Casey Swiderski, a name quickly gaining recognition in the wrestling world, boasts an impressive career trajectory from his early days in Michigan to his current aspirations at Iowa State. This article delves into his journey, highlighting his achievements and the high expectations surrounding his future.
Early Years and High School Success
A native of Dundee, Michigan, Swiderski began making waves in the wrestling scene early on.
- 2015: Finished fourth at the Flo Kickoff Classic.
- 2017: Finished sixth at the USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals.
- 2018: Officially made his high school debut, winning the Grappler Gold Invitational and finishing as runner-up at the Brecksville Invitational Holiday Tournament.
He has won numerous youth state titles in Michigan across all styles. Swiderski would finish that season as the Michigan state champion in D3 at 103 pounds. In the summer of 2021, Swiderski was a runner up in junior freestyle at the prestigious Fargo tournament.
Swiderski is one of just four wrestlers in Michigan history to win four individual and four team state championships. This year he beat state champions from Division 1 (152 and 160 pounds) and Division 2 (152). He has been named the Monroe County Region Wrestler of the Year in voting by The Monroe News sports staff.
Dominance in High School
Swiderski’s senior season got off to a tremendous start before the high school season ever began. He was chosen to participate in the “Who’s #1?” event in Texas, which pitted the top-ranked high school wrestlers in the country at each weight class against each other. Swiderski was supposed to be an underdog in his match.
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He competed against Jesse Mendez of Indiana, who was being touted as the best wrestler in the country pound for pound. Swiderski won 7-6, then proved it was no fluke by beating Mendez 10-4 in an exhibition before the start of the NCAA Championships in Detroit last month. “He was No. 1 best dude in the country,” Swiderski said. “But I said in one of my interviews that my fans and my support base know that it was not an upset.”
All three of Swiderski’s losses as a high school wrestler came during his freshman and sophomore years. He was undefeated in each of the past two seasons and never had a takedown scored against him. He never suffered a loss in his career to an opponent from Michigan. All three came when the Vikings ventured outside of the state for major tournaments.
This year he got to cap off Dundee’s fifth straight team state title with a pin in the last match of the finals. “I was blessed with that opportunity to be the last guy on the mat,” he said. “It was awesome. I really wanted that season moment.” All eyes were on him a week later when he went to Ford Field in Detroit for the individual finals, but Swiderski never let the pressure bother him.
Swiderski always dealt with pressure by being well prepared every time he took the mat. He did that by always listening to advice from coaches and teammates. “I made a point to keep trying to get better,” he said. “This year, I tried to be better on top, cause in college you get riding points. You always have to be willing to learn. Some dudes have an ego and get arrogant. I was never like that.”
What makes Swiderski so special? “All of it,” said Dundee coach Tim Roberts. “He’s very fast to begin with and a strong person who works at being strong. He’s very coachable. He really listens. As good as he is, he always wants to get better.” And all of that is topped by one of the best wrestling minds that Roberts has ever encountered. “He has a really good brain for the sport,” the coach said. “He understands how it works and really looks into it. He sees what his opponent is going to do before he does it.”
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Move to Iowa State
The next challenge for Swiderski will be wrestling in college for one of the top programs in the country - Iowa State. He will compete at 141 pounds in college. “I will move in Aug. 17, but I will go out there in June and take a class so I can work out with the guys,” said the son of Rachael Snyder and Dale Swiderski and stepmother Kelly. “I’ll probably get some sort of business degree. One of the reasons I picked Iowa State is they have a lot of academic helpers. All of your classes are scheduled away from practice.
Swiderski is the front-runner to start at 141 pounds, filling the hole left by veteran Ian Parker. He was the headliner of the Cyclones’ ballyhooed 2022 recruiting class, the No. 3 overall pound-for-pound prospect in the country. He is the biggest blue-chip get for Iowa State since, well, David Carr.
The early returns suggest he is up for the challenge - “This is 100% what I thought and what I pictured,” he said Tuesday - and by doing so, he is the front man for the next phase in Iowa State’s program rebuild.
Many expect them to take the program to new heights. “That whole freshman class is insane,” says Carr, who will bump to 165 pounds this season after twice earning All-American honors at 157. “When I first got here, I don’t think guys really believed that they could do it. Now, more guys are like, it’s my time.
“That freshman class came in believing. At Iowa State, we can be national champs. We can be All-Americans. It’s on the wall, and they see it every day.” And Swiderski will be the first to take the torch.
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He moved to Ames in May and spent all summer and preseason impressing his coaches and teammates - including Metcalf, himself a four-time Michigan state champ before his illustrious career at Iowa.
“He’s a competitor at the highest level,” Metcalf said. “You put him in the spotlight, down one with a minute to go, he’s got the swagger to go get one. He’s got that tough, grittiness. He doesn’t give up anything and tries to beat people up in the room.
Indeed, Iowa State’s 2022-23 schedule features plenty of individual heavy-hitters for Swiderski. Assuming he stays healthy and no travel hiccups, he is expected to see nine wrestlers ranked in InterMat’s preseason poll at 141 - including Iowa’s second-ranked Real Woods in December and Pittsburgh’s top-ranked Cole Matthews in February.
That’s a daunting challenge for any wrestler let alone a true freshman, but Swiderski - the backwood dog, the little savage, the beast - is looking forward to it.
“I’ve talked to Metcalf, and he just told me, ‘If you want to be the guy, be the guy,’” Swiderski said Tuesday. “That’s the plan. My goals are to be an NCAA champ, so why not do it now?”
He paused, then smiled.
“I’m just ready to go, man,” Swiderski continued. “It’s going to be fun.”
Casey Swiderski wins to advance to the quarterfinals
Descriptions from Coaches and Teammates
Those around him have high praise for Swiderski:
- Brent Metcalf (Assistant Coach): “I jokingly call him a backwood dog. He’s just a mean, tough kid.”
- Kevin Dresser (Head Coach): “He’s that savage dude you like to have in your room. I tell everybody he’s a little savage… He’s going to be an exciting guy for Iowa State fans to follow over the next five years. If you pick Casey (in the room), you better be ready to go. This is really important to him. He loves to compete. He is just a competitor.”
- David Carr (Teammate): “Casey Swiderski is a beast!”
These are all terms of endearment, by the way, a real-life representation of the excitement surrounding Swiderski, a true freshman from Dundee, Mich., who is expected to jump right into Iowa State’s starting lineup this season.
Looking Ahead
As Swiderski embarks on his college wrestling career at Iowa State, the expectations are high. His combination of skill, toughness, and competitive spirit makes him a wrestler to watch in the coming years. With the support of his coaches and teammates, Swiderski aims to make a significant impact on the NCAA wrestling scene.
