Top Names Still In Transfer Portal & Where They Should Go
Top Names Still In Transfer Portal & Where They Should Go
The six best wrestlers still looking for a home next season and their potential landing spots.
The transfer portal has forever changed college wrestling. It’s now no longer rare to see All-Americans pack up and head somewhere else. While the list below doesn’t include any All-Americans, it includes six very skilled wrestlers. Most of the top-end talent has already been scooped up from the transfer portal, but there is still a couple of potential impactful transfers looming.
I have no insight and didn’t try to contact any of these athletes. My “potential landing spots” aren’t based on anything special. They could have also already made their decision privately for all I know.
You can find all of the available athletes in the transfer portal HERE.
Owen Pentz, 197
Owen Pentz entered the transfer portal with many of his teammates after former NDSU head coach Roger Kish left to take the head coaching position at Oklahoma. He is a 3X national qualifier at 197 lbs with two years of eligibility and a redshirt remaining.
Watch Owen Pentz make the 2023 Southern Scuffle finals with a win over Ethan Laird below.
Potential Landing Spot: Iowa State
My initial thought was Iowa. However, it seems like Pentz would have made the transfer with his teammates Jared Franek and Michael Caliendo when they did if there was a mutual interest. How about two hours west to Ames? With Bastida moving up, the Cyclones need a 197 if Will Feldkamp is staying at 184.
Tyler Eischens, 174
Tyler Eischens entered the transfer portal as a graduate in April. Given that he hasn’t been picked up and he is still living, training, and representing Stanford, I think there’s a decent chance he’s remaining there. However, for the purposes of this article let’s entertain him leaving. He’s been a 3X national qualifier for the Cardinal. First at 157 lbs in 2020 and then the past two seasons at 174 lbs. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Potential Landing Spot: Nebraska
Eischens was a Pinnacle kid growing up. Could he join former club teammate Peyton Robb as Nebraska looks to replace Mikey Labriola?
Cael Carlson, 165
In his one year as the starter, Cael Carlson was a national qualifier for the Gophers in 2022. However, he lost the roster battle to Andrew Sparks this season and decided to take his talents to the transfer portal after graduating in the spring. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Watch Cael Carlson pin 3X NCAA qualifier Will Formato in an exciting match below.
Potential Landing Spot: NDSU
My first thought was SDSU as Carlson has family (Clay) on the team. However, with Tanner Cook returning for his final year, that likely wouldn’t be a great fit. However, Obe Blanc just lost his former starting 165-pounder and Fargo is less than a three-hour drive from Carlson’s hometown.
Cleveland Belton, 141
After spending the first three years of his career at Arizona State, Cleveland Belton transferred to Oregon State where he was a national qualifier this year with a record of 18-10. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Potential Landing Spot: Cal Poly
Belton is a California native who hasn’t left the Western Time Zone yet. Lawrence Saenz has yet to qualify for the NCAA tournament in 3 years as the starter for the Mustangs.
Garrison Dendy, 141/149
With UTK 26’ in his Instagram bio, it appears that Garrison Dendy has decided to step away from the sport of wrestling and return to Tennessee where he graduated high school. However, it’s still worth a call from a coach IMO. Dendy didn’t wrestle a match the one year he was at Wyoming, but he was the #88 overall recruit coming out of high school in 2022.
Potential Landing Spot: Tennessee Chattanooga
Dendy clearly wants to be back in Tennessee, and his friend and high school teammate who originally went to Wyoming with him, David Harper, transferred to Chattanooga.
Manzona Bryant, 149
Manzona Bryant has struggled with injuries and consistency, but when he’s hot, he’s hot. Despite a career record of 18-13, he has college wins over Beau Bartlett, Max Murin, and Dom Demas. If Bryant can find a good situation, he’s got potential.
Watch Bryant beat a young Mitchell Mesenbrink in 2021 below.
Potential Landing Spot: Tiffin University
Not D1 I know, but I think Tiffin and D2 could be a good fit for Bryant. Tiffin is less than a two-hour drive from his hometown of Columbus and a place he could really have success.