NJ Wrestler Charged With Simple Assault To Compete In Wrestling Championships

HOLMDEL, NJ — The state wrestling champion from Saint John Vianney High School has been cleared to compete in the NJ State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (NJSIAA) wrestling championships after an NJ Superior Court Judge denied the association's request for a new ruling on Wednesday.

The decision comes after a temporary restraining order was placed on wrestler Anthony Knox’s suspension from the tournament, which the NJSIAA ordered following a brawl that broke out at a recent wrestling match.

In their ruling, the court said they initially granted a temporary restraining order on Knox's suspension because it found that “the NJSIAA did not provide the requisite due process to Plaintiff, Anthony Knox Jr.”

Though the NJSIAA appealed this decision, the court found that the association did not demonstrate evidence of irreparable harm in letting Knox compete, as the NJSIAA argued that it would face by "having to violate its own rules."

“The Court is not merely concerned with how NJSIAA’s actions affect Plaintiff [Knox], but how such disqualifications reflect public confidence,” the court said in their conclusion. “Here, this Court held that upholding NJSIAA’s ruling, without initially notifying Plaintiff [Knox], could undermine public confidence in NJSIAA’s procedures.”

In a statement sent to Patch, Saint John Vianney High School administration said they are aware of the superior court’s ruling and respect their decision.

“Pursuant to the Superior Court’s Order on March 5, 2025, Saint John Vianney High School remains enjoined from barring the student-athlete from competing until further decision of the Court,” the administration said.

The court’s ruling comes after a fight broke out at a recent wrestling match on Feb. 22. The incident occurred at Collingswood High School with wrestlers and spectators, including Knox, reportedly involved.

Following the fight, the NJSIAA disqualified Knox from competing in the rest of the wrestling tournament and Collingswood Police charged him with simple assault.

In a statement sent to Patch, NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire cited violations of the association’s sportsmanship policy and rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation as reasons behind Knox’s disqualification.

"Let it be clear, the association cannot, and will not, condone actions that violate its sportsmanship policy or its member school approved rules," Maguire said.

Though Knox was disqualified from the tournament, a lawsuit filed by his family later helped change that status, which argued that the evidence Maguire examined wasn’t provided to Knox’s attorneys for review, and that Maguire overstepped her authority.

After the lawsuit was filed, NJ Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels placed a temporary restraining order on Knox’s suspension, allowing him to continue competing.

Since the court has overturned Knox’s suspension, NJSIAA Executive Committee Officers and NJ Senator Paul Sarlo, who is also a member of the Executive Committee, have come out in support of the association’s actions.

“I want to express my full, unqualified support of the NJSAA in disqualifying Anthony Knox Jr. from further competition for his abhorrent actions at the high school wrestling match in Collingswood,” Sarlo said in an online statement.

“There are no excuses for any athlete to ‘leave the bench’ to engage in violent behavior targeting spectators, other athletes or anyone else. News accounts report that videos show Mr. Knox Jr. threw punches and assaulted people and that he has been arrested and charged like his father," Sarlo continued. “The Association did the right thing by enforcing the rules of conduct that define the values of interscholastic athletics."

Since Knox has re-entered the competition, he has already won his fourth regional wrestling title.

After he was allowed back into the regional competition, he posted an update to his Instagram with a simple caption: "Back to the plan."

Now that he has been cleared to compete in the NJSIAA’s wrestling championships, he has the opportunity to become NJ’s fifth four-time state champion.

Previous Coverage

• NJ Wrestler Faces Assault Charge After Brawl, Report Says
• NJ Wrestler Wins 4th Region Title After Overturned Suspension: Report
• NJ Wrestler's Brawl Suspension Overturned, Report Says
• Disqualified Wrestler, Family Sue To Get Him Back In State Tourney: Report
• NJ High School Wrestling Star Disqualified From State Tournament Following Fight At Match
• NJ Wrestling Tourney Brawl Leads To 2 Arrests: Report