PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers wrestling continues to add proven collegiate talent ahead of next season, as NCAA qualifier Jacob Butler will compete for the Scarlet Knights in 2023-24. A transfer from Oklahoma, Butler will enroll in the Rutgers Business School as a graduate student and will be immediately eligible for the Scarlet Knights beginning next season.
 
A native of Elgin, Oklahoma, Butler competed at 141 and 149 pounds for the Sooners from 2018-22 and produced 37 career victories during his time in Norman. Butler qualified for the NCAA Championships at 141 pounds in 2021-22 and earned a victory at the national tournament in Detroit.
 
Butler has collected notable individual wins during his freestyle career, most recently pinning No. 1 seed Alec Pantaleo in the opening round of the 2023 U.S. Open last month in Las Vegas. Butler also defeated former Big 12 Champion, All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier Ian Parker (Iowa State) at the 2021 Big 12 Championships.
 
Butler arrived at Oklahoma after a standout scholastic career at Elgin High School, where he was a three-time state champion (2016-18). Butler posted a career mark of 176-9, including a perfect 41-0 mark as a senior.
 
Butler joins Harvard graduate transfer Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) as NCAA qualifiers to transfer to Rutgers during the offseason. A native of Rechitsa, Belarus, Slavikouski produced 64 career victories for the Crimson at heavyweight, including a 30-6 record this past season. Seeded sixth at the 2023 NCAA Championships earlier this year, Slavikouski picked up three victories and advanced to the 'Blood Round' at the national tournament. A two-time national qualifier, Slavikouski also earned a bronze medal at the 2023 EIWA Championships.
 
Rutgers finished No. 22 in the final 2022-23 NWCA Coaches Poll, the 10^th final top-25 finish for the Scarlet Knights under head coach Scott Goodale. RU produced seven NCAA qualifiers for the second consecutive season and qualified five or more student-athletes to the national tournament for the ninth consecutive season. Rutgers finished fourth in the country in home attendance average with 5,018 fans per home match at Jersey Mike's Arena this past season. Its 7,848 fans in attendance against No. 1 Penn State on Feb. 10 marked the second-largest home crowd for a wrestling match at the arena in school history.