Rumson-Fair Haven’s Sonny Amato Commits to Iowa Wrestling

When Rumson-Fair Haven’s Sonny Amato stepped into the University of Iowa wrestling room for the first time, he knew his future was there. “Iowa stood out to me the second I was there,” Amato said. “Once I stepped foot on campus it felt like home, and I knew I could grow to my full potential on and off the mat having the coaching staff and environment they do. I’m most excited to be coached by the legendary Tom and Terry Brands.”

The connection with Iowa started early — almost immediately. Just one minute into the first day college coaches could reach out, Amato’s phone buzzed. “They reached out to me at 12:01 a.m.,” he said with a grin. “Brands sent me a text and I felt like a little kid on Christmas day all over again.” Soon after, he was on campus. The moment he touched the mat inside the storied Iowa wrestling room, his gut told him everything he needed to know. “I Facetimed my mom and told her, ‘This is it,’” Amato said. “She told me I was being too biased and needed to slow down — but looking back, I’m glad I didn’t.”

Amato’s intuition has served him well so far. As just a freshman, he stormed onto the New Jersey wrestling scene and captured a state title at 144 pounds, proving himself as one of the country’s most promising young competitors. A year later, he returned to the state tournament as the defending champ — and found himself humbled in defeat, finishing third. But that loss, he said, reshaped his mindset.

“That was very humbling,” he admitted. “I went into the state tournament as a champion with a big head and left with a chip on my shoulder. It taught me to treat every opponent the same and take no one lightly.”

He credits much of his growth to his time at the Dragon RTC, where daily battles with elite partners — often including college wrestlers — have hardened his approach. “Every day and every minute I spent in the Dragon RTC helped build me to the man I was on the mat,” he said. “My training and my coach are both very humbling. College guys come in our room to scrap all the time.”

Now heading into his junior year, Amato’s focus remains sharp. His early commitment to Iowa isn’t about skipping ahead — it’s about doubling down. With two seasons still to wrestle for Rumson-Fair Haven, he’s motivated to leave a legacy that endures long after he’s gone. “I want to be known as the kid who won — the kid everyone’s trying to be better than,” he said. “The greatest.”

For Amato, the next chapter will eventually take him to one of college wrestling’s toughest rooms, where he’ll chase national titles under Tom and Terry Brands. But before the gold and black, there’s still plenty left to accomplish in purple and white — and if his drive is any indication, New Jersey hasn’t seen the best of him yet.