Coming from Pennsylvania and ignoring Penn State’s call is hard. But coming from Penn State and joining the University of Iowa while ignoring Penn State’s call might be the hardest job ever for a wrestler. Yet that’s what Bo Bassett carried out on February 4 this year. He had four final names, including Penn State, to make his decision on selecting his college wrestling program. For him, however, ignoring the Iowa Hawkeyes’ call posed a challenge. Any specific reason to choose the Hawkeyes over the defending three-time national champion program? 

In the live stream of the commitment event, Bassett claimed his decision to be ‘not an easy but the right.’ Meanwhile, a large chunk of Hawkeyes’ fans considered it to be an impact from Bassett’s fandom over the star wrestler Spencer Lee. Nonetheless, the true explanation had been excluded from the conversation. Hold on, wrestling fans! The teenager has recently shared something valuable on the topic. 

Bo Bassett confirms time to be the key angle 

On February 12, FloWrestling’s X-handle shared a long clip. It revealed the behind-the-scenes story of capturing Bo Bassett’s announcement of college commitment. In the clip, the Bishop Mc Cort High junior was heard saying, “I just feel like the time is right. The time is now. We’ve got a lot of big events coming up. I want to focus on my training, focus on going all in on the program that I choose.” Soon, he added, “I’ve seen all seven programs that I took visits to that I was really considering in that top seven. And I think for me at this point, it’s time. I know where I want to be.” He is now considered one of the promising talents that the Hawkeyes will expect to thrive in the program. But the job of choosing the Hawkeyes wasn’t easy. 

Bo Bassett does have a picture with Spencer Lee from his early days. Also, he has a loveable memory of training with the Olympian and Hawkeyes star from those days. But remember, the Johnstown native had offers from more than 80 college programs to join. In the final count, he had to ignore not only Cael Sanderson’s Penn State but also David Taylor’s Oklahoma State. Arguably the two most discussed wrestling coaches in recent times! Yet his love for Hawkeyes was so strong that he didn’t care about anything. However, not everything has gone without its challenges. The news of his joining the Hawkeyes resulted in mixed reactions among the top names. Such as?

Two standouts and different reactions to the same news 

Two big names, Carter Starocci from Penn State and Angelo Ferrari from the Iowa Hawkeyes. Both standouts reacted to Bo Bassett’s commitment announcement. Carter, the four-time national champion, however, didn’t take the news positively. On February 6, he criticized the wrestling program at the University of Iowa, or, more specifically, its NIL initiative. Calling out the program, he wrote on X, “Don’t forget, fellas, you can’t buy a national title. Those are earned. Have a good night. 🤝🏽” The criticism was directed at UI’s NIL support, which might have influenced Bassett’s choice to commit.

But in the shared history of Penn State and the Hawkeyes, it was another verbal shot against the opponent. Well, AJ Ferrari’s brother remained straightforward. On February 10, Bassett shared a reel on Instagram. The topic of the reel had been his development as a wrestler on the mat. Also, the clip had scenes like his pictures with PSU coach Cael Sanderson and Hawkeyes’ coach Tom Brands. But by then, his commitment to the Hawkeyes was already on the news. And there was someone to celebrate his joining – Angelo Ferrari. 

Ferrari is one of the top prospects from 2024, who has a positive feeling about Bassett’s entry into the Hawkeyes. In the comment box, he let his emotions be revealed. He subsequently wrote, “Let’s go! Can’t wait to work with you brotha 💪.” In the past, he found himself in a situation akin to Bassett’s this year—picking the best program for his needs amidst the options available. His decision to join the Hawkeyes turned out to be a wise one. Bo is on the same route now. He has made his first step by signing up for the Hawkeyes.

Will it turn out to be a positive experience for him in the days ahead? Let us know what you think below.