2024-25 Wrestling Roster
Joseph Walker
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Position:
- 174
- Hometown:
- Mishawaka, Ind.
- High School:
- Mishawaka
Fifth-Year Senior (2024-25)
• Represented U-M at 174 pounds at the Big Ten Championships (March 8-9)
• Appeared in three tournaments and 10 duals at 174 pounds
• Posted an 11-7 record, including a 5-5 mark in dual meets
• Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (Nov. 7) after capturing the 174-pound title at the Clarion Open (Nov. 3) with a 4-0 mark; defeated Clarion's John Worthing, 4-2, in the final
• Earned a ranked Big Ten dual win, 8-2, over Indiana's #26 Derek Gilcher (Jan. 26)
• Also competed in the CKLV Invitational (Dec. 6-7)
Senior/Junior (2023-24)
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Appeared in two tournaments and three duals at 174 pounds and one dual at 184 pounds
• Used a late third-period takedown to defeat Indiana's #21 Donnell Washington, 4-3, for first collegiate dual win (Feb. 16)
• Claimed third place at the Michigan State Open with a 5-1 mark, including a last-second pin (6:56) over Michigan State's DJ Shannon in the quarterfinals
• Also competed in the Midlands Championships (Nov. 29-30)
Junior/Sophomore (2022-23)
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed in one tournament and five dual meets at 174 pounds; missed much of the dual season with injury
• Defeated Campbell's Cole Rees, 3-1, at the Battle at Bragg (Nov. 11) for first collegiate dual win
• Also earned a 5-2 decision over Columbia's Lennox Wolak in home opener (Nov. 20)
• Posted a 3-2 record at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 2-3) with a 3-2 mark; pinned Arizona State's Cael Valencia (6:38) in opening match
Sophomore/Freshman (2021-22)
• Redshirted season; competed unattached in four open tournaments at 174 pounds
• Captured the 174-pound title at the Edinboro Open (Feb. 6) with a 5-0 record; defeated teammate Max Maylor, 10-7, in the final
• Also went 5-0 to win the 174-pound title at the Findlay Open (Nov. 20); edged teammate Jaden Bullock, 4-3, in the final
• Placed fourth at the Cleveland State Open (Dec. 11) with a 3-1 record
Freshman (2020-21)
• Posted a 0-2 record at 184 pounds; appeared in two dual meets
• Fell to Rutgers' John Poznanski, 6-1, in collegiate debut (Jan. 8)
Prep
• Graduated from Mishawaka High School (2020)
• Captured an Indiana state title at 182 pounds as a senior (2020)
• Two-time Indiana state placewinner, also placing sixth as a junior (2019)
• Career prep record of 108-29, including a 33-2 mark as a senior
• Claimed third place at the Super 32 (2019) and runner-up at FloNationals
• Named Mishawaka High School's Male Athlete of the Year (2020)
• National Honor Society; Honor Roll
• Ranked as the No. 122 overall recruit by The Open Mat and No. 12-ranked 182-pound wrestler
Personal
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in biomolecular science
• Born on November 14, 2001
• Son of William and Rhonda Walker
• Had two sisters, Elizabeth and Salome, and two brothers, Eleazar and Zachariah
• Sister, Salome, currently wrestles at McKendree, while sister Elizabeth ran track at Bethel (2016-20)
| Year | Overall | Dual | Tourney | Falls | TF | MD | Big Ten | NCAA |
| 2020-21 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- |
| 2021-22 | 14-4 | 0-0 | 14-4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022-23 | 5-5 | 2-3 | 3-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023-24 | 8-5 | 2-2 | 6-3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2024-25 | 11-7 | 5-5 | 6-2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | -- | -- |
| Totals | 38-23 | 9-12 | 29-11 | 10 | 2 | 9 |
