Northwestern University Athletics
Storniolo Signs Six to Join Class of 2021
4/13/2017 10:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern wrestling head coach Matt Storniolo announced the addition of six wrestlers to join the program for the 2017-18 season.
The Class of 2021 is comprised of Tyler Morland (Brighton, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central), Yahya Thomas (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel), Dylan Utterback (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield), Colin Valdiviez (Lee's Summit, Mo./Rockhurst), Jack Tolin (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton), and Micah Krueger (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa).
The 'Cats add a top-100 wrestler and the eighth-ranked 170-pounder in the nation in Morland. Additionally, he was the 2016 and 2017 Michigan State Champion and is ranked one of the top-five pound-for-pound senior wrestlers in the state. The Brighton, Michigan, native is a three-time district, county, and regional champion, and compiled a career varsity record of 113-16. A two-sport athlete, he was a two-time All-Conference selection at linebacker.
A Chicago native, Thomas joins the Northwestern program from Mount Carmel, the alma mater of former wrestler and current undergraduate assistant Bryce Brill. Thomas earned All-State and All-America distinctions while wrestling in high school, finished in third-place at the state championships in 2016, and was ranked the third-best 145-pound 3A wrestler in the state.
Northwestern is welcoming another Chicagoland product in Utterback. The Deerfield, Illinois, native made his mark in prep wrestling, reaching the regional and conference championships and qualifying for State. Overall at Deerfield, he went 89-16 and the Warriors registered a fourth-place finish at State in 2017.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is adding Valdiviez from the Show Me State. He had a dazzling high school career, finishing with a 178-10 record while setting the Rockhurst program record for wins. The Lee's Summit, Missouri, native made back-to-back trips to the State final in his final two high school years, and took home the title to wrap up his junior campaign.
The program adds Tolin, who is ranked among the top 132-pound wrestlers in the state of Indiana. He was a two-time regional champion and a three-time sectional champion with Chesterton and placed sixth at the 2015-16 IHSAA Championships.
Finally, he #B1GCats welcome their third Illinois product of the class in Krueger. The all-time career and single-season win record holder at Ottawa, he twice placed at State and was named to the Academic All-State Team.
Complete biographies of the signees are available below.
Tyler Morland
5-10 • 174
Brighton, Mich. // Detroit Catholic Central
High School: Four-year wrestler for Detroit Catholic Central, the 2017 state champions … Wrestled at both 171- and 189-pound weight classes … Ranked top-100 in his class by FloWrestling and Intermat ... Eighth-ranked 170-pound wrestler nationally in the Class of 2017 ... Compiled a career varsity record of 113-16 … State champion in 2016 … Third-place finisher at State in 2015 … Twice named to All-Metro team … Named County Wrestler of the Year and Metro Wrestler of the Year … Three-time district, county, and regional champion … Medina Invite champion … 2016 Freestyle & Greco-Roman state champion … 2016 Fargo Freestyle All-American … Also played football at Detroit Catholic Central … Was a team captain and a two-time All-Conference selection at linebacker … Member of Honor Roll and National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Tyler Bruce Morland … Son of Kelli and Mark Morland … Chose Northwestern over Michigan State, Stanford, Purdue, and Penn … Anticipated major is undecided.
Yahya Thomas
5-6 • 150
Chicago, Ill. // Mount Carmel
High School: Three-year varsity member and team captain for Mount Carmel … Coached by former All-American Alex Tsirtsis … Posted a 40-5 record his junior year … Won All-State and All-America … Team took third place at State in 2016 … Member of the Harvey Twisters club for ten years … Member of the honor roll and National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Yahya A. Thomas … Son of Bilquis and Ismail Thomas … Was a teammate of current undergraduate assistant Bryce Brill at Mount Carmel … Chose Northwestern over Columbia, Penn, Old Dominion, Chicago, and Northern Illinois … Anticipated major is materials science and engineering.
Dylan Utterback
5-5 • 125
Deerfield, Ill. // Deerfield
High School: Wrestled all four years and was named a captain under head coach Marc Pechter … Named all-conference … Both a regional and conference champion … State qualifier … Notched an 89-16 career record … Deerfield made the "Elite Eight" in 2015 and finished fourth in 2017 … The Warriors were three-time regional champs during his tenure … Also ran one year of cross country … Wrestled for Team Poeta in club competition … Squad was 2015 Club Cup Champions … High Honor Roll, State Scholar, Scholar Athlete, and Honor Society Member.
Personal: Born Dylan Thomas Utterback … Son of Julie and Joel Utterback … An Eagle Scout … Chose Northwestern over Chicago … Anticipated major is mechanical engineering.
