PISCATAWAY, N.J. — As Rutgers wrestling gets ready to begin the 2022-23 season, there are a lot of questions to be answered. 

In his 16th season with the program, head coach Scott Goodale is blessed with a roster full of talent in all 10 weight classes, but the Scarlet Knights’ leader will have tough decisions to make regarding the lineup.

According to Goodale, it is a good problem to have. 

“This is a team - 10 weight classes, 10 question marks,” Goodale said. “That’s kind of the theme right now, every single weight has a question mark to it. We have a lot of talent, it’s a lineup that’s extremely balanced. I think we are a very good dual meet team right now, but there’s question marks.”

Following a season in which they earned the most dual wins (16) in program history, the Scarlet Knights are setting out to build on that success. They have earned the No. 22 spot in the NWCA preseason poll, but that number is no longer satisfactory to Goodale and his squad.

“To be honest, I’m one of those coaches, I look at the rankings, that means you’re doing something right,” Goodale stated. “It’s been a long time since we’ve picked somebody off. I think it’s what this group is missing, we need a signature win. We’re trying to get over the hump. To be sitting at No. 12, 14, in the country at the end of the year doesn’t sit right with our program, and that’s our mentality every single day.”

The Scarlet Knights’ schedule is filled with opportunities to knock off ranked opponents. Arizona State, UPenn, and Princeton highlight their non-conference duals, while their Big Ten schedule features top-10 opponents Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State.

The roster, highlighted by balance and depth, is ready to attack the schedule. 

“This is one year where there’s so much balance in our lineup,” Goodale said. “I think that’s a good thing, we don’t have to worry about being the face (of the program), maybe we can just worry about going out and wrestling. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”

Rutgers added many new faces to the program this year, including a strong true freshmen class highlighted by three-time NJSIAA state champion Brian Soldano at 184 pounds. The Scarlet Knights also landed graduate transfer Joe Heilmann, who returns to his home state after spending four years at North Carolina and will make an immediate impact.

“I’m really excited to compete in front of my home state of New Jersey,” Heilmann said. “I think it makes me a little more comfortable, just having people I’m familiar with. I think when you’re comfortable, it’s easy to succeed.” 

A native of South Plainfield, Heilmann will wrestle at 133 pounds. Junior Sammy Alvarez and sophomore Joseph Olivieri, who were at 133 last season, both move up to 141. Fellow South Plainfield resident Tony White will command the 149-pound weight class. After finishing as the No. 1 redshirt at 149 last season, White looks to continue that success in his sophomore year. 

At 184 pounds, sophomore John Poznanski enters this season looking to build off his past accolades. The Colonia, New Jersey, native placed fourth in the country as a true freshman in 2021, but was unable to find the podium last season as he dealt with injuries during the 2021-22 campaign. 

“I think that brought me back to where I have to be mentally, physically, and now I’m just ready to go,” Poznanski said. “I feel really good, I’m ready for the season, and ready to keep progressing.” 

After finishing with 15 wins last season, Boone McDermott seeks to continue improving at 285 pounds. The redshirt junior is bigger than he was a year ago, and plans to use that to his advantage. 

“I’m feeling really good about the season,” McDermott said. “Now that I’m a little bit heavier, it should be significantly easier to push the pace on the bigger guys. My plan is to use my weight and my strength to get me where I need to be.”

Although the team is young and filled with question marks, Rutgers has a lot to be excited about. Its complete roster is capable of making a statement this season. 

“We have a lot of work to do. It’s a team with an extreme amount of balance, a ton of potential, fun to watch, and a good group. It’s going to be a fun season,” Goodale concluded.

Rutgers begins its season against Clarion on Friday at 6 p.m. in the College Avenue Gym.