Nov. 29, 2007

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio wrestling head coach Joel Greenlee has announced the signing of four high school standouts to National Letters of Intent.

Chris Kline (Westerville, Ohio), Steve Wilson (Marion, Ohio), Kyle Ciccarello (Cleveland, Ohio) and Dylan Wrage (Janesville, Iowa) committed to Ohio in the early signing period and will join the Bobcats next season. The regular signing period begins on April 1, 2008 and ends Aug. 1, 2008.

Kline, who wrestles at 152 pounds at Westerville North High School, holds a 130-13 career record and finished fourth at the Ohio state championships as junior. Kline is a three-time sectional champion and finished sixth at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in 2006. He is ranked No. 27 in the nation in the 152 pound weight class by Wrestling USA Magazine and will compete at 157 or 165 in college.

Wilson wrestles at Marion Pleasant High School and won an Ohio state championship last season at 160 pounds after taking eighth his freshman year at 140 pounds and fourth his sophomore season at 145 pounds. Wilson, who holds a career record of 123-17, is a two-time district champion and a three-time sectional champion and took second at the NHSCA Junior Nationals last year. He is currently ranked ninth in the nation at 160 pounds by Wrestling USA Magazine and will compete at 165 or 174 in college.

Ciccarello, a senior at Brush High School, wrestled with current Bobcat freshman Chris Iammarino in his prep career. Ciccarello competes at 119 pounds currently but will move up to 125 in college. The two-time state qualifier and two-time sectional champion has compiled a 123-29 record in his high school career and earned a special mention ranking by Wrestling USA Magazine.

Wrage, who wrestles at Waverly-Shellrock High School, has compiled an 81-23 career record and qualified for state twice, including a second place finish in 2007. He is a two-time conference and district champion and went 45-2 as a junior including 31 pins. Wrage has been a double Cadet All-American twice in his career, being named among the nation's best in freestyle and Greco wrestling. He is currently ranked ninth in the nation at 171 pounds by Wrestling USA Magazine and will compete at 184 pounds in college.

Greenlee signed the No. 17 recruiting class in the nation last season according to Wrestling International Magazine with six state champions currently competing for the Bobcats. That class has already started to show dividends.

Freshman Tommy Weinkam (Cincinnati) is currently 6-1 on the season after finishing third at 157 pounds in the frosh/soph division of the Michigan State Open on Nov. 11. Fellow freshmen Germane Lindsey (Cincinnati) and Nick Purdue (Genoa) also took third in their respective weight brackets. Lindsey recorded a 3-2 record at the Hoosier duals last weekend with a pin of Duke's Jasper Spencer and a 7-2 victory against Indiana's Alex Warren. The best freshman performance at last weekend's Hoosier Duals, however, belonged to Ciccarello's high school teammate, Iammarino. The freshman tallied a 5-1 record on the day with his lone loss coming by a 2-0 score to Indiana's Joe Fagiano.

The Bobcats travel to Las Vegas this weekend to compete in the massive, 48-team 26th annual Cliff Keen Invitational featuring 13 top-25 ranked teams.

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Joe Waltasti is the wrestling contact for the Ohio Media Relations department. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu and in the office at 740-593-0054.