Colin Valdiviez
5-7 • 140
Lee's Summit, Mo. // Rockhurst
High School: Wrestled for four years under head coach Armond Aaron … Was named a captain … Notched a school-record 178 wins compared to only 10 losses … His 383 career takedowns for Rockhurst are also a school record … State champion his junior year and State runner-up his senior year … Took fourth place at State his sophomore campaign … Three-time District Champion … Wrestled for four years for the Greater Heights Wrestling Club … Finished in sixth place at the Super 32 Challenge … Placed third at the UWW Cadet World Team Trials … Twice named a Gold Medalist at the Cadet Pan-Am Games … Two-time member of the All-Metro first-team … Participated in both the Missouri vs. Kansas Metro Classic and Missouri Border Brawl All-Star competitions … Academically, was a two-time first honors-recipient and a four-time second-honors winner.
Personal: Born Colin Mitchell Valdiviez … Son of Rachel and Jon Valdiviez … Chose Northwestern over Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio State … Anticipated major is undecided.
Jack Tolin
5-5 • 144
Chesterton, Ind. // Chesterton
High School: Wrestled all four years for the Chesterton High School varsity team … Wrestled at 106, 120, and 132 lb. weight classes … Team captain both his junior and senior years … 2015-16 team MVP … Led team in wins in 2015-16 … Michigan City News-Dispatch Wrestler of the Year … Two-time Regional Champion … Three-time Sectional Champion … Two-time All-Conference selection … Sixth-place finisher at 2015-16 IHSAA Championships at 132 lbs … Scholar-Athlete each of his four years … 2016 Academic All-State … Student Government Representative and Treasurer … Member of National Honor Society … Wrestled for Region Wrestling Academy since 2010 … Three-time ISWA Team State Champions … USAW Top 50 Club.
Personal: Born Jack Foster Tolin … Son of Roseanne and Hal Tolin … Has one older sister and two younger brothers, as well as one dog named Ferris … Chose Northwestern over Wisconsin, Brown, Bucknell, NYU, and Williams … Anticipated major is economics.
Micah Krueger
5-8 • 140
Ottawa, Ill. // Ottawa
High School: Wrestled for four years under head coach Peter Marx … Named a captain … All-time career and single-season win record holder for the Pirates … Helped lead Ottawa to Regional and Conference Championships in 2017 … Two-time IHSA State Placer … 2017 Times Wrestler of the Year … Four-time Times All-Area Team Member … Twice named All-State … Academic All-State Wrestling Team … IHSA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year Nominee … Competed in the Illinois-Indiana All-Star Classic … Wrestled for Overtime School of Wrestling for four years … Two-time Illinois National Team Member … Northern Plains Regional Finalist … Central Regional Finalist … National Honor Society Member … Illinois Principal Association Award Winner … NewsTribune All-Academic Team … IHSA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year nominee.
Personal: Born Micah L. Krueger … Son of Shari and Matthew Krueger … Father wrestled at Wheaton College … Chose Northwestern over Columbia, Penn, Chicago, and Illinois … Anticipated major is economics.
The Class of 2021 is comprised of Tyler Morland (Brighton, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central), Yahya Thomas (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel), Dylan Utterback (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield), Colin Valdiviez (Lee's Summit, Mo./Rockhurst), Jack Tolin (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton), and Micah Krueger (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa).
The 'Cats add a top-100 wrestler and the eighth-ranked 170-pounder in the nation in Morland. Additionally, he was the 2016 and 2017 Michigan State Champion and is ranked one of the top-five pound-for-pound senior wrestlers in the state. The Brighton, Michigan, native is a three-time district, county, and regional champion, and compiled a career varsity record of 113-16. A two-sport athlete, he was a two-time All-Conference selection at linebacker.
A Chicago native, Thomas joins the Northwestern program from Mount Carmel, the alma mater of former wrestler and current undergraduate assistant Bryce Brill. Thomas earned All-State and All-America distinctions while wrestling in high school, finished in third-place at the state championships in 2016, and was ranked the third-best 145-pound 3A wrestler in the state.
Northwestern is welcoming another Chicagoland product in Utterback. The Deerfield, Illinois, native made his mark in prep wrestling, reaching the regional and conference championships and qualifying for State. Overall at Deerfield, he went 89-16 and the Warriors registered a fourth-place finish at State in 2017.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is adding Valdiviez from the Show Me State. He had a dazzling high school career, finishing with a 178-10 record while setting the Rockhurst program record for wins. The Lee's Summit, Missouri, native made back-to-back trips to the State final in his final two high school years, and took home the title to wrap up his junior campaign.
The program adds Tolin, who is ranked among the top 132-pound wrestlers in the state of Indiana. He was a two-time regional champion and a three-time sectional champion with Chesterton and placed sixth at the 2015-16 IHSAA Championships.
Finally, he #B1GCats welcome their third Illinois product of the class in Krueger. The all-time career and single-season win record holder at Ottawa, he twice placed at State and was named to the Academic All-State Team.
Complete biographies of the signees are available below.
