Great Interview

[littleguy301]

Their has been other clubs in the state that have turned ed out some good recruits and they didn't go to Wisconsin either. AWA isnt totally to blame about this. I think it is unfair for Askren to be alot of people scap goat. Sure he is very popular and has a platform and speaks his mind but he shouldn't be the one that gets all the blame. It is Bono program and what has he done to straighten out the problem? Crickets on that.

Look at all the coaches that AWA get along with and all the club coaches.

It is Bono program and he needs to over come this issue and maybe totally on his own.

I wish the Badger well for sure, just don't know if they improve on 1 and 7 in the big ten next year. I believe they have some individual success but as a team just not sure at this moment.

Go Bucky!

[Healthy and happy]

Badger one exactly right.All of it.

Bono's reputation continues to be the story and no amount of "energy" from his right hand man can fix it.Most especially when he continues to loose recuits and fails to have teams perform year after year.Who have they developed?I guess you can argue Barnett but thats a weak one.Hamiti?They appear to believe group suffering is a winning slogan to get top kids.Results are for losers we suffer big here at Wisconsin.

Looking at this next years team its going to be a rough one boys.The administration needs to make a change and that's not even getting into rumors of misconduct from Bono over this past year and the years before.

Mr Williams, one can understand your opinion but you make it sound a lot easier than what is reality.  There are many reasons to lose recruits and it happens in all sports, just ask Luke Fickell.  In this current world of transfer portal, NIL money and big RTC's, the old school thinking doesn't work very well.   This isnt a knock on Bono, it happens to every coach.  Looks at all the changes and turmoil in Minnesota's wrestling program this year.  They have "whiffed" on recruits and lost some very key pieces to their team since March.  Guess you would be happy in calling for Eggum's head?

As far as this year, it will be a young team and how these young men respond is difficult to predict.  I believe nearly half the team is made of red shirt freshman or true freshman.  Having an experienced team or a younger team is a normal course that coaches/teams all go through. (Take the Green Bay Packers as an example.  Went from a veteran team to a young and some what inexperienced team this year.)  A person who truly understands athletic teams will appreciate this and hopefully still be supportive.  Now if you have other types of feelings and want to go down the negative road, then that is your right. However, you will lose some credibility.  You are kinda of losing it with me

[littleguy301]

Isn't like 7 out of the projected 10 starters at least 3 year guys?

125
149
157
165
174
184
HWT?

I could be wrong on the ages buy after this year I believe the Badgers to be way young.

[WiscFan]

Whatever the opinions may be, I appreciate the thoughtful feedback.

Bono's interactions, words, and behaviors that I've seen, have all been very positive. He is passionate about the program succeeding and the wrestlers well-being.

Hamiti said on his recent podcast that he thinks this is the overall strongest team they've had since he started...maybe Bono isn't able to get the WI blue chips, but it sounds like he is doing something right.

[dad 2 5]

WiscFan how do you call 1-7 and 16th place. There was talk and I was one of them thinking WI top ten if not more and this year's team is looking like outside the top 20.

[Numbers]

Hamiti said on his recent podcast that he thinks this is the overall strongest team they've had since he started...maybe Bono isn't able to get the WI blue chips, but it sounds like he is doing something right.

I think that was recorded the week before Gomez announced he was not returning for another season

[VQOriginal]

Ok, I'll put my genuine 2 cents worth in here.

After meeting Bono and Reader a few times now, Reader is the driving force to the recruitment process. Bono is the closer. The atmosphere when those 2 came into WI was contentious. Askren would have been a great asset to the RTC. But obviously his philosophy and Bono's don't match. That isn't Askren's fault. As much as he can rub people the wrong way, clearly he can develop kids. Where as with the Bono/Reader are now right back in the position that Barry was in. No WI kids really want to be in the Badger room as a college athlete.

Did anyone notice how that room got cleared out essentially, once Bono/Reader came in? And why was Gross hanging around the Gopher RTC? There were grumblings of him going elsewhere after the Girls "program" was cut.

