Bo Bassett, nation's top wrestling prospect, commits to Iowa: 'Iowa is an empire'

Andrew Nemec | Feb 4, 2025

Bo Bassett on a visit to Iowa / Courtesy of Bo Bassett

Eight seconds.

It was a monumental, albeit quick, day for Bishop McCort (Pennsylvania) junior wrestler Bo Bassett, the nation's No. 1 recruit.

Ahead of Bassett's college commitment - one of the most anticipated recruiting announcements in state history - it took him eight seconds to pin his opponent, setting the stage for his commitment live on FloWrestling.

At the time of his commitment, more than 35,000 people were watching the livestream.

Down to a final four of Iowa, Oklahoma State, Penn State and Virginia Tech, the 144-pounder announced his commitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

"Maybe it wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right decision," he said during the commitment stream. "And I'm eager to be a Hawk. Iowa is an empire."

Bassett's resume is the stuff of legends.

He won a bronze medal at the 2024 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Spain (65-kg weight class) in September, a gold at the U20 Pan American Championships this summer and was the 2021 U17 gold medalist.

Iowa fans can watch Bassett in action here - with his complete U20 Pan American Games gold medal run: