Marco Futia had his plan for his post-high school wrestling career.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association champion at 132 pounds planned to do a year at New York Military Academy before moving onto college.

Then Rider University wrestling coach John Hangey made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: a full scholarship to wrestle for the Broncs’ Division I program.

“I felt like I really couldn’t decline this offer,” Futia said. “It’s a pretty life-changing full scholarship, so I took it.”

The entire process from offer to his eventual arrival at Rider’s Lawrence, N.J., campus will take place over the course of three weeks. He received the offer early this month and will head to Rider within the week.

Shortly after receiving the initial text from Hangey, Futia visited, where he met the coaching staff and wrestlers.

“All the guys on the team are really cool, and I think I mix well with them,” Futia said. “The facilities are very nice, and the campus is super nice. I loved all the coaches, so it was pretty much a no-brainer for me.”

As it was for the Broncs, who are getting the most decorated wrestler in Wallkill Senior High School history.

His senior season established Futia as one of New York’s top wrestlers. He finished 53-1 and became the first wrestler in Wallkill history to win a New York State Division I championship, defeating Rocco DeStefano 10-7 in the 132-pound large-school final in Albany.

Futia carried that momentum into the postseason, earning All-America honors for the first time at the NHSCA Senior Nationals in Virginia Beach. Wrestling to a fifth-place finish, he posted a 5-2 record and collected victories over South Carolina state runner-up Nolan Johnson, three-time Massachusetts state finalist and 2026 champion Nick Desisto, three-time South Carolina champion Gianni Bottone and Prep National All-American Peter Rincan.

He was a two-time New York State place-winner, capturing the 2026 Division I title after finishing fourth in 2024. He also earned five Section 9 medals, reached three sectional finals, won back-to-back sectional championships in 2025 and 2026, placed twice at the Eastern States Classic, including third this past season, and finished the year ranked No. 14 on the final 2026 New York USA Wrestling Big Board.

“I wasn’t always the wrestler I am,” Futia said. “I had to put in a lot of work and dedicate a lot of time to it. I hope that I’ve set a good example for these youth kids coming up, and I think I set the bar pretty high. I’d love to see people try and chase the records I’ve broken, and I just hope they see me as a role model and someone they can look up to.”

Futia joins a Rider program coming off a Mid-American Conference tournament championship and one that has consistently developed lightweight wrestlers. Since 2021, the Broncs have produced 10 NCAA qualifiers between 125 and 141 pounds, including All-American Tyler Klinsky at 125 pounds and NCAA qualifier Elijah Griffin at 141.

“Going from high school New York wrestling to the Division I level is definitely a big jump,” Futia said. “I feel like I’ve always been ready for it and I’m just excited that I’m going to be challenged and I’m going to have to dig deep and jump levels.”