Flashes Sign Six for 2011-12 Season

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State wrestling team recently announced the signing of six high school standouts to national letters of intent, including state champions from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Ranging from the 133 to 165-pound weight classes, the six member group is the largest ever signed during the early period at Kent State.

“It’s a really good group of kids athletically and academically,” Head Wrestling Coach Jim Andrassy. “Right now, we’re really strong at 125 and the upper weights, so we went after the areas that we felt like we needed support in. And we feel like this class is going to improve our team significantly.”

The most highly-touted name in the incoming class is Ian Miller (Oak Harbor, Ohio), who is rated the No. 2 recruit in the nation at 152 pounds by the The Open Mat, USA Wrestling Magazine and InterMat. Miller won a 2010 Division II state title and placed third at the state tournament as a sophomore in 2009. Projected to compete at 149 or 157, he was the runner-up at both the Walsh Ironman and NHSCA competitions in 2009.

“Athletically and physically, I don’t know if you can find a better specimen than him,” Andrassy said of Miller. “He’s a guy that, ultimately, could come in next year and wrestle right away. He’s that good. ”

For the first time during Andrassy’s tenure as head coach, the Golden Flashes will bring in a top tier recruit from the state of West Virginia in Kyle Bauer (Wheeling, W. Va.). A 2010 state champion, Bauer has placed in the top three spots of the state tournament in each of his three seasons. Projected to compete at 133, he placed fourth at the 2010 FloNationals and seventh at the 2009 NHSCA National Open. Bauer is ranked No. 13 at 130 pounds by USA Wrestling.

The third state champion in the group is Nick Carr (South Fayette, Pa.). Projected to compete at 149, Carr won a 2010 PIAA state title and finished fifth at the 2009 state tournament. He is currently ranked No. 10 among senior 145-pounders according to USA Wrestling.

“I feel real comfortable with Kyle Bauer and Nick Carr coming in and being in a situation where they can start for us in the very near future,” Andrassy said. “I see them in our lineup within the next two years.”

Joining Carr from Pennsylvania will be Tyler Gargano (Hickory, Pa.) and Jacob Schultz (Lewistown, Pa.). Expected to compete at 165, Gargano claimed a seventh place at the 2010 state tournament. Schultz placed eighth at the 2010 FloNationals and could see action at 149 or 157.

“Jacob’s a kid that we think could be a sleeper,” Andrassay said. “And Tyler is one of those kids that’s only going to get better when he gets into our program.”

KSU will also have an area product in Clay Wenger (Wadsworth, Ohio). Looking to see action at 157 or 165, Wenger was a 2010 Division I state qualifier.

“Over the last few years, Wadsworth has become one of the top high schools in the nation,” Andrassy said of Wenger’s background.

Next year’s incoming class will join a Kent State team that graduates just one senior from its current starting lineup.

Courtesy of Aaron Chimenti, Assistant Director, Athletic Communications