TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State wrestling has added a pair of signees to their 2020-21 roster over the past weekend, that includes highly talented transfer Michael McGee and California top prospect Jesse Vasquez. The two, along with the second-ranked recruiting class from 2019, will help bolster a lineup that graduated five wrestlers this season.
"Over this past weekend, Sun Devil Wrestling has gotten tremendously better," Head Coach Zeke Jones said. "Jesse (Vasquez) and Michael (McGee) give us two more excellent pieces of the puzzle in putting a championship program together."
Vasquez was one of the final high school seniors that had not committed until Saturday night, when he announced he will be wearing the Maroon and Gold next season. His final decision came down to ASU and Iowa. The Corona, Calif. native is projected to compete for a spot at 149 lbs. for the Sun Devils - a position that was previously filled by two-time NCAA qualifier Josh Maruca.
Four-time California state champ Jesse Vasquez has made his college decision. https://t.co/Kvvc4bnU1D
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) April 19, 2020
McGee joins the Sun Devils after Old Dominion discontinued their wrestling program earlier this month, opening the door for McGee to be eligible to transfer immediately. He wrestled for three years in Norfolk, VA, competing at 125 lbs. in his freshman, sophomore and beginning of his redshirt sophomore season before moving up to 133 lbs. With All-American Brandon Courtney holding down 125 lbs., McGee will look to move up a weight class to 133.
#Forksup ???? pic.twitter.com/XCU99XgYRc
— McGEE ? (@mcgeenis1) April 18, 2020
Read more about our two signees:
Jesse Vasquez (Corona, Calif. – 145 lbs.)
Vasquez compiled four state championships between three different schools throughout his high school years (St. John Bosco, Santiago, Excelsior Charter), becoming the fourth California male wrestler and the first Southern California wrestler to win four straight CIF state championships. Just over two months ago, the senior capped off his high school career by beating Rancho Bernardo's Jaden Le, 10-3, in the 145 lbs. championship match in Bakersfield.
"Jesse comes as one of the most prized recruits in California history," Jones said. "He is a tremendous student, has great world views, comes from a great family, and has the skills to win at the highest level. He continues to show why the best kids in California want to come to Arizona State. We are excited for him to join us."
The prized California prospect has appeared in the finals twice at Super 32 and once at the Doc Buchanan Invitational. He has also found success at the Walsh Ironman, placing second in his freshman year and sixth as a sophomore.
Vasquez was the No. 10 overall prospect to start his senior year, finishing the season as the second-ranked wrestler in the nation at 145 lbs.
Michael McGee (Chicago, Ill. – 125 lbs.)
The Chicago native will join the Sun Devils with a long list of college wrestling accolades already acquired in just two years of competition. He was a two-time Mid-American Conference Champion and NCAA qualifier at 125 pounds in his true freshman and sophomore season while compiling an impressive 61-16 record at ODU.
"Michael is a proven performer at the collegiate level," Jones stated. "Fast and strong. He is a guy that will light up Desert Financial Arena. A current Dean's List student, he is the total package on the mat, in the classroom, and his community. He will be a fun addition to our program."
McGee went on to earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2018 after putting together a 30-10 record that included 16 bonus-point wins - seven major decisions, eight technical falls and his first collegiate pin. He followed that up in his sophomore season with victories in 31 of his 37 matches while leading the team with 66 dual points. At the NCAA Championships in 2019, he made a run to the round of 12, losing to an eventual national runner up, Jack Mueller (Virginia).
McGee and Vasquez join next season's roster that will include four All-Americans, the 2019 No. 1 pound-for-pound recruit in the nation and four other top-20 wrestlers by weight from the 2019 recruiting class.