New York USA Wrestling

Like Gary Oldman's villainous character in the 1994 cult class movie, "The Professional", it sure seems that first-year University At Buffalo Head Coach, Donnie Vinson, wants "EVERYONE" when it comes to locking down all the top Empire State talent...

Missing out over the weekend on securing the services of Newburgh's two-time defending NYSPHSAA DI State titlist, Cooper Merli; the Bulls' braintrust wasted little to no time in "lament mode"; as instead, they kept their eyes on the prize and were rewarded for their efforts on Monday night when another of the premier lightweight stars in the class of 2026, Cullen Edwards, sent notice to NY-USAW that it was his intention to continue bringing honor and glory to his home area!!!

Regarded by our organization as the #10 overall prospect on the Junior Big Board, the 2024 NYSPHSAA DI State 6th-place performer has been a constant among the upper tier of his peers since beginning his scholastic career as a 7th grader for Frontier High School...

Making his third straight trip to the Large School State Championships as a 108-pound sophomore last season, as the saying goes, "three was the charm" for the KD6 trained pupil as he arose from a previous 0-4 record at MVP Arena to pick up a pair of victories en route to a semifinal berth and the aforementioned top-6 showing in his first season embracing the family tradition as a St. Francis Red Raider!!!

Living up to his #6 billing in the bracket, Edwards capped off a brilliant 45-6 campaign when he opened up his 2024 tourney appearance with a 5-1 round of 16 decision over 2x Defending S5 titlist, Jon Testa (Hilton), before notching an even more significant triumph in the quarters when up 4-3, he'd earn a reversal and then tack on a 2pt NF via a powerful mat in the last 60 seconds of regulation to propel himself to an 8-5 decision against Ballston Spa's Ralph Keeney (3x All-State/wrestled back for 3rd in '24)....

While he would endure a day #2 slide, with losses to Merli in the semis, as well as Marco Futia (2024 State 4th for Wallkill) and 2x State 5th/2024 NHSCA Freshman National Champion, Anthony LaGala-Ryan (Longwood) in the consol semis and medal round; nothing could/should detract from a collective Winter of prosperity and growth!!

The true testament to his abilities perhaps more evidence in a different location aside from Albany, while last year may have been the first occasion in which he garnered top-8 honors at the NYS Big Dance; it certainly WAS NOT the lone defining/respect-seizing moment of his high school saga...

Rather, it would be the back-to-back top-5 trips he made to Loch Sheldrake [Eastern States Classic] that solidified his name on the Empire map of "ones to watch."....

His only losses in his 2023 ESC debut coming at the hands of Merli and fellow NFA standout, William Soto (2x State medalist/2024 DI Champion), Edwards reached the 102-pound semifinals behind consecutive falls in times of 4:39 (locked up a cradle with the score deadlocked at 6-6) and 3:14 (down 4-3, hit a whip to the back) to upend Newfane's Jakob Lucinski (2x State placer/2024 DII runner-up) & Jaron Barrientos (2024 NYS DII 3rd) of then Starpoint (has since returned to his home district of Lewiston-Porter) in R16 and the quarterfinals!!!

This past January, she shook off a quarterfinal loss to 2x All-Stater (2023 DI runner-up)/2024 NHSCA Junior National runner-up, Connor Sheridan (Hauppauge) to battle his way back onto the podium by getting his arm raised in three of his final four outings...

With only a loss to Keeney in the consolation semis serving as a temporarily disruption, Edwards bested Futia, Gino Manta (also of Hauppauge; 2024 DI State 7th), and 2x PSAL champ, Tristan Levin (Tottenville) by outcomes of fall in 4:51 (leading 5-0), 6-0 decision, and 12-1 major!!!.....In a preview of the 2024 CHSAA State finale (won 10-4), he also posted an opening-round win over 2x Catholic runner-up, Jack Borowiec (Monsignor Farrell, 4-0)!!

Unofficially heading into his junior crusade as the owner of a cumulative 117-27 vitae, the respective three-time sectional finalist/2x king (2023 in S6; 2024 in the Catholic League) has registered further banner wins at various points of his "vocation" over the likes of Brayden Kellison (Williamsville North; 2024 State 6th), John Winseman (HFL; 2024 NYS DII 6th), 2023 NYS 8th, Trevor DellaPenta (Eden; including 6-4 in the 2023 Section 6 finals), Reece Senske (Medina; 2024 State 8th), and Anthony Valls (Chenango Valley; 2x DII State placer/2024 runner-up) among others! 

His stock nationally never higher than he finds it at this present moment, Edwards is fresh off of claiming the 119-pound Elite brass ring at the 2024 Grappler Fall Classic (Full recap) thanks to signature dubs over Colin Strayer (2024 Indiana Middle School State Champion; 2024 USAW 16U Folk National Bronze medalist), Lincoln Rohr (2024 Ohio State Bronze medalist; 2022 Fargo 16U FS 6th), & Lucas Barrios (2024 NHSCA MS National Champion; 2023 Super 32 MS 7th; 2024 Tulsa Nationals true 2nd) in R16, semifinal, and money match clashes!!!

His demonstration in Michigan in late-September the second of two remarkable milestones assembled on the grand stage during the current "off-season"; back in April, Edwards accrued an 11-2 overall record between dual and individual tourney competition, with highlight conquests taking the form of 6-2, 6-0, 8-1, 4-0, and 6-2 decisions versus---Oliver Lester (2024 Ohio Junior High State runner-up; 2023 Super 32 MS 7th), Aiden Herndon (2024 PIAA State runner-up), Luke Cline (2024 USAW Folk Nationals 8th; 2023 USAW Kids Triple AA/14U Folk National Champion), Richard Davis (2x Michigan State placer), and 2024 West Virginia State Champion/2024 NHSCA 8th, Carter Price!!

A linchpin and/or foundational piece to what Vinson and company intend to turn into a monster 2026 incoming cohort (the school seems to be "in" on just about all top talent); Edwards is the third top-15 in-state prospect nabbed by the UB since August, as it was 2025 "Brahmas"---Mason Ketcham (Washingtonville; #12 ranked; 2024 DI State silver medalist; 2022 NHSCA 8th) and Aidan Gillings (Newfane; #2 ranked; 5x State placer/2023 DII runner-up; 2024 NHSCA 7th) committing within days of each over during the summer! 

As a reminder, when Edwards took his campus visit approximately four weeks ago; he was not alone!!!....

Also in attendance would be fellow Empire hammers---Zach Caldwell (St. Francis; #9 2026 Big Board; 2024 NYS DI runner-up; 2x NHSCA All-American; 2024 Fargo 16U FS AA), Jacob McVige (HFL; #17 2026; 2x NYS DII placer), Richard Wood (Brockport; #20 in the 2025 class polls; 2x NYS DI placer/2024 Bronze), and Anthony Severino (Lindenhurst; 25th-ranked 2026 Big Boarder; 2024 NYS DI runner-up)....

MatScouts #127 national prospect from the junior class, Grayson Woodcock (2x Ohio State 7th; 2x Fargo 16U FS AA/2023 National runner-up) joined the crowd!!

SO STAY TUNED!!! 

CULLEN EDWARDS CHEAT SHEET:

*10th Overall Junior prospect on the NY-USAW Big Board (2026)

*Career Record of 117-27

*2024 NYSPHSAA DI State 6th @108 pounds

*3x Sectional finalist/2x Champion (1x in S6, 1x in CHSAA)

*2x Eastern States Classic 5th

*2024 Grappler Fall Classic Champion (119 pound Elite Division)