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Rutgers University head wrestling coach Scott Goodale said during the preseason: “We have to figure out March.’’
Based on their performance this past weekend at the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, the Scarlet Knights have to go back to the drawing board when it comes to being at their best at the national tournament.
For the second straight season and third time in the last four, Rutgers does not have an All-American.
For a program that wrestles in what is by far the nation’s best conference – the Big Ten – and is a consistent top 15 dual-meet program, the standard has to be to have All-Americans every year.
Rutgers had more wrestlers in the tournament – nine – than it scored team points – seven. There is no doubt it was a poor showing.
“It’s always difficult when you leave here unsatisfied. It stinks,’’ Goodale told reporters in Cleveland Friday night. “I want these guys to achieve their goals, and that didn’t happen. I feel bad for those guys. I know what we’re doing is good. We have a really nice team, but you have to win here, so I get it.”
It is going to be a long offseason for Goodale, his coaching staff and everybody involved in the program.
Because as Goodale has said often, programs are judged by how they fare at the national tournament.
Right now, the narrative when it comes to Rutgers, is it is not getting it done on the sport’s biggest stage.
Ten of the 14 programs in the Big Ten had at least one All-American.
Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan State were the others who did not.
Northwestern and Michigan State each had just two wrestlers in the tournament.
Also, Northwestern and Michigan State combined to go 2-14 in Big Ten dual-meets this season and were teams Rutgers beat easily during the season.
Over the last two seasons, Rutgers and Michigan State are the only Big Ten teams to not have an All-American.
Maryland, which went 0-8 in the Big Ten this season, has had an All-American the last two seasons.
Maryland is traditionally one of the conference’s struggling programs in dual meets and another team Rutgers easily beat during season.
New Jersey’s other two Division 1 programs – Rider and Princeton –– also each had an All-American. Rutgers beat both during the season.
Princeton had a national finalist in Marc-Anthony McGowan (125). McGowan is a former Blair Academy standout.
Rider’s All-American was Tyler Klinsky (125). Klinsky was the NJSIAA 113-pound champion in 2020 at Middletown North. Rider has had an All-American the last two seasons.
Columbia, whose head coach is former Rutgers associate head coach Donny Pritzlaff, had an All-American in 165-pound third-place finisher and semifinalist Cesar Alvan.
Interestingly, 16 of Rutgers 17 All-Americans in Goodale’s 19 seasons as head coach, including the program’s only two national champions, Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault in 2019, came during the 10 seasons Pritzlaff was on the staff.
Goodale does get major credit for recruiting and coaching Ashnault and bringing in and coaching Suriano as a transfer from Penn State.
He also gets major credit for Rutgers' eight straight NCAA Tournament run of All-Americans from 2014-2022, including a program record three in 2021. He gets credit for the two All-Americans the program had in 2024.
But, since Pritzlaff left in June, 2024, Rutgers has not had an All-American and is 0-5 in the blood round – the wrestleback round that determines who becomes an All-American.
Remy Cotton (197) and Hunter Catka (heavyweight) were defeated by a combined four points in the blood round Friday night.
“You have to close out matches, and we didn’t do it,’’ Goodale told reporters Friday night in Cleveland.
Rutgers did have a couple of big moments in the tournament.
The Scarlet Knights had two quarterfinalists in Cotton, who was seeded 15th and stunned and dominated No. 2 Rocky Elam of Iowa State in the pre-quarterfinal and Catka, who was seeded 27th and knocked off the No. 6 and 11 seeds in sudden victory and the tiebreaker period in the first two rounds.
But, the two 15-minute spans Thursday, when both Cotton and Catka won bouts, were the only good moments Rutgers had.
Rutgers’ wrestlers went 8-18 overall. It lost its first seven bouts Thursday and went just 1-7 on Friday.
Four Rutgers wrestlers went 0-2 in the tournament and two others went 1-2, including Joey Olivieri (141), who was seeded ninth.
“We knew it would be hard. We had a couple opportunities there. I don’t think we wrestled our best this weekend as a team,” Goodale told reporters Friday night in Cleveland. “We lost a lot of close matches, and that’s what I’m having a hard time with.”
None of its wrestlers were seeded in an All-American (top eight) position. Five of its wrestlers were seeded 21st or higher.
“You know the kind of team we have,’’ Goodale said last Monday in a zoom call with reporters previewing the tournament. “We have 10 guys who were sitting anywhere between No. 10 in the country and 20th in the country. ‘’
All of that makes for a good dual-meet team, which Rutgers was again this season.
The Scarlet Knights finished the dual-meet season ranked No. 11 in the country for the second straight season and defeated then No. 6 Minnesota for its first win over one of the Big Ten’s “Big Five’’ of Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota and Michigan.