Tyler Morland
5-10 • 174
Brighton, Mich. // Detroit Catholic Central
High School: Four-year wrestler for Detroit Catholic Central, the 2017 state champions … Wrestled at both 171- and 189-pound weight classes … Ranked top-100 in his class by FloWrestling and Intermat ... Eighth-ranked 170-pound wrestler nationally in the Class of 2017 ... Compiled a career varsity record of 113-16 … State champion in 2016 … Third-place finisher at State in 2015 … Twice named to All-Metro team … Named County Wrestler of the Year and Metro Wrestler of the Year … Three-time district, county, and regional champion … Medina Invite champion … 2016 Freestyle & Greco-Roman state champion … 2016 Fargo Freestyle All-American … Also played football at Detroit Catholic Central … Was a team captain and a two-time All-Conference selection at linebacker … Member of Honor Roll and National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Tyler Bruce Morland … Son of Kelli and Mark Morland … Chose Northwestern over Michigan State, Stanford, Purdue, and Penn … Anticipated major is undecided.
Yahya Thomas
5-6 • 150
Chicago, Ill. // Mount Carmel
High School: Three-year varsity member and team captain for Mount Carmel … Coached by former All-American Alex Tsirtsis … Posted a 40-5 record his junior year … Won All-State and All-America … Team took third place at State in 2016 … Member of the Harvey Twisters club for ten years … Member of the honor roll and National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Yahya A. Thomas … Son of Bilquis and Ismail Thomas … Was a teammate of current undergraduate assistant Bryce Brill at Mount Carmel … Chose Northwestern over Columbia, Penn, Old Dominion, Chicago, and Northern Illinois … Anticipated major is materials science and engineering.
Dylan Utterback
5-5 • 125
Deerfield, Ill. // Deerfield
High School: Wrestled all four years and was named a captain under head coach Marc Pechter … Named all-conference … Both a regional and conference champion … State qualifier … Notched an 89-16 career record … Deerfield made the "Elite Eight" in 2015 and finished fourth in 2017 … The Warriors were three-time regional champs during his tenure … Also ran one year of cross country … Wrestled for Team Poeta in club competition … Squad was 2015 Club Cup Champions … High Honor Roll, State Scholar, Scholar Athlete, and Honor Society Member.
Personal: Born Dylan Thomas Utterback … Son of Julie and Joel Utterback … An Eagle Scout … Chose Northwestern over Chicago … Anticipated major is mechanical engineering.
Colin Valdiviez
5-7 • 140
Lee's Summit, Mo. // Rockhurst
High School: Wrestled for four years under head coach Armond Aaron … Was named a captain … Notched a school-record 178 wins compared to only 10 losses … His 383 career takedowns for Rockhurst are also a school record … State champion his junior year and State runner-up his senior year … Took fourth place at State his sophomore campaign … Three-time District Champion … Wrestled for four years for the Greater Heights Wrestling Club … Finished in sixth place at the Super 32 Challenge … Placed third at the UWW Cadet World Team Trials … Twice named a Gold Medalist at the Cadet Pan-Am Games … Two-time member of the All-Metro first-team … Participated in both the Missouri vs. Kansas Metro Classic and Missouri Border Brawl All-Star competitions … Academically, was a two-time first honors-recipient and a four-time second-honors winner.
Personal: Born Colin Mitchell Valdiviez … Son of Rachel and Jon Valdiviez … Chose Northwestern over Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio State … Anticipated major is undecided.
Jack Tolin
5-5 • 144
Chesterton, Ind. // Chesterton
High School: Wrestled all four years for the Chesterton High School varsity team … Wrestled at 106, 120, and 132 lb. weight classes … Team captain both his junior and senior years … 2015-16 team MVP … Led team in wins in 2015-16 … Michigan City News-Dispatch Wrestler of the Year … Two-time Regional Champion … Three-time Sectional Champion … Two-time All-Conference selection … Sixth-place finisher at 2015-16 IHSAA Championships at 132 lbs … Scholar-Athlete each of his four years … 2016 Academic All-State … Student Government Representative and Treasurer … Member of National Honor Society … Wrestled for Region Wrestling Academy since 2010 … Three-time ISWA Team State Champions … USAW Top 50 Club.
Personal: Born Jack Foster Tolin … Son of Roseanne and Hal Tolin … Has one older sister and two younger brothers, as well as one dog named Ferris … Chose Northwestern over Wisconsin, Brown, Bucknell, NYU, and Williams … Anticipated major is economics.
Micah Krueger
5-8 • 140
Ottawa, Ill. // Ottawa
High School: Wrestled for four years under head coach Peter Marx … Named a captain … All-time career and single-season win record holder for the Pirates … Helped lead Ottawa to Regional and Conference Championships in 2017 … Two-time IHSA State Placer … 2017 Times Wrestler of the Year … Four-time Times All-Area Team Member … Twice named All-State … Academic All-State Wrestling Team … IHSA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year Nominee … Competed in the Illinois-Indiana All-Star Classic … Wrestled for Overtime School of Wrestling for four years … Two-time Illinois National Team Member … Northern Plains Regional Finalist … Central Regional Finalist … National Honor Society Member … Illinois Principal Association Award Winner … NewsTribune All-Academic Team … IHSA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year nominee.
Personal: Born Micah L. Krueger … Son of Shari and Matthew Krueger … Father wrestled at Wheaton College … Chose Northwestern over Columbia, Penn, Chicago, and Illinois … Anticipated major is economics.
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