Y2CJ41

By Drew Hughes
 
Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
his graduating class.
 
Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
 
Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
American and possibly a National Champion.
 
After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.

By Drew Hughes
 
Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
his graduating class.
 
Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
 
Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
American and possibly a National Champion.
 
After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.

By Drew Hughes
 
Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
his graduating class.
 
Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
 
Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
American and possibly a National Champion.
 
After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.

By Drew Hughes
 
Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
his graduating class.
 
Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
 
Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
American and possibly a National Champion.
 
After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.

By Drew Hughes
 
Anyone that has been around Indiana wrestling in the last decade probably knows the
name Chad Red. In high school Red had about as good of a career as anyone could ask for
winning 4 state titles and going a perfect 183-0. Along with this he won 3 of the toughest off-
season tournaments in the country; Fargo, Super 32, and FloNationals. He finished his high
school career ranked #1 in the country at 132lbs along with being ranked #8 out of all seniors in
his graduating class.
 
Being one of the most sought after recruits Red decided on Nebraska as his college
destination. Red said “I chose Nebraska because of Jordan Burroughs and the coaching staff is
very helpful, and my family thought they were the best coaches for me.”.
 
Red has very well in college so far where he has become a 2 time All-American as well
as a Big Ten finalist. He has had some great matches in his college career with one of the best
coming in the blood round of NCAA’s his freshman year. In this match Red pinned the two-time
defending National Champion Dean Heil in the first period to become an All-American. Red also
placed 3rd at last year’s Big Ten championship and qualified for the cancelled 2020 NCAA
championships where he was named a NWCA first team All-American.
 
This season Red is off to a great start with a 4-1 record and his lone loss coming from
Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman. Red is currently ranked 6 th in the country at 141 and in the upcoming
weeks will get the chance to wrestle #1 ranked Sebastian Rivera before the Big Ten tournament.
Now the big question that people are asking right now for most college seniors are if they
will be returning for a 6 th year. Due to Covid the NCAA has made it so this year does not count
towards your eligibility giving athletes the chance to compete for an extra year. With that being
said Red is planning on wrestling next season and will still have a shot at being a 4 time All-
American and possibly a National Champion.
 
After college Red plans to stay in Nebraska and wrestle for the NWTC where he would
compete internationally in an attempt to make world and Olympic teams. He also plans on
coaching and we could see that being anywhere from the college level to even coming back to
Indiana to coach at Red Cobra Wrestling Academy where his father, Chad Red Sr., is the coach.
Looking far down the road we could also see him coaching his little brother to 4 high school
state titles but that wouldn’t be until at least 2034.

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Sarah Huse didn’t know it, but she needed wrestling. Once she found it, her life has changed for the better.
 
“Everyone has their own sob story, I guess,” Huse, a senior at Lebanon High School, said. “But it’s what you do to overcome that story that matters.”
 
In 8th grade Huse struggled with her weight, and her confidence. She was 245 pounds, and according to her, still trying to figure out who she wanted to be.
 
So, she started trying to get in better shape. She took up dance, which helped with her flexibility and balance. Then, as a sophomore, a friend talked her into going out for wrestling. That’s where Huse started to make her mark.
 
In just three years she has went from a beginner, to a two-time state champion with multiple college offers. She is also this year’s Indianamat Miss Gorilla award winner, which recognizes the best senior female wrestler in the state.
 
Huse has pinned every single opponent through the IHSGW tournament for two consecutive years. This year she defeated Northview’s Mercedes Tellechea in the championship, pinning her in just 1:09 to win the 170-pound class. Huse also took home the Katie Downing Mental Attitude Award.
 
“When I started winning in wrestling is when I started feeling my best, mentally,” Huse said. “I was finally able to look myself in the mirror and be proud of who I am.”
 
When Huse first started wrestling, she was nervous to tell her family. Her dad, J, wrestled collegiately, but she wasn’t sure how he would react.
 
“I waited a few weeks before I told my family I was wrestling,” Sarah said. “When I finally told them, I think they thought I was kidding. When they found out I wasn’t kidding, my dad has been in my corner helping coach me ever since and my mom is always in the stands watching and cheering me on. When I get my hand raised, I always look to find her in the stands. That’s my favorite moment in wrestling.”
 
In addition to winning the individual title, Sarah also led Lebanon to the school’s first girls state team championship.
 
The team title is what Huse said she is most proud of, and coach Jeremy Goodlett knows she had a huge part in the Tiger’s success.
 
“Her attitude and work ethic are infectious with the other girls,” Goodlett said. “When we went up to the Penn tournament, we only had four girls go, because half the team was quarantined. She couldn’t go, but she woke up early and came and saw the girls off on the bus. She wanted to do a prayer session before everyone was going to wrestle. She was Facetiming girls after they got off the mat, giving them critiques and pointers and trying to encourage them.”
 
