Wolverines' Recruiting Class of 2026 Ranked No. 4 Nationally
7/15/2026 2:40:00 PM | Wrestling
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan wrestling program has landed the nation's No. 4 recruiting class, as announced by InterMat on Thursday (July 9). Ron Weiser Head Wrestling Coach Sean Bormet's 10-man class features seven wrestlers ranked in the Class of 2026 and combined for 26 state titles over their high school careers.
The Wolverines' Class of 2026 signees include Bodie Abbey (Hartland, Mich.), Henry Aslikyan (Panorama City, Calif.), Blake Cosby (Dundee, Mich.), Cooper Hinz (Jesup, Iowa), Wyatt Lees (South Lyon, Mich.), Moses Mendoza (Gilroy, Calif.), Haakon Peterson (Hollandale, Wis.), Charles Walker (Joliet, Ill.), Jay'Den Williams (Roseville, Mich.) and Kellen Wolbert (Oconomowoc, Wis.).
"This is a group that is in love with competing and improving," said Bormet. "First and foremost, that is what excites me the most. They're fanatical about wrestling and focused on the right things -- and they have the work ethic to fuel it. They're all great kids with high character and high goals, and they have a lot of pride. I see a lot of buy-in into the young program we have right now, and they want to prove something. Now, it'll be a matter of how quickly they can adjust to the standard of the program and respond to hard wrestling, hard coaching and a Big Ten level of competition. But they're hungry to be great and be coached, and they're already pushing the level of the room. We can't wait to get them here full-time."
Abbey, who is rated the No. 96 overall prospect by MatScouts, was a three-time Michigan state champion, winning titles at 113 (2023), 132 (2025) and 138 pounds (2026), and was a four-time state finalist for Hartland High School. A three-time Livingston County Wrestler of the Year, Abbey posted a 197-6 career prep record, including a 51-1 mark as a senior. He is projected to wrestle at 133 or 141 pounds at Michigan.
Ranked as high as No. 4 nationally at 120 pounds and the No. 23 overall recruit by FloWrestling and No. 37 by MatScouts, Aslikyan captured two California state titles, winning at 106 pounds (2024) and 113 pounds (2025), while placing third up at 120 pounds as a senior (2026). He claimed a 48kg freestyle bronze medal at the 2024 U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan, and captured Pan American double gold at 45kg freestyle and Greco-Roman in 2023. He was a two-time U.S. Open finalist, winning in 2023, and most recently, took 57kg fourth place at the U20 U.S. Open and fifth at the U20 World Team Trials this past spring/summer. He is projected to wrestle at 125 pounds for Michigan.
Cosby, who is ranked as high as No. 12 nationally at 157 pounds and is the No. 67 overall recruit by FloWrestling and No. 65 by MatScouts, is a three-time Michigan state champion for Dundee High School, winning most recently at 150 pounds this season. He previously captured back-to-back 144-pound titles (2024, '25) after taking second at the weight as a freshman (2023). He compiled a 163-10 career prep record and contributed to four Dundee team state titles. Cosby was a Super 32 finalist (2024) and twice placed at Fargo Freestyle Nationals (2023, '24). He likely will wrestle at 157 or 165 pounds for Michigan.
Hinz captured an Iowa state title at 132 pounds as a senior this past season and was a four-time state placewinner, never placing worse than fifth, for Jesup High School. He was a North Iowa Cedar League champion and two-time finalist and a four-time district champion. He posted a 125-19 career prep record, including a near-perfect 52-1 mark in his final season. Hinz likely will wrestle at 133 pounds at Michigan.
Lees became just the sixth wrestler in Michigan history to capture eight state titles, winning four individual state titles while also helping Detroit Catholic Central High School win four state championships. He claimed his individual crowns at four different weights, ranging from 106 pounds as a freshman (2023) to 132 pounds as a senior this past season, and owns a 169-23 career prep record. In freestyle, he is a Fargo All-American. He will likely wrestle at 141 or 149 pounds at Michigan.
Mendoza, the nation's top-ranked 138-pounder and No. 11 overall recruit by FloWrestling and No. 10 by MatScouts, is a two-time California state champion, winning at 132 pounds as a junior (2025) and 138 as a senior (2026), and three-time state placewinner for Gilroy High School. Mendoza posted a career prep record of 125-5 and also captured notable tournament titles at Super 32 (2025) and Doc Buchanan (2023, '26). He captured the 132-pound freestyle title at 2025 Fargo Junior Nationals and is a seven-time Fargo All-American, also reaching the finals in 2022 at 113 pounds. He is projected to wrestle 133 pounds for Michigan.
Ranked as high as No. 2 nationally at 165 pounds and the No. 15 overall recruit by FloWrestling and No. 16 by MatScouts, Peterson was a four-time undefeated Wisconsin state champion for Dodgeville High School, most recently winning at 165 pounds after previous titles at 106, 113 and 144 pounds. He became just the fourth individual in WIAA history to win four titles and go undefeated with a career prep record of 173-0. He is a six-time Fargo All-American and four-time champion, winning twice in freestyle (2022, '23) and twice in Greco-Roman (2021, '22). Most recently, he took 74kg second place at the U20 U.S. Open and third at the U20 World Team Trials this past spring/summer. He is projected to wrestle at 165 or 174 pounds at Michigan.
Walker completed his prep career with a 215-pound Illinois state title as a senior (2025), becoming Joliet Central High School's first state champion since 1998. He posted a 138-34 career record after going 4-9 during his freshman season. His 50 wins (50-2) in 2024-25 were the most in a single season in Joliet Central history. Walker spent the last year at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs under world champion and former Cliff Keen Wrestling Club member J'den Cox. He will wrestle heavyweight while at Michigan.
Williams, ranked as MatScouts' No. 155 overall prospect in the Class of 2026, was a two-time Michigan state champion, winning back-to-back at 165 pounds as a junior and senior (2025, '26) for Roseville High School. A four-time state finalist, he posted a sterling 186-4 career prep record, including a 49-0 mark during his junior season -- the same year he set the Michigan state record for most technical falls in a season (48). He is a four-time Fargo All-American, placing in both styles last summer while earning top-three Greco finishes in each of the last three years. Williams will likely wrestle at 165 or 174 pounds at Michigan.
Listed as the nation's No. 5-ranked 144-pound wrestler -- he was previously No. 1 at 150 -- and No. 13 overall recruit by both FloWrestling and MatScouts, Wolbert captured four Wisconsin state titles for Oconomowoc High School, including the 150-pound crown this past season after winning at 120 pounds as a freshman in 2023. Named the Wisconsin recipient of the 2026 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, Wolbert posted a 206-3 career prep record. He is a three-time Fargo All-American and two-time finalist, winning the U16 freestyle title at 113 pounds in 2022. Most recently, he took second place at 65 kg at the U20 U.S. Open and third at the U20 World Team Trials this past spring/summer. Wolbert is projected to wrestle at 141 pounds for Michigan.
