Rising Junior Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville) committed to the U on August 21st via twitter. Patrick is the younger brother of 2016-17 elite recruit Mitch McKee and he is currently the #7 ranked wrestler at 113 lbs. He projects at 125 in college.
Patrick has been improving rapidly over the past couple of years and he will be an elite level recruit by the time he graduates HS in 2018. Those of us who follow Gopher Wrestling are hoping that we will get some other big commitments in our 2018 recruiting class including #1 overall ranked Gable Steveson (Apple Valley - younger brother of 2015 elite recruit Bobby Steveson) and his close friend #6 ranked Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, AZ). Gable currently wrestles 220 lbs., but he would be the next great Gopher heavyweight...likely a multiple times Natty Champ!! And Bravo-Young is small, like McKee, so he would project as a 125 pounder. I'm not sure whether we need both McKee and Bravo-Young, but with McKee's love for Gopher Wrestling, he would likely have committed even if Bravo-Young was a commit.
We are coming down to the last two months before the Nov. 9th early signing day, so there is a lot of very active recruiting going on. We are still in the game for #8 ranked Senior 182 lb. Jacob Warner (Washington, IL) and #9 ranked Senior Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, MN). Iowa is pushing very hard to get these two guys too. Berge's older brother Broc transferred from IA last year to MN, but he is no longer listed on the Gopher roster. Someone on The Guillotine wrestling forum said he may be done with wrestling. So, I'm not sure whether this will affect our recruitment of Brady.
Here's Patrick McKee's post on Facebook and an article on his commitment:
(Per his post on Facebook)
For most people who know me, know that wrestling is a huge part of my life and part of what makes me who I am. There are also so many people that have helped me get to where I am today and those people are in Minnesota and that's why I would like to make my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota to continue my athletic and academic career. Being a Minnesota kid I have grown up watching the gophers and have always imagined myself in a maroon and gold singlet. Even through ups and downs I strongly believe in what the program has to offer me and also believe that they are going to help me reach the goals I have set for myself #gopherstrong
Patrick McKee to the University of Minnesota
Written by: Pablo Di Maria in High School Wrestling, Wrestling News Wire 08/22/2016
Six time USAW Fargo All-American Patrick McKee announced, via twitter, his decision to continue his collegiate career with the Golden Gophers. A two-year varsity starter for St Michael-Albertville High School, McKee was successful in gaining a Minnesota Class AAA state championship this past season in the 106-pound weight division. Only a junior, McKee has compiled an 82-13 prep record, and has advanced to the state tournament the past two seasons.
Besides winning a state championship last season, McKee was triumphant in winning the prestigious Cheesehead tournament in Wisconsin and finished with a 5-1 record at the always tough Clash tournament. McKee is currently ranked #7 in the nation at 113-pounds.
McKee is expected to compete in the 125/133 weight class in college.
Patrick McKee@P_mckee99 Aug 21
I'm excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota to continue my athletic and academic #gopherstrong
Yesterday #28 ranked Senior Jake Allar (St. M-A - projects to 174#s) committed to Iowa State, which has a banner 2017 class of 6 Top 100 commits. Although Allar is an elite recruit that has improved a lot over the last year, I'm not sure he was a target of Minny. Also Tucker Sjomeling (Delano, MN - projects to 133/141) committed to Nebraska on Aug. 30th.
Here are two articles from Intermat on Allar and ISU:
No. 28 Allar second Junior free champ for Iowa State in 2017 class
InterMat Staff
9/3/2016
Junior National freestyle champion Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) verbally committed to Iowa State University on Saturday afternoon. The No. 28 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 became the third top 100 commit for the Cyclones in this year's recruiting class. Allar is also a three-time state medalist, winning a state title during his junior season.
Further accomplishments for Allar include a fifth place finish in last fall's Super 32 Challenge, a 2015 Cadet folkstyle national title, a 2014 Cadet Greco-Roman national title, and making the 2015 UWW Cadet World team in Greco-Roman at 69 kilograms. He projects to compete at 174/184 pounds in college, and will join No. 13 Austin Gomez (Glenbard North, Ill.) and No. 68 Marcus Coleman (Ames, Iowa) as ranked recruits in this class going to Iowa State.
Verkleeren, Mantanona make it two more elite Iowa State commits in 2017 class
InterMat Staff
9/3/2016
The first Saturday of September became a more than banner day for Iowa State in terms of 2017 recruiting. Adding to the verbal commitment of No. 28 Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) is two more high end commitments, those coming from No. 24 Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) and No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.)
Verkleeren was a state medalist during his sophomore season of high school. Within the last 12-to-15 months, Verkleeren was a UWW Cadet World freestyle champion at 69 kilograms and a runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman competing in the 145 pound weight class. He also was a Junior freestyle runner-up this summer at 145 pounds. Verkleeren projects to compete as a 149/157 in college.
Mantanona is a two-time state medalist, including a runner-up finish this past year at 170 pounds. Prior to the start of last season, he placed fourth at the Super 32 Challenge in the 170 pound weight class; while after the season, he was champion of the Flo Nationals competing at 160 pounds. Mantanona also was a Junior National champion in Greco-Roman this summer at 160 pounds, and projects to compete at 174 in college.
