Rocco Welsh

Photo by: Sam Janicki

Photo by: Ohio State Athletics

Photo by: Sam Janicki

High School:
Waynesburg Central
Weight:
174
Year:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

Instagram: @rocco1welsh
Twitter: @rocco_welsh
TikTok: @yousobig

Season	W-L	Dual	B1G	MD	TF	PIN
2023-24	26-6	8-3	5-3	5	7	1
2024-25 (unat.)	15-0	0-0	0-0	2	9	3
Welsh Career	26-6	8-3	5-3	5	7	1

2024-25 (Sophomore)

Earned a Bronze Medal for Team USA at the 2025 Zagreb Open in Croatia (Feb. 6, 2025)
Wrestling unattached, won the 184 bracket at the Clarion Open with a 5-0 record, all by bonus points
Wrestling unattached, posted a 5-0 record to win the 184 bracket at the Cleveland State Open
Wrestling unattached, won the 2025 David H. Lehman Franklin and Marshall Open with a 5-0 record at 184

2024 Clarion Open, Nov. 3, 2024, Tippin Gym, Clarion, Pennsylvania
184-Rocco Welsh (5-0/1^st)
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat.- OSU) TF Stefan Matteo Noronha (Unrostered) | TF, 19-3 2:30
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat.- OSU) F Daniel Gurovich (Pittsburgh) | F, 1:54
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat.- OSU) TF Adrian Gacek (Clarion) | TF, 22-6 4:03
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat.- OSU) MD Daniel Williams (Navy) | MD, 13-3
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat.- OSU) DEC Jaden Bullock (Michigan) | TF, 7-2

2024 Cleveland State Open, Dec. 7, 2024, Cleveland, Ohio
184-Rocco Welsh (5-0/1^st)
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat-OSU) TF Cole Tolley Morgantown, WV (Unat-West Virginia), 19-4 3:00
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat-OSU) TF Logan Niceswanger Stockport, OH (Ohio), 20-3 2:07
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat-OSU) F Cody Brenner New Boston, MI (Central Michigan), 3:43
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat-OSU) TF Gage Musser Air Force Academy, CO (Air Force), 21-6 4:55
184-Rocco Welsh (Unat-OSU) TF Carson Thomas Cincinnati, OH (UNATT), 19-4 4:30

2025 David H Lehman Franklin and Marshall Open, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jan. 10
184-Rocco Welsh (5-0/1^st)
184-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State - UnAttached) F Tyler Hurst (Millersville), 2:22
184-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State - UnAttached) TF Cole Karpinski (Army-West Point), 21-6 2:20
184-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State - UnAttached) TF Marcus Petite (Buffalo), 23-6 6:08
184-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State - UnAttached) MD Jakob Gilfoil (Army-West Point), 15-2
184-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State - UnAttached) DEC James Conway (Unattached-Unrostered), 4-2

2025 Zagreb Open, Zagreb Croatia, Feb. 6, 2025
79kg FS-Rocco Welsh (2-1, Bronze). Team USA won freestyle team title (7 medals)
Quarterfinal: WIN - 6-2 over Evan Wick, USA
Semifinal: LOSS - 4-2 to Zelimkhan Khadjiev, FRA
Bronze: WIN - 9-3 over Otari Adeishvili, GEO

2023-24 (Freshman)

At the Big Ten Championships (2024/5-seed/3rd) Record: 5-1
at NCAA Championships (2024/6-seed/4-1/2nd)
Earned All-America honors as a freshman (2024/2nd at NCAAs)
First true freshman in NCAA title match at Ohio State since 2016 (Myles Martin)
Won first collegiate event with a 5-0 record at the Clarion Open (Nov. 5)
Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (11/8/23)
Earned Ohio State 'Black Shirt' status Feb. 23, 2024, the 17th Buckeye in program history

At Clarion Open, Nov. 5, 2023
Rocco Welsh – 5-0/1^st Place
174- Finals-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) DEC Sammy Starr (Navy), 8-2
174- Semifinals-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) DEC J. Worthing (Clarion), 5-2
174- QF-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) DEC Simon Ruiz Morristown, NJ (Unrostered-Spartan Combat RTC), 4-1 SV
174- R16-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) F Brody Baumann West Lafayette, IN (Purdue), 5:31
174- R32-Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) TF Colby Isabelle Rollinsford, NH (Brown University), 22-5 2:44

2023 Cleveland State Open, Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 9, 2023
174-Rocco Welsh (4-1/2nd)
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) TF Hunter Hutchenson (Edinboro), 19-4 2:26
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) TF Zahir Mclean-Felix (Spartan Combat RTC), 19-4 3:15
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) TF Codei Khawaja (Michigan), 21-6 3:36
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) TF Martin Larkin (MSU-Unatt.), 20-5 5:58
174-Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC) M FOR Rocco Welsh (OSU), 0-0 0:00

2024 Big Ten Championships, March 9-10, College Park, Maryland
174 - Rocco Welsh (5-1/3rd)
Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Bubba Wilson (NEB) | MD 14-4
Edmond Ruth (ILL) def. Rocco Welsh (OSU) | SV-1 4-1
Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Dominic Solis (UMD) | TF-1.5 5:40 (20-4)
Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Brody Baumann (PUR) | MD 11-3
Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) | SV-1 4-1
Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Jackson Turley (RUT) | D, 4-2

2024 NCAA Championships, March 21-23, T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
174 - Rocco Welsh (4-1/2nd)
Champ. Round 1 - Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) def. Danny Wask (Navy) 25-13 (Dec 4-2)
Champ. Round 2 - Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) def. Austin Murphy (Campbell) 23-8 (SV-1 4-1)
Quarterfinal - Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) def. Edmond Ruth (Illinois) 25-3 (SV-1 4-1)
Semifinal - Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) def. Lennox Wolak (Columbia) 18-6 (SV-1 4-1)
1st Place Match - Carter Starocci (Penn State) def. Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) 26-5 (Dec 2-0)

2023-24 Duals
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Jared Simma (UNI) | D, 4-1
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. No. 23 Alex Faison (NCST) | D, 9-6
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Benny Baker (COR) | TF, 20-4
174-No. 3 Edmond Ruth (ILL) def. Rocco Welsh (OSU) D, 2-1
174-Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Dom Solis (UMD) | MD, 14-4
174-No. 30 Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. No. 11 Max Maylor (WIS) | D, 7-3
174-No. 4 Shane Griffith (UM) def. No. 11 Rocco Welsh (OSU) | D, 2-1
174- No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) def. No. 11 Rocco Welsh (OSU) | D, 4-2
174-No. 11 Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. No. 13 Jackson Turley (RU) | D, 4-3
174-No. 11 Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. Nick South (IND) | MD, 14-5
174 | No. 11 Rocco Welsh (OSU) def. DJ Shannon (MSU) | MD, 14-4

Personal

Son of Denny and Natalie Welsh
Has three siblings, Dominick, Anthony and Talia
Four-time Pennsylvania State Finalist, two-time state champion
Two-time Ironman Champion, Super 32 Champion, won gold at the Pan-Am Games in 2021
Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Champion/Outstanding Wrestler
2022 Who's Number One Winner (170)
Three-time Fargo All-American, Fargo Finalist in 2022..Powerade Champion and U.S. Open Finalist
Hopes to stay involved with high school wrestling after college with desire to become a collegiate coach
Enjoys lifting, working out and spending time with family and friends
Greatest thrill in sports to date was winning Who's Number One in 2022. It was an unforgettable achieved goal
Pennsylvania recipient of the 2023 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award