Once upon a time one of the most promising young wrestlers at the high school level entered college with a ton of hype and lofty expectations. And then he won the 197 pound national title as a true freshman, living up to that hype.
And then his career seemed to be derailed. A sexual battery charge, conflicts between his younger brother and other teammates, he was dismissed from the Oklahoma State team, and it just seemed like a cloud hung over his future. Uncertainty was an understatement. Would he ever compete again at the collegiate level? Would a program welcome him into the fold to finish his career with them? We really didn’t know. Especially with a court case looming.
Well, that case has been dismissed. The charges have been dropped. And that cloud is starting to disappear. When you factor in that his middle brother committed to Iowa, and then his youngest brother committed to Iowa, it seems inevitable that AJ will follow suit.
So what would the Hawkeyes be getting in AJ Ferrari?
A former NCAA champ. One of the best athletes at the upper weights. A combination of strength and speed that has been unmatched at every level he’s wrestled at. An immediate title contender. And perhaps someone even more motivated to put all this controversy behind him and show people around the country, that once again, he’s not to be played with.
There’s no concrete announcement about his plans. Not about Iowa nor about the weight he would plan on going. Heck, I don’t know if he’s even officially announced an intention to wrestle this year. I assume so, and that should come soon with the season fast approaching.
If he does, and does head to Iowa City, he will definitely help keep the Hawkeyes up in that top 2-3 spot as the biggest challenger to Penn State. Still don’t know if anyone is a real challenger to the Nittany Lions but someone has to be 2nd and for a minute it looked like Iowa may be in for a long season by their standards.
With news of reduced punishment for the gambling stuff and this possible Ferrari infusion, the needle is at least pointing up for the Black and Yellow.
Based in Western PA. Right in the heart of WPIAL country, Todd brings an insider’s view from the country’s epicenter of wrestling. He’s excited to build on the TKDWN tradition of starting with the story first. The athletes, the coaches, their families and supporters, there is no shortage of stories to tell. And Todd will bring his unique perspective to help us continue to deliver top notch content for the world’s greatest sport!
