TEMPE – Sun Devil Wrestling is welcoming the No. 5 recruiting class to Tempe for the 2026-27 season, headlined by four top-70 recruits as Arizona State comes off a third-place finish in the Big 12 last March and a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Head coach Zeke Jones is welcoming back a pair of Big 12 Champions with junior Kaleb Larkin and senior Nicco Ruiz to the squad. Ruiz, finished fourth at 165 lbs at the NCAA Championships, the best by a Sun Devil since Steve Blackford took third in 2000 to earn All-American honors.
The team is adding seven freshman and three transfers to the program in a highly competitive Big 12 Conference. The No. 5 ranked recruiting class by InterMat, is the highest recruiting ranking for the Sun Devil since being ranked No. 2 in 2021.
See the information below on the new faces coming into the program for the Sun Devils this winter.
Incoming Transfers:
Christian Castillo, Glendale, Ariz. | Iowa State | 125 lb | Sophomore
- Castilo went 8-2 in two meets for the Cyclones and ended up reshirting for the team as a freshman. He earned three bonus-point wins with two major decisions and a tech fall.
- Castillo was the Grand View Open Champion and placed fourth at the Midland Championships.
- A valley native, Castillo attended Valiant College Prep in Phoenix for three years before completing his senior season at Ames High School in Iowa.
- Was rated as the No. 11 overall recruit by FloWrestling and No. 14 by MatScouts, listed at the No. 2 126-pounder in the country by MatScouts.
- Was a 2025 Iowa High School 3A state champion, went 43-0 en route to a title.
Adrian Meza, Laveen, Ariz. | Iowa State | 133 lbs | Junior
- Has a career 22-8 record after a pair of seasons at Iowa State, including seven major decisions.
- Wrestled at 133-pounds last year for the Cyclones and had four dual appearances against ASU, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Stanford.
- Placed third at the Grand View Open and fifth at the Cyclone Open in 2025.
- Attended Vallant College Prep in Phoenix and was rated as the No. 54 recruit nationally by FloWrestling and No. 68 by MatScouts.
- Was a 2023 Junior Freestyle All-American and placed sixth at the 2023 Super 32.
Aidan Brenot | Clarksville, Tenn. | North Dakota State | 184 lb | Senior
- A two-time NCAA Championship participant after redshirting his freshman year, Brenot finished in fourth at the Big 12 Championships at 184-pounds, going 4-2.
- Went 5-2 in Big 12 duals this past season as a sophomore.
- Made it to the blood round in 2025, went 3-2 at nationals and was a No. 23 seed at 184-pounds.
- Has 15 major decision victories in three seasons at North Dakota, and has a career record of 48-37 at the collegiate level.
- Is a two-time Tennessee State Champion at Clarksville, went undefeated as a senior in high school with an astounding 52-0 record.
- Finished his high school career with a 179-24 record, including three appearances in the state finals.
Incoming Freshman:
Rylan Seacrist, Brecksville, Ohio | Freshman | 125 lbs
- Ranked the No. 2 lightweight prospect in the country coming out of high school and was a 2025 Fargo National Champion at 113 lbs.
- Additionally a U.S. Open All-American and an Ohio State champion.
- Went 121-27 in high school including a 30-5 record as a senior.
- The first top-20 recruit since 2024 national champion Richie Figueroa.
Antonio Rodriguez, Brentwood, Calif | Freshman | 133 lbs
- Graduated high school early and placed four times at the CIF State Championships.
- Won the 133-lb division at the Edinboro Open competing against NCAA talent while in high school.
- He is a three-time RENO TOC All-American and a two-time Doc B finalist.
Travis Cardenas, Chandler, Ariz. | 157 lbs | Freshman
- Two-time Fargo All-American, ranked No. 66 in the nation by MatScouts and Intermat at 157-pounds.
- Won his second state title at 138-pounds to conclude his high school career and went 35-3 in his senior season.
- Went 42-4 as reported by FloWrestling and is a U17 U.S. Open All-American.
Justin Wardlow, Romeoville, Ill | Freshman | 157 lbs
- In his senior year, he had a 48-6 record and was a four-time Illinois state finalist.
- Ranked as the no. 2 157-lb prospect in Illinois
- Had an overall record of 268-74 in high school, intends to wrestle at 157 pounds.
Max Wirnsberger, Watsontown. Pa | Freshman | 174 lbs
- Went 211-66 in high school and had a senior campaign where he went 48-5 in 2025-26.
- Won the Phil Portuese Northeast Regional Championship this past May, with four tech fall wins.
- Was a fourth-place finisher at the PIAA AA State Championships, making it to the semifinals.
- In 2025, earned a third place finish at the NHSCA High School Nationals.
Billy Ward, Fargo, North Dakota | Freshman | 197 lbs
- Was third in the freestyle 215-pound weight class at the Junior National Championships on July 12 to obtain junior All-American honors.
- NHSCA National Champion at 195-lbs.
- Ward is the No. 7 ranked contender at 190-poiunds coming out of Moorhead High School in Minnesota.
- Won three consecutive state championships in high school including an unbeaten senior season.
Kal-El Fluckiger, Chandler, Ariz. | Freshman | 285 lbs
- The son of former Sun Devil Wrestler Kellan Fluckiger (1999-2003), Kal El Fluckiger is a 2025 Folkstyle Nationals All-American and an NHSCA/High School Nationals All-American.
- Took fourth place at the Fargo Junior National Championships in the freestyle 285 division.
- Went 63-39 in high school while wrestling at 215 pounds, but will wrestle at 285-pounds at ASU
- Attended Valiant College Prep in Phoenix.