A national qualifier in his first full collegiate season.
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) March 24, 2025
It’s only just the beginning for Nicco Ruiz 📈 pic.twitter.com/62Oe4ZNm9G
Redshirt freshman (2024-25)TURN US UP, NICCO ‼️#ForksUp | @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/CKBDTP8vZO
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) February 4, 2024
- Earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Winter Academic Honor Roll
- Qualified for the NCAA Championships in his first full season in the starting lineup, going 1-2 at the national meet in Philadelphia
- Beat No. 31 Cody Goebel (Wisconsin) by a 16-3 MD at NCAAs for his first career win at the national meet
- Placed sixth in the 165-lb bracket at the team's first trip to the Big 12 Championships to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships
- Finished the season at 14-8, leading the team in tech-fall wins (4)
- Upset No. 6 Cam Amine (Oklahoma State) in Stillwater on Nov. 24 for the highest ranked win of his career, winning 4-1 in SV. Beat Amine again months later at the Big 12 Championships
- Consistently ranked as a top-15 wrestler in his weight class by national polls such as FloWrestling, InterMat and WrestleStat
Freshman (2023-24)
- Finished his rookie season 8-2
- Had the biggest win of his collegeiate career in the team's win against No. 20 Oregon State (2/4), in which he took down No. 11 Matthew Olguin
- Went 5-0 at the November Reno TOC, headlined by a win against Oklahoma's Cael Carlson in a 5-2 decision
Nicco Ruiz is a blue chip recruit and a great student-athlete with no ceiling. He comes from a familiar place for the Sun Devil program, St. John Bosco High School. Coached by the father of Sun Devils' Zahid, Anthony, and Cael Valencia, this was a perfect fit for all parties. Ruiz took state titles in both the 152lb and 160lb weight classes, and earned the honor of Press-Telegram Boys Wrestler of the Year.