Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling 2023-24 Roster Preview

Wisconsin wrestling Head Coach Chris Bono is back to lead the Badgers. Coach Bono, the 1996 NCAA National Champion at 150 pounds, four-time freestyle National Champion, and three-time All-American at Iowa State is in his sixth year leading the Badgers. As the head coach of Wisconsin wrestling, Coach Bono and his staff have led six Wisconsin Badgers wrestlers to All-American status and two Big Ten Champions – Dean Hamiti in 2023 and Austin Gomez in 2022.

Wisconsin Associate Head Coach Jon Reader also returns for his sixth season. Coach Reader, the 2011 NCAA Champion at 174 pounds, three-time All-American at Iowa State, and the Pan-American Silver Medalist in 2009, has built quite a resume working alongside Coach Bono.  Coach Reader is credited for coaching 32 NCAA qualifiers, 11 All-Americans, and a NCAA National Champion at South Dakota State.

Part of that aforementioned South Dakota State legacy came to Wisconsin in 2019. The 2018 NCAA National Champion at 133-pounds and three-time All-American, Seth Gross transferred to Wisconsin and was poised to bring home a NCAA National Championship at 133-pounds for the Badgers.  Gross finished third in the Big Ten Championships in his final season and was ready to make a run at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minnesota was never held.  After that season Gross transitioned into a coaching role with Wisconsin. Coach Gross is very active in the Wisconsin Regional Training Center and continues to chase his international and Olympic dreams while being a coaching resource for Wisconsin wrestling.

If there is a common theme to be found – the Wisconsin wrestling staff are all highly decorated wrestlers and bring immense value and leadership to the Badgers wrestling program.

2023-24 Wisconsin Wrestling Roster Overview

Those within the Wisconsin Badgers wrestling program are led by the motto “Hustle. Effort. Attitude”. This team optimizes that and is led by a returning All-American, thee alpha dawg, junior Dean Hamiti. The Wisconsin Wrestling roster is loaded with talent and will be an absolute dogfight to see who established themselves as the leader of their weight class.  Let’s take a look at the weight classes and who can be in the mix to get their coveted spot at the top and earn their “seven minutes of hell” this season.

125-pounds

Eric Barnett, the senior from Hortonville comes into the season the 5^th ranked wrestler at 125-pounds according to InterMat. Barnett, the two-time All-American looks to build onto his impressive resume as he finished last season 3-2 at the NCAA Championships and a 5^th place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Added to this room is Simon Kruse, a true freshman from Minnesota. Kruse finished his final prep season 37-2 at 120-pounds in the Minnesota State 1A tournament.

133-pounds

This weight class is loaded with youth and will be exciting to see who rises from the top. Nicolar Rivera, the redshirt freshman from Stoughton seems to be the man to beat for the lead role. Having finished 8-7 last season, the door may be open for another freshman to try and seize the role. Three-time Missouri State Champion Zan Fugitt, redshirt freshman Dylan Coy, and Brock Bobzien are all accomplished wrestlers and could be in the mix at 133-pounds.

141-pounds

The battle of North Jersey. Bergen Catholic vs. St. Peters Prep. South River, NJ vs. Clark, NJ. From the shadows of New York City to the greatest college town in America. Joe Zargo returns to Madison the 13^th ranked wrestler at 141-pounds according to InterMat. Zargo, the Bergen Catholic standout, is a two-time NCAA qualifier and 7th-place finisher at the Big Ten Championships and returns to chase All-American status.

Standing in his way could be Felix Lettini – the redshirt freshman from St. Peters Prep. Lettini returns to Wisconsin wrestling looking to build upon his spot starts last season in which he finished 7-10 overall as a true freshman. Like many fans, I am excited to see how this one unfolds and who can seize the lead spot. This is going to be a great battle at 141-pounds.

149-pounds

This may be one of the more interesting classes on the roster. Gone is the All-American stalwart. The 2022 Big Ten Champion. The Wisconsin wrestling Co-Captain, Mexican Grand Prix All-Star Champion (70-kilograms), and certified dawg, Austin Gomez. I don’t have enough time to highlight his achievements in the Wisconsin (or Mexico) singlet – but his departure leaves a void in the center of the roster. Gomez, the Illinois native finished his career 63-12 and 29-5 in duals. He decided to forgo his senior year and is chasing Olympic gold for as a member of the Mexican World Team.

