Coach McCormick

Congratulations Coach King and to the Oak Hill wrestling team. I can't think of a more deserving coach. You, your assistant coaches, your wrestlers and their parents have worked hard for this accomplishment.  Take time to enjoy it and best of luck next weekend Coach.     -- Trent

Andrew King has seen plenty in his 35 years a wrestling coach at Oak Hill High School.
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Famer King has enjoyed more than 450 dual-meet victories and lots of in-season and postseason championships.
 
But the 1981 Oak Hill and 1985 DePauw University graduate had never seen the Eagles celebrate an IHSAA semistate team title until Saturday, Feb. 13 at Memorial Coliseum.
 
“The pieces all fell together,” said King moments after his team hoisted the trophy. “It’s a great feeling for Oak Hill.
 
“Most people don’t know where Oak Hill is.”
 
The Grant County school of about 520 students is located in Converse, Ind.
 
Oak Hill’s first semistate crown came on the day the Eagles had two individual semistate winners — 152-pound senior Aidan Hardcastle and 138-pound junior Brody Arthur — for the first time.
Hardcastle (36-0 on the 2020-21 season) pinned South Adams junior A.J. Dull in 5:26, bested Huntington North senior Julian Fletcher by 13-2 major decision and edged Adams Central junior Alex Currie 2-1 before besting Carroll senior Evan Ulrick 5-2 in the finals.
 
Arthur (38-1) scored four pins for his semistate championship — Carroll junior Jared Landez in 3:13, Lakeland junior Ben Miller in 2:11, Columbia City senior Jarrett Forrester in 2:58 prior to Daleville junior Julius Gerencser in 1:38 in the finals.
 
Seniors Jett Thompson (second at 182) and Harper Dedman (fourth at 126) were also placers for Oak Hill. Thompson goes to Indy at 34-4 while Dedman is 27-4.
 
Senior Julian Perez (120) and Freshman Tyson Kendall (106) also represented the Eagles at semistate.
 
The top four in each weight division advanced to the first round of the State Finals Friday, Feb. 19 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
King talked about all the time put in my his wrestlers and their parents, grandparents and siblings.
 
“That’s why makes a great wrestling program — the families that are involved,” said King. “It’s a family affair.
 
“I”m proud to be a part of it. That’s all I am — a part of it — and everybody plays a part.”
 
With 76.5 points, Oak Hill finished ahead of Western (67.5), Northridge (64.5), Fort Wayne Carroll (63) and the rest of the field.
 
During all his years of coming to the semistate, King has seen the larger schools earn team titles.
 
“I like to say that wrestling is classless,” said King. “Whether you’re a big or a little school, we’re all in the same boat.”
 
In 2020-21, Oak Hill, Western and Kokomo finished 1-2-3 at the Oak Hill Sectional. Western, Wabash and Oak Hill took the top three spots at the Maconaquah Regional.
 
“We love to hate Western and Western loves to hate us,” said King. “We thrive on it. Steels sharpens steel.”
 
Like everyone in the athletic world, Oak Hill has had to deal with COVID-19 issues this season.
 
“I’m a lay coach so when I come to school I have an open mind,” said King. “I’m not going to get mad about it. I deal with it as it is.
 
“I walk into the school and see my athletic director (Ryan Fagan) coming down the hallway and I cringe because he’s going to tell me which two, three or four kids are now out of for the next 10 days because of social distancing. You just do what you can each day. We’ve had our challenges with that. but our kids have been really good.”
 
Oak Hill has been extra-diligent about keeping the wrestling practice room clean.
 
“We’ve gone overboard spraying down the room before practice after practice and in-between practice,” said King. “You can only have one practice partner, you can’t have three, four or five (because of contact-tracing protocols).
 
“We have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

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This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

