Bo Bassett reflects on his friendship with Rocco Welsh as they reunite for Team USA mission

Bo Bassett reflected on his friendship with Rocco Welsh as they reunited to make Team USA proud at the Junior Pan Am Games. The current edition is being held in Asuncion, Paraguay.

While Bassett represents the USA in the 65kg category of freestyle wrestling, Welsh participates in the 86kg category. The teenage wrestler shared a photo with Welsh on Instagram, reflecting their strong friendship.

Bassett wrote in the caption of his Instagram story:

"Teammates since 3rd grade!! Now on Team USA together!"

Screengrab of Bo Bassett's Instagram story [Image Source: Bo Bassett's Instagram]

While Rocco Welsh and Bo Bassett may not have studied together, they have represented the state of Pennsylvania in several wrestling tournaments. Welsh had previously won the gold medal at the Junior Pan Am Games in 2021.

Bassett had previously shared glimpses of his preparation for the wrestling bouts at the Junior Pan Am Games in Paraguay. In one of the photos on his Instagram story, the 18-year-old wrestler wrote in the caption:

"Locked in!"

Bo Bassett was last seen in action at the Fargo National Championships. He won the junior freestyle title in the 65kg category.

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Bo Bassett opened up on re-entering college recruitment

Bo Bassett talks about decommitment from Iowa Hawkeyes and re-entering college recruitment [Image Source: Bo Bassett's Instagram]

A few months ago, Bo Bassett surprised everyone when he decided to quit the Iowa Hawkeyes. The 18-year-old wrestler had initially committed to the team for his collegiate wrestling program. However, by June 2025, Bassett decided to re-enter college recruitment.

In his lengthy Instagram post, the teenage wrestler explained his decision, saying:

"After a lot of prayer and talking with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from the University of Iowa. This wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s not the right fit for me as a wrestler, a person, or for my faith journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll never speak a bad word about their program. This is about finding the place God wants me to be."

"This is a huge decision in my life and it has to be the right one. I would like to thank all of the Iowa fans who have supported me. You have been amazing and I am grateful for the support you showed me. I have opened up my recruitment," he added.

Bo Bassett had won the U17 World Championship in 2021 and a bronze medal in the U20 World Championships in 2024. Last year, he also won a gold medal at the Junior Pan Am Championships.