibly Feldkamp to Clarion. I think Olejnik was a grad transfer.

Feldkamp is like a 7th or 8th year hes a COVID year transfer guy. I forgot about guys who transferred before becoming AA.

 

[GogglesPaizano]

Crookham to....

 

[Sportfan2017]

I’ve got eighteen, but I could easily be in error. After a quick perusal of the current weight class rankings, I’m confident in stating that in excess of 1/4 of 2024 AAs will have transferred at some point in their collegiate careers. And I expect that number to continue to rise.

The easing of transfer restrictions helps Penn State to a greater degree than any other wrestling program in the country. Not only can they continue the traditional route of filling lineup holes with grad transfers (Truax) or improved younger wrestlers looking to continue to level up (Nagao, Mesenbrink), but they can sign a surfeit of elite high school talent at similar weights and make lineup decisions based solely upon how the recruits are performing on the mat. And if the correct shirts are used at the correct times, all of this can be near consequence-free to the student-athlete. Looking into the future of 157/165/174 at PSU, there is obviously a potential glut of high-level wrestlers that will require sorting between Van Ness, Duke, Haines, Mesenbrink, Sealey, Henckel, Cunningham, Facundo, and Ryder. Henckel, for instance, might have an uphill climb to break into the lineup, but if I’m him, why not head to State College, spend a year rolling with the best wrestlers in the country/world, and see how things shake out? The worst that happens is that I transfer out a far better wrestler who has had exposure to the best coaching staff in the country and has gained valuable knowledge and insight into some of my closest competitors. It’s very clearly a win-win scenario.

Between NIL and the relaxing of transfer restrictions, a perfect storm of external factors has aligned to ensure continued national dominance and world-level excellence at PSU/NLWC. It’s a veritable wrestling Shangri-La in Happy Valley right now.

2023 AA Transfers
125
Matt Ramos: Minnesota -> Purdue
Liam Cronin: Indiana -> Nebraska
Killian Cardinale: ODU -> WVU
133
Michael McGee: ODU -> ASU
Aaron Nagao: Minnesota -> PSU
141
Real Woods: Stanford -> Iowa
149
Kyle Parco: Fresno St -> ASU
Michael Blockhus: UNI -> Minnesota
157
Jared Franek: NDSU -> Iowa
165
Shane Griffith: Stanford -> Michigan
Michael Caliendo: NDSU -> Iowa
Izzy Olejnik: Northern Illinois -> OKSt
174
N/A
184
Trey Munoz: ASU -> Oregon St
Will Feldkamp: Northern Illinois -> Clarion -> Iowa St
197
Bernie Truax IV: Cal Poly -> PSU
Max Dean: Cornell -> PSU
HVY
Greg Kerkvliet: tOSU -> PSU
Lucas Davison: Northwestern -> Michigan

197: Beard to Lehigh

 

[wrestlingfan22]

Crookham to....

I would be shocked if Crookham transfers after this year. He had his choice of schools and picked Lehigh, where he has obviously progressed unbelievably well.