Mon Apr 07 18:30:00 UTC 2025: ## National Champion Wrestler AJ Ferrari Transfers to North Carolina
**CHAPEL HILL, NC** – Two-time NCAA All-American and 2021 national champion AJ Ferrari announced his commitment to the University of North Carolina wrestling team, the program announced Monday. Ferrari, who most recently competed for Cal State Bakersfield, chose the Tar Heels over a highly competitive list of suitors including Rutgers, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Iowa, Iowa State, and Michigan.
Ferrari’s collegiate journey has been marked by both extraordinary success and significant setbacks. After winning a national title as a freshman at Oklahoma State, he suffered serious injuries in a car accident. A subsequent felony sexual battery charge, later dismissed, further disrupted his career. He did not wrestle collegiately in the 2022-23 or 2023-24 seasons before joining Cal State Bakersfield.
The highly touted wrestler placed third nationally at the recent NCAA tournament for CSUB. He will join another notable transfer, Kysen Terukina (Iowa State), bolstering the Tar Heels’ lineup under the guidance of head coach Rob Koll, a 1988 national champion for UNC and former Cornell head coach. Koll’s history of developing champions has undoubtedly made UNC an attractive option for Ferrari.
Ferrari’s remaining eligibility is unclear, potentially ranging from two to three years depending on a possible medical redshirt for the 2021-22 season. Regardless, his addition is a major coup for the North Carolina wrestling program, signaling a surge in their ambitions for the upcoming season. UNC assistant coach Tony Ramos hinted at the significance of this recruitment on social media last week, suggesting a considerable boost to the team’s prospects.
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