Four Highly-Touted Wrestlers to Join Northwestern
11/13/2017 3:24:00 PM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. — Three top-70 recruits highlight Northwestern wrestling's early signing class, head coach Matt Storniolo announced Monday.
The Class of 2022 is comprised of Erich Byelick (Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep), Lucas Davison (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton), Jack Jessen (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook), and Matt Vinci (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic).
"We are extremely excited about the four future student-athletes we signed early to this class," said Storniolo. "They are a talented group of wrestlers and even better people. We can't wait to get them on campus next fall."
The Wildcats welcome a pair of top-50 recruits in the Class of 2022 in Jessen and Byelick.
Jessen, ranked No. 35 by FloWrestling, is a #HOMEGROWN product from Villa Park, Illinois. A three-time all-state wrestler, he is the reigning Greco National Champion and owns a 149-7 record entering his senior season. An accomplished two-way football star as well for Willowbrook, he owns the school record for most touchdowns in a career and season.
Byelick is the 43rd-ranked wrestler in the nation, per FloWrestling. A three-time FHSAA state champion, he helped lead Lake Highland to being ranked the third-best team in the nation. The Orlando, Florida, native posts a remarkable 133-6 record entering his senior year.
Also joining Jessen and Byelick among the top-ranked recruits in the nation is Davison, a native of Chesterton, Indiana, and former teammate of current Wildcat Jack Tolin. Ranked 67th in the nation by FloWrestling, he helped lead Chesterton to a 2016-17 IHSAA State Runner-Up finish and, individually, was a state finalist the same season. He excels academically as well, twice receiving Academic All-State plaudits.
Finally, Northwestern wrestling welcomes Vinci out of San Diego, California. A New Jersey prep champion as an underclassman in high school, he was named Ultimate Summer Series Midway Freestyle Champion his senior year. Vinci has also been a member of the California National Team.
Full biographies for the signees are available below.
Erich Byelick
5-11 • 160
Orlando, Fla. // Lake Highland Prep
High School: Three-time FHSAA state champion … Combined 133-6 record entering his senior year … Lake Highland ranked third in the country … Two-time Super-32 placer … Iron Man placer … Wrestled for nine years for CFWA … Team finished third at Disney Duals … Honor Roll.
Personal: Son of Danny and Mayo … Full name is Erich David Byelick … Enjoys fishing … Intended majors at Northwestern are learning and organizational change and economics.
Lucas Davison
6-2 • 195
Chesterton, Ind. // Chesterton
High School: Four-time letter-winner for Chesterton … Team captain senior year … Amassed a 97-12 record for the Trojans entering senior year … Helped lead Chesterton to a 2016-17 IHSAA State Runner-Up … Cadet Fargo Double All-American … Junior Fargo Double All-American … 2016-17 IHSAA State Finalist … Super-32 Finalist in 2017 … Two-time All-DAC … Two-time Academic All-State … Member of Chesterton Wrestling Club … Student Government class treasurer … Principals Honor Roll … Academic All-State … Scholar Athlete.
Personal: Son of Keith and Jennifer … Full name is Lucas John Davison … Father was a two-time All-American and Big Ten Champion at 190 lbs. for Wisconsin … Brother, Andrew, wrestles for Michigan … Wrestled with Wildcat Jack Tolin in high school … Enjoys mountain biking … Intends to major in biology.
Jack Jessen
5-10 • 182
Villa Park, Ill. // Willowbrook
High School: Wrestled for four years and played four years of football at Willowbrook … Three-time All-State wrestler … Second-place finish junior year, third-place finish sophomore year, and second place finish freshman year … Posted a 149-7 record with 778 takedowns and 90 pins entering his senior season … Eight-time Fargo All-American, never finishing lower than fourth place, including 2017 Greco National Title … 2016 Second Place Finish at FILA Cadet World Trials … Wrestled on multiple Team Illinois national championship teams … All-state running back and linebacker his senior season … Set school records for touchdowns in a season (24), touchdowns in a career (54), and most tackles in a game (22) … Three-year National Honor Society member … Four-year Key Club member … Two-year student council member.
Personal: Son of Dennis and Bianca … Born Jack Earl Jessen … Enjoys fishing, lover of animals … Intends to major in pre-med or economics.
Matt Vinci
5-2 • 125
San Diego, Calif. // Cathedral Catholic
High School: Three-year letterwinner on the wrestling team … Captain for his senior season … Ultimate Summer Series Midway Freestyle Champion and Folkstyle Runner-up his senior season … Freakshow Runner-up … California National Team Member his junior year … Third place in Battle of the Midway … New Jersey Prep State Champion and National Prep All-American his freshman season … New Jersey National Team qualifier his sophomore year … Wrestled for the top-ranked Blair Academy team … Member of Team Puma … Winner of David Avery-Jones Freshman Prize at Blair Academy for academics and significant contributions to the school community … National Honor Society … California Scholarship Federation Member.
Personal: Son of Greg and Lauren … Born Matthew Gregory Vinci … Father is a Naval Civil Engineer Corps officer … Enjoys wave photography and surfing … Eagle Scout … Intended major is biomedical engineering.