As of 1/29/20
 
Wrestler School Weight Wins Losses High School Colin Poynter Air Force 133 2 4 Portage Christian Hunt Army West Point 133 9 10 Yorktown Brad Laughlin Army West Point 174 11 8 Yorktown Cael McCormick Army West Point 165 16 4 Yorktown Ben Harvey Army West Point 174 17 6 Cathedral Gunnar Larson Army West Point 197 8 9 Avon Kyle Todrank Buffalo 149 7 12 Gibson Southern Drew Hildebrandt Central Michigan 125 23 3 Penn Jacob Gray Central Michigan 184 4 6 Delta Ty Mills Duke 125 4 20 Brownsburg Jose Diaz Franklin & Marshall 125 13 13 Wheeler Blake Mulkey Gardner-Webb 141 0 2 Brownsburg Brock Hudkins Indiana 125 10 2 Danville Danny Tolin Indiana 125 1 2 Chesterton Cayden Rooks Indiana 133 18 8 Columbus East Paul Konrath Indiana 133 3 4 Mt. Vernon Jonathan Moran Indiana 141 5 14 Portage Asa Garcia Indiana 141 11 5 East Noble Graham Rooks Indiana 149 10 5 Columbus East Diego Lemley Indiana 157 0 1 Chesterton Nick South Indiana 165 14 5 Columbus East Jacob Covaciu Indiana 174 14 9 Merrillville Donnell Washington Indiana 174 18 9 Portage Spencer Irick Indiana 197 3 7 Hamilton SE Nick Willham Indiana 197 15 14 Greenwood Kyle Cornwell Indiana 285 0 0 Elwood Jake Kleimola Indiana 285 10 11 Lake Central Brandon Streck Indiana 285 3 14 Merrillville Stevan Micic Michigan 133 0 0 Hanover Central Andrew Davison Michigan 197 2 2 Chesterton Mason Parris Michigan 285 21 0 Lawrenceburg Garrett Pepple Michigan St 133 14 10 Hanover Central Drew Hughes Michigan St 165 13 7 Lowell Brayton Lee Minnesota 149 18 3 Brownsburg Kasper McIntosh Minnesota 157 15 8 Portage Chad Red Nebraska 141 12 5 New Palestine Noah Cressell North Dakota St 184 8 6 Wabash Jack Tolin Northwestern 141 0 4 Chesterton Lucas Davison Northwestern 197 10 4 Chesterton Nick Lee Penn St 141 12 0 Mater Dei Joe Lee Penn St 165 14 2 Mater Dei Bryton Goering Presbyterian 149 4 13 Elkhart Memorial Ethan Smiley Purdue 133 0 0 Beech Grove Alec White Purdue 141 6 6 New Palestine Tanner Webster Purdue 165 3 8 North Montgomery Dylan Lydy Purdue 174 24 1 Ben Davis Hayden Lohrey Purdue 165 7 2 Shenandoah Trevor Blue Purdue 184 0 8 Crown Point Thomas Penola Purdue 285 18 9 Zionsville David Eli Purdue 285 7 9 Elkhart Memorial Eli Pokorney Purdue 285 2 2 Chesterton

The good thing is it takes less years now, as semi-recently(within the past 5-10 years) they changed it to the 7 year minimum. Before that it would take 10-12 years to get a state tournament. When it was 10-12 years it really hurt a lot of people that wanted to referee, but didn't want to wait out 10 years to maybe get a state finals. That is basically telling a kid while he might be good enough, he can't go to state his freshman and sophomore years.
 
In all honesty, I want the best refs at semi-state and state and don't care if they have been reffing for two weeks or 50 years. If a guy is good enough to ref at state they shouldn't be handcuffed because they are young. 
 
While there needs to be a "learning" period with the exposure people have to the sport now they can be well prepared to take the mat younger and younger. I would be in favor of having the advancement period allowing a minimum one year needed at each level to advance. Thus the first year a ref can do sectional, second year(pending votes and such) they can do a regional, 3rd year(pending votes and such) a semi-state, and 4th year a state. If the referee is good enough they should be able to advance faster with the coaches votes.

Yorktown Alumni Currently Wrestling in College:
Alara Boyd - McKendree University - IL - DII
Alex Barr - Wabash College - IN - DIII
Josh Stephenson - Manchester University- IN - DIII
Colt Rutter - Minot State University- ND - DII
Brad Laughlin - Army West Point - NY - DI
Christian Hunt - Army West Point - NY - DI
Cael McCormick - Army West Point - NY - DI

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

Wheeler has 
Jose diaz jr  class of 2018- Franklin & Marshall D1
Isaiah Mohmed class 2019 - Wisconsin whitewater D3
Trey buhler class 2018- university of Indianapolis D2
Clay Turpin class of 2016- Indiana tech university NAIA
Giovanni Diaz class of 2020- Franklin and Marshall D1
 
Just remember wheeler has about 530 students enrolled and we only had a wrestling program for the last 7 years

In the last 10 years at Jeffersonville High School, we've had two D1, four D2 (two will be D1), 9 NAIA, one D3, and 6 JUCO. Also the team manager for Ohio State is a Jeff Wrestling alum and we will probably have another D2 signing here in a few weeks
 