Huse said she wanted to win state as an individual, but she wanted even more to win the team title.
 
Huse regrets not getting involved with wrestling at a younger age. She said it has now become such a big part of her life.
 
“If I were to give advice to younger girls thinking about wrestling, I’d tell them you can’t be afraid to work for something,” Huse said. “It’s going to be hard, but you’re stronger than you believe and when you put your heart and work into it, it will be worth it.”
 
On the mat Sarah is an aggressive wrestler that likes to hit the single-leg takedowns. She’s 6-0 tall, so she uses her length to her advantage.
 
“She is always on the attack,” Goodlett said. “She is not a defensive wrestler. She is in your face. She’s going to club your head, snap you down and go for inside singles.”
 
Outside of wrestling Huse wants to go into the medical field. She is a good student with a 4.0 GPA. She loves hanging out with her teammates, going out to eat in the offseason, sledding in the winter and going to the Bible study her and her teammates started.
 
“Sarah is a very hard-working, fun-loving and caring person,” Goodlett said. “She is the type of person that no matter what type of day you’re having, she can make you smile or laugh. As a wrestler, she’s a coach’s dream. She’s a practice junkie and she’s always learning and trying new stuff. That will be important for her because she has little experience with freestyle, and that’s what women’s wrestling is in college.”

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Sarah Huse didn’t know it, but she needed wrestling. Once she found it, her life has changed for the better.
 
“Everyone has their own sob story, I guess,” Huse, a senior at Lebanon High School, said. “But it’s what you do to overcome that story that matters.”
 
In 8th grade Huse struggled with her weight, and her confidence. She was 245 pounds, and according to her, still trying to figure out who she wanted to be.
 
So, she started trying to get in better shape. She took up dance, which helped with her flexibility and balance. Then, as a sophomore, a friend talked her into going out for wrestling. That’s where Huse started to make her mark.
 
In just three years she has went from a beginner, to a two-time state champion with multiple college offers. She is also this year’s Indianamat Miss Gorilla award winner, which recognizes the best senior female wrestler in the state.
 
Huse has pinned every single opponent through the IHSGW tournament for two consecutive years. This year she defeated Northview’s Mercedes Tellechea in the championship, pinning her in just 1:09 to win the 170-pound class. Huse also took home the Katie Downing Mental Attitude Award.
 
“When I started winning in wrestling is when I started feeling my best, mentally,” Huse said. “I was finally able to look myself in the mirror and be proud of who I am.”
 
When Huse first started wrestling, she was nervous to tell her family. Her dad, J, wrestled collegiately, but she wasn’t sure how he would react.
 
“I waited a few weeks before I told my family I was wrestling,” Sarah said. “When I finally told them, I think they thought I was kidding. When they found out I wasn’t kidding, my dad has been in my corner helping coach me ever since and my mom is always in the stands watching and cheering me on. When I get my hand raised, I always look to find her in the stands. That’s my favorite moment in wrestling.”
 
In addition to winning the individual title, Sarah also led Lebanon to the school’s first girls state team championship.
 
The team title is what Huse said she is most proud of, and coach Jeremy Goodlett knows she had a huge part in the Tiger’s success.
 
“Her attitude and work ethic are infectious with the other girls,” Goodlett said. “When we went up to the Penn tournament, we only had four girls go, because half the team was quarantined. She couldn’t go, but she woke up early and came and saw the girls off on the bus. She wanted to do a prayer session before everyone was going to wrestle. She was Facetiming girls after they got off the mat, giving them critiques and pointers and trying to encourage them.”
 
Huse said she wanted to win state as an individual, but she wanted even more to win the team title.
 
Huse regrets not getting involved with wrestling at a younger age. She said it has now become such a big part of her life.
 
“If I were to give advice to younger girls thinking about wrestling, I’d tell them you can’t be afraid to work for something,” Huse said. “It’s going to be hard, but you’re stronger than you believe and when you put your heart and work into it, it will be worth it.”
 
On the mat Sarah is an aggressive wrestler that likes to hit the single-leg takedowns. She’s 6-0 tall, so she uses her length to her advantage.
 
“She is always on the attack,” Goodlett said. “She is not a defensive wrestler. She is in your face. She’s going to club your head, snap you down and go for inside singles.”
 
Outside of wrestling Huse wants to go into the medical field. She is a good student with a 4.0 GPA. She loves hanging out with her teammates, going out to eat in the offseason, sledding in the winter and going to the Bible study her and her teammates started.
 
“Sarah is a very hard-working, fun-loving and caring person,” Goodlett said. “She is the type of person that no matter what type of day you’re having, she can make you smile or laugh. As a wrestler, she’s a coach’s dream. She’s a practice junkie and she’s always learning and trying new stuff. That will be important for her because she has little experience with freestyle, and that’s what women’s wrestling is in college.”

