Head Coach Shawn Charles, who is entering his second year at the helm of the Arizona State University wrestling program, has signed 11 newcomers to the roster for the upcoming 2010-11 collegiate season, including eight recent high school graduates and three NCAA Division I transfers. Looking at all 11 individuals, only three hail from the state of Arizona as the reach of the coaching staff’s recruiting efforts stretched as far north as Alaska and as far east as North Carolina.

The eight individuals that signed with the program out of high school include: Tommy Burriel (Clovis, Calif./Clovis HS); Derek Felton (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol HS); Nathan Hoffer (Anchorage, Alaska/East HS); Shane McGough (Scottsdale, Ariz./Desert Mountain HS); Dalton Miller (Haysville, Kan./Campus HS); Kevin Radford (Fayetteville, N.C./Pine Forrest HS); Joel Smith (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill HS); and Louis Trujillo (Rio Rancho, N.M./Rio Rancho HS). The three transfers include Luke Ashmore (Dallas, Texas/Bishop Lynch HS) from Oklahoma State and a pair from Penn State in Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial HS) and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol HS).

“This signing class brings a whole new era to Arizona State wrestling,” Charles said. “My coaching staff and I went out and brought in some of the top wrestlers from around the country and I really believe that they will be the driving force to get us back on top of the rankings in the conference and national standings. As a coach, I am excited to see what they can add to the foundation we already have for the simple fact that they will have quality training partners from here on out, which also will make our overall program better. I am excited to see what this talented group can do for the Sun Devil program.”

Perhaps the most noteworthy addition to the roster will be that of Jenkins, who was the 2008 NCAA runner-up at 149 pounds for PSU and was ranked among the Top 10 nationally during his time on the mats. Jenkins was a three-time national qualifier for the Nittany Lions before sitting out last year. Entering his final collegiate season, Jenkins is focused on adding to the titles he has won in the past (Virginia state high school crown and the 2006 NHSCA Championship) with a collegiate conference and national championship still remaining to attain.

“I came to Arizona State to refocus and start new,” Jenkins said. “I was in a place where it seemed that I wasn’t wanted, so I decided to make a change and go where everyone wanted me and was happy to receive me and Arizona State was that place. Now that I am here, I am putting the past behind me. I want to see us win the Pac-10 as a team and, for me individually, to win the Pac-10 and a national title. We have a young team here and we are working on changing our mentality so we can get back to winning and putting up more banners here.”

With the level of experience and success Jenkins has achieved prior to his arrival, it is no wonder that, combined with the talented individuals Charles has signed, that InterMat has tabbed ASU with the ninth-best recruiting class this year. While the student-athletes are highly regarded already, fans might have to wait one more year to see them in action.

“I would like to redshirt all of the newcomers, except for Bubba, since he has one year of eligibility remaining,” Charles said. “I feel that he is going to come in here and be a great leader and role model for this program and our wrestling community. For everyone else, I see them taking their first year to get acclimated to our program and to their academic studies so they can be better prepared to compete and become successful in the near future.”

Along with Jenkins, Ashmore also brings collegiate competition experience with him as he started at 141 pounds for the Cowboys of OSU in 2008-09 and went 14-3 while posting a 15-5 mark the prior year as a redshirting freshman. Prior to his time at OSU, Ashmore went 270-16 at Bishop Lynch HS where his brother, and current Sun Devil Ben Ashmore, also was successful. Ben recently completed his first year as a starter for ASU and advanced to the NCAA Championships at 133 pounds. Luke Ashmore and Macchiaroli both have been in the wrestling room with the Sun Devils since the middle of last season.

The group of recent high school graduates brings a wealth of success to Tempe as well as the eight individuals have combined to collect 17 state titles and six runner-up finishes. Included in that title haul are Hoffer and Trujillo, both of which ended their careers as four-time state champions in their respective states. For Hoffer, his wins at 103-119-135-140 made him Alaska’s seventh four-time champion while Trujillo became New Mexico’s 14th, four-time champion with crowns at 119-125-130-130 during his career.

Local products McGough and Felton, like Hoffer and Trujillo, were also four-time state finalists with McGough winning the state crown in his last three years after taking second as a freshman and Felton capturing the top spot in his final two campaigns with runner-up showings in his first two years. Smith is the final multiple state finalist in the group as he won titles in Georgia in each of his final two seasons after taking second his sophomore year.

Burriel took second in his senior year in the always tough California state meet while Radford finished second then first at the North Carolina championships after competing for two years in Japan. Miller also was a state champion in Kansas his senior season after finishing third as a sophomore and fourth as a junior.

The entire class will be on the roster for the upcoming 2010-11 academic year and will eligible to compete this season. They will join returning two-time NCAA All-American and Pac-10 Champion Anthony Robles (125) and several other returning starters from last year’s squad that posted a 9-7-0 record in duals (4-2-0 Pac-10) and finished fourth in the Pac-10 and 30th in the NCAA.

Sun Devil Wrestling Newcomers for the 2010-11 Season

National Letter of Intent Signees

Tommy Burriel - Clovis, Calif. (Clovis HS) - 197
• 3x California state qualifier, 2010 CIF runner-up at 189 pounds
Derek Felton - Chandler, Ariz. (Corona del Sol HS) - 165/174
• 4x Arizona state finalist, 2x champion at 171 (junior/senior), went 99-0 in his last two seasons
Nathan Hoffer - Anchorage, Alaska (East HS) - 141/149
• 4x Alaska state champion (7th in state history), won crowns at 103, 119, 135 and 140
Shane McGough - Scottsdale, Ariz. (Desert Mountain HS) - 125/133
• 4x Arizona state finalist, 3x champion, went 43-0 as a senior to win 125 title
Dalton Miller - Haysville, Kan. (Campus HS) - 125
• 3x Kansas state qualifier, state champion as a senior at 112, finished 3rd and 4th previous two years
Kevin Radford - Fayetteville, N.C. (Pine Forrest HS) - 184
• 2x North Carolina state finalist, champion as a senior at 189; went 160-17 in his career, including two years in Japan
Joel Smith - Lawrenceville, Ga. (Collins Hill HS) - 141/149
• 3x Georgia state finalist, 2x champion (junior/senior); went 193-22 in career with 104 wins by fall; helped team to 3 titles
Louis Trujillo - Rio Rancho, N.M. (Rio Rancho HS) - 133
• 4x New Mexico state champion (14th in state history); 97-1 in last two years; pinned all 4 state foes in under 1:42 as senior

Transfers
Luke Ashmore - Dallas, Texas (Bishop Lynch HS/Oklahoma State) - 141
• went 14-3 (2008-09) at 141 for OSU; posted a 270-16 career record in high school
Bubba Jenkins - Virginia Beach, Va. (First Colonial HS/Penn State) - 149
• 2008 NCAA runner-up at 149; 3x NCAA qualifier; Virginia and NHSCA champion
Luke Macchiaroli - Tempe, Ariz. (Corona del Sol HS/Penn State) - 197
• 3x Arizona state champion; went 176-9 in high school, including 101-0 in last two seasons; redshirted first year at PSU