WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The 2023 InterMat recruiting class rankings have finally been released, with the Boilermaker's taking the No. 13 spot on the national list. Head coach Tony Ersland and company have been busy on the recruiting trail this year and their hard work has paid off in the form of eight incoming freshman and two transfers.
The No. 13 class in the nation gives Ersland his sixth top-25 recruiting finish since taking over at the helm of Purdue Wrestling and the third time having at least four top-200 recruits. The Boilermakers are one of just seven schools to have at least two top-30 signees. It is the highest InterMat has ranked a Purdue class since 2016.
Joey Blaze and Greyson Clark highlight the class as the No. 17 and No. 29 ranked prospects respectively with seven state titles between the two of them. Both were named as their state's representative for the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, making Purdue one of eight programs to have multiple winners coming in.
The Boilermakers also brought in a haul of in-state standouts, keeping five of Indiana's top prospects at home with Orlando Cruz, Ashton Jackson, Delaney Ruhlman and Cole Solomey joining the fold. Cruz and Jackson add to the crop of top-200 prospects in this class with No. 118 and No. 177 rankings respectively. Cruz broke through for his first Indiana state championship as a senior while Jackson has two titles and a runner-up finish to his name.
Delaney joins his older brother Tristan on the roster and comes in as a three-time state second place finisher and Solomey snagged his first state title in 2023. The group combined brought in four state titles this spring, with 11 total across their careers.
Dominic Burgett and Cooper Rider round out the group of incoming freshmen. Burgett, another Indiana kid, comes to West Lafayette from Fishers after taking fourth at state and sweeping the semi-state, regional and sectional tournaments as a senior. Rider is a three-time Missouri state placewinner who finished with a 113-44 record for Liberty.
Also joining the class are high-level Big Ten transfers Marcos Polanco and James Rowley. The California native Polanco comes to the Boilermakers with three years of experience at Minnesota where he compiled a 25-23 record. In his first season of full competition, he qualified for the 2021 NCAA tournament at 141 pounds with an at-large bid. Rowley spent one year at Wisconsin as a redshirt but was a four-time Oregon state champion and a 2022 Dave Schultz award winner.
The No. 13 class in the nation gives Ersland his sixth top-25 recruiting finish since taking over at the helm of Purdue Wrestling and the third time having at least four top-200 recruits. The Boilermakers are one of just seven schools to have at least two top-30 signees. It is the highest InterMat has ranked a Purdue class since 2016.
Joey Blaze and Greyson Clark highlight the class as the No. 17 and No. 29 ranked prospects respectively with seven state titles between the two of them. Both were named as their state's representative for the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, making Purdue one of eight programs to have multiple winners coming in.
InterMat's Recruiting Rankings are too big for just one article.
— InterMat (@InterMat) June 15, 2023
Part one is here with teams ranked #13-25:https://t.co/ylXvihdP1Phttps://t.co/IAW9kprPAg
The Boilermakers also brought in a haul of in-state standouts, keeping five of Indiana's top prospects at home with Orlando Cruz, Ashton Jackson, Delaney Ruhlman and Cole Solomey joining the fold. Cruz and Jackson add to the crop of top-200 prospects in this class with No. 118 and No. 177 rankings respectively. Cruz broke through for his first Indiana state championship as a senior while Jackson has two titles and a runner-up finish to his name.
Delaney joins his older brother Tristan on the roster and comes in as a three-time state second place finisher and Solomey snagged his first state title in 2023. The group combined brought in four state titles this spring, with 11 total across their careers.
Dominic Burgett and Cooper Rider round out the group of incoming freshmen. Burgett, another Indiana kid, comes to West Lafayette from Fishers after taking fourth at state and sweeping the semi-state, regional and sectional tournaments as a senior. Rider is a three-time Missouri state placewinner who finished with a 113-44 record for Liberty.
Also joining the class are high-level Big Ten transfers Marcos Polanco and James Rowley. The California native Polanco comes to the Boilermakers with three years of experience at Minnesota where he compiled a 25-23 record. In his first season of full competition, he qualified for the 2021 NCAA tournament at 141 pounds with an at-large bid. Rowley spent one year at Wisconsin as a redshirt but was a four-time Oregon state champion and a 2022 Dave Schultz award winner.