Hamiti was a special case, as he was sold on the atmosphere right away, at least that is what he said on our podcast. But, there are anomalies. Every where. The dynamic between Bono/Reader is definitely making people think twice. Now, as a coach, part time athlete, and as always a fan of sport in general, the sales pitch that they put out there is an enticing one. But the way they advertise themselves is definitely, in my eyes anyway, is a turn off. But, that's me. In the end, they need to produce just like any other coach out there. But it just feels like they are over selling.

Definitely not looking to bash anyone, but they need to change their marketing plan. Not every kid wants to be judged on whether or not they can run 1000 miles with 500lbs strapped to them.

None of us on here know what it's like building an NCAA wrestling team.
 

[vsmf2010]

Ok, I'll put my genuine 2 cents worth in here.

After meeting Bono and Reader a few times now, Reader is the driving force to the recruitment process. Bono is the closer. The atmosphere when those 2 came into WI was contentious. Askren would have been a great asset to the RTC. But obviously his philosophy and Bono's don't match. That isn't Askren's fault. As much as he can rub people the wrong way, clearly he can develop kids. Where as with the Bono/Reader are now right back in the position that Barry was in. No WI kids really want to be in the Badger room as a college athlete.

Did anyone notice how that room got cleared out essentially, once Bono/Reader came in? And why was Gross hanging around the Gopher RTC? There were grumblings of him going elsewhere after the Girls "program" was cut.

Hamiti was a special case, as he was sold on the atmosphere right away, at least that is what he said on our podcast. But, there are anomalies. Every where. The dynamic between Bono/Reader is definitely making people think twice. Now, as a coach, part time athlete, and as always a fan of sport in general, the sales pitch that they put out there is an enticing one. But the way they advertise themselves is definitely, in my eyes anyway, is a turn off. But, that's me. In the end, they need to produce just like any other coach out there. But it just feels like they are over selling.

Definitely not looking to bash anyone, but they need to change their marketing plan. Not every kid wants to be judged on whether or not they can run 1000 miles with 500lbs strapped to them.

None of us on here know what it's like building an NCAA wrestling team.
 

Solid post! Thanks for sharing.

[Wisconsin Wrestling Fan]

The Wisconsin Wrestling team has quite few wrestlers from the state of Wisconsin

Current Badgers Wrestlers from Wisconsin:

Cale Anderson Viroqua, Wis. Viroqua
Eric Barnett Greenville, Wis. Hortonville
Brooks Empey Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Cody Goebel Mukwonago, WI Mukwonago
Scott Liegel Spring Green, WI, River Valley
Max Maylor, Highland, Wis, Iowa Grant-Higland
Luke Mechler Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Aidan Medora Wauwatosa, Wis. Brookfield Academy
Gavin Model Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Royce Nilo, Milton, Wis, Milton
Josh Otto Brookfield, Wis. Arrowhead
Nicolar Rivera Stoughton, WI Stoughton
Jack Severin Kewaunee, Wis. Kewaunee

Two California recruits have family ties to Wisconsin:

Brock Bobzien Poway, California, Poway High School
Jonah Schmidtke Clovis, Calif. Clovis East

Committed for 2024

Wyatt Ingham, Amery, Wis., Amery High School

The narrative of "nobody from Wisconsin wants to wrestle here" does not add up. Yes, we missed out on some high end Wisconsin recruits, but we also got some high end out of state recruits. Ingham is pretty good, and we have good Wisconsin talent in the room.

I am proud of the Wisconsin natives making the commitment to the team, and also fired up for all of our out of state wrestlers who are wrestling for Wisconsin. Go Badgers!

