Anthony Echemendia defends not transferring as portal goes crazy in college wrestling

Iowa State wrestler explains why he has nothing but love for Iowa State

Anthony Echemendia explains why he isn't entering the transfer portal and returning to Iowa State to wrestle. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the transfer portal goes crazy in college athletics, there are players sticking it out. One of those is Anthony Echemendia, an Iowa State All-American last year who had this past season cut short due to an injury.

Echemendia came to the Cyclone program following two years spent at Ohio State. He wrestled in five matches as a true freshman before a knee injury ended his season. 

But unlike one would believe, Echemendia did not transfer from Ohio State. He explained on social media just what happened and ultimately led him to Ames.

“I didn’t enter the transfer portal when I was at Ohio State,” he wrote. “They kicked me out without the case being resolved, homeless, with no money, and looked at as a criminal. Justice came through. It takes courage to forgive and that’s why I love ISU wrestling.

“What a program Iowa State and its stuff, after leaving them once, they still believed in my innocence and gave me a chance to show Cyclone family what kind of person I am. People are more important than money and that’s why I stick with my Cyclone family.”

Echemendia was a 2019 Junior Fargo tournament winner in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, following that up by going 52-0 and winning a state title at Sunnyside High School in Arizona. He was a two-time Senior Freestyle medalist in the Cuba Nationals in 2017 and ‘18.

Last year for the Cyclones, Echemendia was fifth at the NCAA Championships and won a Big 12 title at 141 pounds. He finished the year 24-6 overall, winning 18 of his final 21 matches.

“My records are clean. I’m still wrestling and making progress in life while some people are hating,” he posted. “You can hate, judge and make false accusations, but the good ones always end up on top. I wear the armor of God.”

Iowa State has lost 2024 All-American Casey Swiderski, Cody Chittum, Christian Carroll, Christian Stanek, two-time NCAA qualifier Zach Redding, three-time qualifier Kysen Terukina, Caden Schmidt and Cole Carlucci to the transfer portal.