Stevo Poulin Releases Schools He's In Contact With The Most
Stevo Poulin Releases Schools He's In Contact With The Most
The #8 wrestler on the Junior Big Board, Stevo Poulin, has released the five schools he is in contact with the most.
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Over the past two weeks, we've been releasing some of the nation's top-ranked wrestlers from the class of 2021 school lists. Recently we were able to catch up with the eighth-ranked wrestler on the Junior Big Board, Stevo Poulin, to find out what schools are in the running for the New York hammer.
Stevo Poulin School List (listed in alphabetical order)
- Lehigh
- NC State (visited)
- Ohio State (visited)
- Oklahoma State
- Penn State
As you can see from the list above, Poulin has already been to Raleigh and Columbus for his visits and plans on taking all five official visits he's allotted by NCAA rules before making a decision. As the NCAA currently has an in-person recruiting ban through May 31, don't expect a decision anytime soon. Also, these are not Poulin's final five. These are just the five schools he has been in contact with the most. Poulin said he can't say a school won't be added to the mix depending on which schools enter the picture in the coming months.
Poulin has been an internet sensation since he was a youth wrestler and has continued to have success at every level along the way. Poulin won Super 32 in 2018, is a three-time New York state champion, and in 2019 made a Cadet world team before taking fifth at the world championships.
Check out the video that put Poulin on the national radar.
Lehigh also made the list for Pennsylvania state champ and #24 Trey Kibe. Brandon Paetzell, who spent the majority of last season ranked in the top five, will be a senior next season so that does open the door for Poulin to potentially start as a true freshman. The Mountain Hawks did sign two-time Pennsylvania state champion, Sheldon Seymour, in the class of 2020, but after a year redshirting in Bethlehem, he could grow into a 133-pounder.
As far as connections go, NC State makes the most sense for Poulin. Frank Popolizio, the brother of NC State Head Coach Pat Popolizio, is an assistant coach at Shenendehowa High Shcool where Poulin attends and runs the Journeymen Wrestling Club where Poulin trains. Jakob Camacho finished the season ranked ninth for the Wolfpack and in the ACC finals gave returning NCAA finalist Jack Mueller his first loss of the season. Camacho will be just a redshirt sophomore next season. NC State also signed Anthony Noto in the class of 2020 who projects as a 125-pounder. If Poulin ended up committing to NC State it would be the Wolfpack's nation-leading fifth top-100 commit in the class of 2021.
Ohio State is the only other school Poulin has been able to visit and it also is arguably the school on this list with the clearest path to the lineup. The Buckeyes currently have four 125-pounders on the roster led by Malik Heinselman. Despite qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year, Heinselman struggled at times this season and finished with just an 18-15 record. Ohio State did not sign a 125-pounder in the class of 2020 and their only commit so far in the class of 2021 is Paddy Gallagher, who projects as a 165-pounder. One thing to keep an eye on with the Buckeyes is current Arizona State commit Richie Figueroa. Ohio State is still in the mix for the three-time California state champion and top recruit in the class of 2021.
Watch Figueroa and Poulin square off at Who's #1.
Could we see another New York lightweight hammer sign with Oklahoma State? Nick Piccininni just finished up an outstanding career in Stillwater as a three-time All-American and leaves a big hole in the Cowboys lineup. However, in the nation's top-ranked 2020 recruiting class Oklahoma State signed Trevor Mastrogiovanni and Jakason Burks who could both possibly make 125. Burks is the smaller of the two and Mastrogiovanni might be too big for the lightest weight class. The Cowboys are currently on pace to be in the running for the nation's top recruiting class for the second consecutive year. Four top-56 recruits on the Junior Big Board are committed to Oklahoma State currently and none of them are 125-pounders.
Finally, the Nittany Lions. Since the transfer of Nick Suriano, Penn State hasn't qualified a wrestler for the NCAA Championships. Devin Schnupp and Brandon Meredith who have been the starters the past two seasons are back, but neither has posted winning records as the starter. Penn State did sign two-time New Jersey state champion and the seventh-ranked recruit in the class of 2020, Robert Howard. The Bergen Catholic product won his second New Jersey state title in March at 126 and should Penn State choose to wrestle him right away and at 125, he should make an impact immediately. It's oftentimes very hard for wrestlers to hold 125 their entire college careers and a possible bump to 133 could open the door for Poulin should he pledge to Penn State.
No matter which school Poulin selects, they will be getting not only one of the best prospects in the class of 2021, but one of the best lightweights in America that has the potential to battle for NCAA titles throughout his college career. Keep it locked on FloWrestling throughout the spring and summer as we continue to bring you school lists for the nation's top wrestlers in the class of 2021 and breaking news when kids make their college decisions.