Henson Inks 12 in Inaugural Recruiting Class

[armyscot0873]

Henson Inks 12 in Inaugural Recruiting Class

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.(November 13, 2014) - West Virginia University wrestling coach Sammie Henson will add a dozen grapplers to his squad for the 2015-16 season as Dustin Gray (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland), Patrick Duggan (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), Caleb Mariakis (Ringgold, Ga./Ridgeland),Connor Flynn (Dardenne Prairie, Mo./Francis Howell), Jonathan Ragsdale (Chickamauga, Ga./Gordon Lee), Jeffrey Gregory (Hanover, Va./Hanover), Bailey Faust (Lexington, Ohio/Lexington), Keegan Moore (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City), Devin Brown (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional), Zachary Moore (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City), Ryan Klemp (Lewiston, Idaho/ Lewiston) and Austin Myers (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) committed to join the Mountaineers on Wednesday.


"We are extremely excited about the talented student-athletes for the recruiting class of 2015," said Henson. "Not only have these young men won on the state and national levels but they have excelled in the classroom as well. We look toward the future with 12 new wrestlers signing today as great things to come for Mountaineer Nation."

Dustin Gray comes to Morgantown from Wentzville, Missouri, where he was a two-time state finalist under Cornell Robinson and Matt Collum at Timberland High School. Compiling a career record of 108-23 through three seasons, he was a two-time St. Louis Post Dispatch All-Metro First Team honoree and St. Louis Post Dispatch and Suburban Journal Athlete of the Week as well as a three-time all-conference and all-academic team honoree. Gray also competed for coach Derrick Monteth at Timberland Xtreme, where he was four-time Missouri freestyle and Greco state champion, a two-time Greco Fargo All-American, a Freestyle National State Champion and a Freestyle Fargo All-American. He was also a Folkstyle Nationals All-American, Ohio Tournament of Champions Champion, Disney Duals All-Star and a Liberty Nationals All-American. The son of Darren and Angela, he has two sisters - one of which, Danielle, runs track and cross country at Lindenwood. Gray intends to major in pre-med with aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. He chose WVU over Nebraska, North Dakota State, Penn, Brown, Harvard and Wyoming.


Ranked 36th overall by Intermat and seventh in the country at 145 pounds (FloWrestling), Patrick Duggan competed for Dave Heckard at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was a three-time section champion and two-time regional champion. Duggan was the 2013 PIAA state meet runner-up at 132 pounds, finished third at the 2014 event (138 pounds) and finished fourth at the 2012 PIAA state meet while wrestling at 126 pounds, earning him a trio of Big 15 All-Start team selections. While competing for Chris Priar at Iron Eagle, Duggan was the 2012 PAWF Freestyle State Champion and finished third at the 2013 Super 32 Tournament. He earned All-America honors at the 2011 Fargo Freestyle Cadet Nationals with a seventh-place finish and went on to take the runner-up spot at the event in 2012. The son of Patrick and Mary, Duggan has three siblings and intends to major in business management. He was also recruited by N.C. State, Drexel, Maryland, North Carolina and Bloomsburg.

Hailing from Ringgold, Georgia, Caleb Mariakis wrestled for Keith and Josh Mariakis at Ridgeland High School as well as Jeff Bedard at Compound. Mariakis was a four-year team captain who was selected for the Walker Country All-Star Team. As a junior in 2014, he was the runner-up at the Georgia state meet after taking fifth as a sophomore in 2013. Mariakis, who also competed at Tri-State Best of Preps, started his career off with a third-place finish at the 2012 state tournament and currently boasts a 155-24 career record. He is the son of Keith and Angie and intends to major in physical education.