The Class of 2022 is comprised of Erich Byelick (Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep), Lucas Davison (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton), Jack Jessen (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook), and Matt Vinci (San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic).
"We are extremely excited about the four future student-athletes we signed early to this class," said Storniolo. "They are a talented group of wrestlers and even better people. We can't wait to get them on campus next fall."
The Wildcats welcome a pair of top-50 recruits in the Class of 2022 in Jessen and Byelick.
Jessen, ranked No. 35 by FloWrestling, is a #HOMEGROWN product from Villa Park, Illinois. A three-time all-state wrestler, he is the reigning Greco National Champion and owns a 149-7 record entering his senior season. An accomplished two-way football star as well for Willowbrook, he owns the school record for most touchdowns in a career and season.
Byelick is the 43rd-ranked wrestler in the nation, per FloWrestling. A three-time FHSAA state champion, he helped lead Lake Highland to being ranked the third-best team in the nation. The Orlando, Florida, native posts a remarkable 133-6 record entering his senior year.
Also joining Jessen and Byelick among the top-ranked recruits in the nation is Davison, a native of Chesterton, Indiana, and former teammate of current Wildcat Jack Tolin. Ranked 67th in the nation by FloWrestling, he helped lead Chesterton to a 2016-17 IHSAA State Runner-Up finish and, individually, was a state finalist the same season. He excels academically as well, twice receiving Academic All-State plaudits.
Finally, Northwestern wrestling welcomes Vinci out of San Diego, California. A New Jersey prep champion as an underclassman in high school, he was named Ultimate Summer Series Midway Freestyle Champion his senior year. Vinci has also been a member of the California National Team.
Full biographies for the signees are available below.
Erich Byelick
5-11 • 160
Orlando, Fla. // Lake Highland Prep
High School: Three-time FHSAA state champion … Combined 133-6 record entering his senior year … Lake Highland ranked third in the country … Two-time Super-32 placer … Iron Man placer … Wrestled for nine years for CFWA … Team finished third at Disney Duals … Honor Roll.
Personal: Son of Danny and Mayo … Full name is Erich David Byelick … Enjoys fishing … Intended majors at Northwestern are learning and organizational change and economics.
Lucas Davison
6-2 • 195
Chesterton, Ind. // Chesterton
High School: Four-time letter-winner for Chesterton … Team captain senior year … Amassed a 97-12 record for the Trojans entering senior year … Helped lead Chesterton to a 2016-17 IHSAA State Runner-Up … Cadet Fargo Double All-American … Junior Fargo Double All-American … 2016-17 IHSAA State Finalist … Super-32 Finalist in 2017 … Two-time All-DAC … Two-time Academic All-State … Member of Chesterton Wrestling Club … Student Government class treasurer … Principals Honor Roll … Academic All-State … Scholar Athlete.
Personal: Son of Keith and Jennifer … Full name is Lucas John Davison … Father was a two-time All-American and Big Ten Champion at 190 lbs. for Wisconsin … Brother, Andrew, wrestles for Michigan … Wrestled with Wildcat Jack Tolin in high school … Enjoys mountain biking … Intends to major in biology.
Jack Jessen
5-10 • 182
Villa Park, Ill. // Willowbrook
High School: Wrestled for four years and played four years of football at Willowbrook … Three-time All-State wrestler … Second-place finish junior year, third-place finish sophomore year, and second place finish freshman year … Posted a 149-7 record with 778 takedowns and 90 pins entering his senior season … Eight-time Fargo All-American, never finishing lower than fourth place, including 2017 Greco National Title … 2016 Second Place Finish at FILA Cadet World Trials … Wrestled on multiple Team Illinois national championship teams … All-state running back and linebacker his senior season … Set school records for touchdowns in a season (24), touchdowns in a career (54), and most tackles in a game (22) … Three-year National Honor Society member … Four-year Key Club member … Two-year student council member.
Personal: Son of Dennis and Bianca … Born Jack Earl Jessen … Enjoys fishing, lover of animals … Intends to major in pre-med or economics.
Matt Vinci
5-2 • 125
San Diego, Calif. // Cathedral Catholic
High School: Three-year letterwinner on the wrestling team … Captain for his senior season … Ultimate Summer Series Midway Freestyle Champion and Folkstyle Runner-up his senior season … Freakshow Runner-up … California National Team Member his junior year … Third place in Battle of the Midway … New Jersey Prep State Champion and National Prep All-American his freshman season … New Jersey National Team qualifier his sophomore year … Wrestled for the top-ranked Blair Academy team … Member of Team Puma … Winner of David Avery-Jones Freshman Prize at Blair Academy for academics and significant contributions to the school community … National Honor Society … California Scholarship Federation Member.
Personal: Son of Greg and Lauren … Born Matthew Gregory Vinci … Father is a Naval Civil Engineer Corps officer … Enjoys wave photography and surfing … Eagle Scout … Intended major is biomedical engineering.
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