Michigan wrestling dominating transfer portal: On NCAA champion Shane Griffith and more
Michigan Wolverines wrestling head coach Sean Bormet and his staff have had success with transfers in the past, and they’ve hit the transfer portal hard again this offseason. Nick Suriano — the 2022 NCAA champ at 125 pounds — transferred to Michigan from Rutgers, Stevan Micic was a three-time All-American and Olympian that began his career at Rutgers and longtime starter Kanen Storr started off at Iowa State.
The latest addition: Former Stanford NCAA champion Shane Griffith, one of four transfers Bormet and Co. have brought in this offseason. The 2021 champion helped save the Cardinal program from being cut when he won his title. He’s a four-time All-American who finished first in 2021, second in 2022 and fifth in 2023 at 165 pounds.
Griffith has one year of eligibility remaining. With Cameron Amine — who Griffith lost to in the NCAA consolation semifinals last year (2-1 in TB-1; double overtime) — returning and possessing two more years of eligibility at 165 pounds, Griffith could move up to 174.
“Michigan is in the best place right now for me to give it one last run. They have a great room,” Griffith, who committed May 4, told NJ.com. “They’ve had a few transfers the last few weeks, so [the staff] says they’re in title contention, definitely in team title contention. That will be a cool environment to go out in and have great guys push me to be the best I can be in my last year.”
Griffith went 97-11 in four seasons at Stanford.
Michigan won its first Big Ten championship since 1973 and finished second at the NCAAs (tied for the program’s best finish) in 2022, before placing sixth in the NCAAs in 2023.
Here’s a look at Michigan’s three other transfers it’s added this offseason, all three of whom are from Big Ten rival Northwestern.
Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern)
DeAugustino is a four-time NCAA qualifier who took fourth place in 2022. That season, the two-time All-American beat former NCAA finalist Brandon Courtney, a three-time All-American from Arizona State.
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| Season | Overall W-L | Dual Meet W-L | Big Ten W-L | Dual Points For-Against | Big Ten Champs. | NCAA Champs | Pins For-Against | Tech Falls For-Against | Major Dec. For-Against |
| 2018-19* | 11-8 | — | — | — | — | — | 1-0 | — | 1-0 |
| 2019-20 | 21-8 | 8-5 | 5-4 | 29-16 | 4-2 | Qualified | 2-0 | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| 2020-21 | 9-5 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 12-3 | 3-2 | Qualified | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2021-22 | 15-6 | 7-2 | 6-2 | 23-6 | 3-2 | 4th | 0-0 | 1-0 | 0-1 |
| 2022-23 | 10-9 | 4-4 | 3-3 | 14-16 | 3-3 | Qualified | 0-1 | 0-0 | 3-1 |
| Career | 66-36 | 22-12 | 17-10 | 78-41 | 13-9 | — | 3-1 | 2-0 | 4-3 |
Chris Cannon (Northwestern)
Cannon took seventh at 133 pounds in both 2021 and 2022, earning All-American honors two times. He may move up to 141 pounds at Michigan.
Cannon lost to Wolverine Dylan Ragusin at the Big Ten Championships the last two seasons. Ragusin is 3-0 versus Cannon and is set to return for at least next season.
| Season | Overall W-L | Dual Meet W-L | Big Ten W-L | Dual Points For-Against | Big Ten Champs. W-L | NCAA Champs | Pins For-Against | Tech Falls For-Against | Major Dec. For-Against |
| 2019-20* | 19-2 | — | — | — | — | — | 5-0 | 0-1 | 5-0 |
| 2020-21 | 8-2 | 5-0 | 5-0 | 23-0 | 3-2 | Qualified | 3-0 | 0-0 | 3-0 |
| 2021-22 | 20-7 | 8-2 | 5-2 | 29-6 | 4-2 | 7th | 2-1 | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| 2022-23 | 20-10 | 8-2 | 7-2 | 24-6 | 4-2 | Qualified | 0-2 | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| Career | 67-27 | 21-4 | 17-4 | 76-12 | 11-6 | — | 10-3 | 0-1 | 12-0 |
Lucas Davidson (Northwestern)
Another two-time All-American, Davidson placed sixth in 2022 and fifth in 2023 at heavyweight, a four-time NCAA qualifier (the first two years came at 197 pounds). He beat NCAA finalist Cohlton Schutz of Arizona State at the NCAA Champoionships last season.
Davidson is no Mason Parris — Michigan’s heavyweight who won the 2023 Dan Hodge Trophy for the nation’s most dominant wrestler — against whom he has an 0-4 record. Parris will be difficult to replace, of course, but Davidson has a proven track record.
| Season | Overall W-L | Dual Meet W-L | Big Ten W-L | Dual Points For-Against | Big Ten Champs. W-L | NCAA Champs | Pins For-Against | Tech Falls For-Against | Major Dec. For-Against |
| 2018-19* | 9-4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1-0 | 2-0 |
| 2019-20 | 17-8 | 11-2 | 7-2 | 41-9 | 3-2 | Qualified | 2-1 | 0-0 | 3-1 |
| 2020-21 | 7-3 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 11-3 | 4-2 | Qualified | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3-0 |
| 2021-22 | 26-9 | 9-2 | 6-2 | 34-7 | 4-2 | 6th | 2-0 | 5-0 | 2-1 |
| 2022-23 | 27-6 | 9-1 | 7-1 | 37-3 | 4-2 | 5th | 6-1 | 1-0 | 3-1 |
| Career | 86-30 | 32-6 | 23-6 | 123-22 | 15-8 | — | 10-2 | 7-0 | 13-3 |
