Michigan wrestling hosts top two 2026 recruits Bo Bassett, Jax Forrest
Michigan Wolverines wrestling is coming off a huge recruiting weekend, with head coach Sean Bormet and Co. hosting the top two recruits in the 2026 class in Bo Bassett and Jax Forrest for their first official visits of the recruiting process.
Bassett and Forrest — both products of Johnstown (Penn.) Bishop McCort High School — each spent time on campus with the Michigan staff and attended the Wolverines’ football game against USC, an epic 27-24 Wolverine victory in front of 110,702 fans at the largest venue in the country.
Michigan also hosted 2025 commit Nicholas Sahakian — the top-ranked 285-pounder in his class who flipped his pledge from Arizona State to U-M back in May — on an unofficial visit. Fellow Californian Henry Aslikyan, the No. 13 wrestler in the 2026 class who won bronze at U17 World (48 kg), was on campus, too, for his official visit.
Bassett is the nation’s No. 1 pound-for-pound prep wrestler in the country per MatScouts. He’s the No. 1 grappler at 144 pounds per FLO Wrestling.
“I love wrestling,” Bassett wrote on Instagram. “Michigan weekend was amazing. Taking my time, looking at every option and enjoying this recruiting process. Go Blue!!”
Michigan is one of 17 schools still in contention for Bassett’s services, along with Penn State, Virginia Tech, Cornell, Ohio State, Lehigh, Air Force, Rutgers, Iowa State, Pitt-Johnstown, Princeton, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Northern Iowa and Missouri.
“The weekend was action packed with workouts, observing workouts, tours of the facilities, meeting all the coaches, professors and support staff,” Bassett said in his newsletter. “Saturday we got the chance to be on the field and watch the Michigan vs. USC football game at the Big House. It was a great game and atmosphere. I was really impressed with their RTC, their wrestling facility and their new Sports Performance building. All the coaches and staff all brought the energy and loved their jobs. I like how they focus a lot on freestyle and their RTC is a huge focus.
“One of the coolest parts of the weekend was getting to meet and talk to [former Michigan quarterback] J.J. McCarthy’s father, Jim. I am a huge fan of his son for the way he plays and approaches football. He is a leader and driven to be the best. Mr. McCarthy was passionate about Michigan and character. He had an amazing message and story about ‘The Dash.’
“Overall, Michigan was very good. I really don’t have much to compare it to, with it being my first official visit. If all the visits are like this, it will be an amazing few weeks.”
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Penn State made a stop to visit Bassett in-home this week, following the trip to U-M. His next visit is set for Iowa Oct. 25-27.
Both Bassett and Forrest will compete in the 12th annual Who’s No. 1 event at Pitt-Johnstown this weekend (Sept. 29).
In the last calendar year, Bassett has won titles at Super 32, Ironman, Powerade, PIAAs, the U.S. Open, the U20 World Team Trials and at the U20 Pan Am Championships.
Forrest, who competes at 132 pounds, also won titles at Super 32, Powerade, PIAAS and Fargo, and finished fouth at the U.S. Olympic Trials. He’s the No. 2 overall recruit in the nation per MatScouts.
Forrest also posted photos from his visit on social media.
Forrest is down to 10 schools, he announced recently. Michigan, Lehigh, NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska and Oklahoma State are the programs in the mix.
Michigan is seeing immense levels of success under Bormet, who’s entering his seventh season at the helm. Bormet wrestled for Michigan from 1991-94.
Under Bormet’s watch, the Wolverines won the 2022 Big Ten championship, their first conference title since 1973. They finished second in the Big Ten and third at the NCAAs last season. It was the Wolverines’ second trophy finish in three seasons and their fifth top-five NCAA finish in six seasons. Michigan had four All-Americans.