After selecting the Mountaineers over Nebraska, Iowa State and Missouri, Connor Flynn arrives in Morgantown from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri. Under the direction of Kevin Stroh at Francis Howell High School, Flynn has posted a 126-9 career record entering his senior season after going undefeated at 26-0 as a junior in 2014. As a sophomore, he took third at the 2013 Large School Missouri State Championships and was named a St. Louis Post Dispatch Athlete of the Week. Competing for Cornell Robinson and Doug Mitchell at Wrestling Prep, Flynn was a 2013 Junior Division All-American with a fourth-place finish at USA Nationals in Cedar Falls and was a 2012 Cadet All-American at the event. In addition to going 11-0 at the Disney Duals, he has previously taken home the championship at the Southern Plaines Greco meet and was the runner-up at the Southern Plaines Freestyle tournament. Flynn was also a standout football player recruited by Murray State, earning first team all-conference at both wide receiver and running back. The son of Terry and Lori Flynn and Lucy Flynn, his sister, Lauren, plays soccer at Missouri. Flynn hopes to major in business management.

A native of Chickamauga, Georgia, Jonathan Ragsdale competed for Brent Raby and Rick Murdock at Gordon Lee High School. He was a three-time Class 1A State champion as well as a three-time all-area and all-regional champion. Ragsdale was twice named an NHSCA All-American and has posted a 162-8 high school mark through three seasons. Named the Georgia Class 1A Wrestler of the Year in 2014, he was twice named the Walker Country Wrestler of the Year and earned a pair of Prep Central Regional First Team honors. Competing for Mike Hatcher and Matt Pittts, Ragsdale was the Georgia USA State Champion in Folkstyle, Freestyle and Greco in 2011, also winning the Southeast Regional Championship in Freestyle and Greco. In addition, Ragsdale was the 2012 USA Weightlifting National Champion at 50 kilograms. Ragsdale is the son of Mark and Deadra Ragsdale and has one brother. After selecting West Virginia over Campbell, North Carolina and N.C. State, he intends to major in mathematics or physical education.

Hailing from Hanover, Virginia, Jeffrey Gregory competed for Aaron Bradley at Hanover High School, where he was a two-time team captain and state champion. A three-time district champion, Gregory was a two-time region winner and three-time all-metro honoree who placed fourth at the regional meet. He boasts a career record of 109-14 through three seasons. While competing for Mark Strickland and Virginia Team Predator, he was a two-time Freestyle and Greco state champion. Gregory finished fourth at freshman nationals and took sixth at Cadet Freestyle Nationals. The son of Jeff and Renee, Gregory will major in sports psychology.

Bailey Faust comes to WVU from Lexington, Ohio, where he competed for Brent Rastetter and Lexington High School. The 2014 Ohio Cardinal Conference Wrestler of the Year, Faust was a three-time conference champion, two-time sectional champion and two-time district runner-up. He finished fifth at the DII state meet set the school record for pins in a season with 43 as a junior in 2014. After tying the program record for wins with 54 last season, Faust boasts a career mark of 136-16 with 1-6 wins by fall. Faust also competed for Ohio Mafia Wrestling Club and Roughhouse Wrestling Club, earning All-America honors at the 2013 Cadet Nationals, finishing fourth in the Freestyle competition and taking eighth in Greco at 195 pounds. He was a three-time Disney Duals All-Star and was recognized as part of Intermat's 2014 All-Tournament Team as well as being a two-time FloNationals All-American. Faust, who selected West Virginia over Maryland and Appalachian State, was also a second team all-district and second team all-conference honoree in soccer. Faust is the son of Beth and Bryan and hopes to major in mechanical engineering. His brother, Jake, currently wrestles at Duke.

Ranked 25th in the nation by Intermat and third at 132 pounds by FloWrestling, Keegan Moore hails from Oklahoma City where he competed for Mike Walkup and Putnam City High School. Moore is a 2013 Oklahoma State Champion and 2014 state runner-up who finished third as a freshman in 2012. He took third at the 2014 FloWrestling Nationals and fourth at the 2014 Fargo Nationals. The son of Harvey and Kelli, Moore chose WVU over Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Wyoming. He intends to major in sales and representation.

