WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Boilermakers will start their season with a road dual at Gardner-Webb Friday night, bringing along a mixture of experience and youth in a talented lineup.
In Part 2 of the 2024-25 season preview, we break down the outlooks for the 149-, 157- and 165-pound divisions on the roster.
Click here to read Part 1 (125, 133 and 141). Part 3 (174, 184, 197 and 285) will be released on Wednesday.
149
Jaden Reynolds (redshirt junior), Isaac Ruble (redshirt sophomore) and a pair of true freshmen in Chris Coates and Wyatt Krejsa make up Purdue's 149-pound class.
Reynolds took fifth in the Greyhound Open a year ago, going 4-1 with a pin in his opening match. The Avon, Ind., native posted a winning record for the first time last year, finishing 9-8 in his second season of varsity action. He will be among the leaders in a youthful weight class that graduated three seniors from 2023-24.
Ruble is one of two returning Boilermakers who are switching weight classes for the 2024-25 season. At 157 pounds last year, he posted an impressive 13-4 record in his first full season of collegiate action, including a perfect 3-0 in duals.
The winner of Purdue Wrestling's Most Improved Award, Ruble also took the title at the Purple Raider Open and earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades. He projects to be the starter at this Friday's non-conference dual at Gardner-Webb.
Along with Isaiah Quintero, Coates and Krejsa made up the "Big 3" of Purdue's 2024 signing class.
The No. 80 overall prospect in the country, Coates was a three-time individual and state champion for Liberty High School in Missouri (2021, 2022, 2023) and was named an All-Conference wrestler all three of those years. He also finished as a Fargo Cadet runner-up in 2021.
Krejsa took home an Indiana state title at 150 pounds after finishing as a runner-up in 2023. He racked up two pins and a tech fall before winning in a 13-6 decision to take home that elusive title. He also took first at his weight in both the ISWA Greco and Freestyle State finals in 2023.
157
Sophomore Joey Blaze and redshirt sophomore Kade Law comprise the Boilermakers' 157-pound squad.
Blaze enters his sophomore season as the No. 15 wrestler in the country (FloWrestling). As a true freshman, he took the sport by storm with six ranked wins and a 17-10 record.
Blaze earned an auto-bid to the NCAA Championships as the No. 23 seed, the fourth highest ever for a Purdue true freshman. In qualifying alongside teammate Greyson Clark, the duo became only the third pair of true freshmen Boilermakers to make the NCAA tournament.
Originally from Columbus, Ind., Law took third at the Greyhound Open last season, going 4-1 with a 12-2 major decision in the quarterfinals. The Academic All-Big Ten selection finished with a 6-7 record in his first year of varsity action.
165
Stoney Buell is the unequivocal leader of the 165-pounders. The redshirt junior from Dundee, Mich., took big strides last year as he finished 17-13 and racked up seven ranked wins.
He enters 2024-25 ranked No. 22 by InterMat.
Buell wrestled his way to a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, picking up big wins over Indiana's No. 19 Tyler Lillard (D 2-1) and Minnesota's No. 31 Blaine Brener (MD 15-7).
Additionally, he earned an auto-bid to the NCAA Championships with his Big Ten finish, one of five Boilermakers to earn a trip to the national stage in Kansas City.
Joining Buell is Delaney Ruhlman, a redshirt freshman from Solsberry, Ind., who aims to earn his first varsity action this season. Prior to college, he was a three-time IHSAA state runner-up at 138 (2021), 152 (2022) pounds and 170 pounds (2023).
In Part 2 of the 2024-25 season preview, we break down the outlooks for the 149-, 157- and 165-pound divisions on the roster.
Click here to read Part 1 (125, 133 and 141). Part 3 (174, 184, 197 and 285) will be released on Wednesday.
149
Jaden Reynolds (redshirt junior), Isaac Ruble (redshirt sophomore) and a pair of true freshmen in Chris Coates and Wyatt Krejsa make up Purdue's 149-pound class.
Reynolds took fifth in the Greyhound Open a year ago, going 4-1 with a pin in his opening match. The Avon, Ind., native posted a winning record for the first time last year, finishing 9-8 in his second season of varsity action. He will be among the leaders in a youthful weight class that graduated three seniors from 2023-24.
Ruble is one of two returning Boilermakers who are switching weight classes for the 2024-25 season. At 157 pounds last year, he posted an impressive 13-4 record in his first full season of collegiate action, including a perfect 3-0 in duals.
The winner of Purdue Wrestling's Most Improved Award, Ruble also took the title at the Purple Raider Open and earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades. He projects to be the starter at this Friday's non-conference dual at Gardner-Webb.
Along with Isaiah Quintero, Coates and Krejsa made up the "Big 3" of Purdue's 2024 signing class.
The No. 80 overall prospect in the country, Coates was a three-time individual and state champion for Liberty High School in Missouri (2021, 2022, 2023) and was named an All-Conference wrestler all three of those years. He also finished as a Fargo Cadet runner-up in 2021.
Krejsa took home an Indiana state title at 150 pounds after finishing as a runner-up in 2023. He racked up two pins and a tech fall before winning in a 13-6 decision to take home that elusive title. He also took first at his weight in both the ISWA Greco and Freestyle State finals in 2023.
157
Sophomore Joey Blaze and redshirt sophomore Kade Law comprise the Boilermakers' 157-pound squad.
Blaze enters his sophomore season as the No. 15 wrestler in the country (FloWrestling). As a true freshman, he took the sport by storm with six ranked wins and a 17-10 record.
Blaze earned an auto-bid to the NCAA Championships as the No. 23 seed, the fourth highest ever for a Purdue true freshman. In qualifying alongside teammate Greyson Clark, the duo became only the third pair of true freshmen Boilermakers to make the NCAA tournament.
Originally from Columbus, Ind., Law took third at the Greyhound Open last season, going 4-1 with a 12-2 major decision in the quarterfinals. The Academic All-Big Ten selection finished with a 6-7 record in his first year of varsity action.
165
Stoney Buell is the unequivocal leader of the 165-pounders. The redshirt junior from Dundee, Mich., took big strides last year as he finished 17-13 and racked up seven ranked wins.
He enters 2024-25 ranked No. 22 by InterMat.
Buell wrestled his way to a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, picking up big wins over Indiana's No. 19 Tyler Lillard (D 2-1) and Minnesota's No. 31 Blaine Brener (MD 15-7).
Additionally, he earned an auto-bid to the NCAA Championships with his Big Ten finish, one of five Boilermakers to earn a trip to the national stage in Kansas City.
Joining Buell is Delaney Ruhlman, a redshirt freshman from Solsberry, Ind., who aims to earn his first varsity action this season. Prior to college, he was a three-time IHSAA state runner-up at 138 (2021), 152 (2022) pounds and 170 pounds (2023).