Nate Blanchette, (Central Catholic, MA), the Schwartz Report’s No. 2 pound-for-pound wrestler in New England, announced yesterday that he has committed to wrestle for Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, for the 2024-2025 season.
Blanchette, a rising senior at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is ranked 15th at 170lbs in FloWrestling’s National High School Rankings and a top five wrestler according to Matscouts—coming in at No. 4 nationally. He has been nothing but dominant throughout his high school career: winning two New England titles and, most recently, an NHSCA Junior title.
Rutgers was Blanchette's top choice amongst several powerhouse programs.
“Arizona State, Illinois, [Rutgers], Virginia, and West Virginia. Those were probably my top-five at one point” Blanchette told the Schwartz Report. He elaborated that it was the Scarlet Knights that stood out from the pack and felt like the right choice.
“All the facilities are brand new; I like the coaches and the teammates are cool. It’s just a good program and good school.”
Blanchette is no stranger to winning national competitions in combat sports as he has not only an NHSCA national title in wrestling but also a silver medal in judo from the 2021 21u US Open. He credits judo in part for his wrestling success.
“It definitely helps with my hips a lot,” Blanchette said. “I feel like I have really explosive hips, and it really helps with all my ties and throws.”