Wrestling Signs Five to National Letters of Intent
12/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State wrestling team and head coach Tom Minkel announced Friday that five student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the program for the 2015-16 season.
Joining the Spartans will be Jacob Cooper (Albion, Mich./Springport High School), Brian Darios (East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing High School), Logan Griffin (Erie Township, Mich./Erie Mason High School), Logan Ritchie (New Boston, Mich./Huron High School) and Austin Thompson (Marysville, Mich./Marysville High School).
Below is a look at the five student-athletes:
Jacob Cooper - Albion, Mich./Springport High School
Two-time state champion . . . ranked one of the top 150 recruits in the country by Associated Wrestling Press . . . ranked No. 11 nationally in his weight class (220 pounds) by Associated Wrestling Press and No. 15 by InterMat . . . ranked third in the state of Michigan at 215 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com . . . has collected a 133-11 record through his first three seasons at Springport High School . . . won the MHSAA Division 4 state title at 189 pounds as a junior in 2014 with a 45-2 record . . . defeated Nathan Philburn from Byron High School in the state championship match, 7-2 . . . also claimed Big Eight Conference, district and regional titles . . . named to the 2014 Jackson Citizen Patriot All-Area Dream Team . . . helped lead Springport to the 2014 Division 4 quarterfinals . . . won the 2014 Grappler Fall Classic; defeated George Lahar by fall in 1:18 in the championship match . . . placed fifth at the 2014 FloNationals . . . claimed the MHSAA Division 4 state title at 160 pounds as a sophomore in 2013 with a 46-2 record . . . defeated New Lothrop's Taylor Krupp in overtime, 7-5, in the 160-pound state championship match . . . finished runner-up at the 2013 Grappler Fall Classic . . . placed runner-up at the MHSAA Division 4 state championships at 145 pounds as a freshman in 2012 with a 42-7 record.
Minkel on Cooper: "Jacob Cooper is a two-time state champ and one of the best big guys in the country. I'm confident he'll have a big impact on the mat for us in the future."
Brian Darios - East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing High School
Ranked second in the state of Michigan at 285 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com . . . two-time team captain . . . has collected an 88-16 record his first three seasons at East Lansing High School . . . finished runner-up as a junior at the 2014 MHSAA state championships in Division 1 at 285 pounds and closed the season with a 40-2 record . . . named to the 2014 Lansing State Journal Dream Team . . . placed runner-up at regionals and claimed first place at districts . . . placed eighth at 2014 FloNationals . . . placed seventh as a sophomore in 2013 at the Division 1 MHSAA state championships at 285 pounds and had a 35-6 record . . . was a regional qualifier as a freshman in 2012 and posted a 13-8 record.
Minkel on Darios: "I think Brian Darios has the potential to be an outstanding heavyweight for us. He's got great size and he's very athletic. On top of that, he's an excellent student."
Logan Griffin - Erie Township, Mich./Erie Mason High School
Two-time Division 4 Michigan state champion . . . has collected a 110-7 record in his first three seasons at Erie Mason High School . . . ranked third in the state of Michigan at 125 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com . . . two-time Monroe News All-Region selection . . . won the 2014 MHSAA state title at 119 pounds as a junior with a 34-4 record . . . defeated Dresden Simon of Dansville, 6-2, in the state championship match . . . finished fourth at the 2014 FloNationals . . . went undefeated (27-0) and had 16 pins en route to winning the 112-pound state title as a sophomore in 2013 . . . defeated Carson City Crystal's Kenneth Dittenber, 5-4 in three overtimes, in the state championship match . . . became just the second wrestler in school history to win a state title . . . placed runner-up at 112 pounds as a freshman in 2012 with a 49-3 record.
Minkel on Griffin: "Logan Griffin is a two-time state champ who's one of the toughest kids out there. I'm certain he'll be an outstanding college wrestler."
Logan Ritchie - New Boston, Mich./Huron High School
Won the 2014 MHSAA Division 2 state title as a junior with a 57-2 record . . . defeated Romulus Summit Academy's Tobias Barnes, 2-1, in the state championship match . . . named to the 2014 All-News-Herald Wrestling Team . . . has collected a 160-10 record in his first three seasons at Huron High School . . . ranked fifth in the state of Michigan at 160 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com . . . took fourth at the 2013 MHSAA Division 2 state championships at 160 pounds as a sophomore and finished the season with a 55-2 record . . . placed sixth as a freshman at the 2012 MHSAA Division 2 state championships with a 48-6 record.
Minkel on Ritchie: "Logan Ritchie is as tough as they come. He's a state champ with a career record of 160-10, which proves how talented he is and what potential he has in the upcoming years."
Austin Thompson - Marysville, Mich./Marysville High School
Ranked one of the top 150 recruits in the country by Associated Wrestling Press . . . ranked No. 15 nationally in his weight class (138 pounds) by Associated Wrestling Press and No. 19 by InterMat . . . ranked second in the state of Michigan at 140 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com . . . won the 2014 MHSAA Division 2 state title at 140 pounds as junior with a 52-1 record . . . defeated Jaedin Sklapsky of Eaton Rapids in the state championship match, 8-7 . . . placed second at the 2014 Michigan Grappler Fall Classic . . . competed at the Super 32s this fall in North Carolina . . . took fifth at the 2013 MHSAA Division 1 state championships as a sophomore at 119 pounds while wrestling for Port Huron Northern High School; finished the season with a 48-5 record . . . had a 44-11 record as a freshman and was a 2012 Division 1 state qualifier at 103 pounds . . . has collected a 144-17 career record his first three seasons in high school.
Minkel on Thompson: "Austin Thompson was a Michigan state champion at 130 pounds and has also had some significant success at the national level. There's no doubt he'll be a player for us."
