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 the third and final part of the 2024-25 season preview, we break down the outlooks for the 174-, 184-, 197- and 285-pound divisions on the roster.
Part 1 (125, 133, 141) | Part 2 (149, 157, 165)
174
One of Purdue's five preseason ranked wrestlers, No. 31 Brody Baumann enters his redshirt sophomore season at the top of Purdue's 174-pounders.
After earning an auto-bid to last season's NCAA Championships, he looks to capitalize on his momentum from the end of the year. Baumann climbed the podium in his debut Big Ten tournament with an eighth-place finish as the No. 10 seed to earn NCAA qualification.
Redshirt freshman Orlando Cruz and a pair of true freshmen in Ethan Popp and RJ Powers comprise the rest of the weight class.
Cruz posted a strong 18-7 record in his redshirt season, earning six bonus point wins as well as the team's fastest tech fall when he beat Ashland's Hayden Flynn in 2:01 (17-2).
Popp is a homegrown talent from West Lafayette who posted a 27-0 regular season record and an appearance in the IHSAA State Finals as a senior.
All the way from Anchorage, Alaska, Powers had a match streak of 33-1 as a senior and also gained club wrestling experience.
184
Checking in at 184 pounds, redshirt sophomore James Rowley and true freshmen Trevyn Gates and Quinn Herbert will head into the year replacing graduate Macartney Parkinson as well as a now-heavyweight, who we'll get to.
As the only returnee in the weight class, Rowley will have ample opportunity to prove himself as a consistent starter. In his first season he had six dual victories and five bonus point wins, highlighted by a 12-3 major decision over No. 24 Caleb Hopkins of Campbell at the Cliff Keen Invite.
Hailing from Pleasant Grove, Utah, Gates won the national title as a 195-pounder at the 2024 National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals. He scored 29 pins as a senior with a stellar record of 40-4.
Herbert was a dual-sport athlete for wrestling and football at Loyola Academy in Chicago. He led his football team to a state championship and was an Illinois 3A 190-pound state finalist.
197
The lone wolf in the 197-pound class is redshirt junior Ben Vanadia. Originally from Brecksville, Ohio, he moved up from 184 to 197 ahead of last season and posted an 11-17 record as a starter.
Vanadia flashed moments of brilliance, such as when he tied Matt Ramos for the most points scored in a match all season with a 21-5 (5:16) tech fall win over Kent State's Trent Thomas.
He had seven dual wins and six bonus point victories in 2023-24 and hopes to anchor the Boilermakers at his weight in his third season of varsity action.
285
Making the jump from 184 to 285, Hayden Filipovich projects to be the starting heavyweight in this Friday's dual at Gardner-Webb.
The big man from Indianapolis competed at both weights in different parts of last season. He went 11-7 at 184 pounds and represented Purdue at heavyweight in the 2024 Big Ten Championships.
Additionally, Filipovich also tied Ramos for a season best when he pinned Grand Valley State's Nathan Mansor in 17 seconds, the fastest fall of the season.
Redshirt freshman Dominic Burgett competed in the Clarion Open last season in his lone varsity event. Representing Hamilton Southeastern out of Fishers, Ind., he finished fourth at the 2023 Indiana state tournament.
True freshman Keagan Martin took fifth place at the 2024 Indiana state championships, wrestling as a 215-pounder. From Decatur, Ind., he went 32-2 and notched 26 pins as a senior at Bellmont High School.
In the third and final part of the 2024-25 season preview, we break down the outlooks for the 174-, 184-, 197- and 285-pound divisions on the roster.
Part 1 (125, 133, 141) | Part 2 (149, 157, 165)
174
One of Purdue's five preseason ranked wrestlers, No. 31 Brody Baumann enters his redshirt sophomore season at the top of Purdue's 174-pounders.
After earning an auto-bid to last season's NCAA Championships, he looks to capitalize on his momentum from the end of the year. Baumann climbed the podium in his debut Big Ten tournament with an eighth-place finish as the No. 10 seed to earn NCAA qualification.
Redshirt freshman Orlando Cruz and a pair of true freshmen in Ethan Popp and RJ Powers comprise the rest of the weight class.
Cruz posted a strong 18-7 record in his redshirt season, earning six bonus point wins as well as the team's fastest tech fall when he beat Ashland's Hayden Flynn in 2:01 (17-2).
Popp is a homegrown talent from West Lafayette who posted a 27-0 regular season record and an appearance in the IHSAA State Finals as a senior.
All the way from Anchorage, Alaska, Powers had a match streak of 33-1 as a senior and also gained club wrestling experience.
184
Checking in at 184 pounds, redshirt sophomore James Rowley and true freshmen Trevyn Gates and Quinn Herbert will head into the year replacing graduate Macartney Parkinson as well as a now-heavyweight, who we'll get to.
As the only returnee in the weight class, Rowley will have ample opportunity to prove himself as a consistent starter. In his first season he had six dual victories and five bonus point wins, highlighted by a 12-3 major decision over No. 24 Caleb Hopkins of Campbell at the Cliff Keen Invite.
Hailing from Pleasant Grove, Utah, Gates won the national title as a 195-pounder at the 2024 National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals. He scored 29 pins as a senior with a stellar record of 40-4.
Herbert was a dual-sport athlete for wrestling and football at Loyola Academy in Chicago. He led his football team to a state championship and was an Illinois 3A 190-pound state finalist.
197
The lone wolf in the 197-pound class is redshirt junior Ben Vanadia. Originally from Brecksville, Ohio, he moved up from 184 to 197 ahead of last season and posted an 11-17 record as a starter.
Vanadia flashed moments of brilliance, such as when he tied Matt Ramos for the most points scored in a match all season with a 21-5 (5:16) tech fall win over Kent State's Trent Thomas.
He had seven dual wins and six bonus point victories in 2023-24 and hopes to anchor the Boilermakers at his weight in his third season of varsity action.
285
Making the jump from 184 to 285, Hayden Filipovich projects to be the starting heavyweight in this Friday's dual at Gardner-Webb.
The big man from Indianapolis competed at both weights in different parts of last season. He went 11-7 at 184 pounds and represented Purdue at heavyweight in the 2024 Big Ten Championships.
Additionally, Filipovich also tied Ramos for a season best when he pinned Grand Valley State's Nathan Mansor in 17 seconds, the fastest fall of the season.
Redshirt freshman Dominic Burgett competed in the Clarion Open last season in his lone varsity event. Representing Hamilton Southeastern out of Fishers, Ind., he finished fourth at the 2023 Indiana state tournament.
True freshman Keagan Martin took fifth place at the 2024 Indiana state championships, wrestling as a 215-pounder. From Decatur, Ind., he went 32-2 and notched 26 pins as a senior at Bellmont High School.