Olympian Jumps Into Bo Bassett College Commitment Debate to Boost Nebraska

Well, every college dreams of landing a wrestler like Bo Bassett, but Bassett isn’t rushing his decision. The rising senior in the Class of 2026 was High School On SI’s 2024-25 National Champion at 144 pounds, so it’s no surprise programs are lining up. But Bo seems to be picky about his next move. After announcing his decommitment from the University of Iowa, the wrestling world went buzzing: where would the top-ranked high school prospect land next? Rumors quickly pointed to Nebraska, making it the center of attention. But seems to some extent it is true.

Bassett’s exit from Iowa wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. He made it clear that while Iowa is a storied program, it wasn’t the right fit for him as an athlete, a student, or in terms of his personal faith journey. Recently, Bassett took another big step in his recruitment: a visit to the University of Nebraska. Sharing glimpses on Instagram, he posted pictures in Nebraska gear, posing with coaches, staff, and team members. Captioning one of the posts, he wrote, “Hanging out in Lincoln🌽 Official Visit at The University of Nebraska.” Naturally, the visit immediately drew attention across the wrestling world.

The reaction was swift and enthusiastic. Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs, a former Nebraska standout and six-time World Champion, celebrated Bo’s visit with a playful Nebraska mascot GIF, signaling his support for the wrestler’s next step.

And within no time, AJ Ferrari, who recently joined the Cornhuskers, also chimed in on Instagram, writing, “Let’s go Baby! We need the whole family @bo.bassett @keegan.bassett 💪👊,” highlighting the excitement within Nebraska’s wrestling program and the anticipation of Bo potentially joining the team. But now the question remains: why did Bo Bassett decide to decommit in the first place?

Why did Bo Bassett reopen his recruitment?

Well, June 22 marked a big moment in Bo Bassett’s wrestling journey, when the top-rated 2026 recruit announced on Instagram that he was reopening his recruitment. Bassett, who competes for Bishop McCort High School in Pennsylvania, was a major pickup for the Iowa Hawkeyes earlier this year and comes with an impressive resume: U17 World Champion in 2021, U20 World bronze medalist in 2024, and three-time champion of Ironman, Powerade, and Super 32 tournaments.

In his Instagram post, he explained, “After a lot of prayer and talking with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Iowa. 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. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll never speak a bad word about their program. This is about finding the place God wants me to be. This is a huge decision in my life and it has to be the right one.” Since reopening his recruitment, Bassett has only visited Nebraska, leading many to believe its emerging as a top contender to secure his commitment.

The Cornhuskers have built an impressive wrestling legacy over the years, producing more than 130 All-Americans and 11 individual NCAA champions since 1911. That kind of consistent success gives a wrestler like Bassett a strong foundation to grow and compete at the highest level. And Nebraska isn’t just about history. The team made a big statement at the 2025 NCAA Championships, finishing as runner-up, winning two individual national titles, and racking up a program-record 17 bonus-point wins. It’s not just about titles, either. The coaching staff, led by Mark Manning since 2000, brings decades of experience.

On top of that, Nebraska benefits from a strong in-state wrestling culture that keeps the competition fierce and the environment supportive. For Bo Bassett, that means a place where he can push himself, grow as a wrestler, and be part of a tight-knit team, all important factors when picking a college home.