Wrestling Secures Top 10 Signing Class for 2022
Apr 28 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers wrestling secured one of its top signing classes in program history, as the 2022 incoming group is ranked No. 8 in the country by MatScouts. Scholastic standouts PJ Casale, Brandan Chletsos, Joe Fongaro, Eric Freeman, Luke Gayer and Brian Soldano will all be available for the Scarlet Knights for the 2022 fall semester. Casale, Chletsos, Fongaro and Soldano are all state champions.
Rutgers finished another successful season under head coach Scott Goodale, as the Scarlet Knights closed the dual campaign with their most wins (16) since the 2012-13 season and their highest final ranking in the NWCA Coaches Poll (14) since 2017. RU qualified seven to the 2022 NCAA Championships – the most since 2017 – and had all participants score at the national tournament. Greg Bulsak (197) and Sebastian Rivera (141) added All-America honors to make it seven consecutive seasons with multiple All-Americans at NCAAs. With his bronze medal, Rivera became the fourth individual to secure a top-three finish at nationals in program history.
PJ Casale
Little Falls, N.J. • Passaic Valley
Scholastic Weight: 215
Prior to Rutgers: Two-time state finalist and 2020 NJSIAA state champion … Junior Pan-American Greco-Roman gold medalist … wrestled senior season at Passaic Valley after standout high school career at Delbarton … finished senior season at Passaic Valley with a 25-1 record, a runner-up finish at the NJSIAA state championships and Region 2 and District 6 titles at 215 pounds … did not compete at the state tournament during junior season … delivered a silver medal at the Junior Pan-American games … went 42-3 en route to a state title at 220 pounds during sophomore season at Delbarton … also captured Region 3 and District 9 individual titles … finished fifth in the state as a freshman in 2018.
Brandan Chletsos
Easton, Pa. • Notre Dame-Green Pond
Scholastic Weight: 138
Prior to Rutgers: PIAA state champion, four-time state placewinner, three-time region champion and three-time district champion for Notre Dame-Green Pond … produced 151 varsity wins during scholastic career … went 41-9 en route to a PIAA state title at 132 pounds … also earned region and district individual titles as a senior … selected to all-star Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic … finished second in the state along with region and district titles in 2021 … closed out sophomore season with third-place honors and 52 wins in 2020 … also placed sixth in the state as a freshman in 2019.
Joe Fongaro
Boonton, N.J. • Boonton
Scholastic Weight: 144
Prior to Rutgers: NJSIAA state champion, two-time state placewinner, two-time region champion and four-time state qualifier at Boonton … collected 130 wins during high school career … finished senior season with a 41-1 record and a NJSIAA state title at 144 pounds … secured Boonton's first individual state title since 1992 … also added Region 2 & District 7 titles during senior campaign … wrestled to sixth-place finish at 132 pounds as a junior in 2021 … Region 1 champion during junior campaign.
Eric Freeman
Paramus, N.J. • Paramus
Scholastic Weight: 165
Prior to Rutgers: Two-time state bronze medalist at Paramus … produced more than 100 victories during scholastic career … finished senior season with 44 wins en route to third-place finish in the state at 165 pounds … Region 1 runner-up and District 8 champion as a senior … named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the BCCA, Same Cali Invitational and Caldwell Tournaments … helped Paramus to its first state sectional title since 2016 … also wrestled back to a third-place finish at 160 pounds at the 2021 NJSIAA tournament.
Luke Gayer
Anaheim, Calif. • Calvary Chapel
Scholastic Weight: 160
Prior to Rutgers: Competed at Calvary Chapel in California … CIF runner-up at 160 pounds during senior season in 2021-22 … helped Calvary Chapel to a top-10 finish in the state as a senior … Sunset Conference individual champion … fourth at Super 32 last fall … California did not hold an indiviudal state title in 2020-21 during Gayer's junior season ... Orange County Wrestler of the Year by The Ocean-County Register … finish sixth in the state at 145 as a sophomore in 2020.
Brian Soldano
Wantage, N.J. • High Point
Scholastic Weight: 190
Prior to Rutgers: Three-time NJSIAA state champion at High Point … finished scholastic career with 127 victories and 99 wins by fall … just the 33rd individual in New Jersey history to become a three-time state champion … closed career with 79 consecutive wins dating back to sophomore season and was unbeaten against New Jersey competition during his final three high school seasons … two-time New Jersey Wrestler of the Year by NJ.com … 2022 state champion at 190 pounds with an unblemished 38-0 record as a senior … finished junior season with 11-0 record and an NJSIAA state title at 182 pounds in 2021 … also added state title at 160 pounds as a sophomore in 2020 … three-time region and district champion.
