Marcus Blaze had his choice of the best wrestling programs in the country to continue his career at. On Wednesday, Blaze opted to sign with the top-ranked one, giving his commitment to Cael Sanderson and Penn State University.
Blaze made his decision public at an event held inside the Perrysburg High School in Ohio. He will join the Nittany Lions for the 2025-26 season after chasing a fourth Ohio state wrestling championship later this year.
Read More: 2024-25 Penn State wrestling schedule: Start Times, TV Info For Upcoming Penn State Wrestling Duals
Surrounded by family and friends, Blaze declared himself a future wrestler Sanderson, who has led Penn State to 12 national titles in 14 seasons. Blaze, meanwhile, is coming off quite the run, winning the U17 world Title in 2023 and the U20 silver medal last year.
Penn State lands No. 1 recruit Marcus Blaze
Wednesday marked the early signing day for sports other than football. Blaze selected Penn State over Ohio State and Purdue, and is expected to compete at either 141 or 149 pounds early in his college career.
Blaze, ranked No. 1 in the country by Flo Wrestling, earned a third at the 2024 Olympic Trials. He will join a competitive room that is expected to include fellow top recruits PJ Duke and William Henckel.
Penn State, which has won 55 consecutive duals, takes on Drexel on Sunday. The school will host the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on campus on Saturday.
While not shocking that Sanderson and the Nittany Lions get the signing of the No. 1 recruit in the nation, the fact that they beat out Ohio State and Purdue for him were. The Buckeyes, located in Columbus, Ohio, are just a few short outs from Perrysburg, the hometown of Blaze.
Meanwhile, Blaze’s brother, Joey, is currently enrolled with the Boilermakers. Joey Blaze is a sophomore competing at 157 pounds for Purdue. He went 17-12 last year and earned an auto-bid to the NCAA Championships.
It really just shows how great of a recruiter Sanderson is. And also, how prestigious of a program he has built in Happy Valley.
