NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion wrestling team announced the signing of 11 additions to the program on Thursday for the 2016-17 season. The signees span eight different states and have collectively captured eight high school state championships, four NHSCA grade-level titles and have placed at the Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo seven times.
“We are very excited about this recruiting class,” head coach Steve Martin remarked. “It filled a variety of needs for us from 125 all the way up to 285. These kids are not only good wrestlers, but they are also great students and citizens. We are looking forward to getting them on campus and continuing to grow our program.”
Joining the Monarch wrestling program as a part of the early signing period for the 2016-17 season will be: Israel Saavedra (Modesto, Calif.), Kevin Budock (Olney, Md.), Antonio Agee (Alexandria, Va.), Ali Wahab (Dearborn, Mich.), Chris Mauriello (Hauppauge, N.Y.), Connor Frey (Lehighton, Pa.), Will Hilliard (Phoenix, N.Y.), Dean Drugac (Hibernia, N.J.), Luke Drugac (Hibernia, N.J.), Will Verallis (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and Connor Wallace (Chesapeake, Va.).
COMPLETE ODU WRESTLING FALL RECRUITING CLASS
Israel Saavedra, Modesto, Calif. (Modesto) - 141
· NHSCA Junior National Champion (2015)
· 2x California State Champion (2013, 2014)
· California 3rd place finisher (2015)
· 3x FloNationals place winner
· Ranked No. 8 nationally by FloWrestling
· Super32 place winner
Martin on Saavedra: “Israel is a two-time California State Champion and an NHSCA Junior National Champion. He has done well at just about every possible national event. He is the younger brother of current Monarch wrestler Emilio Saavedra, and he is another part of the California connection we have established with Chris Mecate and now the Saavedra brothers.”
Kevin Budock, Olney, Md. (Good Counsel) - 141/149
· NHSCA Sophomore National Champion (2014)
· NHSCA Freshman National Champion (2013)
· Super32 6th place finisher (2014)
· Beast of the East 3rd place finisher (2014)
· Beast of the East 6th place finisher (2013)
· 2x National Prep Championships runner-up (2013 and 2015)
· 2x Maryland Independent Schools State Champion (2013 and 2014)
· Maryland Independent Schools State runner-up (2015)
Martin on Budock: “Kevin has placed at national preps multiple times and is a two-time NHSCA National Champion. He will project anywhere from 141 to 149. He comes from a great club and has beaten some of the best kids in the country at his weight class.”
Antonio Agee, Alexandria, Va. (Hayfield) - 184
· Super32 5th place finisher (2015)
· Career record of 128-22
· Ranked No. 19 nationally by FloWrestling
· 2x Virginia 6A State runner-up (2014 and 2015)
· NHSCA Junior National 3rd place finisher (2015)
· FloNationals 5th place finisher (2015)
· NHSCA Sophomore National 7th place finisher (2014)
· Fargo Cadet Freestyle 8th place finisher (2014)
· 2x Virginia Freestyle State Champion
Martin on Agee: “Antonio is an extremely athletic kid. This is very important for the bigger guys. He projects to be a 184 pounder and has a huge upside because he has a lot of wrestling to learn still. We are confident he will pick things up quickly and have a great career for us.”
Ali Wahab, Dearborn, Mich. (Crestwood) - 285
· Ranked No. 20 nationally by FloWrestling
· Placed 2nd at Michigan State Championships (2015)
· Michigan State Championship Qualifier (2014)
· Took 7th at FloNationals (2015)
· 2x NHSCA National Duals All-American
Martin on Wahab: “Ali Wahab really broke onto the national scene last year after placing at FloNationals. He beat several nationally-ranked wrestlers. He has a great frame for a heavyweight and is very tall and athletic. We think he has a tremendous upside.”
Chris Mauriello, Hauppauge, N.Y. (Hauppauge) - 157
· NHSCA Junior National Champion (2015)
· New York State Champion (2014)
· Ranked No. 15 nationally by FloWrestling
· New York State Championship 6th place finisher (2015)
Martin on Mauriello: “Chris is a New York State Champion and a NHSCA National Champion. We project him at 157. He has proven himself in a very tough wrestling state and on the national scene, so we know he has the potential to be a great college wrestler.”
