From underdog to Big Ten champion: Dylan Shawver is destined for even more in 2024-2025
Senior 133-pounder Dylan Shawver was not expected to be a national title contender when he first came to Rutgers in 2020.
With an All-American occupying his weight class, Shawver had to earn his spot in the lineup and once he did, a season-ending injury seemed to erase all the progress and growth he had worked so hard to achieve. But Shawver, a Big Ten champion and All-American, ultimately prevailed and is destined for even greater achievements this season.
Shawver wrestled for the first time as a Scarlet Knight on Jan. 24, 2021, against Ohio State, making his collegiate debut in the extra matches following the dual. He earned a 9-4 victory, the first of many wins to follow for the Lorain, Ohio, product.
From that moment on, Shawver was the starter at 125 pounds. He finished the 2021-2022 season with a 15-5 dual record and finished seventh at the Big Ten Championships, booking him a ticket to his first-ever NCAA Championship. He went 2-2 in Detriot and didn’t place, but it was still a respectful finish for the freshman who remained under the radar.
Shawver was expected to build on that finish in 2022-2023, but a season-ending injury halted his progression. Senior 125-pounder Dean Peterson filled in for Shawver and made a name for himself that season, producing a team-high 25 wins, finishing seventh at the Big Ten Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
At the start of the 2023-2024 season, head coach Scott Goodale had to figure out what to do with Shawver and Peterson at 125 pounds. Peterson was coming off a breakout rookie season and couldn't be dropped from the lineup, so he moved Shawver to the 133-pound weight class. That change proved to be vital come March.
Shawver didn't waste any time picking up where he left off — he dominated his opponents and was wrestling lights out. Shawver entered the Big Ten Championships as the No. 2 seed but had a tough path ahead. Shawver defeated Braxton Brown in sudden victory, with Dylan Ragusin waiting in the title match.
Shawver dominated the match from start to finish, landing the 23-8 technical fall after 7 minutes to claim the Big Ten title.
"Been manifesting it, been dreaming it, and I let it happen, I let it all fly out there," Shawver said after the victory. "It's not giving up, giving it my all and just pushing the pace, going out there and scoring."
It was a full-circle moment for Shawver, a wrestler who came to Rutgers with an impressive high school background and had to wait patiently for his moment to shine. His celebrations proved it — he threw his headgear down, folded his arms across his chest and nodded emphatically with a smile on his face, acknowledging his achievement to the crowd at the XFINITY Center.
Shawver built on that performance at the NCAA Championships, finishing seventh to earn All-American honors for the first time in his career.
You would think Shawver would be content with just his Big Ten title, but he's still hungry for more.
"I want that national title before I'm done, and I promise I'm gonna get it," he said.
Goodale noted Shawver's goals and ensured he spent the summer getting better.
"His offseason's been really, really good," Goodale said. "Spent a lot of time here training but people want him so he needs to lock in and really take care of what he needs but he has some high goals but he needs to take care of that and he's done a really good job, he's had a great preseason. He looks really, really good right now."
Shawver will get his first taste of competition on November 9 against Duke and Franklin & Marshall, but his first difficult test will likely be against Kai Orine of NC State on November 17. Orine was crowned an ACC champion last season and was an All-American. Shawver defeated Orine 10-5 in the seventh-place match at the NCAA Championships last season, but it will still be a tight bout with Orine hungry for revenge.
"I didn't really compete this offseason but we've been in the room just getting better, learning new moves, improving on different positions and that’s what really matters is small details," Shawver said.
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