Wrestling: Top-ranked 145-pounder a late addition to PSU's Class of '17

Penn State's Class of 2017, fewer than two months shy of enrollment, has grown by one.

A state champion wrestler for Hempfield (Pa.) and the No. 1 145-pounder in the country, Jarod Verkleeren announced Sunday evening that he had committed to Penn State over Iowa State, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, North Carolina State and Virginia.

The decision comes after Verkleeren was released from a letter of intent that he previously had signed with the Cyclones.

"It was difficult," he said about the late turn of events in his recruitment. "(ISU head coach Kevin Jackson) called me and he was like, I'm being released from Iowa State. Then I was just shocked, so then my future changed with that call. I got a release a couple weeks later and started my recruiting visits again."

Once news hit that Verkleeren's recruitment was open it didn't take long for college coaches to begin touching base. However, having previous experience in the recruiting process, he already had a good idea about which schools might suit him best.

So he began reaching out to them one by one in order to set up visits on his own accord.

"I was back on the recruiting market and just getting contacted from schools, but I knew which schools I wanted to look at," he said. "Then I started to go on visits immediately. The past month I was on visits to N.C. State, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa State, Penn State. I was talking with UVa and then Pitt called me, so it was a crazy month."

Verkleeren made his visit to Penn State in early April, following a visit to Minneapolis.

Having been there before – his older brother is finishing his freshman year at University Park – Verkleeren already had familiarity with the campus. He also considered PSU before his initial signing with ISU, but his contact with the coaching staff at that point was minimal.

On his most recent visit then it wasn't only about getting the full experience inside the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex, which he received, it was also about getting to further know the coaching staff.

"I think just being there, it shows what the coaches do," Verkleeren said. "I walk into the room and there are like 15 national champs wrestling around. It's just an awesome atmosphere. The coaches are awesome. The campus is close to home. My brother goes there so it just kind of felt like a good fit."

Verkleeren enrolled this summer after having finished his high school career with a 135-19 record and a state title as a senior at 145.

It was on Sunday evening, not long after head coach Cael Sanderson arrived home from a trip to Las Vegas for the the 2017 U.S. Open and UWW Junior Freestyle Championships, when Verkleeren informed the coaching staff of his decision.

"He was super excited, sot that's always awesome," Verkleeren said. "I'm excited to work with him and to see how much better I can get and I think they're excited to work with me as well."

An accomplished freestyle wrestler, Verkleeren also has aspirations of competing outside the collegiate ranks. He won a Cadet World Championship in 2015 in Bosnia-Herzegovina and plans to continue his freestyle career with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

He was not in competition this weekend in Las Vegas, at which freshman national champion Mark Hall claimed a championship at 74 kilograms. Former Nittany Lion David Taylor also won an Open title at the senior level at 86 kg. Verkleeren's next planned competition date is in June for the Junior World Team Trials in Nebraska.

"I plan on making a junior world team and go out to Finland and try to win a Junior World title," he said. "Then I'm just going to come back and get into folkstyle season and try to improve on the college level and just get ready for next year, take after Zain Retherford (at 149 pounds in 2018). That's my goal."

Verkleeren is one of a few prospects that are set to enroll at Penn State this summer who project to wrestle between 141-157 in their college careers. Verkleeren joins three-time Minnesota state champion Brady Berge, who in March was named Mr. Minnesota High School Wrestler, one year after Hall won the same award. Berge is currently ranked No. 1 at 160 by FloWrestling.com.

Nick Lee, a two-time state finalist in Indiana, graduated early from Evansville Mater Dei High School and is already on campus. He trained with the NLWC and competed at an open tournaments at 141.