Spencer Lee, AJ Ferrari brother Angelo & others react as Michael Mocco announces Iowa commitment

High school wrestler Michael Mocco announced his commitment to Iowa on social media, prompting reactions from AJ Ferrari's brother Angelo and former Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee. Michael currently attends Cardinal Gibbons High School and has started his wrestling career in the best way possible, as he is a three-time Florida state champ and the U17 Freestyle World title at 110 kilograms.

Michael is ranked #15th on the 2026 Big Board and is not the only high-profile high school wrestler joining Iowa in 2026. No. 1-ranked Bo Bassett has already announced that he will be joining Iowa.

Michael announced on Instagram that he would be joining the Iowa Wrestling team, where he wrote:

"I’m excited to announce my commitment to the University of Iowa. I feel blessed to have these opportunities and I’m excited for what the future holds. Go hawks!🐤🐤. I’d like to thank my family, friends, teammates, and coaches for everything they have done for me. They have helped me in so many ways. All glory to god✝️"

Michael's post gathered reactions from the wrestling community, including AJ Ferrari's brother and current Iowa wrestler Angelo Ferrari. He wrote:

"Let’s go brotha 💪💪🐤,"

Still taken from Mocco's Instagram (Source: @michael.mocco/Instagram)

Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee and three-time NCAA Champion also commented on Michael's post, writing:

"STUD,"

Still taken from Michael Mocco's Instagram (Source: @michael.mocco/Instagram)

Michael comes from a family of wrestlers, with his father and coach Steve Mocco being a two-time NCAA Champion. His younger brother, Peter, is a state champion in the 190-pound class.

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Michael Mocco's father, Steve Mocco, wrestled at the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Michael's father, Steve Mocco, at the US Olympic Team Trials in 2008 (Image via Getty)

In light of Michael Mocco's recent commitment to the University of Iowa, it's important to note that Michael's talents come from a family filled with wrestling history. Michael's father, Steve, a former wrestler, grabbed numerous accolades during his career.

At a high school level, Steve was regarded as a top prospect, earning the title of NHSCA National Wrestler of the Year (2001). There was a huge battle to earn his signature at a collegiate level, with the University of Iowa eventually managing to capture his services as part of the 2001 class.

At Iowa, Steve performed at a remarkable level as he managed to win his first collegiate national title, running undefeated at the 2003 NCAA (D1) and Big Ten. He would also go on to win another NCAA championship for Oklahoma State University. Steve eventually managed to represent Team USA at the Beijing Olympics.

Steve is currently a coach at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, one of MMA's premier training camps. He coaches his sons, Michael and Peter Mocco, who have had bright starts to their wrestling careers.