May 1, 2009

ATHENS, Ohio - Bobcat head wrestling coach Joel Greenlee has signed five grapplers to his 2009 recruiting class, joining four signees from the early period in the fall. The spring additions include three from Ohio in Chandler Jones, Shane Gifford and Kyle Sanders, and two from Illinois in Jacob Wojcik and Ryan Garringer. The quintet joins Kyle Lang, Jeremy Johnson, Alex Minnard and Kyle Dilley in the new class.

Out of Licking Heights High School, Jones hails from Pataskala, Ohio and projects to compete at 133 pounds for the Bobcats. He was a four-time state qualifier and two-time state placewinner, along with winning a Greco-Roman state championship and being named a Folkstyle Senior National All-American.

A native of Laurelville, Ohio, Gifford projects to wrestle at 149 pounds for the Bobcats. At Logan Elm High School, he amassed a 154-20 career record and was a three-time state qualifier and two-time state placewinner, earning his best finish of third this year and taking seventh in 2007.

Sanders, from nearby Columbus, Ohio and out of St. Charles Academy, will look to contribute at 197 pounds in the fall. He placed in the state championships twice, finishing fourth this year and eighth in 2008.

Projecting at 184 pounds, Garringer compiled a 153-26 career ledger at Hinsdale South High School. From Downers Grove, Ill., he was a two-time state qualifier, three-time USA Folkstyle Nationals All-American, two-time Freestyle state champion, Cadet Freestyle All-American and five-time Greco-Roman state champion.

Also from Illinois, Wojcik ended his career with a 169-30 career mark at Providence Catholic High School. The native of Homer Glen, Ill. projects to compete at 125 pounds for Ohio and was a two-time state placewinner, finishing fifth each of the past two years.

Ohio's early signees have now completed their high school wrestling careers, highlighted by two state championships this past season. Lang, projected at 157 pounds for the Bobcats, won a title for Brecksville High School, as did his teammate Jeremy Johnson, who will likely compete at heavyweight for Ohio.

Lang, from North Royalton, Ohio, was also a Folkstyle Junior National Runner-up, Folkstyle Senior National All-American, Freestyle state champion, two-time FILA Cadet All-American and Junior Freestyle All-American.

From Broadview Heights, Ohio, Johnson's list of accolades includes Folkstyle Sophomore National All-American, Junior National All-American and Senior National All-American, Freestyle state champion, two-time FILA Cadet All-American, FILA Cadet National Champion and Junior Freestyle All-American.

Competing for Fairfield Union High School and hailing from Lancaster, Ohio, Minnard also found success at the Ohio High School State Championships, placing fifth this year, third last season and fifth in 2007. Likely competing at 125 pounds for the Bobcats, he was also a two-time Freestyle state champion, two-time Greco-Roman state champion, FILA Cadet Greco All-American and Junior Freestyle All-American.

Also from Lancaster, Ohio but wrestling for Lancaster High School, Dilley earned a third-place finish in the state championships this year and placed fourth in 2008. He projects to compete at 165 pounds for Ohio.

The Bobcats completed the 2008-09 campaign with a 9-9-1 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference, good for third place, and will look to build on that success for next season.