WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue wrestling head coach Tony Ersland bolstered his 2021 recruiting class this week, signing Indiana natives Hayden Filipovich and Tristan Ruhlman to national letters of intent. The pair both won state titles in their final season of high school competition and push the Boilermakers' Class of 2021 to five signees.
With the addition of Fililpovich and Ruhlman, Ersland's incoming class has four individual state titles in 2021, as early signees Stoney Buell and Dustin Norris both topped the competition in Michigan and Ohio, respectively. Ben Vanadia was heavily favored to win an Ohio state title before his season ended early with an injury.
"The addition of Tristan and Hayden only increases my excitement for this incoming group," said Ersland. "We started this class off with a great group in the fall, and we've now been able to go out and find a couple more likeminded guys, who have incredible character and fit what we're trying to do on-and-off the mat."
HAYDEN FILIPOVICH * 197 * INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
"There are a lot of things to like about Hayden. He's a very bright young man with outstanding achievements in the classroom, and he's just beginning to show what he's capable of on the wrestling mat. He loves the weight room, has shown a ton of growth in the last year and has us very excited about his upside." – Tony Ersland
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year letterwinner at Lutheran High School of Indianapolis
• 2021 Indiana High School State Champion at 195 pounds, finishing a perfect 44-0 and earning the first state championship in school history
• Was named the 2021 1A Wrestler of the Year by IndianaMat.com
• Won the semi-state, regional and sectional championships as a senior after winning the sectional, but finishing second at regionals and semi-states as a junior
• Placed eighth at 182 pounds at the 2020 Indiana high school state championships
VARSITY RECORD
• 2020-21 (195): 44-0
• 2019-20 (182): 34-7
• 2018-19 (182): 31-2
• 2017-18 (170): 29-11
• TOTAL: 138-20 (.873)
PERSONAL
• Full name: Hayden Filipovich
• Major: Intends to major in business economics
• Birthday: Sept. 10, 2002
• City Born: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Parents: Nathan and Allisan Filipovich
• Siblings: Sisters, Addison, Hadleigh
TRISTAN RUHLMAN * 285 * BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA
"Tristan is the type of heavyweight all coaches love. He learned how to wrestle at the lower weight classes, wrestling 145 pounds as a freshman and exploding all the way to 220 this season. That skill set and the outstanding results of his senior season have him poised to make an impact at the next level." – Tony Ersland
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner at Bloomington South High School
• 2021 Indiana High School State Champion at 220 pounds, compiling a perfect 27-0 record and earning the program's first state title since 2007
• Placed fifth in Indiana at 170 pounds as a junior, finishing 36-4 on the year
• Two-time recipient of the "B-Man" award, given by his teammates to a representative of the school in the areas of loyalty, desire, training, citizenship, self-sacrifice and skill
• Three-time regional and sectional champion (2019-21) and 2021 semi-state champion
NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Ranked 11th nationally at 220 pounds by FloWrestling (3/31)
VARSITY RECORD
• 2020-21 (220): 27-0
• 2019-20 (170): 36-4
• 2018-19 (160): 32-2
• 2017-18 (145): 23-16
• TOTAL: 118-22 (.843)
PERSONAL
• Full name: Tristan Ruhlman
• Major: Intends to major in biology
• Birthday: May 1, 2003
• City Born: Baltimore, Maryland
• Parents: Rob and Laura Ruhlman
• Siblings: Brother, Delaney
With the addition of Fililpovich and Ruhlman, Ersland's incoming class has four individual state titles in 2021, as early signees Stoney Buell and Dustin Norris both topped the competition in Michigan and Ohio, respectively. Ben Vanadia was heavily favored to win an Ohio state title before his season ended early with an injury.
"The addition of Tristan and Hayden only increases my excitement for this incoming group," said Ersland. "We started this class off with a great group in the fall, and we've now been able to go out and find a couple more likeminded guys, who have incredible character and fit what we're trying to do on-and-off the mat."
HAYDEN FILIPOVICH * 197 * INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
"There are a lot of things to like about Hayden. He's a very bright young man with outstanding achievements in the classroom, and he's just beginning to show what he's capable of on the wrestling mat. He loves the weight room, has shown a ton of growth in the last year and has us very excited about his upside." – Tony Ersland
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year letterwinner at Lutheran High School of Indianapolis
• 2021 Indiana High School State Champion at 195 pounds, finishing a perfect 44-0 and earning the first state championship in school history
• Was named the 2021 1A Wrestler of the Year by IndianaMat.com
• Won the semi-state, regional and sectional championships as a senior after winning the sectional, but finishing second at regionals and semi-states as a junior
• Placed eighth at 182 pounds at the 2020 Indiana high school state championships
VARSITY RECORD
• 2020-21 (195): 44-0
• 2019-20 (182): 34-7
• 2018-19 (182): 31-2
• 2017-18 (170): 29-11
• TOTAL: 138-20 (.873)
PERSONAL
• Full name: Hayden Filipovich
• Major: Intends to major in business economics
• Birthday: Sept. 10, 2002
• City Born: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Parents: Nathan and Allisan Filipovich
• Siblings: Sisters, Addison, Hadleigh
TRISTAN RUHLMAN * 285 * BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA
"Tristan is the type of heavyweight all coaches love. He learned how to wrestle at the lower weight classes, wrestling 145 pounds as a freshman and exploding all the way to 220 this season. That skill set and the outstanding results of his senior season have him poised to make an impact at the next level." – Tony Ersland
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner at Bloomington South High School
• 2021 Indiana High School State Champion at 220 pounds, compiling a perfect 27-0 record and earning the program's first state title since 2007
• Placed fifth in Indiana at 170 pounds as a junior, finishing 36-4 on the year
• Two-time recipient of the "B-Man" award, given by his teammates to a representative of the school in the areas of loyalty, desire, training, citizenship, self-sacrifice and skill
• Three-time regional and sectional champion (2019-21) and 2021 semi-state champion
NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Ranked 11th nationally at 220 pounds by FloWrestling (3/31)
VARSITY RECORD
• 2020-21 (220): 27-0
• 2019-20 (170): 36-4
• 2018-19 (160): 32-2
• 2017-18 (145): 23-16
• TOTAL: 118-22 (.843)
PERSONAL
• Full name: Tristan Ruhlman
• Major: Intends to major in biology
• Birthday: May 1, 2003
• City Born: Baltimore, Maryland
• Parents: Rob and Laura Ruhlman
• Siblings: Brother, Delaney