From Westfield High School Wrestling Star to Ivy League Champion, CJ Composto Has Become a Three-Time All-American

When CJ Composto walked off the mat as a three-time NCAA All-American last Saturday in Cleveland, finishing in seventh place at 141 pounds in the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships, after finishing eight and fourth, respectively, in 2022 and 2025, it marked not just the culmination of a college career, but the continuation of a journey that began years earlier in New Jersey.

His final run, capped by a gritty path through the consolation bracket and a pin in the seventh-place match, served as a reminder that his success at the University of Pennsylvania was rooted in a foundation built long before he reached the Ivy League.

High School: Building a Contender in New Jersey’s Crucible

At Westfield High School, Composto traveled a demanding path, one shaped by incremental gains, postseason lessons, and eventual statewide recognition. Wrestling in one of the nation’s toughest regions, he didn’t simply arrive as a star; he became one through steady progression.

Freshman Foundation

Composto entered the Blue Devils’ varsity lineup as a freshman during the 2016-17 season and immediately showed he could compete at a high level. Wrestling at 106 pounds, Composto compiled a 25-1 record, an eye-opening debut that established him as one of the area’s top young wrestlers. Though he fell short of the state podium, the experience proved invaluable, offering a preview of what was to come.

Sophomore Surge

By his sophomore season, Composto’s growth was undeniable. He went 25-2, captured a Union County Tournament title, and earned All-Conference honors. More significantly, he broke through on the state stage, finishing fifth at the NJSIAA Championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City in to securing his first state medal. It was the moment when he transitioned from promising talent to legitimate contender.

Junior Peak

His junior year represented the pinnacle of his high school career. Wrestling at 126 pounds, Composto went a perfect 20-0 against a loaded schedule and powered his way to a third-place finish at the state championships in Atlantic City. The performance solidified him as one of New Jersey’s elite and made him a two-time state medalist.

Accolades and Leadership

Composto’s impact extended beyond individual success. He helped lead Westfield to three consecutive regional championships from 2017 to 2019, earning three regional titles of his own while serving as a team captain for three seasons. He was named two-time Union County Conference Wrestler of the Year and proved equally dangerous in freestyle competition, winning a New Jersey Freestyle State Championship and placing fifth at the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Junior Nationals. His selection to the New Jersey Junior National Freestyle Team further highlighted his standing among the state’s best.

Senior Season Cut Short

With momentum squarely on his side, Composto entered his senior year as a legitimate state title contender. Instead, injury halted his season before it could truly begin as a knee injury robbed him of a final opportunity to chase a championship and leaving him with a career record of 70-3 over three seasons, with the promise of more left unrealized.

College: Persistence Tested at the Highest Level

That unfinished feeling, in many ways, carried into his collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania. But his path in Philadelphia was also was anything but straightforward. Continuing knee issues sidelined him for stretches, and the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out what would have been his first season. Time stretched his career, placing him in the unusual position of competing as a 24-year-old in a college sport built on rapid turnover.

“I wasn’t going to come back for this year, but it was almost like I didn’t have a choice because of the relationships I made with my teammates at Penn,” Composto told nj.com. “It wasn’t as much I needed to stay as I can’t leave these guys, I’m just here for my team.”

Battling Through Setbacks

Yet Composto endured, and more than that, he excelled. Across multiple seasons, he found ways to break through at the NCAA Championships, culminating in three All-American finishes. His final tournament run encapsulated his career marked by an early loss, a fight through the back side, and a refusal to let the season end short of the podium.

The Mental Grind

It was as much a mental battle as a physical one. That perspective anchored him through a season filled with doubt and reflection, as he balanced the realities of life beyond wrestling with the pull of one last All-American run.

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