California Recruiting Prospects

[Oracle]

Let's revisit. Whoever said CA was not one of the very best states to recruit may want to re-evaluate.

Across all 14 weights IM has California with 3 #1 ranked wrestlers (21%) and a total of 31 ranked in the top 20 nationally (11%)
In the lower weights CA has 1,5,14,17 at 106 and 1,3,10, 14 at 113. All together CA has 16 ranked in the top 20 (6%) with 3 top 10s at 113 and 152 and 4 top 20s at 106, 113 and 160.

I think Lehigh's last CA EIWA champ was Dan Hyman in 20002 and last AA was Tihamer Toth-Fejel in 1976. The former transferred in from Arizona State and the latter transferred in from Claremont-Mudd for engineering (was also a gymnast in hs) Power 5s have no trouble recruiting CA -- Michigan state just signed #1 Chase Soldate, 152. And the Ivies have the ability to recruit nationally along with the Academies.

It would be great if LU could gain a presence in CA even if on an irregular basis.

Edit: PA has 48 ranked top 20 (17%) 1 #1, 5 #2, 28 top 10s ( a whopping 20%) -- like Bobby Douglas said years ago: "You either have to have PA kids on your team or guys who can beat them."

Edit #2: CA has 17 ranked top 10 (12% -- not too shabby)

[mookie]

California has some great wrestlers but highly unlikely any would consider Lehigh. Ugly weather and women being the two primary deterrents. Might as well be Mars.

[Oracle]

Cornell has Wattenberg and Garrett. Harvard had Mosley and Odom. Navy had a string of kids from Poway incIuding AA Baker. It can be done.

[TMH]

The truth is that Lehigh is very much on the radar for California students. Admissions has set up an office there. The NASDAQ Center has really increased our visibility. I regularly saw buses (yes after a plane flight) bringing California students to visit Lehigh. I believe it is probably in the top 10 home states at Lehigh now.

Lehigh basketball (both men and women) have had significant success recruiting athletes from there. It has been a continuous hotbed for softball and recently volleyball. There is no reason why Lehigh can't tap into that well of talent for wrestling as well.

Today's students have a sense of wanderlust. Many are no longer content to be at home. They want to see the country and the world.

[BP-LU87]

I think Pete Yozzo is in Ca now. His daughter was a really good softball player for Lehigh. Maybe he can help...I thought at one point he had a few guys pointed our way in the past.

[gimpeltf]

He sent the son to UVa.

[Richb-3]

Cal Poly top recruit, lives about 3 miles from me Adam Jacob, East Pennsboro