Iowa gets massive recruiting win with top 2026 prospect Bo Bassett
Better Iowa wrestling historians than I would have to confirm this sentiment, but I doubt there’s ever been a bigger ‘victory’ on a Tuesday evening than the one the Hawkeyes just got by securing a commitment from Bo Bassett.
Minutes ago, the supremely talented (and supremely well-known) 2026 prospect pledged his collegiate future to the Black & Gold in an announcement live on FloWrestling.
In doing so, Bassett concluded a nearly 14-month-long process, finally whittling down an original list of 80 schools (yes, 80) to just one.
Ultimately the final decision came down to four programs: Iowa, Oklahoma State, Penn State and Virginia Tech.
And fortunately for Iowa fans, Bassett – FloWrestling’s #1 overall recruit in the Class of 2026 – chose the Hawkeyes.
The Pennsylvania native also happens to be best known for two things Iowa wrestling fans love:
Scoring lots and lots of points.
Breaking the will of his opponents with a nearly unparalleled pace.
Those factors (and others) have the potential to make this decision an absolute gamechanger for the entire men’s program.
Because Bassett – who likely projects in the 141/149-pound range as a collegian – will bring much more than ‘just’ his own (considerable) wrestling prowess to Iowa City.
We’ll get to that potential impact in a moment. But first, more on the eye-popping credentials he’s already accumulated, plus the lengthy recruiting effort it took to land him.
Anywhere and everywhere
The best place to find Bo Bassett is at a high-level wrestling tournament somewhere.
Why? Because he competes at (and wins) just about all of them.
On the folkstyle scene, the junior has already conquered the toughest high school tournaments in America multiple times:
Ironman (3x)
Powerade (3x)
Super 32 (3x)
He also won a prestigious PIAA individual state title in 2024 (the first year wrestlers at his high school were eligible), as well as FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One event this past September.
Unsurprisingly, Bassett has proven quite capable in the freestyle discipline as well.
In 2021, he won four matches (all via bonus) en route to a U17 World title.
This past fall, he was on the World stage once again – earning U20 bronze in Pontevedra, Spain. Besides a semifinal defeat versus Japan, Bassett once again won all four matches by either technical fall or pin.
Well before that he also gave it a run at senior-level competition last spring.
Back in April at the Last Chance Olympic Trials qualifier, Bassett fell just one win short of earning a berth at 65 kilograms. Along the way, he’d pick up a 12-2 tech. fall victory over Anthony Ashnault – whom some of you may remember as a four-time All-American (and 2019 NCAA champion) for Rutgers.
If the point hasn’t already been made, Bassett’s results more than back up his #1 ranking.
Years in the making
In many ways, Tuesday’s announcement was perhaps a long time coming.
Iowa wrestling is no stranger to the Bassett family, and Bo no stranger to the Hawkeyes.
That familiarity was only strengthened by the fact that Bassett’s favorite wrestler (to this day) is a guy named Spencer Lee. Not only are both Pennsylvanians, but they frequently crossed paths years ago through the Young Guns Wrestling Club.
That club – originally founded by two Hawkeye alums, Eric Juergens and Jody Strittmatter – didn’t just produce Lee either. Michael Kemerer, Kaleb Young and Max Murin – each Pennsylvanians themselves – once plied their trade there as well.
That connection (and his own obvious talent) made Bassett a clear priority for the Hawkeyes.
Ever since last summer, when the recruiting contact period began for 2026 prospects, Iowa’s staff has been in hot pursuit.
Tom Brands and Hawkeye assistant coach Ryan Morningstar flew in for a home visit in mid-September.
Six weeks later, Bassett joined a plethora of elite recruits in Iowa City for his official visit.
On that same visit, he got to reunite with his all-time favorite wrestler – among other hospitable Hawkeye hosts:
Throughout this period Bassett continued to take other visits and steadily winnow down his once vast list of prospective schools.
(Terry) Brands and Morningstar made another home visit to Pennsylvania two weeks ago – lending the Bassett family an assist with some inclement weather conditions:
Clearly, Iowa wasn’t about to leave a single stone (or snow shovel) unturned in this recruiting process.
And guess what? It sure paid off.
Future implications
I mentioned in the intro that Bo Bassett could be a gamechanger for Iowa men’s wrestling for reasons other than own considerable skills on the mat.
I’ve heard several in the wresting space refer to Bassett as the most popular/recognizable high school prospect since Spencer Lee.
Not only do other prospects know he’s good, but through his personability and online presence (see his 164 thousand Instagram followers) they feel like they know him.
That allure affords Bassett/Iowa the potential to attract other elite prospects to Iowa City in both the short and long term – something the program could very much use given rival Penn State’s continued dominance.
Perhaps most valuable could be its effect on future recruits from Bassett’s own high school – where he now joins fellow 2026 Iowa commit Owen McMullen as future Hawkeyes.
Bassett/McMullen were accompanied on their October official visit by #2 overall 2026 prospect Jax Forrest – also of Bishop McCort. And tagging along with them was teammate and #1 overall 2027 prospect, Melvin Miller.
Bo Bassett during his official visit to Iowa on October 26th. (Photo Credit: Dennis Scheidt – @webcentrick on Twitter)
The future Division I wrestlers coming through Bishop McCort don’t stop there either.
(One of those could be Bo’s nationally ranked younger brother, Keegan – a freshman.)
There are no guarantees to any of this, of course. But much like Spencer Lee was a talismanic figure when he chose the Hawkeyes, so too, could be Bo Bassett.
Among Iowa’s other (non-Bishop McCort) targets in the 2026 class:
#5 Jordyn Raney (KY) – 2023 U17 Greco World champ (2024 bronze)
#6 Jayden Raney (KY) – 2024 U17 Greco World champ
#9 Michael Mocco (FL) – 2024 U17 Freestyle World champ
While Bassett is an indisputably massive get for Iowa, he’s going to need some help.
Were that to include more of the names I’ve previously mentioned the Hawkeyes would suddenly be cooking with gas.
Back to Bo
Larger (potential) ramifications aside, Bo Bassett is that big of a recruiting win all by himself.
He’d be the first #1 prospect in his class to sign with Iowa since at least 2017 (as far back as I’ve tracked FloWrestling’s rankings).
Spencer Lee was ranked #2 in 2017, as were Ben Kueter (2022) and Angelo Ferrari (2023).
If you’re a Hawkeye fan I’m guessing that nugget alone will be enough to help you sleep pretty well tonight.
On February 4, 2025, Bo Bassett announced his commitment to the University of Iowa men’s wrestling program.
As far as Tuesdays go, I’d say that’s pretty darn good news.
The post Iowa gets massive recruiting win with top 2026 prospect Bo Bassett appeared first on On3.