Rutgers also finished in a five-way tie for third in the Big Ten regular season standings with Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois for its highest finish since it joined the Big Ten prior to the 2014-15 season.
But good dual-meet teams do not always make good tournament teams. You need hammers to do well in the NCAA Tournament, and Rutgers has not had one or developed one in recent seasons.
Rutgers could have a hammer next season in Anthony Knox. He was a four-time NJSIAA champion from 2021-2025 at St. John Vianney. Knox signed with the Scarlet Knights in January after he de-commited from Cornell in December.
Knox is expected to be the team’s 125 pounder next season. That leaves the status of current redshirt freshman and 125-pounder Ayden Smith to be determined. Smith qualified for the national tournament and had a win over Minnesota’s two-time All-American Jore Volk during the season.
Brandt Harer, who was the Pennsylvania state runner-up to Virginia Tech sensational recruit Bo Bassett at 145 this past season, and had over 200 wins during his scholastic career, also could be a hammer. He figures to slot in eventually at either 141 or 149.
Harer’s older brother, Conner, showed promise as the starting 157-pounder as freshman in 2024-25. He redshirted this past season.
Freshmen Tahir Parkins (141), Jordan Chapman (174) and Devon Magro (149) and redshirt freshman Mason Gibson (141/133) all saw dual-meet action this season and all were highly-touted recruits.
Returnees at this time, are Cotton, two-time national qualifier Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184), redshirt freshmen Andrew Barbosa (165) and Ryan Ford (165/174) and Smith.
Barbosa was a national qualifier this season and had a win over two-time All-American Joey Blaze of Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament. Ford saw dual-meet action at both 165 and 174 and went 3-0 at 174 and 14-3 overall.
Also, back in fold at this time is redshirt freshman Alex Nini (141/149), who was sidelined this past season with an injury.
As always, what happens in the transfer portal, with who comes in and who leaves, will change things. Rutgers figures to add a heavyweight from the portal, and possibly a 133-pounder, too.
But, Rutgers’ 2026-27 season will be judged on how it does in the NCAA Tournament. Getting at least one All-American is a must.
“We’ll be fine, and we’ll be right back here next year,’’ Goodale said to reporters in Cleveland. “We have some really good guys, and we’ll break through. We have broken through plenty. It’s just the last couple years. It’s five guys in the blood round, and that’s hard to swallow.’’
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers at NCAA Wrestling Championships not nearly good enough
Continue reading...
Based on their performance this past weekend at the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland, the Scarlet Knights have to go back to the drawing board when it comes to being at their best at the national tournament.
For the second straight season and third time in the last four, Rutgers does not have an All-American.
For a program that wrestles in what is by far the nation’s best conference – the Big Ten – and is a consistent top 15 dual-meet program, the standard has to be to have All-Americans every year.
Rutgers had more wrestlers in the tournament – nine – than it scored team points – seven. There is no doubt it was a poor showing.
“It’s always difficult when you leave here unsatisfied. It stinks,’’ Goodale told reporters in Cleveland Friday night. “I want these guys to achieve their goals, and that didn’t happen. I feel bad for those guys. I know what we’re doing is good. We have a really nice team, but you have to win here, so I get it.”
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It is going to be a long offseason for Goodale, his coaching staff and everybody involved in the program.
Because as Goodale has said often, programs are judged by how they fare at the national tournament.
Right now, the narrative when it comes to Rutgers, is it is not getting it done on the sport’s biggest stage.
How other Big Ten and New Jersey programs fared compared to Rutgers
Ten of the 14 programs in the Big Ten had at least one All-American.
Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan State were the others who did not.
Northwestern and Michigan State each had just two wrestlers in the tournament.
Also, Northwestern and Michigan State combined to go 2-14 in Big Ten dual-meets this season and were teams Rutgers beat easily during the season.
Over the last two seasons, Rutgers and Michigan State are the only Big Ten teams to not have an All-American.
Maryland, which went 0-8 in the Big Ten this season, has had an All-American the last two seasons.
Maryland is traditionally one of the conference’s struggling programs in dual meets and another team Rutgers easily beat during season.
New Jersey’s other two Division 1 programs – Rider and Princeton –– also each had an All-American. Rutgers beat both during the season.
Princeton had a national finalist in Marc-Anthony McGowan (125). McGowan is a former Blair Academy standout.
Rider’s All-American was Tyler Klinsky (125). Klinsky was the NJSIAA 113-pound champion in 2020 at Middletown North. Rider has had an All-American the last two seasons.
Columbia, whose head coach is former Rutgers associate head coach Donny Pritzlaff, had an All-American in 165-pound third-place finisher and semifinalist Cesar Alvan.
Interestingly, 16 of Rutgers 17 All-Americans in Goodale’s 19 seasons as head coach, including the program’s only two national champions, Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault in 2019, came during the 10 seasons Pritzlaff was on the staff.
