Rarely does one athlete single-handedly alter the course of a program, their influence counterbalanced by their coaches or teammates. Bo Bassett is not your average athlete, however. When the Hokies landed his commitment in October, the ceiling for Tony Robie’s already strong program was raised substantially.
He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest high school wrestlers ever. Robie stated as such himself after Bassett announced his decision to come to Blacksburg.
“Hokie Nation should be incredibly excited about the addition of Bo Bassett to our program. Bo is among the best high school wrestlers of all time. His resume speaks for itself.”
If this description of a wrestler who hasn’t graduated high school yet seems premature, take a look at Bassett’s career stats:
226-6 high school record (133-0 at Bishop McCort Catholic Academy)
4x Pennsylvania State Champion
4x Super 32 Champion (first ever)
4x Ironman Champion (third ever)
If you still aren’t convinced of Bassett’s unprecedented potential, just watch this clip of the match that clinched his historic fourth Super 32 title here.
With his high school legacy cemented, Bassett looks ahead to joining the college ranks, where he figures to become a contender for a national title at 141 or 149 pounds almost immediately. As if to showcase his resolve, Bassett pinned former NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell in the first minute of their match at a Real American Freestyle event last month, as you can see here.
As these videos demonstrate, Bassett doesn’t just defeat his opponents. He dominates them, often setting the tone early with relentless pressure using a flurry of different techniques.
