Penn State wrestling makes final 7 for top 2026 recruit ahead of last official visit

Penn State wrestling remains focused on its 8-0 start as the Big Ten dual season begins in earnest. But off the mat, Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions remain in the hunt for one of the top prospects in the 2026 cycle.

Over the weekend, Bishop McCort star wrestler Bo Bassett further narrowed his list of recruiting interests. Originally starting with 80 programs, Bassett removed Iowa State and Pitt-Johnstown from the running to bring the list to seven schools.

Sanderson and the Nittany Lions are among five Big Ten programs to make Bassett’s top seven, joining Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers. Penn State wrestling great David Taylor’s Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech round out the list.

Amazing opportunities ahead, but it’s going to be a tough decision!

Proverbs 3:5 #MachineGunMindset #SprintTheMile pic.twitter.com/PrSn90BhHe

— Bo Bassett WC (@BoBassett06) January 18, 2025

The Nittany Lions hosted Bassett in November on the same weekend the Penn State football team faced off against Ohio State in Beaver Stadium. The star 144-pounder recently received a visit from Penn State wrestling assistant coach Cody Sanderson as well.

Bassett’s update comes as he is set to reach a major milestone in his recruiting process. According to FloWrestling, Bassett is expected to take his final official visit when he travels to Rutgers this weekend. As part of the visit, he’ll watch the No. 13 Scarlet Knights host the top-ranked Nittany Lions.

Bo Bassett is the No. 1 wrestler on FloWrestling’s big board for the 2026 recruiting cycle, narrowly beating out Bishop McCort teammate and fellow Nittany Lion target Jax Forrest. Earlier this month, Bassett reached the 100th win mark of his high school career, all without suffering a single defeat. He has 62 tech falls and 32, falls and has scored bonus points in 96% of those 100 duals.

In November, Penn State wrestling kicked off its 2026 recruiting class with a commitment from another Bishop McCort standout, Sam Herring. The 138-pounder is ranked No. 20 in the 2026 cycle.

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