Zeke Jones helped put Arizona State wrestling on the map in the late 1980s as a three-time All-American and part of three ASU teams from 1988-90 that finished first, second and second. A couple of decades later upon returning to the Sun Devils’ program as head coach, Jones eventually guided the program to another ascension and now wants those high-placing, team-race finishes to become routine.

“The standard now has been set, (placing) fourth, fourth, seventh after being in the top 10 pretty consistently … we have a new normal for Arizona State wrestling, which is that team that's competing in that top 5 to 10,” Jones said. “We need to be consistently there and then, of course, we want to swing for higher goals. That's kind of how it wrapped up last year, I would assess, how we performed and what the bar is.”

The Sun Devils placed seventh at the 2023 NCAA Championships, falling 15.5 points short of a top-four team trophy but walking away with four placewinners and projecting enough returning points this season to earn a #7 preseason ranking.

“I think a lot of people felt like we pulled a rabbit out of the hat,” Jones said. “I think we ended really pretty good compared to the dual meet season we had, in which we had a few key injuries and made the dual-meet season feel a little lopsided. But I think we knew we had a team that could do well at the NCAA tournament.”

Jones has that knowledge again this season. Richie Figueroa, the nation’s #1 recruit in the Class of ’21, steps in at 125 and already has earned a preseason ranking of #3. All-American Kyle Parco returns at 149, also with a #3 ranking, and two-time All-American Jacori Teemer has recovered from last year’s season-ending injury and is #4 at 157. Heavyweight Cohlton Schultz, who this week will return from the Pan-Am Games, carries a #5 ranking.

Wrestle to chalk and ASU’s point total can increase quickly on the NCAA board. Following Figueroa at 133 is Julian Chlebove or Carter Dibert, a pair of former Pennsylvania scholastic stars who this weekend (Nov. 11-12) will return to their home state to compete in the Wranglemania and Journeymen Classic at Bethlehem Freedom High School. 

Chlebove, who recently scored a top-seven finish at the U23 World Championships, wrestled for Northampton, about 10 miles from Bethlehem, where he won three PIAA titles, and Dibert competed for the suburban Pittsburgh juggernaut of Franklin Regional and earned state gold and silver medals.

Jesse Vasquez is the frontrunner at 141, after a late, season-ending injury last year. “I think Jesse will be in the mix this year,” Jones said. The veteran tandem of Parco and Teemer follow at 149 and 157, to complete a solid opening half of the Sun Devils’ lineup.

Redshirt senior Chance McClane, a three-time Montana state champ who transferred from Oklahoma State, steps in at 165, Jones said, adding that two-time California champion Nicco Ruiz will redshirt. NCAA qualifier Cael Valencia is set for 174, and Shay Addison will redshirt. Jones said Penn State transfer Tony Negron, last season’s ASU 165-pounder, has made the jump to 184.

Minnesota state champ Jacob Meissner steps in at 197 and Schultz, the All-American and 2022 NCAA finalist, closes out at heavyweight. Damion Schunke, a two-time South Dakota champ, will fill in at 285 for Schultz in the early season and then drop back to his natural 197 weight class.

Family Ties

Freshman Kaleb Larkin, son of former ASU assistant coach Eric Larkin, a 2003 NCAA champ and one of just four Sun Devil four-time All-Americans, is a freshman at 149 and will redshirt. He has both freestyle and Greco-Roman experience as well.

“It's great when you have sets of brothers or fathers and sons come into the program,” Jones said. “When a son comes or a brother comes like that, I think it says that there's trust and faith in the program. To send your son here, I don't think there's any greater compliment to a program than when a father sends a son or a brother comes. I think he's gonna be really good, I really do.”

This Flight Is Now Boarding

Last year’s Sun Devils traveled 17,000 miles throughout the season and this year’s squad has well over 13,000 miles staring at them. ASU goes in any direction for a match. 

Trips to eight states await, opening in Pennsylvania and closing in Missouri at the NCAAs in Kansas City, with jaunts to Illinois, California, Arkansas and Oklahoma in between. ASU does not wrestle in Tempe, Arizona, until Jan. 6 against Iowa State and the Cyclones provide ASU with its only home meet in January.

February is much more favorable with home meets against Oregon State, Stanford, Lehigh and Nebraska. 

“Having Missouri, Lehigh, Iowa State and Nebraska on the schedule always sets the standard of competing with top-10 teams consistently,” Jones said. “I’m pleased with our schedule; we'll be in the fire right away.”

Next Up, The Big 12

As part of the ongoing conference shuffling among universities with major-college football teams, the Sun Devils next season will compete in the Big 12 Conference. Jones isn’t shy to say that he cannot wait.

“The Big 12 is going to be a great opportunity for us,” he said. “Arizona State wrestling, getting an opportunity to have consistent, strong scheduling, is big for us. That's the biggest thing that the Big 12 will do for us.

“We've been able to perform and we've been able to recruit in the Pac-12, but scheduling has been the most difficult thing. Now we'll have some stability in our scheduling having Oklahoma State, Iowa State and West Virginia on the schedule every year,” Jones added. “That’s going to bring a lot of stability and, who knows, maybe it does open up some new recruiting areas that normally we don't get.”