Article: Ersland Announces Purdue Wrestling’s Class of 2016

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Five early signees all ranked among nation’s top 20 at their weight

 

Nov. 18, 2015

 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue has inked five nationally ranked wrestlers, including four of the nation’s top overall recruits, during the early signing period head wrestling coach Tony Ersland announced Wednesday. These elite future Boilermakers include Indiana’s top heavyweights, multi-time state champs from Michigan and Minnesota and a top-20 195-pounder with family roots in Purdue athletics.

 

“I think the overwhelming thing about this group is they really bought into our message, which is the transformation of Purdue and where we are taking this program,” Ersland said. “They saw the impact of what we did in year one and how the guys bought into our message.

 

“This same group was excited about what that message was and that’s accomplishing a lot of firsts for Purdue wrestling,” Ersland said. “I love that those kids want to be a part of doing something the first time, not just be another cog in the wheel of another program. They understand the special opportunity that they have before them.”

 

 

Christian Brunner (East Dundee, Illinois) is a two-time Illinois High School Association class 3A state placewinner for Dundee-Crown High School with a third-place finish at 195 pounds as a junior and was the 182-pound runner-up as a sophomore. He is currently ranked among the nation’s top-20 prep wrestlers at 195. Brunner’s family has roots in Purdue athletics with a pair of uncles, Jeff Zgonina and Frank Kemt, playing football for the Boilermakers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Click on the image above to learn more about Brunner.

 

 

The nation’s No. 19 overall recruit and a top-five wrestler at 152 pounds, Griffin Parriott will make his way to West Lafayette from New Prague, Minnesota. Parriott is a two-time Minnesota State High School League Division AA champion and four-time tournament qualifier. In May he took third at the UWW Junior Nationals at 66 kg, finishing behind a World Cadet gold medalist and an NCAA All-American. Click on the image above to learn more about Parriott.

 

 

Devin Schroder becomes the second wrestler from Grand Rapids Catholic Central to commit to Purdue during Ersland’s tenure, joining former high school teammate Nate Limmex, who is a 149-pounder for the Boilermakers. Schroder, the No. 56 overall recruit, is a three-time Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 champ. He has won back-to-back titles at 119 pounds after winning the 2012 championship as a freshman. The Northview native is a two-time FloNationals finalist, taking top honors at 113 pounds in 2014. Click on the image above to learn more about Schroder.

 

 

Indiana’s own Shawn Streck, the country’s second-ranked high school heavyweight and No. 21 overall recruit, will make the move an hour south to join Coach Ersland’s squad. Streck pinned his way to the 285-pound title as a junior, capping off a 46-0 season. As a sophomore he placed third and seventh as a freshman. The Merrillville native also has a trio of top-four finishes at national tournaments. Click on the image above to learn more about Streck.

 

 

Streck is joined by fellow Indiana product and close friend Kobe Woods. Hailing from Mishawaka, Woods is tabbed as the No. 54 overall recruit and is currently listed as a top-six 220-pounder nationally. Woods is the defending IHSAA champ at 220, which he won with a perfect 44-0 record. Outside of the high school mat, Woods’ resume is highlighted by a finals appearance at the 2015 Cadet World Team Trials at 100 kg and in 2014 he claimed the 195-pound title at the Cliff Keen USA Wrestling Cadet Folkstyle Nationals. Click on the image above to learn more about Woods.

 

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Way to go Coach Ersland!  Excited to see both Purdue and Indiana building -- I hope this translates to a move upwards in the Big10 standings