Arkansas Wrestle (All images via lrtrojans.com)
LITTLE ROCK – Head wrestling coach Neil Erisman has announced the addition of five newcomers to the Little Rock wrestling team, joining the roster for the 2023-24 season. Help the Trojans welcome incoming freshmen Nasir Bailey and Nico Lozano as well as transfers Michael Gasper, Odin Hicks, and Cole Minnick.
Read more about the newcomers below:
Nasir Bailey (Park Forest, Illinois)
The number one recruit in the nation in his class after winning the “Who’s Number One” tournament this past fall, Bailey is a huge grab for the Trojans and expected to make an immediate impact in the room. The Fargo, Ironman, and Illinois state champ has a host of accolades under his belt at all levels of competition, recently competing at 138 pounds. He will likely compete at 133 or 141, a few weights below older brother Bilal Bailey, who joined Little Rock last season.
Coach Erisman on Bailey – “Nasir is an unbelievable talent. He’s got skill, grit, determination and we’re super excited to have him. If he stays the course I believe he will be an unstoppable force for the Little Rock Trojans in the future.”
Michael Gasper (Clackamas Community College)
Joining the upper weights, Gasper helped Clackamas Community College wrestling team win the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship this past season, finishing as an All-American at 197 pounds for the second year in a row. In his redshirt freshman season, Gasper helped Clackamas to a team title.
Coach Erisman on Gasper – “Michael is a big body. Very skilled, very athletic. He’s going to bring much needed competition to our upper weights. He’s got good experience under his belt so he’ll jump in right away and make an immediate impact.”
Odin Hicks (Houston, Texas)
A transfer from Sacred Heart, Hicks will add depth to the middle weights for the Trojans. While at Kinkaid High School, he was a State champion and runner-up as well as a football and lacrosse player, proving his athleticism. He’ll also bring depth in the classroom, having earned NHSCA All-American honors.
Coach Erisman on Hicks – “Odin is a great kid that is going to bring our team a lot of value. I’m really excited to see what he’s got and how he’s going to prove himself as a Little Rock Trojan.”
Nico Lozano (Spring, Texas)
Lozano is a two-time Texas high school state finalist that looks to continue his progress throughout the past few years at the collegiate level with the Trojans. He has not been wrestling long, joining the Klein Cain high school team in order to improve as a football player initially, so Lozano has plenty of room to grow.
Coach Erisman on Lozano – “What I like about Nico is that he works unbelievably hard and has a lot of heart. He has a lot to learn but he can do something special if he keeps the right attitude behind it to make it happen.”
Cole Minnick (University at Buffalo)
Adding to Little Rock’s lower weights, Minnick will begin his redshirt sophomore season with the Trojans this fall. Competing at 133 pounds for Buffalo, he put together a record of 6-9 this past season. Prior to his college career, Minnick was a three-time Texas state placer for Thompkins high school in Katy, Texas.
Coach Erisman on Minnick – “We’re lucky to get Cole from a tough program. He brought that tough attitude with him, which will be a huge benefit our team. He’s already boosted our guys in just a short time, and we can’t wait to see how he grows.”
For the latest information on Little Rock Wrestling, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockWRES on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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