Zachary Moore will join his twin brother Keegan in Morgantown. Also competing for Putman City High School in Oklahoma City. Moore was the 2014 Oklahoma State Championships runner-up. He posted a 28-2 record in his junior season and was recruited by Oklahoma State, Iowa State, N.C. State, Wyoming and Oklahoma. Moore is one of Harvey and Kelli's five children. He will study physical therapy at West Virginia.

Ranked No. 96 in the nation and third at 113 pounds, Devin Brown comes to Morgantown from Export, Pennsylvania, where he wrestled for Eric Mousser at Franklin Regional High School. Also offered by Maryland, N.C. State and Clarion, he was two-time Pennsylvania state champion and district champion who took third at the Ohio state meet while competing for Stuebenville High School in Stuebenville, Ohio. He was also a two-time Powerade Champion and Freestyle Cadet World Team member who competed for Jody Strittmatter and Young Guns. Brown is one of Michael and Theresa's five children and intends to major in education.

Ryan Klemp will head to Morgantown after wrapping up a stellar career at Lewiston High School in Lewiston, Idaho. The 2014 Northwest Athlete of the Year, Klemp was the district and state champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Competing for Vici Wrestling, he was a National Folkstyle All-American and Freestyle All-American in 2013 as well as a Greco All-American. Klemp was a two-year captain for Lewiston after winning freshman of the year honors in 2012. Through three seasons, he boasts a career record of 138-10. The son of Dan and Peggy, Klemp chose WVU over Boise State, Wyoming and Columbia. He plans to major in pre-med with ambitions of being a dentist.

Hailing from Alexandria, Kentucky, Austin Myers is a three-time state champion at Campbell County High School. He was a two-time NHSCA National Champion and three-time All-American who also earned a pair of All-America honors at Fargo. Myers, who has accrued a 126-0 prep mark, chose West Virginia over Purdue, Missouri and Michigan State.

The Mountaineers will continue on with the 2014-15 season on Saturday, November 22, when they compete at the Navy Classic at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He is the son of Jennifer and Chris.

[Gator]

Does anyone know if Henson is recruiting any WV wrestlers? I Don't see any on this list.

[armyscot0873]

There are 5 on the roster. 2 freshmen, 2 juniors, and Jake Smith who he got to transfer. He tried hard to get Arthur also.

[Gator]

Walk-ons and transfers....where are the WV recruits?

[armyscot0873]

The only senior that I have seen commit this year so far is Logan Grass.

[Gator]

I wonder where Jordan Allen is going to end up? Corry..........

[jscallen]

I was told several months ago that Jordan was going to Ohio University. Can anyone confirm or deny that?

[jscallen]

I could be wrong but I do not believe Arthur was recruited and that comes from a very reliable source.

[Panther_coach]

Jordan Allen has decomitted from Ohio as of day before yesterday and looking again. This from his Dad on FB.

[armyscot0873]

JSCALLEN your source must not be that reliable.

This is from Kerry Arthur "He was able to meet with WVU and Coach Henson is exact words to me was this is tough, I really like Coach Henson and he is doing the right things to put WVU on top. It should be said that we have much respect for Coach Henson and we felt like he did all he could do to bring Justin back to WVU."

[jscallen]

I stand corrected on the comment that Justin Arthur was not recruited by WVU & Coach Henson. I must have misunderstood my source and the conversation we were having.

Now as for his first recruiting class I have officiated matches of both Ragsdale & Myers the past couple of years at different tournaments and both are tough kids who will bring lots competitiveness to the team. I look forward to watching them wrestle for the gold & blue.

[Matofficial]

Didn't Arthur comitt to Nebraska before Henson was named coach ?

[armyscot0873]

No Justin committed a couple of weeks after Henson was hired. Henson was hired mid May and Justin committed early June.

[armyscot0873]

Flo wrestling has WVU's recruiting class ranked 5th. They are going to make some noise.

[duckunder]

I'm Ready now. We have to have A good room for them to develop into champions.The kids now will decide how good they will become.