2020 Super 32

#68 Vinny Zerban Releases School List

#68 Vinny Zerban Releases School List

Missouri and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion Vinny Zerban releases the schools he's in contact with the most.

May 21, 2020 by Kyle Bratke
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Vinny Zerban is not a stranger to appearing on FloWrestling Big Boards. The Illinois native has been a staple on the Big Board since he was in junior high including being as high as #10 during his freshman year. Zerban is a Missouri state champion, NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion, and was third at last year's UWW Cadet World Team Trials picking up wins over Teague Travis, Luke Geog, Joey Zargo, Dean Hamiti Jr, and he currently sits at #68 on the Junior Big Board. 

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Vinny Zerban is not a stranger to appearing on FloWrestling Big Boards. The Illinois native has been a staple on the Big Board since he was in junior high including being as high as #10 during his freshman year. Zerban is a Missouri state champion, NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion, and was third at last year's UWW Cadet World Team Trials picking up wins over Teague Travis, Luke Geog, Joey Zargo, Dean Hamiti Jr, and he currently sits at #68 on the Junior Big Board

Vinny Zerban School List (listed in alphabetical order)

  • Illinois 
  • Iowa State 
  • Missouri 
  • NC State 
  • Ohio State 
  • Purdue

The Fargo and FloNationals All-American made it clear that this list could change moving forward, but these are currently the six schools he is in contact with the most. 

Watch Zerban take out Oklahoma State commit Teague Travis.

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Probably the most interesting aspect of Zerban's recruitment is what weight will he be at the next level? It's obviously very common for high school wrestlers to move up multiple weight classes throughout their high school careers, but not to the degree that Zerban has. Zerban wrestled the postseason his freshman season at 120, 132 as a sophomore, and 160 as a junior after competing at 152 for the majority of the season. For this article, we will project Zerban as a 165-pounder. 

Zerban competed for Christian Brothers College High School in Missouri his first three years of high school, but is an Illinois native and will be attending Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, Illinois for his senior season. Fellow Illinois native Danny Braunagel was an NCAA qualifier last season for the Illini as a redshirt freshman and would be a redshirt junior by the time Zerban would arrive in Champaign. 

Watch Zerban beat Wisconsin signee Joey Zargo.

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Zerban hasn't officially visited Iowa State yet, but he has been on campus as he wrestled on an Agony In Ames card against Jesse Mendez back in 2018. Two-time NCAA qualifier Chase Straw is now gone and a slew of Cyclones will look to replace him. Taylan Entriken, Isaac Judge, Caleb Long, Zane Mulder, and Logan Schumacher have all won double-digit matches in a season and will all still be on the roster when Zerban would arrive if he signed with Iowa State. Another thing to keep an eye on is David Carr moving up. The freshman All-American was a big 157-pounder a year ago and would be a redshirt junior Zerban's true freshman year. 

Zerban hasn't taken an official visit to Missouri but has been on campus before at least three times wrestling at the Missouri state wrestling championships where he has been second, first, and third in his three trips to Columbia. A year ago, Peyton Mocco was an NCAA qualifier as a redshirt freshman for Missouri and would be a redshirt junior by the time Zerban was on campus. The Tigers also signed another Ben Askren-trained wrestler, Keegen O'Toole, who finished the season #1 at 160 and as the #2 ranked wrestler in the class of 2020. 

As I mentioned above, Zerban wrestled 120 his freshman season and in the state finals fell to current NC State 125/133-pounder Kai Orine. Now, Zerban projects as a 165-pounder. Potential four-time NCAA qualifier Thomas Bullard will be gone by the time Zerban would be on campus, but Tyler Barnes was solid as a redshirt freshman and would be a redshirt junior should Zerban chose to head to Raleigh. NC State also signed AJ Kovacs and Donald Cates in the class of 2020 who projects at 165 and currently have a commitment from Jacob Null who is the 86th-ranked wrestler in 2021. 

Watch Zerban beat #52 on the Sophomore Big Board, Luke Geog. 

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If Zerban were to sign with Ohio State it could be a nice transition as Ethan Smith would be a redshirt season allowing Zerban to take a redshirt season of his own and then compete for the starting spot. While the Buckeyes didn't sign a 165-pounder in the class of 2020, they do currently have a commitment from Paddy Gallagher the wrestler who finished #2 at 160 this season and is the #7-ranked wrestler in the class of 2021. 

Last but certainly not least, the Purdue Boilermakers. After putting together a 19-5 redshirt season, Emil Soehnlen was poised to have a breakout season but unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury. Soehnlen will be back next year and would be a redshirt junior by the time Zerban would be in West Lafayette if he chose Purdue. Hayden Lohrey and Tanner Webster are also on the roster at the weight and would be a redshirt sophomore and redshirt senior respectively. The Boilermakers did not sign a 165-pounder in the class of 2020 and currently do not have one committed in the class of 2021.  


Keep it locked on FloWrestling throughout the spring and summer as we continue to bring you the best recruiting news in the country such as school lists for the nation's top uncommitted wrestlers in the class of 2021 and breaking news when wrestlers make their college decisions.