[littleguy301]

The Wisconsin Wrestling team has quite few wrestlers from the state of Wisconsin

Current Badgers Wrestlers from Wisconsin:

Cale Anderson Viroqua, Wis. Viroqua
Eric Barnett Greenville, Wis. Hortonville
Brooks Empey Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Cody Goebel Mukwonago, WI Mukwonago
Scott Liegel Spring Green, WI, River Valley
Max Maylor, Highland, Wis, Iowa Grant-Higland
Luke Mechler Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Aidan Medora Wauwatosa, Wis. Brookfield Academy
Gavin Model Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Royce Nilo, Milton, Wis, Milton
Josh Otto Brookfield, Wis. Arrowhead
Nicolar Rivera Stoughton, WI Stoughton
Jack Severin Kewaunee, Wis. Kewaunee

Two California recruits have family ties to Wisconsin:

Brock Bobzien Poway, California, Poway High School
Jonah Schmidtke Clovis, Calif. Clovis East

Committed for 2024

Wyatt Ingham, Amery, Wis., Amery High School

The narrative of "nobody from Wisconsin wants to wrestle here" does not add up. Yes, we missed out on some high end Wisconsin recruits, but we also got some high end out of state recruits. Ingham is pretty good, and we have good Wisconsin talent in the room.

I am proud of the Wisconsin natives making the commitment to the team, and also fired up for all of our out of state wrestlers who are wrestling for Wisconsin. Go Badgers!

Very nice post. Yes the Badgers do have alot of Wisconsin kids on the roster. Maybe not the ones some want per say.

Happy to see some Wisconsin kids coming home and some staying home. Good kids and will cheer for them to do well.

Every team has has out of state studs and in the past few year Wisconsin has turned out some studs that many schools want them.

Best of luck to the up coming season, hopefully the Badgers will improve on last year's big ten record!

[BadgerOne]

Indiana has 14 Indiana kids on its roster.  Michigan State has 15 Michigan kids on its roster.  Wisconsin has a similar number of instate kids. 

[dad 2 5]

PSU 10
Iowa 20
Neb 7

Top three teams in the B1G from last year. not sure this tells us anything other then there is a ton of talent in Iowa!

The point I do see it in don't see Bono developing wrestlers. The transfer has not been great and the recruiting seem to be going backwards not forward like I thought it might. Tied for 12th is out bad and I know I did not expect that at all from last year's team. This year does not look good going into it. Hope they surprise me.

[VQOriginal]

The Wisconsin Wrestling team has quite few wrestlers from the state of Wisconsin

Current Badgers Wrestlers from Wisconsin:

Cale Anderson Viroqua, Wis. Viroqua
Eric Barnett Greenville, Wis. Hortonville
Brooks Empey Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Cody Goebel Mukwonago, WI Mukwonago
Scott Liegel Spring Green, WI, River Valley
Max Maylor, Highland, Wis, Iowa Grant-Higland
Luke Mechler Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Aidan Medora Wauwatosa, Wis. Brookfield Academy
Gavin Model Stoughton, Wis. Stoughton
Royce Nilo, Milton, Wis, Milton
Josh Otto Brookfield, Wis. Arrowhead
Nicolar Rivera Stoughton, WI Stoughton
Jack Severin Kewaunee, Wis. Kewaunee

Two California recruits have family ties to Wisconsin:

Brock Bobzien Poway, California, Poway High School
Jonah Schmidtke Clovis, Calif. Clovis East

Committed for 2024

Wyatt Ingham, Amery, Wis., Amery High School

The narrative of "nobody from Wisconsin wants to wrestle here" does not add up. Yes, we missed out on some high end Wisconsin recruits, but we also got some high end out of state recruits. Ingham is pretty good, and we have good Wisconsin talent in the room.

I am proud of the Wisconsin natives making the commitment to the team, and also fired up for all of our out of state wrestlers who are wrestling for Wisconsin. Go Badgers!

Because I genuinely do not know the answer to the question, how many of these kids were actually recruited by WI and not transferred in? I'm more interested in them getting kids from WI high schools, not guys who were just unhappy at another university. And what has the attrition rate been at UW as well?

[vsmf2010]

Transfers would be Liegel, Maylor and Mechler. Assuming they were all recruited to some extent but have no idea if they were offered any scholarship money or how it compared to the other offers.

[VQOriginal]

Transfers would be Liegel, Maylor and Mechler. Assuming they were all recruited to some extent but have no idea if they were offered any scholarship money or how it compared to the other offers.

10-4. Thanks!