Who takes that coveted 149-pound starter spot will be anyone’s guess. Thankfully, Coach Bono won’t be light on options. The weight class is loaded with hungry and talented wrestlers looking to seize that role. In the mix is Aidan Medora, Cody Goebel, Danny Sheen, Julian George and Royce Nilo.

Medora, the senior from Brookfield Academy is the veteran of the room. Medora completed the 2022-2023 season 7-12 and owns a career record of 10-20 overall and 4-9 in Big Ten matches.

Goebel, the redshirt freshman is legit competitor after finishing his 2022-2023 true freshman season 10-14.

Sheen, the transfer from Indiana University, was a 2019 Junior Freestyle National Champion at 100-pounds. The redshirt freshman has experience after finishing 11-3 overall last season for the Hoosiers.

George, the Christian Brothers Academy product, and 5^th place finisher for Team Puerto Rico in the U-20 World Championships and owns a prep record of 123-18.  George has all the tools to compete early.

In a loaded room don’t sleep on true freshman Royce Nilo. The Milton native cannot be taken lightly as he finished his final prep season 46-5 and had a 3^rd place finish in the Wisconsin State tournament.

I’m fascinated to see who emerges from the mix of Adrian Medora, Cody Goebel, Danny Sheen, Julian George, and Royce Nilo as they battle it out.

157-pounds

This appears to be a two-man battle for Wisconsin wrestling to see who the lead guy will be. Redshirt freshman Cale Anderson goes toe-to-toe with redshirt sophomore Luke Mechler for the starter role. Anderson, the Viroqua native was a two-time Wisconsin state champion and finished 5^th at the Harold Nichols Iowa State Cyclone Open last season. He finished off his true freshman season 3-6 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten competition.

Mechler, the Stoughton native, is also looking to capitalize on his experience last season. Mechler, by way of transfer from Oklahoma State University, posted a 14-4 record last year and went 9-0 in his true freshman campaign with the Cowboys.

165-pounds

This class is a party of one – Dean Hamiti. He is, the reigning, defending, undisputed 2023 Big Ten Champion!  Sure, that was probably a horrible attempt at a Bruce Buffer impersonation – but you get the point. It’s simply Dean’s throne right now. He is an absolute unit on the mat and is a dawg in the way he wrestles. He is never out of gas and always ready for any and all battles. There is no match you think he’s out of – a must watch for all young wrestlers.

There isn’t anyone currently listed at 165-pounds on the roster so it’s his time to dominate. The junior from Joliet Catholic, and 3^rd ranked wrestler according to InterMat, is a two-time All-American and the defending 2023 Big Ten Champion. The Big Ten was put on notice last year. Better buckle up your head gear – Dean is coming for all the hardware.

174-pounds

This class, like the 149-pound class seems like it’s going to be a war to get the top spot. Josh Otto returns to the Badgers looking to try and lock down a spot as starter.  Otto will certainly have competition as Gavin Model, Graham Calhoun, Luke Condon, and Max Maylor sort out that weight class.

Otto, the redshirt junior, was Wisconsin’s regular starter at 174-pounds. He owns a career record of 25-31 so he is not short on experience.  He is tough, reliable and will give it all he has in the circle.

Model, the redshirt sophomore, returns after going 12-7 in the 165-pound class a year ago. Bumping up to a loaded room will be interesting to play out. He certainly has the speed and length to compete.

Calhoun, a redshirt sophomore from Indiana, returns after going 19-8 last season and 4-0 against Big Ten opponents. He holds a career record of 32-18 and 5-4 in Big Ten competition.

Condon, a California native, comes to Wisconsin as a two-time California State Champion at 172-pounds. He finished 4^th overall in 2023 U.S. Open at 79 kilograms and was a qualifier for the World Team Trials.

We also cannot forget about the newly minted Badger, Max Maylor. Ranked 27^th at 174-pounds according to InterMat. Maylor, originally from Highland, WI comes to the program as a graduate transfer from the University of Michigan.

