There may not be star ratings in wrestling recruiting but TJ Stewart is wrestling's version of a five-star recruit being ranked in the top 25 recruits across all weight classes by multiple publications including #10 by Intermat.
Unsurprisingly, it led to a major battle for him between plenty of powerhouse programs, but Virginia Tech Wrestling was able to get the job done and gain a commitment from TJ Stewart.
After thoughtful consideration, I’ve decided to pursue the next chapter of my academic and athletic career at Virginia Tech! Special thanks to my amazing family, countless coaches and extraordinary friends for supporting me throughout the process. Go Hokies 🦃! #ThisisHome pic.twitter.com/I9Vxq9JEjC
— Thomas Stewart T.J. (@ThomasStewartT1) November 8, 2021
Stewart joins another five-star equivalent in Virginia Tech's 2022 recruiting class in Caleb Hanson who is ranked as high as #4 by Flo Wrestling.
Stewart was the highest ranked uncommitted senior in the country prior to his commitment with the New Jersey standout having plenty of fellow elite programs involved and pushing for him including Penn State.
TJ Stewart is projected to be a 184 at the collegiate level which sets up perfectly as Hunter Bolen has one more year of eligibility after this season, giving the Hokies the chance to redshirt Stewart to get him some much-needed seasoning in tournaments wrestling unaffiliated before replacing the national title contending Bolen.
Tony Robie has continued to take Virginia Tech to another level under his leadership in large part due to the recruiting job he has done which culminated in the Hokies winning the 2021 ACC Dual Meet Championships and finishing 2nd in the ACC Championships without a healthy Mekhi Lewis.
Looking ahead, the Hokies seem poise to not only be a favorite to repeat but also make a run at a top 5 at the 2022 NCAA Championships as they build towards a national title run that they may be sleepers to make this season.