Rutgers finished another successful season under head coach Scott Goodale, as the Scarlet Knights closed the dual campaign with their most wins (16) since the 2012-13 season and their highest final ranking in the NWCA Coaches Poll (14) since 2017. RU qualified seven to the 2022 NCAA Championships – the most since 2017 – and had all participants score at the national tournament. Greg Bulsak (197) and Sebastian Rivera (141) added All-America honors to make it seven consecutive seasons with multiple All-Americans at NCAAs. With his bronze medal, Rivera became the fourth individual to secure a top-three finish at nationals in program history.
PJ Casale
Little Falls, N.J. • Passaic Valley
Scholastic Weight: 215
Prior to Rutgers: Two-time state finalist and 2020 NJSIAA state champion … Junior Pan-American Greco-Roman gold medalist … wrestled senior season at Passaic Valley after standout high school career at Delbarton … finished senior season at Passaic Valley with a 25-1 record, a runner-up finish at the NJSIAA state championships and Region 2 and District 6 titles at 215 pounds … did not compete at the state tournament during junior season … delivered a silver medal at the Junior Pan-American games … went 42-3 en route to a state title at 220 pounds during sophomore season at Delbarton … also captured Region 3 and District 9 individual titles … finished fifth in the state as a freshman in 2018.
Brandan Chletsos
Easton, Pa. • Notre Dame-Green Pond
Scholastic Weight: 138
Prior to Rutgers: PIAA state champion, four-time state placewinner, three-time region champion and three-time district champion for Notre Dame-Green Pond … produced 151 varsity wins during scholastic career … went 41-9 en route to a PIAA state title at 132 pounds … also earned region and district individual titles as a senior … selected to all-star Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic … finished second in the state along with region and district titles in 2021 … closed out sophomore season with third-place honors and 52 wins in 2020 … also placed sixth in the state as a freshman in 2019.
Joe Fongaro
Boonton, N.J. • Boonton
Scholastic Weight: 144
Prior to Rutgers: NJSIAA state champion, two-time state placewinner, two-time region champion and four-time state qualifier at Boonton … collected 130 wins during high school career … finished senior season with a 41-1 record and a NJSIAA state title at 144 pounds … secured Boonton's first individual state title since 1992 … also added Region 2 & District 7 titles during senior campaign … wrestled to sixth-place finish at 132 pounds as a junior in 2021 … Region 1 champion during junior campaign.
Eric Freeman
Paramus, N.J. • Paramus
Scholastic Weight: 165
Prior to Rutgers: Two-time state bronze medalist at Paramus … produced more than 100 victories during scholastic career … finished senior season with 44 wins en route to third-place finish in the state at 165 pounds … Region 1 runner-up and District 8 champion as a senior … named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the BCCA, Same Cali Invitational and Caldwell Tournaments … helped Paramus to its first state sectional title since 2016 … also wrestled back to a third-place finish at 160 pounds at the 2021 NJSIAA tournament.
Luke Gayer
Anaheim, Calif. • Calvary Chapel
Scholastic Weight: 160
Prior to Rutgers: Competed at Calvary Chapel in California … CIF runner-up at 160 pounds during senior season in 2021-22 … helped Calvary Chapel to a top-10 finish in the state as a senior … Sunset Conference individual champion … fourth at Super 32 last fall … California did not hold an indiviudal state title in 2020-21 during Gayer's junior season ... Orange County Wrestler of the Year by The Ocean-County Register … finish sixth in the state at 145 as a sophomore in 2020.
Brian Soldano
Wantage, N.J. • High Point
Scholastic Weight: 190
Prior to Rutgers: Three-time NJSIAA state champion at High Point … finished scholastic career with 127 victories and 99 wins by fall … just the 33rd individual in New Jersey history to become a three-time state champion … closed career with 79 consecutive wins dating back to sophomore season and was unbeaten against New Jersey competition during his final three high school seasons … two-time New Jersey Wrestler of the Year by NJ.com … 2022 state champion at 190 pounds with an unblemished 38-0 record as a senior … finished junior season with 11-0 record and an NJSIAA state title at 182 pounds in 2021 … also added state title at 160 pounds as a sophomore in 2020 … three-time region and district champion.
Players Mentioned
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