Whose name pops into your mind when you think of the ‘face’ of Iowa athletics in the past few years? There’s a good chance it would be women’s basketball icon Caitlin Clark. From carrying the tag of one of the ‘greatest’ college basketball players to winning an ESPY almost immediately after turning pro, Clark’s fame remains unmatched. However, Bo Bassett could be well on his way to becoming the next face of the Hawkeyes.
The high school wrestling prodigy became the MVP of all NCAA prospects with the steering wheel in his hands. He spent months scratching off big names from his college list while racking up wins. It wasn’t until February 2025 that the Bishop McCort student chose Iowa. “BOOOOOMMMMM! Iowa lands Bo Bassett,” wrote Hawkeye Source. The hype was unreal.
Bassett proved himself as the best wrestler in the nation, becoming the #1 pound-for-pound recruit. “HUGE GET FOR THE HAWKEYES,” added the Instagram page. Yet, despite a full NCAA championship cycle to go before Bassett can even join the NCAA team in the competition, the Bishop McCort junior is already on a mission to bolster Iowa’s ranks.
“I’m texting guys who aren’t committed yet, I’m like, ‘Hey, we get you, we can do this,’ kind of planting that seed in these guys’ ear,” Bo Bassett told Eli McKown. Now you may ask: Why? Well, it’s because joining the Hawkeyes was a dream come true for the high school wrestler on a 110+ match winning streak. Don’t take my word for it; Bassett said it himself.
“I think this is a dream,” he told reporters as per Yahoo News. In the later stages of selecting which program he would commit to, the U20 US Open winner didn’t shy away from expressing his wish to become the face of the wrestling program, one that he could help revive.
Bo Bassett wants to usher in the glory days
While the wrestler undoubtedly desires to put Iowa on the top, there’s a lot more going on here than just wanting to become the face of the program. Growing up in Pennsylvania, the high school wrestler idolized Hawkeyes icons such as Spencer Lee, Michael Kemerer, Max Murin, and Kaleb Young. Among those heroes, Olympic medalist Spencer Lee is now technically his teammate.
All this excitement is already hyping up Bo Bassett to put on the Iowa colors. “I can’t even imagine that first run out in Carver-Hawkeye (Arena), but I’m excited for it. I think about it a lot.” the high school prodigy told Eli McKown. For the last 15 years, Penn State has dominated the championships. After winning the team title in 2010, Iowa had to wait 11 years before winning another.
Even that wasn’t a breakthrough, as we have gone right back to Penn State ruling the NCAA landscape. Bassett wants to help Iowa make that breakthrough again and keep the lead this time. “I do want to eventually, someday, be one of those guys that the young guys that are future Hawks can say, ‘Hey, I want to be like that guy,’” he confessed. However, taking Iowa to the top is an equal priority for Bassett.
So moving forward, Bo Bassett’s mantra is a simple one. “Let’s get back to that top spot and let’s keep putting titles together,” said the McCort Crusher member. However, with fresh talent pouring into Penn State, including Masanosuke Ono, who beat Spencer Lee in Paris, it’ll be a monumental task to dethrone the Lions from their perch.
The post Eyeing Caitlin Clark’s Fame, Iowa’s Wrestling Sensation Bo Bassett Takes Up an Exciting Role for His College appeared first on EssentiallySports.