AJ Ferrari of CSU Bakersfield wrestles Stephen Buchanan of Iowa during the semifinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
AJ Ferrari, the former NCAA wrestling champion who reached the semifinals this year in his return to college wrestling, lists Penn State among the eight teams he is considering for his next stop. Ferrari, who entered the transfer portal after the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships, will announce his transfer destination Monday on FloWrestling Radio Live.
According to FloWrestling, Ferrari has compiled a list of eight potential teams: Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Iowa State, Rutgers, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Michigan. Ferrari is scheduled to announce his transfer decision during an 11 a.m. ET appearance.
Don’t miss FloWrestling Radio Live tomorrow at 11:00 am Eastern! AJ Ferrari will call in to announce his college home for next season!
AJ’s TOP 8 SCHOOLS: Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, North Carolina@mrfasttwitch pic.twitter.com/cikUH7JK89
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) April 6, 2025
Ferrari is among the most dynamic personalities in college wrestling. He wrestled last season at California State University, Bakersfield, making the NCAA semifinals at 197 pounds after more than two years off the mat. Ferrari lost to eventual champ Stephen Buchanan of Iowa and placed third to finish the season at 21-1. According to CSUB wrestling, Ferrari helped generate more than 20 million social media views for the program last season.
Ferrari began his college career at Oklahoma State, where he won the 2021 NCAA title at 197 pounds as a freshman. He was 10-0 as a sophomore in the 2021-22 season before being involved in a car accident that ended his season.
In 2022, Oklahoma police charged Ferrari with felony sexual battery. Oklahoma State had dismissed Ferrari from the program prior to the charges, which were dismissed in 2023. Ferrari committed to Iowa for the 2023-24 season (his brother Angelo was a freshman with the Hawkeyes last season) but ultimately did not join the program. He then enrolled at CSU Bakersfield for the 2024-25 season.
Ferrari, known for the splits he does after bouts, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal March 26. It’s unclear how many seasons of eligibility he has remaining; Ferrari said “2-3” in his announcement.
Man what a Journey it’s been at Cal State Bakersfield.I am so thankful for Cal State Bakersfield.I am entering the portal today and am considering all opportunities.
I still have 2-3 years of eligibility left. I am starving for success on and off the wrestling mat. 🏎️🏎️💨💨 pic.twitter.com/8eYKoCewla
— AJ Ferrari (@mrfasttwitch) March 26, 2025
“Business is business, here to perform, show out,” Ferrari said before the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. “Here to have fun, embrace the spotlight. I love performing, wrestling at the highest level. Show them the best, win the national title at 197 and win two, three more. I want to cement my legacy, have fun, give God all the glory. Super grateful for all the support I have all throughout the world. A lot of prayers, big support system is why I’m here.”
Penn State would be an interesting choice for Ferrari, considering the Nittany Lions already have one of the nation’s best wrestlers at the weight class. Josh Barr finished his first season in Penn State’s lineup with a 20-4 record and an NCAA silver medal.
As a redshirt freshman, Barr reached the NCAA final, ultimately falling to Buchanan 5-2. Barr was among Penn State’s best stories at NCAAs, where he wrestled two weeks after sustaining an injury at the Big Ten Championships that forced him to take two injury defaults in the consolation rounds. On the mat, Barr lost only to Buchanan last season.
Penn State already has added a top-line transfer in Ohio State’s Rocco Welsh, who placed second at 174 pounds in 2024. In addition, three Nittany Lions have transferred to Oklahoma State, including freshman Zack Ryder, who wrestles at 184 pounds, the weight class where Welsh has said he will compete for Penn State.
Penn State won its fourth straight team title at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, placing 10 wrestlers as All-Americans and eight in the top three.