Verkleeren and Mantanon join the earlier reported verbal commitment of Allar, along with those from No. 13 Austin Gomez and No. 68 Marcus Coleman in what is a banner start to 2017 recruiting for the Cyclones.
Patrick has been improving rapidly over the past couple of years and he will be an elite level recruit by the time he graduates HS in 2018. Those of us who follow Gopher Wrestling are hoping that we will get some other big commitments in our 2018 recruiting class including #1 overall ranked Gable Steveson (Apple Valley - younger brother of 2015 elite recruit Bobby Steveson) and his close friend #6 ranked Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, AZ). Gable currently wrestles 220 lbs., but he would be the next great Gopher heavyweight...likely a multiple times Natty Champ!! And Bravo-Young is small, like McKee, so he would project as a 125 pounder. I'm not sure whether we need both McKee and Bravo-Young, but with McKee's love for Gopher Wrestling, he would likely have committed even if Bravo-Young was a commit.
We are coming down to the last two months before the Nov. 9th early signing day, so there is a lot of very active recruiting going on. We are still in the game for #8 ranked Senior 182 lb. Jacob Warner (Washington, IL) and #9 ranked Senior Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, MN). Iowa is pushing very hard to get these two guys too. Berge's older brother Broc transferred from IA last year to MN, but he is no longer listed on the Gopher roster. Someone on The Guillotine wrestling forum said he may be done with wrestling. So, I'm not sure whether this will affect our recruitment of Brady.
Here's Patrick McKee's post on Facebook and an article on his commitment:
(Per his post on Facebook)
For most people who know me, know that wrestling is a huge part of my life and part of what makes me who I am. There are also so many people that have helped me get to where I am today and those people are in Minnesota and that's why I would like to make my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota to continue my athletic and academic career. Being a Minnesota kid I have grown up watching the gophers and have always imagined myself in a maroon and gold singlet. Even through ups and downs I strongly believe in what the program has to offer me and also believe that they are going to help me reach the goals I have set for myself #gopherstrong
Patrick McKee to the University of Minnesota
Written by: Pablo Di Maria in High School Wrestling, Wrestling News Wire 08/22/2016
Six time USAW Fargo All-American Patrick McKee announced, via twitter, his decision to continue his collegiate career with the Golden Gophers. A two-year varsity starter for St Michael-Albertville High School, McKee was successful in gaining a Minnesota Class AAA state championship this past season in the 106-pound weight division. Only a junior, McKee has compiled an 82-13 prep record, and has advanced to the state tournament the past two seasons.
Besides winning a state championship last season, McKee was triumphant in winning the prestigious Cheesehead tournament in Wisconsin and finished with a 5-1 record at the always tough Clash tournament. McKee is currently ranked #7 in the nation at 113-pounds.
McKee is expected to compete in the 125/133 weight class in college.
Patrick McKee@P_mckee99 Aug 21
I'm excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota to continue my athletic and academic #gopherstrong
Yesterday #28 ranked Senior Jake Allar (St. M-A - projects to 174#s) committed to Iowa State, which has a banner 2017 class of 6 Top 100 commits. Although Allar is an elite recruit that has improved a lot over the last year, I'm not sure he was a target of Minny. Also Tucker Sjomeling (Delano, MN - projects to 133/141) committed to Nebraska on Aug. 30th.
Here are two articles from Intermat on Allar and ISU:
No. 28 Allar second Junior free champ for Iowa State in 2017 class
InterMat Staff
9/3/2016
Junior National freestyle champion Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) verbally committed to Iowa State University on Saturday afternoon. The No. 28 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 became the third top 100 commit for the Cyclones in this year's recruiting class. Allar is also a three-time state medalist, winning a state title during his junior season.
Further accomplishments for Allar include a fifth place finish in last fall's Super 32 Challenge, a 2015 Cadet folkstyle national title, a 2014 Cadet Greco-Roman national title, and making the 2015 UWW Cadet World team in Greco-Roman at 69 kilograms. He projects to compete at 174/184 pounds in college, and will join No. 13 Austin Gomez (Glenbard North, Ill.) and No. 68 Marcus Coleman (Ames, Iowa) as ranked recruits in this class going to Iowa State.
Verkleeren, Mantanona make it two more elite Iowa State commits in 2017 class
InterMat Staff
9/3/2016
The first Saturday of September became a more than banner day for Iowa State in terms of 2017 recruiting. Adding to the verbal commitment of No. 28 Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) is two more high end commitments, those coming from No. 24 Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) and No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.)
Verkleeren was a state medalist during his sophomore season of high school. Within the last 12-to-15 months, Verkleeren was a UWW Cadet World freestyle champion at 69 kilograms and a runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman competing in the 145 pound weight class. He also was a Junior freestyle runner-up this summer at 145 pounds. Verkleeren projects to compete as a 149/157 in college.
Mantanona is a two-time state medalist, including a runner-up finish this past year at 170 pounds. Prior to the start of last season, he placed fourth at the Super 32 Challenge in the 170 pound weight class; while after the season, he was champion of the Flo Nationals competing at 160 pounds. Mantanona also was a Junior National champion in Greco-Roman this summer at 160 pounds, and projects to compete at 174 in college.
Verkleeren and Mantanon join the earlier reported verbal commitment of Allar, along with those from No. 13 Austin Gomez and No. 68 Marcus Coleman in what is a banner start to 2017 recruiting for the Cyclones.
