The University of Missouri has been among the top contenders in collegiate wrestling this season. While Mizzou wrestling with 317 points is placed at the 3rd position, Penn State stands atop the podium with 350 points, according to the College Wrestling Rankings: NWCA Coaches Poll 2023. 

Although Penn State Wrestling Club has been dominating the collegiate wrestling, it fell short of including coveted recruits this season. Recently, team Mizzou wrestling welcomed a #9 2025 recruit to its wrestling team. Interestingly, the wrestler is a Pennsylvania state champion. Despite that, he committed to Missouri instead of the mighty Penn State Wrestling Club.

Missouri wrestling program takes away a “PA Tiger”

As per the recent tweet by The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo), it was captioned as “becahiwrestling (PA) Junior Kollin Rath is headed down to Mizzou!”  The post also highlights that Rath is ranked #3 at 152 lbs and #7 in pound-for-pound in the class 2025. Rath, a PIAA AAA State Champion, sports a 62-3 overall record halfway into his high school career. The post declares, “Tremendous upside, and this hammer has all the workings of a future NCAA Champion!”

Interestingly, the post also has a tacit reference to the effort of the Missouri wrestling program to snatch Rath from others. It reads, “It has been a while since we’ve seen a PA Tiger, but Smith, Maple & the Mizzou staff put in the groundwork and got their guy! Nice job.” Given his lineup of accolades, it is not unnatural that Rath was on the list of many. Back in August, he said that he would join the wrestling program that fit him the best. However, he had pointed out a few considerations for opting for a particular program.

Rath finds his comfort zone in Missouri?

In an interview with Flowrestling in August, Rath explained what he would be looking at while selecting a program. He said, “A coaching staff that will be behind me for everything. They’ll see me when I’m down and pick me up and keep pushing me. I know if I have someone behind me and push me forward, I’ll be able to do what I need to do.” It seems that Rath has found this trust in the Missouri program which led him to choose it over the top-ranked Penn State. Now it is time for Rath to give it back.

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Kollin Rath starts as the top seed in the 2023 Ironman Wrestling Tournament, to be held this weekend. He recently earned a Super 32 title in a loaded bracket at 150 lbs. He has the chance to add more to his kitty in this tournament. It remains to be seen if Rath lives up to the expectations that the Missouri wrestling program has put into him.

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