Goodale does get major credit for recruiting and coaching Ashnault and bringing in and coaching Suriano as a transfer from Penn State.
He also gets major credit for Rutgers' eight straight NCAA Tournament run of All-Americans from 2014-2022, including a program record three in 2021. He gets credit for the two All-Americans the program had in 2024.
But, since Pritzlaff left in June, 2024, Rutgers has not had an All-American and is 0-5 in the blood round – the wrestleback round that determines who becomes an All-American.
Remy Cotton (197) and Hunter Catka (heavyweight) were defeated by a combined four points in the blood round Friday night.
“You have to close out matches, and we didn’t do it,’’ Goodale told reporters Friday night in Cleveland.
It was not all bad
Rutgers did have a couple of big moments in the tournament.
The Scarlet Knights had two quarterfinalists in Cotton, who was seeded 15th and stunned and dominated No. 2 Rocky Elam of Iowa State in the pre-quarterfinal and Catka, who was seeded 27th and knocked off the No. 6 and 11 seeds in sudden victory and the tiebreaker period in the first two rounds.
But, the two 15-minute spans Thursday, when both Cotton and Catka won bouts, were the only good moments Rutgers had.
You must be registered for see images attach
Rutgers’ wrestlers went 8-18 overall. It lost its first seven bouts Thursday and went just 1-7 on Friday.
Four Rutgers wrestlers went 0-2 in the tournament and two others went 1-2, including Joey Olivieri (141), who was seeded ninth.
“We knew it would be hard. We had a couple opportunities there. I don’t think we wrestled our best this weekend as a team,” Goodale told reporters Friday night in Cleveland. “We lost a lot of close matches, and that’s what I’m having a hard time with.”
It was always going to be tough sledding for Rutgers in this tournament
None of its wrestlers were seeded in an All-American (top eight) position. Five of its wrestlers were seeded 21st or higher.
“You know the kind of team we have,’’ Goodale said last Monday in a zoom call with reporters previewing the tournament. “We have 10 guys who were sitting anywhere between No. 10 in the country and 20th in the country. ‘’
All of that makes for a good dual-meet team, which Rutgers was again this season.
The Scarlet Knights finished the dual-meet season ranked No. 11 in the country for the second straight season and defeated then No. 6 Minnesota for its first win over one of the Big Ten’s “Big Five’’ of Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota and Michigan.
Rutgers also finished in a five-way tie for third in the Big Ten regular season standings with Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois for its highest finish since it joined the Big Ten prior to the 2014-15 season.
But good dual-meet teams do not always make good tournament teams. You need hammers to do well in the NCAA Tournament, and Rutgers has not had one or developed one in recent seasons.
Help is on the way
Rutgers could have a hammer next season in Anthony Knox. He was a four-time NJSIAA champion from 2021-2025 at St. John Vianney. Knox signed with the Scarlet Knights in January after he de-commited from Cornell in December.
Knox is expected to be the team’s 125 pounder next season. That leaves the status of current redshirt freshman and 125-pounder Ayden Smith to be determined. Smith qualified for the national tournament and had a win over Minnesota’s two-time All-American Jore Volk during the season.
Brandt Harer, who was the Pennsylvania state runner-up to Virginia Tech sensational recruit Bo Bassett at 145 this past season, and had over 200 wins during his scholastic career, also could be a hammer. He figures to slot in eventually at either 141 or 149.
Harer’s older brother, Conner, showed promise as the starting 157-pounder as freshman in 2024-25. He redshirted this past season.
Freshmen Tahir Parkins (141), Jordan Chapman (174) and Devon Magro (149) and redshirt freshman Mason Gibson (141/133) all saw dual-meet action this season and all were highly-touted recruits.
Returnees at this time, are Cotton, two-time national qualifier Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184), redshirt freshmen Andrew Barbosa (165) and Ryan Ford (165/174) and Smith.
Barbosa was a national qualifier this season and had a win over two-time All-American Joey Blaze of Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament. Ford saw dual-meet action at both 165 and 174 and went 3-0 at 174 and 14-3 overall.
You must be registered for see images attach
Also, back in fold at this time is redshirt freshman Alex Nini (141/149), who was sidelined this past season with an injury.
As always, what happens in the transfer portal, with who comes in and who leaves, will change things. Rutgers figures to add a heavyweight from the portal, and possibly a 133-pounder, too.
But, Rutgers’ 2026-27 season will be judged on how it does in the NCAA Tournament. Getting at least one All-American is a must.
“We’ll be fine, and we’ll be right back here next year,’’ Goodale said to reporters in Cleveland. “We have some really good guys, and we’ll break through. We have broken through plenty. It’s just the last couple years. It’s five guys in the blood round, and that’s hard to swallow.’’
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers at NCAA Wrestling Championships not nearly good enough
Continue reading...
