Thompson and Owens Commit to Ferrum

The Ferrum wrestling program started their week off with a bang - getting two homegrown commitments on Monday. Caleb Thompson (Grayson County) and Benjamin Owens (Hanover) both committed to wrestle for the Panthers.

​Thompson comes in at #40 overall in the latest Class of 2027 rankings, while Owens is close behind at #48.

​Both are three-time state medalists; Thompson has won 1A titles in each of the last two seasons and was third as a freshman. His most recent title came at 132 lbs and he blew through the 1A bracket with two pins in under a minute, before a tech fall in the finals.

​During the regular season, Thompson captured titles at the Bobby Bates Wrestling Classic, the Tiger Holiday Classic, and the Big Blue Invitational.

​Over the summer, Thompson won the Virginia Team Trials and earned a spot on the Junior Duals team. In Wisconsin, he went 5-2 in freestyle and 4-3 in Greco. At the VA/USAW state tournament, Thompson captured a title in Greco and was fourth in freestyle.

​Owens has finished fifth, third, and fourth at the 4A state tournament. Last year, Owens dealt with some injuries in the postseason and medically forfeited during the consolation semifinals and finished fifth at 150 lbs. Owens is also a two-time 4A Region B champion.

As a junior, Owens won the Mechanicsville Holiday Classic, the LCA Invitational, the Jay Cox Memorial, and was a finalist at the Richmond Invitational.

​It’s not a huge surprise to see Owens commit to Ferrum, as his older brother, Junior, is currently on the Ferrum team.

​Both are slated to compete next at the North Carolina Super 32 Early Entry Tournament. Thompson at 138 lbs and Owens at 150.

​Ferrum is off to a hot start on the recruiting trail. Last year, they were able to secure commitments from three top-50 recruits from the Class of 2026. Now, they already have two from the Class of 2027.