2009 – Caleb Browner – Campbellsville NAIA
2010 – Ryan Dewitt – Waldorf College NAIA
2011 – Alonzo Shepherd – Indiana University D1 (four year starter)
2012 – Brent Browner – Indiana Tech NAIA
2012 – Elijah Curtley – Indiana Tech NAIA
2013 – Jasi Coureur – West Virginia Tech University NAIA
2013 – Nick Stewart – Lindenwood Belleville University – Illinois NAIA
2014 – Gavan Jolley-Little – Indiana University D1
2014 – Tavion Lucas – Marian Military Institute JUCO
2015 – Jasi Couereur – St. Catherine NAIA
2016 – Darian Newbolt – Manchester JUCO
2017 – Josh McCorkle – Bellarmine University D2 (soon to be D1)
2017 – Vaughn Lloyd – Manchester D3
2017 – Josh Cooper – Ancilla JUCO
2017 – Shawn Williams – Ancilla JUCO
2017 – Carson Somerville – Ohio State University (team manager)
2018 – Luke Smith – Indiana Tech NAIA
2018 – Josh Craig – Bellarmine University D2 (soon to be D1)
2018 – Josiah Freeman – University of Indianapolis D2
2018 – Carlos Molina – Lassen Junior College JUCO
2018 – Jacob Laughlin – Lassen Junior College JUCO
2019 – Isaiah Fultcher – Tiffin College D2
2019 – Carlos Santos, Indiana Tech NAIA
 

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

The exception not the rule argument is interesting. Any wrestler going from High School to D1 is the exception not the rule😁

Yorktown Alumni Currently Wrestling in College:
Alara Boyd - McKendree University - IL - DII
Alex Barr - Wabash College - IN - DIII
Josh Stephenson - Manchester University- IN - DIII
Colt Rutter - Minot State University- ND - DII
Brad Laughlin - Army West Point - NY - DI
Christian Hunt - Army West Point - NY - DI
Cael McCormick - Army West Point - NY - DI

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

Congrats, Coach.  Three at West Point at one time is awesome.  That must have been a great group of kids to work with every day.

I would say portage has had a good run recently. I might be missing a couple 
kasper Macintosh Minnesota 
John Moran Iu 
jake moran IU 
Dj Washington IU 
collin poynter Air Force 
kris rumph wartburg 
brock peele portage 
Cornejo Marian 
hegedus Marian 
gaige Torres indiana tech 
latrell Lewis calumet college 
bam Lawrence grand view 
 
 

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.

Yorktown Alumni Currently Wrestling in College:
Alara Boyd - McKendree University - IL - DII
Alex Barr - Wabash College - IN - DIII
Josh Stephenson - Manchester University- IN - DIII
Colt Rutter - Minot State University- ND - DII
Brad Laughlin - Army West Point - NY - DI
Christian Hunt - Army West Point - NY - DI
Cael McCormick - Army West Point - NY - DI

This is a very tricky question (thread) to reply to. In my humble opinion I don't know that there is a correct answer to the originally stated question. There are so many factors that go into competing at all collegiate levels. Does it count if a wrestler started DI and then transferred or stepped away from the sport after a year or two? One could respectfully debate the fact that some wrestlers take non-traditional paths into their college experiences now days. Additionally, many wrestlers arrive at their college choice only to find that it wasn't what they expected; or the coach who recruited them has now taken a different job; or academics trip them up; or an injury derails their college wrestling experience. There are numerous factors that play out as an 18 year-old embarks on a college wrestling journey. There can be many pitfalls along the way... as is there can be many rewards to be had if a little grit is demonstrated.
 
With athlete retention in mind I believe more wrestlers (and their parents) could do a better job of 1)researching a variety of schools before making a final selection; 2)working on their time management skills in MS and HS to better ensure "life success" in college; and 3)realizing that wrestling at any collegiate level is very grueling. As they say... "it's a job."  You have to love the sport, be willing to navigate set-backs, and have the ability to keep your eye on the ball.
 
In getting back to the original topic, DI wrestling isn't for everyone. It is absolutely best-practice for an athlete (and his/her parents) to be realistic in what level of collegiate wrestling they want to take part in. A productive and fulfilling wrestling experience can be had at all collegiate levels depending on what the student-athlete is after. As a reminder... it is college... so some level of academic achievement should be placed into the equation. A wrestler at a DIII college studying pre-med is obviously a different situation than a wrestler navigating the rigors of a Big Ten program and schedule. Two different scenarios... two different goals in mind... both are to be applauded.
 
I tip my hat to any young man or young lady that finishes 4+ years of collegiate wrestling at any level and walks away with memories, achievements, and a college degree.