FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Schneider Heads Highly Ranked Wrestling Recruiting Class

-- Cal Poly Wrestling --

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Max Schneider of Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago headlines a Cal Poly wrestling recruiting class that has been ranked No. 12 by Amateur Wrestling News/The Open Mat and No. 17 by InterMat.

Schneider, ranked No. 3 in the nation at 152 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News last season, captured a pair of Illinois state high school championships as a sophomore and senior and was second as a freshman.

Schneider signed a National Letter of Intent on May 14 and strengthened an already strong Mustang recruiting class that also included six prep wrestlers from California and a pair from Pennsylvania.

Schneider, the first two-time state champion from the Chicago Public League in nearly six decades, also was recruited by Cornell, Northwestern, Penn State, Illinois and Nebraska, among others.

Schneider was 80-0 in his sophomore and senior seasons combined, missing most of his junior campaign with a shoulder injury. He is also an Olympic judo hopeful, winning a Youth Olympics gold medal in 2010.

In his first season as head coach at Cal Poly after 11 years at Columbia, Brendan Buckley guided the Mustangs to a 6-7 dual meet record, including a 3-2 mark in Pac-12 duals, and a fifth-place conference tournament finish. Two Mustangs earned NCAA All-American honors -- Boris Novachkov third at 141 pounds and Ryan DesRoches eighth at 174 pounds -- while two others qualified for the nationals -- freshman Dominic Kastl at 165 pounds and senior Ryan Smith at 197. 

“In his first full year recruiting for the ‘Stangs, Coach Buckley put together an amazing class,” according to a release from Amateur Wrestling News/The Open Mat. “Grabbing the highly coveted Schneider late was a coup. He’s the potential “wow factor” for future years.

“Cal Poly has a really great core to work with. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see their incoming Class of 2012 result in six-plus future starters. There isn’t anything not to like about this class. With blue chippers in tow, the Mustangs could have a real good thing going.”

And from Intermat: “Using a California core, along with a smattering of Midwest and mid-Atlantic wrestlers, Buckley has assembled an excellent group of wrestlers to come on board. The prospects address roster needs throughout the whole lineup in terms of quality and depth.”

Added to the list of Mustang recruits in recent weeks were Adam Pain of Rodriguez High School in Vacaville, Calif., and Jacob Leon from Alta Loma High School in Alta Loma, Calif.

Pain placed sixth in the 2011 California state high school championships at 132 pounds and will wrestle at 133 or 141 at Cal Poly. Leon placed third in the 2012 state finals at 138 pounds and will wrestle at 141 at Cal Poly. 

Cal PolyÂ’s 2012 recruiting class:

JT Goodwin, 197 Pounds, Stockton, Calif. (Bear Creek HS), first in 2012 California state championship (220), Runner-up at NHSCA High School Nationals (195)

Blake Kastl, 149/157 Pounds, 5-8, Half Moon Bay, Calif. (Gilroy HS/St. Paris Graham HS), sixth and fourth in 2010 and 2011 California state championship (145) and second in 2012 Ohio state championship (145)

Conner King, 174/184 Pounds, Poway, Calif. (Broomfield (Colo.) HS/Poway HS). first in 2011 Colorado state championship (170) and fourth in 2012 California state championship (170)

Jacob Leon, 141 Pounds, Alta Loma, Calif. (Alta Loma HS), third in 2012 California state championship (138)

Devon Lotito, 125/133 Pounds, Bethlehem, Penn. (Liberty HS), seventh, second and third in 2010, 2011 and 2012 Pennsylvania state championship (132)

Adam Pain, 133/141 Pounds, Vacaville, Calif. (Rodriguez HS), sixth in 2011 California state championship (132)

Victor Perriera, 157 Pounds, Newark, Calif. (Newark Memorial HS), fifth, second and second in 2010, 2011 and 2012 California state championship (152)

Max Schneider, 149/157 Pounds, Chicago, Ill. (Lane Tech College Prep HS), second, first and first in 2009, 2010 and 2012 Illinois state championship (145)

Colt Shorts, 125 Pounds, McMurray, Penn. (Canon-McMillan HS), third and eighth in 2011 and 2012 Pennsylvania state championship (126)

Justin Walker, 197 Pounds, 6-0, Oakley, Calif. (De La Salle HS), seventh and fifth in 2011 and 2012 California state championship (220)

In addition to ScheniderÂ’s No. 3 national ranking at 152, Amateur Wrestling News/The Open Mat also ranked Blake Kastl No. 10 at 135, Perreira No. 12 at 160 and Goodwin No. 13 at 215.

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Eric Burdick
Associate Director of Athletics Communications
(Football, Baseball, Wrestling, Men's and Women's Golf, Men's and Women's Swimming SID)
Cal Poly
Mott Gym, Room 123
1 Grand Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0388
(805) 756-6550 (office)
(805) 550-3427 (cell)

(805) 756-2650 (fax)
eburdick@calpoly.edu

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