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By Drew Hughes
 
Breyden Bailey has been on the move most of his college career but has finally found his home at the University of Indianapolis. After high school Breyden started his career at Northern Illinois University but after the first semester transferred to the University of Indiana. He then spent the next year and a half at IU where he compiled a 17-12 record. After his second year of college, he transferred one last time to where he currently is at UIndy. 
 
When asked on how he decided on UIndy Breyden said “I decided on University of Indianapolis because it was close to home and I really liked the culture that was being built and the family atmosphere. I felt as if I fit in well and I could trust the coaching staff and what they were saying and were striving for.”. 
Breyden redshirted his first year at UIndy where he compiled a 21-1 record. Currently a Redshirt Junior Breyden is 2-0 on the season with both of his wins being falls. He is also ranked 7th in the country.
 
Logan Bailey is just starting his college career with the Greyhounds after an impressive high school career that ended with a 150-15 record and a state runner-up finish his senior year. Logan is off to a great start with the Greyhounds where he is currently 4-0 with 3 of those wins being bonus point victories.
 
The brothers are back on the same team for the first time since Breyden’s senior year and Logan’s freshman year of high school. “Wrestling has created a bond with us over the years and brings us closer and there isn’t anyone else I would rather be a teammate with than him. It’s awesome to see us as a 1-2 punch in the lineup this year.” Said Breyden. 
     
Along with Breyden and Logan’s success so far this year with the Greyhounds the team itself is a dominate 4-0 so far with their last win coming of 8th ranked Tiffin. When talking about his team Breyden said “UIndy this year is going to be a force to be reckon with and we have a great team. Don’t be surprised when nationals come around in March when we bring home a team trophy. UIndy is on the rise and I believe is a great place for good Indiana wrestlers to come and succeed.”. 
 
While Breyden’s professional plans for after college are still undecided, he is certain that coaching wrestling will be a part of it. With Breyden’s dad running one of the most successful youth clubs in the state, the Indiana Outlaws, Breyden hopes to help play a role in the clubs continued success when he is finished competing. 
 
Now for the real question that everyone wanted answered, who would win in a match between the two brothers. Breyden stated that “This is an answer that will never change, no doubt I’m winning. Spread -3.5.” But if I had to make a prediction, I would take the younger Bailey by at least 4.

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
East Central wrestling entered the Class 3A team state tournament as a bit of an unknown. The Trojans certainly didn’t leave that way.
 
East Central was the No. 5 seed entering the tournament, but thanks to a must-have pin by junior Ryan Bovard, the Trojans defeated Floyds Central 33-32 to capture the state title.
 
“That was amazing,” East Central coach Adam Wolf said. “We’ve been working hard for a long time to get to this level. It was neat just getting invited to team state, but then to win, that was great.”
 
The Trojans battled three formidable opponents en route to the state title. They took on Northridge in the first round, winning 40-27. In the next round East Central squeaked past Franklin 37-31 setting up the showdown in the final.
 
“We knew going into the last round that it could come down to the final match,” Wolf said. “By the last match the whole place was going crazy and we had a junior, first-year varsity wrestler up. Ryan Bovard knew we had to have a pin in order to win. He had all the pressure on him in the world and he came through. He will never forget that moment. He’s a great kid and I’m so glad he got that moment.”
 
The Trojans feel they are a bit unknown because a big portion of their schedule comes against Ohio and Kentucky teams. East Central is located just 30 minutes from Cincinnati.
 
“We are from an area in Indiana that isn’t though about much,” Wolf said. “We’re not in the Indy area. We’re not up north. We’re really not known around most parts of the state so us winning was probably a surprise to many.”
 
The Trojans have three state-ranked wrestlers. Bryer Hall is the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds. Hall, a senior, formerly wrestled for South Dearborn, but is now with the Trojans.
 
“Bryer transferred to us two years ago and his dad is our assistant coach,” Wolf said. “He and his family have been a huge asset to our team. Bryer is a funky wrestler. It’s hard to coach him on technique because a lot of what he does is just natural, and not normal.”
 
Coach Wolf’s young son, Blake, is ranked No. 12 in the state at 126 pounds. Blake is a sophomore. Last year Blake went undefeated until the ticket round at semistate where he ran into Alex Cottey, the eventual state champion.
 
“That was Blake’s only loss all season last year,” coach Wolf said. “I know a lot of our kids get slept on a little bit because of our schedule being teams in Ohio and Kentucky. Blake is one of those kids that works really hard and has beaten several kids that went on to place in other states.”
 
Senior Kole Viel is ranked No. 7 at 220 pounds.
 
