Blacksburg – Virginia Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie announced that three top nationally-ranked student-athletes signed their National Letter of Intent and are ready to call Blacksburg home for the foreseeable future.
With another stellar recruiting class under his belt, Robie continues to build upon an already impressive, talent-laden wrestling room with NCAA trophy aspirations. Despite the last two years' unprecedented recruiting landscape due to COVID, the new Hokie additions only bolster a team that Robie and staff continue to meticulously put together in Blacksburg.
"With the extended dead period because of COVID, constructing this recruiting class required a lot more patience than is typically required. In the end we could not be more excited about these three guys. They have all had tremendous success on the national wrestling circuit and are guys that we targeted from day one of the process," Robie notes.
All highly touted prospects – Caleb Henson, TJ Stewart, and Tom Crook – will come to Blacksburg with superb high school resumés across their respective careers. The trio all rank in the top-50 of their class according to Flowrestling and Intermat – Henson ranked No. 1 at 152-pounds, Stewart at No. 1 at 182-pounds, and Crook at No. 6 at 138-pounds to round out the 2022 recruiting class.
Caleb Henson
Cartersville, GA
Woodland High School
Rankings:
- #1 – 152 (Flowrestling)
- #6 Pound-for-Pound (Flowrestling)
- #4 – Class of 2022 Big Board (Flowrestling)
Prep:
- 2021 Super 32 Champion
- 2021 Junior National Freestyle Champion
- 2021 Flowrestling Who's #1 Winner
- Two-time Georgia state champion and one-time runner-up
- Two-time UWW Cadet All-American
- Two-time Fargo Cadet All-American
Caleb Henson brings a plethora of accolades to the Hokies wrestling room - finding the top of the podium in every prestigious competition throughout his high school career. A transcendent talent, Henson has proven he's ready for the collegiate scene as he recently won the 149-pound open division title at the 2021 Southeast Open.
From Coach Robie: "We are all very excited about the addition of Caleb to our program. Caleb could have gone almost anywhere he wanted; he's among the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the country. He fits perfectly into the culture that we have created here and believe that is a big reason he chose Virginia Tech. He's an elite athlete with a huge motor and can score points in a lot of different ways. He has a tremendously high wrestling IQ and is college ready. Can't wait to see him in maroon and orange."
Thomas Stewart, Jr.
Triangle, VA
Blair Academy
Rankings:
- #1 – 182 (Flowrestling & Intermat)
- #11 – Pound-for-pound (Intermat)
- #10 – Class of 2022 Big Board (Intermat)
Prep:
- 2021 Junior National freestyle champion at 182-pounds
- 2021 Flowrestling Who's #1 Winner
- 2020 National Prep Finalist at 182-pounds
- 2019 Cadet National freestyle champion at 160-pounds
- 2019 NHSCA champion at 160-pounds
- Fargo Cadet Double All-American
Thomas Stewart, Jr. staked his claim as the top recruit at his weight, dominating his way to a Fargo title and a showman performance at the premier Who's #1 showcase hosted by Flowrestling. An explosive athlete with high wrestling IQ acumen, it's no surprise why Stewart is in the top-20 pound-for-pound national rankings.
From Coach Robie: "TJ's overall athleticism is at an elite level. He is among the most talented recruits in the nation this year and is really just starting to hit his peak. He possesses great lateral speed, is tremendously explosive from space and has elite strength in his hips. In addition to his physical gifts, he is also a high-character guy with great work ethic. The sky is the limit for TJ at Virginia Tech."
Tom Crook
Tampa, FL
Tampa Jesuit
Rankings:
- #6 – 138-pounds (Flowrestling)
- #44 – Class of 2022 Big Board (Intermat)
Prep:
- Three-time Florida state champion
- 161-0 varsity record in first three years
- 2021 Florida Dairy Farmer's Mr. Wrestling
- 2021 Grappler Fall Classic champion
- 2021 Super 32 placer at 138-pounds
Three-time Florida state champion and Super 32 placer, Tom Crook, rounds out the 2022 recruiting class for the Hokies. Crowned the 2021 Florida Dairy Farmer's Mr. Wrestling as the top wrestler in the state, Crook enters his senior season campaign with an impressive 161-0 career mark and looks to cap off his high school career with his fourth state title before coming to Blacksburg.
From Coach Robie: "Tom Crook is a great high school wrestler but I really believe that his best days are in front of him. His style of wrestling translates really well to the college level. With great leg attacks, the ability to hold guys down from the top position and a huge motor, he consistently grinds out wins against high level competition. Tom is very intelligent with a high wrestling IQ; as a staff we love his competitive spirit on the mat. I believe that Tom will flourish in our system working with Coach Brewer and our light weights."