The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications.
AMES, Iowa – The 2013 Iowa State wrestling recruiting class features two former top-100 recruits in Earl Hall and Jesse Doyle. Both elected to train at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs before pursuing collegiate wrestling.
Hall was the 2012 FILA Junior World Team Trials champion, wrestling at 60 KG (132 pounds). The title earned Hall a spot on the 2012 Junior World Team. Hall also qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Iowa where he wrestled at 55 KG (121 pounds). At the trials, Hall went 2-2 with a win over former Minnesota Gopher Zach Sanders, who was a four-time All-American in college. Hall also took fourth-place at the coveted Dave Schultz Memorial International in 2012.
In high school, Hall was ranked the No. 14 119-pounder in the country and the 84th overall prospect by InterMat. The Homestad, Fla. native was a four-time state champion at South Dade High School. Hall projects to wrestle at 133 pounds for the Cyclones.
Doyle, who initially signed with Iowa State out of high school, elected to go to the OTC instead after being invited to train in Colorado Springs by U.S. Olympic coach and former Olympic Champion Brandon Slay. Head coach Kevin Jackson was Slay’s Olympic coach in 2000 when he won the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
In high school, Doyle was a top-200 recruit coming out of Wheatmore High School in Trinity, N.C. Doyle finished his career at Wheatmore winning back-to-back state championships. He compiled an impressive 198-14 career record, was a four-time state qualifier and a four-time conference champion. During his senior season, Doyle had a streak of 43-straight pins. He also earned All-America honors eight times, competing at the Folk Style Nationals, Fargo Nationals, FILA Cadet Nationals and FILA Junior Nationals. He is projected to wrestle at 184 pounds.
Four more top high school wrestlers join Hall and Doyle in this year’s class: Daniel Woiwor (Apple Valley, Minn.), Dane Pestano (Honolulu, Hawaii), Eric Hensel (Lakeview, Minnesota) and Bubba Hernandez (Bettendorf, Iowa).
Woiwor, who signed his letter of intent in the fall, comes to Ames as the top-prep recruit in this season’s class, as he’s ranked No. 84 in Amateur Wrestling News 2013 Top 100 recruits. Woiwor was a four-time state-qualifier for the Apple Valley Eagles and was a member of three Class 3AA state championship teams. As a senior, Woiwor lead his team to a state championship after going 45-3 en route to an individual title at 160 pounds.
While at Apple Valley, Woiwor compiled a 151-28 career record. As a freshman he went 32-12 en route to a state championship at 130 pounds. As a sophomore, he went 39-5 and took second at 145 pounds. As a junior, Woiwor went 35-8 and took sixth at 152 pounds. Woiwor also placed at the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament in junior high, taking sixth-place twice while competing for Becker High School. He is projected to wrestle at 165 pounds.
Pestano hails from wrestling powerhouse Kamehameha High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, the same high school that Cyclone sophomore 133-pounder Shayden Terukina went to. While wrestling for Kamehameha, Pestano was a four-time state-qualifier. As a senior, he led his team to a state championship en route to an individual title at 215 pounds. Pestano is projected to wrestle at 197 pounds.
Hernandez, who is the only instate recruit in this year’s class, brings with him a long list of accolades from Bettendorf High School. This past winter on the mat, he became the first four-time state tournament place-winner in Bettendorf history. As a freshman, Hernandez went 31-5 and took fourth at 125 pounds. As a sophomore, he went 25-7 and finished fifth at 135 pounds. As a junior, he took third at 145 pounds. Hernandez finished his senior season on top in 2013, wining the class 3-A state championship at 145 pounds. He compiled a career record of 142-25 and holds school records for most takedowns (561), major decisions (21), team points (666), match points (1,487) and career wins (142).
Not only did Hernandez excel on the mat as a prep but on the gridiron as well. As a senior, he rushed for 1,370 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. He was a first-team all-conference selection and a third-team all-state selection. Hernandez’s performance on the mat and on the football field earned him the Quad-City Times 2013 Male Athlete of the Year award. He projects to wrestle at either 141 or 149 pounds for the Cyclones.
Hensel, a JUCO transfer from wrestling powerhouse Clackmas Community College in Oregon City, Ore., finished this past season 4-2 before being forced to sit out due to injury for the remainder of the season. He was preseason ranked the No. 6 165-pounder in the country by the NJCAA.
In high school, Hensel was a two-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier at Lakeville High School. In 2010, he went 38-5 and took fourth at 171 pounds. In 2011, he finished 38-2 but did not place. In 2009, Hensel was a freestyle state champion, as well as a Greco-Roman state champion.