“Kole is our football player,” coach Wolf said. “He signed to play at the University of Indianapolis. He’s wrestled since he was young though, and he’s a really solid wrestler – but he’s a stud on the football field. He’s one of our captains and he has been a big tool for us to tap into those football players and show them what wrestling brings to the table. He’s got us a lot of good athletes on the team. They look up to Kole and really respect him.”
 
Ben Wolf, coach Wolf’s older son, is a senior this season and is ranked No. 3 at 152 pounds in the New Castle semistate. He’s a team captain as well.
 
“Ben is a hard, hard worker,” coach Wolf said. “He’s quiet, but he leads with his actions. He’s the hardest worker in our room and he’s a really good wrestler, but he hasn’t had the best showing at semistate yet. We’re hoping this is the year he performs the way we know he can.”
 
Dylan Lengerich and Rider Searcy are also ranked in the New Castle semistate. Both are sophomores. Lengerich is No. 5 at 120 and Searcy is No. 6 at 138 pounds.
 
The Trojans have never had a state champion in the individual tournament, which is something the team is hoping to change this year.
 
“The future is to go up,” Wolf said. “We want to be relevant every year. We want to be known for good wrestling. That’s our goal this year with Bryer and Blake and some of the other kids coming up.
 
“I think, now that we’ve won the team state, our kids feel they can wrestle with anyone. It’s definitely something that gave us confidence and we are hoping to build on it.”

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Last Saturday when Jordan Fulks pinned Terre Haute South Vigo’s Moses Hamm in the ticket round of the Evansville semistate, he did something that hasn’t been done by a Boonville wrestler in 13 years. He advanced to the state tournament.
 
“The last guy to make it to state from our school was Sam Derosett,” Fulks said. “He coached me when I was in middle school.”
 
Fulks, a junior, is currently ranked No. 5 at 152 pounds. He is 43-1 on the year with his lone loss coming in the semistate championship to No. 4-ranked Logan Boe.
 
“Jordan is scrappy wrestler,” Boonville co-coach Dustin Wilke said. “He’s a good wrestler on his feet. He moves his hands and feet very well. He has a lot of pins and racks up a lot of points.”
 
Last season Fulks finished the year with a 36-2 mark. He lost in the first round of semistate.
 
“I had a knee injury last year that really set me back a few months,” Fulks said. “It became a motivation thing, I guess. I advanced to semistate with a knee injury and that really inspired me because I knew if I could make it that far, hurt, then when I got better I could go even further.”
 
Fulks is a year-around wrestler. It’s the only sport he participates in.
 
“He’s got a real drive to be successful in wrestling,” Wilke said. “I’ve known him for several years. He was in our youth feeder program. He was on our travel team. I helped coach him in middle school. When he was getting a little older, I asked him what he wants to be – and he said a state champion. He asked what he needs to do to make that happen. He’s always looking for insight and he’s always trying to improve.”
 
Fulks believes his best attribute in wrestling is his confidence.
 
“I’m a confident wrestler,” he said. “I go out there and I’m confident in my moves and that I can hit them. I never go out thinking I can win every match, but I think I am going to wrestle my match, every time.”
 
Friday night Fulks will go up against Huntington North’s No. 12-ranked Cody McCune (36-2). Both wrestlers are looking to place for the first time at state. McCune advanced last year, but did not place.
 
 

Today the NCAA announced the championship locations for events from 2023 through 2026 for all of their championship sports in all three divisions. It was announced that the 2025 NCAA DII Championships will be held in Indianapolis. The University of Indianapolis will be the official host of the event that will take place at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum(better known as the Pepsi Coliseum). The wrestling portion of the DII championships will be a part of the DII Winter Sports Festival that will include championships in indoor track and field along with swimming championships in the Indianapolis area.
 
We will keep you posted on exact dates and ticket information as it becomes available.

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Howard Jones is, without a doubt, the face of Jennings County wrestling. Jones has coached the Panthers for over four decades (41 years to be exact). And during those 41 years he’s always had to do things the hard way. That’s all about to change.
 
Jennings County has started the construction of a one-of-a-kind wrestling facility. Jones believes this might be the only dedicated wrestling venue for a high school in the Midwest, and possibly even the entire country.
 
The new, five-million-dollar venue will feature seating for over 800 fans. It will have four full-size mats down with the ability to remove some seating and go up to six full size mats. The 24,000 square feet venue will also have two locker rooms and a coaches’ office.
 
“We expect this to make our wrestlers feel like first-class athletes,” Jennings County Athletic Director Cory Stevens said. “They are going to have a facility that no other wrestlers in the region or in the state will have. We hope this attracts others to use it as well, for camps and things of that nature.”
 
For Jones, this is a dream come true. His wrestlers have practiced in a balcony overlooking the basketball gymnasium. The school has two balconies on each side of the gym, and the wrestling team was often so large that it had to split the team up and use both sides.
 
