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AJ Ferrari receives a massive blow as the former NCAA champion's UNC transfer plans take another direction
Former NCAA champion AJ Ferrari has received a major blow. The 23-year-old wrestler is back on the transfer portal after the University of North Carolina turned down his request for transfer to their institution as a collegiate wrestler.
Ferrari, who had previously represented the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the California State Bakersfield in collegiate wrestling, wanted to complete the remaining years of his eligibility as a collegiate wrestler with the University of North Carolina. The 23-year-old wrestler had previously announced his commitment to the UNC for the upcoming 2026 season in April 2025, as per FloWrestling.
However, the wrestler is now back on the transfer portal. Ferrari has been denied admission to the university, and no explanation has been offered by the university authorities either. As per multiple media reports, including sports journalism portal On3.com, the decision to reject Ferrari's admission to the University of North Carolina was taken at the last minute.
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AJ Ferrari joined the Oklahoma State Cowboys as a collegiate wrestler, winning the NCAA Championships in 2021. After being denied admission to several institutions over charges of sexual assault, the 23-year-old wrestler joined the California State Bakersfield team in 2024. Ferrari went on to represent Bakersfield at the NCAA Championships in 2025, where he won the bronze medal in the 197 lbs category.
AJ Ferrari reflects on his performance at the NCAA Championships 2025
![AJ Ferrari after winning his bronze medal bout at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships [Image Source: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/5e894-17485731678348-1920.jpg)
AJ Ferrari shared his thoughts about his performance at the NCAA Championships on his X account [formerly Twitter]. The former NCAA champion had won a bronze medal after losing the semifinals of the men's 197 lbs. freestyle wrestling category at the NCAA Championships finals.
Ferrari posted on his X timeline that he hopes to take lessons from his shortcomings and is excited for the rest of his NCAA journey.
"I may have not accomplished my goal, but I am more grateful for God teaching me to understand that the Lord has bigger plans than my own, and that I must learn this lesson that God taught me from this weekend. This is just a half-way mark of my college wrestling career…"
In another interview with Flo Wrestling, Ferrari previously explained why he decided to transfer from California State Bakersfield, to the University of North Carolina.
"I would like to officially announce my commitment (to the University of North Carolina). But the biggest thing for me was the culture. When I went on my first visit with this college and I saw the culture there, not just the culture of camaraderie and connection but I didn't see a single wrestler drinking alcohol , a single wrestler doing the wrong thing. We went out to a bar for like ten minutes just to see the town, nobody was drinking," Ferrari said.
With the doors of the University of North Carolina closed for him, AJ Ferrari will be looking forward to other options to complete his eligibility as a collegiate wrestler.
