(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Olympic sports in college have taken a hit since the rise of NIL and revenue sharing, with many universities cutting funding or, in some cases, entire programs. Arizona State and, more specifically, ASU wrestling have decided to approach the new landscape differently.
“We got a substantial increase to be able to compete,” ASU wrestling head coach Zeke Jones said. “We may have the most scholarships in America.”
Over 40% of the wrestling roster is new after more than 10 Sun Devils departed the program following the 2024-25 season. The additions were made possible in large part due to the support of ASU athletic director Graham Rossini and President Michael Crow.
“They (Crow and Rossini) saw wrestling and said, ‘OK, wrestling is in a position for success, it’s had success. We need to readjust the model for them to win,’” Jones said.
The new cap of 30 wrestlers on scholarships, which came with the ruling of House vs NCAA, has also had a big impact on the culture of the team. ASU is looking to keep building a culture that builds off the success of other sports and keeps student-athletes along long term, making Arizona State a desirable location for freshmen and transfers alike.
To help with that, Jones wanted to get out of the gate early, earlier than most college programs even considered. Team meetings started in June for a sport that starts in late fall, with Jones meeting separately with the newcomers and then with the returners before combining them.
“We brought our coaching staff together,” Jones said. “We started to talk about what we do with a large group of first-year kids and how do you blend that into your existing group.”
Jones has also implemented a “buddy system,” where an older wrestler is paired with a newer or younger one, and they help each other not just in wrestling but also in school and life. This also looks to bring more camaraderie into the fold and build upon the foundation of a great program.
“It’s someone you check in with every week or every day,” fifth-year heavyweight David Szuba, a transfer from Rider University, said. “You come to one another and you can be vulnerable, whether it’s wrestling, school work, or your personal life,”
The team is different from recent ASU teams, no NCAA finalists, no All-Americans, but most importantly, there are freshmen on scholarships. These freshmen, along with returners like Nicco Ruiz and transfers like Szuba look to bring the Sun Devils into a new age.
“We’re back on the mat doing a lot of coaching, and so it’s a lot of fun,” Jones said. “I’m energized with this new group and how young they are and how excited they are.”
ASU has always been a program that looks to get the most out of its athletes and, in return, set them up for the rest of their lives in the best way possible. Whether that be setting them up for the Olympics or world championships in the case of former Sun Devils Zahid Valencia or Cohlton Schultz, or to be members of the staff like Micheal McGee, or for a job in the corporate world, Zeke Jones looks to make everyone not just be a Sun Devil for four years but a Sun Devil for life.
“I mean, you’re a Sun Devil for life, but really, what it is, is an eight-to-10-year plan,” Jones said. “You come to Arizona State, you win a national title, you get your undergraduate degree, get your master’s degree, and then if God’s given you the ability to be the best in the world, you’ve got an Olympic program.”