“I was lucky enough to have real good assistant coaches over the years,” Jones said. “I would go on one side and the assistants would go on the other. Sometimes we would divide by weight class. Sometimes we would divide by varsity and junior varsity.”
 
The wrestlers would also have to move the 800-pound mats that were stored in various places throughout the school down to the gym floor for invitationals or dual meets.
 
“Needless to say, it was an inconvenience, at the minimum,” Jones said. “We didn’t get the lighter mats until about four years ago. We always had to end practice early if there was a girls or a boys basketball game.”
 
Jones didn’t much believe that the program was getting its own venue when he was first told about it. He had heard similar talk before. One time the school was going to build a 4.7-million-dollar facility that would house three basketball courts, a weight room, a track and a wrestling room. Ultimately that got voted down by the community.
 
This time around school superintendent Teresa Brown told Jones that it was going to happen.
 
“One day she told me ‘Coach Jones, we’re going to get you that wrestling room.’,” Jones said. “I didn’t believe her. That was about three years ago. Then, at the first of the year, she steps into the gym and said to me ‘Don’t you doubt me coach Jones, don’t you doubt me’.”
 
Jones has had a hand in the design of the facility. He has looked at places like Purdue for inspiration and has tried to emulate what he knows works.
 
“It’s been a very emotional time for me,” Jones said. “I have thought our kids deserved something better, but maybe not this elaborate, for years. I questioned why it was going to be so good. The principal at the time said ‘Howard, why can’t we have the best for our kids?’ That made sense to me. I think this state-of-the-art facility will be what’s best for our kids.”
 
For Jones, the principal’s statement got him thinking.
 
“I’m pretty conservative with things,” Jones said. “When he said that to me, I started thinking differently. I started thinking why not. The school wants to be greedy for the kids and it really shows.”
 
The wrestling facility isn’t the only thing to get a major upgrade at the school. The baseball and softball fields got a multi-million-dollar upgrade. The weight room doubled in size. The football field got new turf. The tennis courts are getting a facelift. But, the largest change, is the wrestling renovation.
 
According to Stevens, this might not have ever happened if it weren’t for the influence Jones has had on the students and the community through wrestling.
 
“They say it has a lot to do with me, but it’s really for the kids,” Jones said. “The kids deserved better and we’re getting there. The educators care for the kids. But since this announcement I’ve had hundreds of people call or contact me about how much wrestling has done for them. That was done without this kind of facility. It’s not that we create champion wrestlers. It’s important that we realize we’re creating champion kids.”
 
This has been an emotional journey for Jones. Former wrestlers are working on the building of the new facility and even the companies that put in the bids for the construction were ran by some of Jones’ former wrestlers.
 
“Each of our six elementary schools have former wrestlers of mine that are coaching,” Jones said. “All but one of my assistants were coached by me. The middle school – all but one of the coaches was coached by me. It makes me very proud. One of the things that probably puts things in perspective for me the most is that I had a principal at one of the elementary schools come up to me and said ‘Howard, I’m tired of going to principal meetings and hearing about your wrestling program.’ But wrestling is a fraternity, not just within the school, but it creates a strong bond for life.”
 
Stevens hopes to see other schools build similar facilities for their programs in the future.
 
“We hope this inspires other schools to do something similar,” Stevens said. “Everyone is going to benefit from this – not just the high school, but the younger kids as well. Wrestling is a sport that does great things for kids. The more we can inspire other kids, the better. I was not a wrestler, but I see the value the sport offers for kids today.”

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Howard Jones is, without a doubt, the face of Jennings County wrestling. Jones has coached the Panthers for over four decades (41 years to be exact). And during those 41 years he’s always had to do things the hard way. That’s all about to change.
 
Jennings County has started the construction of a one-of-a-kind wrestling facility. Jones believes this might be the only dedicated wrestling venue for a high school in the Midwest, and possibly even the entire country.
 
The new, five-million-dollar venue will feature seating for over 800 fans. It will have four full-size mats down with the ability to remove some seating and go up to six full size mats. The 24,000 square feet venue will also have two locker rooms and a coaches’ office.
 
“We expect this to make our wrestlers feel like first-class athletes,” Jennings County Athletic Director Cory Stevens said. “They are going to have a facility that no other wrestlers in the region or in the state will have. We hope this attracts others to use it as well, for camps and things of that nature.”
 
For Jones, this is a dream come true. His wrestlers have practiced in a balcony overlooking the basketball gymnasium. The school has two balconies on each side of the gym, and the wrestling team was often so large that it had to split the team up and use both sides.
 
“I was lucky enough to have real good assistant coaches over the years,” Jones said. “I would go on one side and the assistants would go on the other. Sometimes we would divide by weight class. Sometimes we would divide by varsity and junior varsity.”
 