Connor Frey, Lehighton, Pa. (Lehighton) - 184/197
· Current record of 102-27
· Placed 7th at Pennsylvania State Championships (2015)
· 2X Pennsylvania State Qualifier
· PIAA Academic 2nd Team Selection
· NHSCA All American
· Member of National Honor Society
· West Point Dwight Eisenhower Leadership and Character Award recipient
Martin on Frey: “Connor Frey is from the great wrestling state of Pennsylvania. He will look to fill in for us at 184 or 197. He is a great student as well as a hard worker and competitor. We are excited to get him on campus in the fall.”
Will Hilliard, Phoenix, N.Y. (Wyoming Seminary) - 285
· Placed 3rd at New York State Championship (2015)
· Placed 5th at New York State Championship (2014)
· 3x NHSCA National place winner (3rd in 2015, 5th in 2014 and 5th in 2013)
· Super32 place winner (3rd in 2015)
· 136-27 career record with 89 falls
· Received High Honors academically in 9th, 10th and 11th grade
· Received two Spirit Awards for Work Ethic and Discipline
Martin on Hilliard: “Will started out as a middleweight at 160 before becoming a heavyweight, so he is not your typical big guy. That means he has good technique and puts more points on the board than a lot of other heavyweights. He is from arguably the best high school program in the nation, so any time you can get a Wyoming Seminary kid it is a great addition to the team.”
Dean Drugac, Hibernia, N.J. (Morris Knolls) - 184
· 4x Cadet/Junior National All-American at Fargo
· 3x NHSCA National place winner (2013, 2014, 2015)
· New Jersey State Championship - Round of 12 finisher (2015)
· Ranked No. 20 nationally by FloWrestling
· 3x New Jersey Greco Roman State Champion
· Maintains a 92.7 percent GPA
· Member of MKHS National Honor Society
Martin on Dean Drugac: “Dean has placed at most of the national tournaments including NHSCAs and Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo. Dean and his brother, Luke, will fulfill a need for us anywhere from 174 to 197. It’s always good to get twin brothers who love to wrestle.”
Luke Drugac, Hibernia, N.J. (Morris Knolls) - 174
· Cadet/Junior National Freestyle All-American (7th in 2014)
· Cadet/Junior National Greco All-American (6th in 2014)
· 2x NHSCA All-American (4th in 2014, 8th in 2015)
· New Jersey State Championship - Round of 12 finisher (2015)
· 2x New Jersey Freestyle and Greco State Champion
· Northeast Region Freestyle Champion (2014)
· Maintains an 85 percent GPA
Martin on Luke Drugac: “Luke has also placed at Fargo a few times and has been an All-American at NHSCAs. He is a little bit smaller than his brother, Dean, and will probably always be a weight class below him. We are excited to get the twins down here to ODU and are expecting them to make a big impact on our program.”
Will Verallis, Windsor Locks, Conn. (Wyoming Seminary) - 157
· Career record of 121-26
· NHSCA Sophomore National All-American (2014)
· New England Prep Champion
· 2x Pennsylvania State Prep Champion
· 3x National Prep place winner and 1x finalist
Martin on Verallis: “Will is also from powerhouse high school Wyoming Seminary and will look to fill in at 157 for us. He loves the sport of wrestling and has been very successful at the state and national level. We are expecting big things from him.”
Connor Wallace, Chesapeake, Va. (Hickory) - 133
· Career record of 80-10
· Virginia 5A State Champion (2015)
· Virginia Beach Nationals Champion
· Virginia 5A 4th place finisher (2014)
· I-64 Tournament Champion (2015)
· Maintains a 3.975 GPA
· Member of National Honor Society and SCA
Martin on Wallace: “Connor Wallace is a local product out of Hickory High School in Chesapeake. He is a defending Virginia State Champion and will be a 125 pounder for us. He holds a very high GPA, and we are expecting him to do great things for ODU wrestling on the mat and in the classroom.”