Now we all know that AJ Ferrari is headed to North Carolina. But this decision of his is not just switching schools. No, it’s about making a statement. The 2021 NCAA champion at 197 pounds announced on FloWrestling Radio Live that he’s officially joining the Tar Heels next season. This marks his third collegiate stop, after wrestling for Oklahoma State and, most recently, taking third at the 2024 NCAA Championships with Cal State Bakersfield. But that’s not where it ends. There’s bigger news as well. But what is it?
AJ Ferrari passed on programs run by wrestling royalty—Cael Sanderson at Penn State and David Taylor at Oklahoma State—to take a completely different route. So why turn down two of the most decorated coaches in the sport? He explained it all on the FloWrestling podcast, where he broke down his decision to commit to the University of Northern Colorado—and put his trust in head coach Rob Koll. The reason?
It came down to faith, culture, and long-term growth, and Ferrari laid it all out. Ferrari said during an interview, “Just what you said—the training partners, the facilities, and the coaches being, um, again like I said, number one—they’re all strong Christian believers and they have the fruit of that. You know, they show those fruits. They’re good people. They live the lifestyle that I aspire to live. They’re great people, and I just really respect them.” But faith wasn’t the only factor. Ferrari made it clear he did his homework.
He talked to multiple wrestlers from different programs and even called Olympic champ Kyle Dake for input. What also stood out to him? The coaching resume of Rob Koll, Northern Colorado’s head coach. “He’s the only coach ever to coach four-time national champions—two of them,” Ferrari pointed out, referencing Kyle Dake and Yianni Diakomihalis.
“The only other head coach to ever do that is Cael Sanderson,” Ferrari said, referencing Aaron Brooks and Carter. When it came down to it, AJ Ferrari felt like Northern Colorado was the place that could take him to that next level—mentally, physically, spiritually—the whole deal. “Not only win a national championship… but win the Hodge, dominate, and really show that I’ve taken my wrestling to the next level,” he said.
And yet, here’s where things get spicy—he still picked Rob over David Taylor and was indirectly throwing some shade at Taylor. On the surface, that’s a curveball. But the story might not line up exactly with what he’s saying. Taylor’s running the show at Oklahoma State now, and his résumé reads like a wrestling GOAT checklist: Olympic gold in Tokyo, three world titles (2018, 2022, 2023), a bronze in 2024, two NCAA titles at Penn State, and two Dan Hodge Trophies.
But for Ferrari, it wasn’t about joining the most stacked room or collecting titles for the shelf. His career’s been a rollercoaster lately—huge potential, flashes of brilliance, but also some bumps in the road. And maybe, just maybe, that made him realize he needed something different. Taylor’s program is loaded, no doubt, but AJ Ferrari seems to be chasing more than medals now. That might be the reason he chose Rob. And let’s be real—his road to this point hasn’t been easy.
AJ Ferrari still has gold on his mind
AJ Ferrari’s road has been full of twists, turns, and some serious detours—but somehow, he keeps finding his way back to the spotlight. He burst onto the scene at Oklahoma State, winning a national title at 197 as a true freshman in 2021. The next season? He came out hot with a 10-0 start until a brutal car accident brought everything to a halt. For two whole seasons, Ferrari didn’t wrestle a single college match.
A lot of people thought he was done. But nope—he popped back up at Cal State Bakersfield in 2024, wrestled like he never left, and fought his way to a third-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Yeah, he’s still got it. Now, AJ Ferrari is taking his talents to North Carolina—and make no mistake, he’s not just there to make the lineup. With at least two years of eligibility left (maybe even three if he gets that medical red shirt for 2021–22), Ferrari’s coming in ready to chase another title.
He’ll probably stay at 197, but don’t be shocked if he bulks up to heavyweight. Either way, he’s going to shake things up in Chapel Hill. So yeah, he’s bounced around. But through it all, Ferrari’s still that dude. And now, he’s got his eyes on a fresh start—and another shot at NCAA gold. But whether he will be able to do it is another question. But we wrestling fans are positive that Ferrari can do it.
The post AJ Ferrari Takes Subtle Dig at David Taylor Post-UNC Transfer Portal News appeared first on EssentiallySports.