The wrestlers would also have to move the 800-pound mats that were stored in various places throughout the school down to the gym floor for invitationals or dual meets.
 
“Needless to say, it was an inconvenience, at the minimum,” Jones said. “We didn’t get the lighter mats until about four years ago. We always had to end practice early if there was a girls or a boys basketball game.”
 
Jones didn’t much believe that the program was getting its own venue when he was first told about it. He had heard similar talk before. One time the school was going to build a 4.7-million-dollar facility that would house three basketball courts, a weight room, a track and a wrestling room. Ultimately that got voted down by the community.
 
This time around school superintendent Teresa Brown told Jones that it was going to happen.
 
“One day she told me ‘Coach Jones, we’re going to get you that wrestling room.’,” Jones said. “I didn’t believe her. That was about three years ago. Then, at the first of the year, she steps into the gym and said to me ‘Don’t you doubt me coach Jones, don’t you doubt me’.”
 
Jones has had a hand in the design of the facility. He has looked at places like Purdue for inspiration and has tried to emulate what he knows works.
 
“It’s been a very emotional time for me,” Jones said. “I have thought our kids deserved something better, but maybe not this elaborate, for years. I questioned why it was going to be so good. The principal at the time said ‘Howard, why can’t we have the best for our kids?’ That made sense to me. I think this state-of-the-art facility will be what’s best for our kids.”
 
For Jones, the principal’s statement got him thinking.
 
“I’m pretty conservative with things,” Jones said. “When he said that to me, I started thinking differently. I started thinking why not. The school wants to be greedy for the kids and it really shows.”
 
The wrestling facility isn’t the only thing to get a major upgrade at the school. The baseball and softball fields got a multi-million-dollar upgrade. The weight room doubled in size. The football field got new turf. The tennis courts are getting a facelift. But, the largest change, is the wrestling renovation.
 
According to Stevens, this might not have ever happened if it weren’t for the influence Jones has had on the students and the community through wrestling.
 
“They say it has a lot to do with me, but it’s really for the kids,” Jones said. “The kids deserved better and we’re getting there. The educators care for the kids. But since this announcement I’ve had hundreds of people call or contact me about how much wrestling has done for them. That was done without this kind of facility. It’s not that we create champion wrestlers. It’s important that we realize we’re creating champion kids.”
 
This has been an emotional journey for Jones. Former wrestlers are working on the building of the new facility and even the companies that put in the bids for the construction were ran by some of Jones’ former wrestlers.
 
“Each of our six elementary schools have former wrestlers of mine that are coaching,” Jones said. “All but one of my assistants were coached by me. The middle school – all but one of the coaches was coached by me. It makes me very proud. One of the things that probably puts things in perspective for me the most is that I had a principal at one of the elementary schools come up to me and said ‘Howard, I’m tired of going to principal meetings and hearing about your wrestling program.’ But wrestling is a fraternity, not just within the school, but it creates a strong bond for life.”
 
Stevens hopes to see other schools build similar facilities for their programs in the future.
 
“We hope this inspires other schools to do something similar,” Stevens said. “Everyone is going to benefit from this – not just the high school, but the younger kids as well. Wrestling is a sport that does great things for kids. The more we can inspire other kids, the better. I was not a wrestler, but I see the value the sport offers for kids today.”

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Howard Jones is, without a doubt, the face of Jennings County wrestling. Jones has coached the Panthers for over four decades (41 years to be exact). And during those 41 years he’s always had to do things the hard way. That’s all about to change.
 
Jennings County has started the construction of a one-of-a-kind wrestling facility. Jones believes this might be the only dedicated wrestling venue for a high school in the Midwest, and possibly even the entire country.
 
The new, five-million-dollar venue will feature seating for over 800 fans. It will have four full-size mats down with the ability to remove some seating and go up to six full size mats. The 24,000 square feet venue will also have two locker rooms and a coaches’ office.
 
“We expect this to make our wrestlers feel like first-class athletes,” Jennings County Athletic Director Cory Stevens said. “They are going to have a facility that no other wrestlers in the region or in the state will have. We hope this attracts others to use it as well, for camps and things of that nature.”
 
For Jones, this is a dream come true. His wrestlers have practiced in a balcony overlooking the basketball gymnasium. The school has two balconies on each side of the gym, and the wrestling team was often so large that it had to split the team up and use both sides.
 
“I was lucky enough to have real good assistant coaches over the years,” Jones said. “I would go on one side and the assistants would go on the other. Sometimes we would divide by weight class. Sometimes we would divide by varsity and junior varsity.”
 
The wrestlers would also have to move the 800-pound mats that were stored in various places throughout the school down to the gym floor for invitationals or dual meets.
 
“Needless to say, it was an inconvenience, at the minimum,” Jones said. “We didn’t get the lighter mats until about four years ago. We always had to end practice early if there was a girls or a boys basketball game.”
 
