Rocco Welsh, TOM's No. 3 at 170 Pounds, is an Ohio State Buckeye

Junior Rocco Welsh (Pennsylvania) at the 2021 FloWrestling Who's #1 in Dallas, Texas, September 17-18. Photo by Sam Janicki (@SJanickiPhoto). 

Tom Ryan and the Ohio State Buckeyes got a shot in the arm yesterday, sneaking into Pennsylvania to secure a verbal commitment from TOM’s No. 2 at 170 pounds, Rocco Welsch of powerhouse Waynesburg Central (PA). Welsh is the first recruit in the Class of 2023 for the Bucks. 

Rocco made his college intentions known on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, October 13. 

“Go Buckeyes 🌰 

I am excited to announce that I will be furthering my academic and athletic career at The Ohio State University! This has been an exciting process of building relationships, considering incredible offers, and taking campus visits. Cya Soon Columbus! 🌰”

https://twitter.com/rocco_welsh/status/1448382195115204614

Rocco, a junior, has been growing like a weed throughout his high school career. He competed at 126 as a freshman for the Waynesburg Raiders. As a sophomore, he was at 152. This year, he has bumped up to 170 pounds. And, at the next level, Welsh projects as a 174/184-pounder. 

 Regardless of his weight, Rocco has put up some serious results. Welsh is a two-time PIAA state finalist and a Super 32 finalist as well. According to PA-Wrestling.com, his career record sits at 70-16 after two seasons. 

In his first foray at 170, FloWrestling’s 2021 Who’s #1 in Dallas, Texas, Rocco looked fantastic competing in the four-person super bracket last month. In round one, Rocco took out then-No.1 Manny Rojas of Michigan in convincing fashion, 6-4. In his second bout of the night, he dropped an overtime decision to the nation’s No. 1 prospect at the weight, Gabe Arnold of Wyoming Seminary, 2-1. The match was an absolute war.

Needless to say, the stock on the future Buckeye is undoubtedly on the rise after his showing at WNO. Welsh has a unique combination of speed and strength that has never lessened as he went up in weight. He has the strength of an upper weight, but the quickness of a lighter weight. 

https://twitter.com/sammysasso/status/1448411709702541314

Welsh is the latest in a string of elite OSU wrestling commitments. Welsh will be joining top Class of 2022 prospects No. 1 Nic Bouzakis (132) and No. 1 Nick Feldman (285) in Columbus.

And, if Rocco has it his way, close friend and Young Guns Wrestling Club teammate Vinny Killkeary (Latrobe, PA) will be joining him in Buckeye country. Kilkeary is TOM’s No. 3-rated prospect at 113. Kilkeary is also a Class of 2023 prospect. 

We’ll get to see many of these future Big Ten Buckeyes in action later this month against the best in the country at Super 32 on October 23 and 24 in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

Things are certainly looking up in Columbus. 



Back to articles