3X State Champion Thomas Haines Verbals to Ohio State

It didn’t take long for free agent Thomas Haines to be grabbed up off the market. The Solanco High School senior had previously given a verbal commitment to Cael Sanderson and the Penn State Nittany Lions almost a year prior. The verbal commitment with Penn State fell through in the begining of July when the NCAA allows scholarship discussions between programs and rising seniors to take place.

According to Penn Live’s Jim Carlson, his father, David Haines, stated the agreement between Thomas and Penn State fell through with head coach Cael Sanderson. Soon thereafter, the Nation’s top heavyweight Nick Nevills from Clovis California, verbally committed to Penn State. The 3X State Champion re-opened up the recruiting process and met with various Division I programs.

In the end Ohio State came out the winner. Interestingly, Haines’ toughest opponent of his career, recent Cadet World Freestyle Champion Kyle Snyder of Good Council Maryland (who will forgo his senior season to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado) has also committed to the Buckeyes. Snyder defeated Haines in the Super 32 Finals at 220 lbs. by a score of (8-4). He followed up that victory with an impressive (16-6) major decision over Haines in the 2012 POWERade finals at 220 lbs. Snyder’s performance earned him to be named the tournament’s “Outstanding Wrestler.” Snyder predicts to compete at 197 lbs. for Ohio State while Thomas Haines projects to be a heavyweight wrestler in college. Haines has competed in the 215 lbs./220 lbs. weight-class since his freshman season.