Jones didn’t much believe that the program was getting its own venue when he was first told about it. He had heard similar talk before. One time the school was going to build a 4.7-million-dollar facility that would house three basketball courts, a weight room, a track and a wrestling room. Ultimately that got voted down by the community.
 
This time around school superintendent Teresa Brown told Jones that it was going to happen.
 
“One day she told me ‘Coach Jones, we’re going to get you that wrestling room.’,” Jones said. “I didn’t believe her. That was about three years ago. Then, at the first of the year, she steps into the gym and said to me ‘Don’t you doubt me coach Jones, don’t you doubt me’.”
 
Jones has had a hand in the design of the facility. He has looked at places like Purdue for inspiration and has tried to emulate what he knows works.
 
“It’s been a very emotional time for me,” Jones said. “I have thought our kids deserved something better, but maybe not this elaborate, for years. I questioned why it was going to be so good. The principal at the time said ‘Howard, why can’t we have the best for our kids?’ That made sense to me. I think this state-of-the-art facility will be what’s best for our kids.”
 
For Jones, the principal’s statement got him thinking.
 
“I’m pretty conservative with things,” Jones said. “When he said that to me, I started thinking differently. I started thinking why not. The school wants to be greedy for the kids and it really shows.”
 
The wrestling facility isn’t the only thing to get a major upgrade at the school. The baseball and softball fields got a multi-million-dollar upgrade. The weight room doubled in size. The football field got new turf. The tennis courts are getting a facelift. But, the largest change, is the wrestling renovation.
 
According to Stevens, this might not have ever happened if it weren’t for the influence Jones has had on the students and the community through wrestling.
 
“They say it has a lot to do with me, but it’s really for the kids,” Jones said. “The kids deserved better and we’re getting there. The educators care for the kids. But since this announcement I’ve had hundreds of people call or contact me about how much wrestling has done for them. That was done without this kind of facility. It’s not that we create champion wrestlers. It’s important that we realize we’re creating champion kids.”
 
This has been an emotional journey for Jones. Former wrestlers are working on the building of the new facility and even the companies that put in the bids for the construction were ran by some of Jones’ former wrestlers.
 
“Each of our six elementary schools have former wrestlers of mine that are coaching,” Jones said. “All but one of my assistants were coached by me. The middle school – all but one of the coaches was coached by me. It makes me very proud. One of the things that probably puts things in perspective for me the most is that I had a principal at one of the elementary schools come up to me and said ‘Howard, I’m tired of going to principal meetings and hearing about your wrestling program.’ But wrestling is a fraternity, not just within the school, but it creates a strong bond for life.”
 
Stevens hopes to see other schools build similar facilities for their programs in the future.
 
“We hope this inspires other schools to do something similar,” Stevens said. “Everyone is going to benefit from this – not just the high school, but the younger kids as well. Wrestling is a sport that does great things for kids. The more we can inspire other kids, the better. I was not a wrestler, but I see the value the sport offers for kids today.”

Mr. Gorilla: Silas Allred- Shenandoah
1st Runner-up: Alec Viduya- Roncalli
2nd Runner-up: Joseph Walker- Mishawaka
 
3A Coach of the Year: Sean McGinley- Cathedral
2A Coach of the Year: Paul Gunsett- Bellmont
1A Coach of the Year: Cody Moll- North Posey
 
3A Wrestler of the Year: Eli Dickens- Mater Dei
2A Wrestler of the Year: Clayton Fielden- Garrett
1A Wrestler of the Year: Isiah Levitz- Prairie Heights
 
Past Award Winners
1A Coach
2015- Tony Currie
2016- Brett Smith
2017- Gary Black
2018- Chuck Fleshman
2019- Tony Currie
1A Wrestler
2015- Sawyer Miller
2016- Evan Ellis
2017- Eli Stock
2018- Noah Cressell
2019- Silas Allred
2A Coach
2015- Trent McCormick
2016- Mark Kerrn
2017- Trent McCormick
2018- Frank Bumgardner
2019- Chad Shepherd
2A Wrestler
2015- Brock Hudkins
2016- Brock Hudkins
2017- Mason Parris
2018- Brayden Curtis
2019- AJ Fowler
3A Coach
2015- Brad Harper
2016- Darrick Snyder
2017- Chris Johl
2018- Matt Schoettle
2019- Sean McGinley
3A Wrestler
2015- Chad Red
2016- Blake Rypel
2017- Joe Lee
2018- Asa Garcia
2019- Jordan Slivka
Mr. Gorilla
2015- Tommy Forte
2016- Chad Red
2017- Andrew Davison
2018- Brayton Lee and Mason Parris
2019- Asa Garcia

By JEREMY HINES
Thehines7@gmail.com
 
Last Saturday when Jordan Fulks pinned Terre Haute South Vigo’s Moses Hamm in the ticket round of the Evansville semistate, he did something that hasn’t been done by a Boonville wrestler in 13 years. He advanced to the state tournament.
 
