U-M Recruiting Class Nets No. 9 National Ranking
7/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. -- For the third time in as many years, the University of Michigan wrestling program has landed a top-10 recruiting class, earning the ninth spot among InterMat's NCAA Division I recruiting class rankings, the website announced this week. Head coach Joe McFarland's 10-man class combined for 13 state or prep titles and a pair of Senior High School Nationals crowns over their high school careers. The Wolverines' previous two recruiting classes received No. 7 rankings from InterMat.
Bolstering the lower weights of the U-M lineup, McFarland rounded out his 2009-10 rookie class with the addition of Mike Hillock(Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS), Grant Pizzo(Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) and Dan Yates(Hesperia, Mich./Hesperia HS) during the late signing period.
Hillock capped his prep career with an eighth-place showing at the NHSCA Senior Nationals. Wrestling for the same high school as Wolverine NCAA champion Steve Luke (2006-09), Hillock was a two-time Ohio state placewinner, claiming fifth at 135 pounds as a senior (2009) and eighth at 112 pounds as a sophomore (2007). He is projected to wrestle at 141 or 149 pounds for Michigan.
Named the 2009 Ann Arbor News Wrestler of the Year, Pizzo was a two-time Michigan state placewinner, earning runner-up honors at 119 pounds as a senior (2009) after placing fifth as a junior (2008). Boasting a career record of 183-27, he was a two-time Lakes Conference and district champion (2008, '09). A three-year team captain and academic all-state selection off the mat, Pizzo will likely wrestle at 125 pounds for Michigan.
Listed as the nation's No. 2-ranked 160-pound wrestler and the No. 12 overall recruit, Yates wrapped up his high school career with three consecutive Michigan state titles, winning at 160 pounds (2009), 152 pounds (2008) and 145 pounds (2007), after previously placing seventh as a freshman (2006). Named the 2009 recipient of Michigan's Mr. Wrestler Award, Yates captured the 160-pound title at the NHSCA Senior Nationals with a 5-0 mark and wins over the nation's No. 5- and No. 7-ranked wrestlers. He registered a 248-9 record over his four seasons, including a near-perfect 63-1 senior season. Off the mat, Yates earned 2009 NHSCA Academic All-America honors and is an academic all-state selection. He is projected to compete at 165 or 174 pound for U-M.
The trio joins Sean Boyle(Lowell, Mass./Blair Academy), Eric Grajales(Brandon, Fla./Brandon HS), Pete Rendina(Monroe, Mich./Dundee HS) and Brandon Zeerip(Fremont, Mich./Hesperia HS), all of whom signed National Letters of Intent during the early signing period in November.
Boyle wrapped his senior season listed as the No. 4 high school 119-pound wrestler in the nation and the claimed No. 32 overall ranking by InterMat. A 2008 Asics All-America selection, Boyle captured the 119-pound title at Senior Nationals and was a two-time national prep champion (2008, '09) over his tenure at prestigious Blair Academy. He completed his prep career 188-7, including a perfect 54-0 mark during his sophomore campaign when he won the Massachusetts Division I and All-State titles (112 pounds) for Lowell High School, earning outstanding wrestler honors at both tournaments. Boyle is projected to compete at 125 pounds at Michigan.
Listed as the nation's No. 2-ranked 135-pound wrestler and No. 2 overall recruit, Grajales was a four-time undefeated Florida state champion (2006, '07, '08, '09), boasting a flawless 217-0 record over the stretch. Adding his prep seasons as a seventh and eighth grader -- he was a state finalist during the latter -- Grajales posted an overall career mark of 292-6. Named the south region's recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, Grajales was twice named Mr. Florida as the state's top prep wrestler and garnered the Tampa Tribune's 2009 Male Athlete of the Year award. In March, he earned Most Outstanding Wrestler at the prestigious Dapper Dan all-star event. A two-time FILA Junior World team member (2006, '07), Grajales participated in the 2008 Olympic Trials after placing fifth in the Greco-Roman Senior Nationals at 55 kg/121 pounds. He is a five-team Fargo Greco-Roman national champion (2004, '05, '06, '08), earning Junior Greco Wrestler of the Year and outstanding-wrestler honors in 2006, and two-time FILA Cadet Greco national champion (2004, '06). He added a FILA Cadet freestyle title in 2004. Grajales will likely wrestle at 133 pounds for Michigan.
Rendina wrapped his high school tenure as a two-time Michigan state champion, winning at 130 pounds as a senior (2009) and 119 pounds as a sophomore (2007), and a four-time state placewinner, adding third-place performances as a freshman (2006) and junior (2008). Rendina established Dundee High School records for most wins by a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior en route to a 237-9 career prep record. An Academic All-American and Michigan Dream Team member, Rendina posted a 9-1 mark at the 2007 Disney Duals. He is projected to compete at 141 or 149 pounds at Michigan.
Named Michigan's recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, Zeerip was a four-time Michigan state placewinner, capturing titles at 154 pounds (2009) and 145 pounds (2008) after placing second (119 pounds, 2006) and sixth (125 pounds, 2007) in previous state appearances. A two-time All-American at the Disney Duals, he wrapped his prep career with a 251-7 record, including a perfect 65-0 mark during his senior season. Outside of wrestling, Zeerip claimed 2009 NHSCA Academic All-America accolades and, last fall, netted first team all-conference honors in football after rushing for a Hesperia school record 1,345 yards. He is projected to compete at 157 or 165 pounds at Michigan.
Rounding out the incoming class will be three anticipated walk-ons -- Ameer Al-Gharib(Kalamazoo, Mich./Central HS), Jake Brown(Kirkland, Wash./Juanita HS) and Will Lamping(Farmington Hills, Mich./ University of Detroit Jesuit HS). Brown, projected at 125 pounds, posted an 80-20 career mark and was a two-time Washington state qualifier, placing fourth as a senior at 119 pounds. Lamping, projected at 197 pounds, and Al-Gharib, projected at 141, were both Michigan state qualifiers during their senior season. Lamping earned a 101-18 career mark. All three earned academic all-state honors during their respective careers.
InterMat uses four categories to compile its recruiting classes rankings -- rankings score, impact score, percentage of the incoming class nationally ranked and percentage of wrestlers listed in the InterMat Top 200.
For the complete top-25 recruiting class ranking, please visit www.intermatwrestle.com.
Wolverines Welcome Four During Early Signing Period (11/18/08)
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
