The news has broken, and the top wrestling recruit for the 2026 season, Bo Bassett, has backed out of his contract with Iowa! “Maybe it wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right decision,” he said in his commitment live stream. Clearly not anymore. So, what exactly made him change his mind about working with Tom Brands and one of his top four choice colleges, not to mention the 2nd-ranked school for wrestling according to the current NCAA charts? No one can yet say. However, we can speculate as to what Bassett’s future might hold instead.
In a lengthy statement posted to his social media pages, Bo Bassett announced his decision to de-commit from the university, writing, “This wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s not the right fit for me as a wrestler, a person, or for my faith journey.” Bassett doesn’t skimp on thanking the fans, however, adding, “I would like to thank all of the Iowa fans who have supported me. You have been amazing and I am grateful for the support you showed me. I have opened up my recruitment.”
It’s the last line that’s the kicker. “I have opened up my recruitment,” a clear signal to Cael Sanderson and all the rest that the young wrestling sensation is back on the market, but judging by some of the comments posted under the Instagram post, it doesn’t look like Penn State is the most likely way forward.
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Under the post, Bo Bassett received comments from both Wyatt Hendrickson, who currently wrestles with the Cowboys, and Jax Forrest, who in February also announced his plans to join David Taylor’s team. “Gods plan ” Hendrickson wrote, followed by Forrest, who added, “praying for you bro, find your place.“
Though neither comment specifically indicates that Bassett has had talks with David Taylor, could it perhaps be a hint? Considering all the moves David Taylor has put in to get Oklahoma up there with his former coach, Cael Sanderson’s Penn State, recruiting Bo Bassett would only make sense!
What would it mean for Oklahoma if they managed to recruit Bo Bassett?
So, no kidding, Bo Basset is in fact the No. 1 overall recruiting prospect of the 2026 class. The Pennsylvania native won his first wrestling match at the age of 6 and has been going from victory to victory after that. Wrestling in the 145 lbs category at Bishop McCort High School, Bo Bassett was selected for both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet World Teams at 45 kg in both divisions of the 2021 Cadet Nationals and won all the matches.
To add to all that, Bassett has been preparing for his NCAA career at Bishop McCort High by simply winning consistently. As of March 9th, 2025, Bassett had been on a 111-game winning streak, which certainly caught the eye of the wrestling world and explains why his latest Instagram post is flooded with comments from all over.
Where Bassett chooses to go next year will be crucial in the way the NCAA championships pan out. He is the kind of wrestler that can completely change the fate of a team, taking it all into his own hands, literally. And again, considering Oklahoma is fully set on bringing down Penn State from that number 1 position sooner rather than later, it is highly likely that they managed to slip Bassett an irresistible offer to join their forces before it’s too late. Wherever Bassett decides to go, the wrestling world will be watching in full force, as it was when he committed to Iowa earlier in the year — more than 40,000 online viewers tuned in!
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