InterMat recently released its Division I wrestling recruiting class rankings, and the University of Wisconsin's incoming freshmen class of nine recruits for the 2008-09 season was picked as the second-best class in the country.

The Badgers are one of three Big Ten schools within the top five recruiting classes. Border rival Minnesota took top honors while defending Big Ten and NCAA champion Iowa was fifth.

Earlier this summer, Wisconsin's incoming freshmen class, which includes three-time WIAA Division 2 state champion Cole Schmitt of New Glarus, who competed for the Sugar River co-op program, was ranked fourth in the country by W.I.N. Magazine.

The other members of the Badgers' freshmen class include: Tyler Graff, (Loveland, Colo.); Andrew Howe (Cedar Lake, Ind.); Ben Jordan (St. Paris, Ohio); Travis Rutt (Jackson County, Minn.); Trey Bertram (Hastings, Minn.); Tom Kelliher (Apple Valley, Minn.); James Duffy (Naperville, Ill.); and Brad Nardick (Northbrook, Ill.).

Five of the incoming freshmen were also ranked in the top 20 of their respective weight class in InterMat's Final All-Class High School Rankings for the 2007-08 school year.

Jordan, a two-time state champion, was ranked fourth at 145 pounds. He is the son of former Badger and two-time NCAA Champion Jim Jordan.

Graff and Howe were ranked third in the country at 130 and 160 pounds, respectively, while Rutt was 12th at 171 and Schmitt, who won the Division 2 state title at 145 as a senior, was 19th at 145 pounds.

Here is what InterMat wrote about UW head coach Barry Davis' 14th recruiting class:

"A very tough pick to separate #2 and #3, but Barry Davis' early class was aided by the additional depth. The stars of the class are Indiana's Andrew Howe, Colorado's Tyler Graff, Ohio's Ben Jordan, Minnesota's Travis Rutt and Wisconsin's Cole Schmitt."

STELLAR SENIORS
In addition to Schmitt, other Wisconsin seniors from the Class of 2008 who will be competing in college include:

Division I
** Four-time state champion Bobby Wunnicke of Dodgeville, who won the Division 2 state title at 125 pounds as a senior, will compete at Northern Illinois.

Division II
** Two-time Division 1 placewinner Ryan Dougherty of Stoughton, will compete at St. Cloud (Minn.) State. He was fourth in Division 1 at 171 pounds at state as a senior.

Division III
** Justin Garcia of Verona Area, who was third at state in Division 1 at 135 pounds, will compete at UW-La Crosse.

** Unbeaten Division 2 171-pound state champion Grant Miller of Dodgeville (52-0) will compete at UW-La Crosse.

** Chris Sokol of Lodi, who was fifth in Division 2 at 112 pounds and led the Blue Devils to the Division 2 team state title, will compete at the University of Dubuque.