COEUR d'ALENE - They've got depth, options and most importantly, experience in the spotlight at North Idaho College.

Coeur d'Alene High's Johnny Peregrina, who finished second at 160 pounds in the state 5A wrestling tournament in February, will attempt to walk on at NIC. Ryan Zumwalt (University High in Spokane) will transfer to NIC after spending his freshman season at Cal State Fullerton.

"Johnny was very successful at Cd'A High," NIC coach Pat Whitcomb said.

Zumwalt was a former teammate of current NIC wrestler Jake Mason at U-Hi.

Two other recruits, Justin Gillaspie (Centralia, Wash.) and Antonio Brown (Orting, Wash.), both competed at the annual Tri-State Invitational in Coeur d'Alene in mid-December.

Brown finished second at 130 pounds at Tri-State.

"It's always good to get those Tri-State area kids to get back here," Whitcomb said. "When you start seeing them compete as a sophomore and junior, that's when you really start to notice their talent. Ryan went to Fullerton right away and wanted to get closer to home."

Among those returning are sophomores Braden Mowry (141), Brock Banta (133) and Matthew Foxworthy (285), all of whom qualified for nationals last year and were a match away from All-American (top-eight finish) status. Mason, an All-American after finishing seventh at 165, also returns.

"If we can get them one step above, it becomes huge for us," said Whitcomb, whose NIC team finished second at nationals by 10 1/2 points to Region 18 rival Clackamas Community College of Oregon City, Ore. "With all of them wrestling as true freshmen, we've got some options with them."

Foxworthy, originally a redshirt last year, was forced into action when freshman Marcel Dubose tore his pectoral muscle during the Cliff Keen Invitational in December in Las Vegas. Dubose is expected back, with one likely to redshirt this season, Whitcomb added.

“Some of those guys that wrestled as true freshmen, we’ve got some options there,” Whitcomb said. “We’re pretty solid right now, but always looking for a couple more.”

Former Lakeland High standout Kyle McCrite (125) has moved on to NCAA Division II Grand Canyon State in Phoenix after a sixth-place finish at nationals.

Jeremy Bommarito, who was a national runner-up at 157 pounds, has signed with Division II Limestone College in Pembroke, N.C.

Of NIC’s two national champions from last year, Jesse Nielsen (174) has moved on to University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, Colo.) while Jamelle Jones (197) remains undecided on his future plans.

“Of our four sophomores, Jamelle is the only one that hasn’t made up his mind yet,” Whitcomb said. “One great thing is that he came here and had a 3.22 GPA in the first semester and a 3.5 in the spring, so he may just go to school and get closer to his son.”

As of Wednesday, Jones was in Florida trying out for WWE.

“Once they saw how athletic he was, they wanted him to come out,” Whitcomb said. “But he does want to be closer to his son (who lives with his mom in Missouri). If he would have came here right out of high school, he’d probably had been at a Division I school. He kind of got behind the eight-ball, but that’s what we do — we give a second chance for kids.”

Roger McCovey, who competed at heavyweight his freshman year and placed second at nationals in 2010, is uncertain to return this year. NIC planned to redshirt him last season, and he opted to attend school in California.

“Right now, we’re not sure what he’s doing,” Whitcomb said. “He’s been taking classes at a school near his hometown and is working. We’d like for him to come back and finish his education here and compete, but at this point we’re not sure.”