Safe to say that the Wisconsin wrestling coaching staff has their hands full trying to evaluate who to start.

184-pounds

Shane Liegel seems to be a lock for this starter spot as Wisconsin wrestling doesn’t currently have another 184-pound wrestler on the roster. Liegel, a Loras College Graduate transfer, is the 2021 Division III National Champion and four-time Division III All-American.

Combining his graduate status and the depth of the room, I would be curious to what Coach Bono has up his sleeve. I wonder if this is a spot that he and the coaching staff evaluate and bump up someone from the 174-pound class for depth and the future of the class.

197-pounds

One of the fans favorite wrestlers on the team calls the 197-pound class his home and this country roads signing, West Virginia dawg, has been very good for Wisconsin. Braxton Amos, the two-time NCAA qualifier, Jr. World Champion in freestyle (97 kilogram) and a 2021 Jr. World Bronze Medalist in Greco-Roman returns for his junior season. Last year didn’t end the way Amos wanted as he was unable to finish the NCAA tournament with a dislocated shoulder – but like a true wrestling warrior – he wanted to go out on his shield at the NCAA National Championships.

Now, with all that said – don’t be so quick to write off the redshirt freshman, Michael Talshahar.

Talshahar, the Florida native, is a 2021 Florida State champion and went 6-12 last season in limited action. While that record may not blow you away, Talshahar has the pedigree and the resume to give Amos a run for the starting spot.

285-pounds

Gone is Trent Hillger and those long flowing blond locks. No doubt that “Thor” was a mainstay in the heavyweight division and quite frankly – an electric factory. Hillger’s absence will undoubtedly be felt. Hillger is Wisconsin’s only four-time All-American from the heavyweight division. He was a five-time NCAA Championships qualifier. No wrestling team can lose a guy like that and be better for it.

Wisconsin did its best to reload at the 285-pound class to help ease the loss of Hillger. The Badgers have six guys that could be in the mix for that role. The Badgers return five men from last year and have added two new faces from the prep ranks. Returning to Madison are Peter Christensen, Brooks Empey, Gannon Rosenfeld, and Jonah Schmidtke – all looking to secure that top heavyweight spot.

Christensen, the redshirt junior, returns after posting a 4-1 record last season. The Illinois native went 4-0 vs Big Ten competition last season and owns a career record of 21-20 overall and 11-10 in Big Ten matches.

Empey, the redshirt sophomore, returns after a 9-9 campaign last season. The Stoughton native owns a career record of 10-11 and 4-4 in Big Ten battles.

Rosenfeld, the redshirt freshman, is back after going 15-5 last year. The Minnesota product made an impact during his freshman season that includes 8-3 vs Big Ten foes.

Schmidtke, the redshirt sophomore, posted a 13-18 record last season and owns a career 16-23 record overall and 1-8 in Big Ten matches.

Wisconsin also added to that room in the offseason when they brought in two new faces. Former Rice University football player, Isaac Klarkowski, joins the Badgers as a he Graduate transfer. He is joined by the true freshman – Dylan Russo.

Klarkowski has a unique story. Originally from the Dairy State, the 3^rd placed Wisconsin state wrestling champion and Valedictorian from Green Bay Southwest found himself on the Owls football team over the last four years. Beginning as a walk-on, Klarkowski carved out a roll on the defense – starting all five games in the Covid shortened 2020-21 season. While it appears, he hasn’t wrestled since his prep days, he comes to Wisconsin wrestling with 2 years of wrestling eligibility.

Dylan Russo, from Columbus, Ohio comes to Wisconsin as decorated as any prep wrestler can be. Russo holds a 150-18 career prep record and arrives in Madison as a three-time Ohio State Division 1 Wrestling Champion.

The heavyweight room is filled with the depth and experience. This will be one of the more intriguing to races to see who comes out in this weight class. Will it be experience, youth, or a committee approach to the 2023-24 season. Only time will tell.

What’s next for Wisconsin?

Stay locked in with BadgerNotes as we will bring you the full Wisconsin wrestling 2023-24 schedule upon its release.

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