PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Yaraslau Slavikouski will return to Rutgers wrestling to use his final season of eligibility in 2024-25. A 2024 NCAA All-Amercan, Slavikouski is regarded as one of the top heavyweights in the country heading into next year's campaign.

"I am really excited to use my final year of eligibility here at Rutgers," Slavikouski said. "We had an awesome finish to the season, and I look forward to getting back after it with my coaches and the rest of our team."

Slavikouski shined in his first season at Rutgers after he arrived as a graduate transfer from Harvard, posting 19 wins in 2023-24. Slavikouski finished fourth at Big Tens and earned the No. 13 seed at last month's national tournament, where he ripped off five victories to become a NCAA All-American for the first time in his collegiate career. With his seventh-place finish, Slavikouski became the first heavyweight since Edward Scharer (1964) to earn All-America laurels for the Scarlet Knights. Slavikouski also secured NWCA All-America honors twice during his time with the Crimson.

Rutgers wrapped up another successful season, finishing No. 14 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll and producing multiple All-Americans for the eighth time in nine seasons under head coach Scott Goodale. Dylan Shawver (133) and Yaraslau Slavikouski (HWT) finished seventh in their respective weight classes at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships, as Rutgers has now produced at least one All-American in 10 of the past 11 years. Eight Scarlet Knights qualified for nationals, our most since all 10 starters qualified in 2016. RU also finished sixth at the 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, which included an individual title from Shawver, seven conference placewinners and 87.5 team points - its best team result since 2016.

Rutgers finished 12-5 during the dual season and earned a final No. 14 ranking in the NWCA Coaches Poll - its 12th top-25 finish in the poll under Goodale. The Scarlet Knights once again finished in the top six in national home attendance as it averaged more than 4,000 per home dual in 2023-24. Twelve student-athletes earned Winter Academic All-Big Ten recognition, while three individuals - Slavikouski, John Poznanski and Anthony White - were named NWCA Scholar All-Americans.