“The last guy to make it to state from our school was Sam Derosett,” Fulks said. “He coached me when I was in middle school.”
 
Fulks, a junior, is currently ranked No. 5 at 152 pounds. He is 43-1 on the year with his lone loss coming in the semistate championship to No. 4-ranked Logan Boe.
 
“Jordan is scrappy wrestler,” Boonville co-coach Dustin Wilke said. “He’s a good wrestler on his feet. He moves his hands and feet very well. He has a lot of pins and racks up a lot of points.”
 
Last season Fulks finished the year with a 36-2 mark. He lost in the first round of semistate.
 
“I had a knee injury last year that really set me back a few months,” Fulks said. “It became a motivation thing, I guess. I advanced to semistate with a knee injury and that really inspired me because I knew if I could make it that far, hurt, then when I got better I could go even further.”
 
Fulks is a year-around wrestler. It’s the only sport he participates in.
 
“He’s got a real drive to be successful in wrestling,” Wilke said. “I’ve known him for several years. He was in our youth feeder program. He was on our travel team. I helped coach him in middle school. When he was getting a little older, I asked him what he wants to be – and he said a state champion. He asked what he needs to do to make that happen. He’s always looking for insight and he’s always trying to improve.”
 
Fulks believes his best attribute in wrestling is his confidence.
 
“I’m a confident wrestler,” he said. “I go out there and I’m confident in my moves and that I can hit them. I never go out thinking I can win every match, but I think I am going to wrestle my match, every time.”
 
Friday night Fulks will go up against Huntington North’s No. 12-ranked Cody McCune (36-2). Both wrestlers are looking to place for the first time at state. McCune advanced last year, but did not place.
 
 

ANGOLA, Ind. – Trine University Assistant Vice President for Athletics Matt Land has named Amy Hildebrandt as the inaugural head coach of the Thunder women's wrestling team.
 
"Amy is a great asset to Trine University and the sport of women's wrestling," said Land, "She is determined to grow women's wrestling. Her lifelong passion will serve Trine University well as we develop our program."
 
Hildebrandt has served as the coach of the Penn High School girl's wrestling team for the past two years. While there she has led the team to two state championship titles while coaching four individual state champions.
 
The team can trace its roots to Hildebrandt's time at Penn as a student when she was instrumental in starting the first Penn Girl's Wrestling Club which later became the full-fledged team when the IHSGW began sponsoring the sport statewide.
 
"I am honored to be Trine University's first women's wrestling coach." said Hildebrandt, "Women's wrestling has always been my passion and I am excited to be a part of the sport's growth. I look forward to introducing the Trine community to women's wrestling and leading a new group of young women at the University."
 
Hildebrandt has also served as coach of the Penn Wrestling Club for the past two years. The club works with elementary and middle school-aged athletes on the fundamentals of wrestling. For the past two years, she has also served as an assistant wrestling technician at the University of Michigan Women's Wrestling Camp.
 
Currently, Hildebrandt is stationed at the United States Olympic Training in Colorado Springs, Colo. where she assisting her sister in preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
 
Trine University announced in January that it would begin sponsoring women's wrestling for the 2020-21 season. They will become the first NCAA
institution to sponsor the sport in Indiana.

Throughout the history of the state finals the number of state placers has grown from four to six and finally to eight in 1992. With the addition of the 7th and 8th place finishers came the Friday night win or go home match for all the competitors. Throughout the years we have seen amazing matches and crazy upsets on Friday night.
 
After some thought we wanted to know which coach had the best winning percentage on Friday night. We compiled all the data from 1992 until 2019 and came up with the following information. Please note that included in these statistics are qualifiers that did not end up participating at state due to injury. This mildly affects a coach’s percentage as it is a rare occurrence an athlete does not participate on Friday night.
 
Click here for all of the data
 
Current coaches with 10+ state qualifiers from 1992-2019
 
Rank Coach Qualifiers Placers Friday % Current School 1 Wade McClurg 11 10 90.91% Roncalli 2 Brian Weaver 11 9 81.82% Elkhart Memorial 3 Sean McGinley 100 78 78.00% Indianapolis Cathedral 4 Darrick Snyder 85 64 75.29% Brownsburg 5 Chris Cooper 31 22 70.97% Columbus East 6 Maurice Swain 10 7 70.00% Center Grove 7 Jim Tonte 102 70 68.63% Franklin Community 8 David Maldonado 79 53 67.09% Merrillville 9 Matthew Behling 17 11 64.71% Culver Academies 10 Matt Schoettle 22 14 63.64% Perry Meridian 11 Dan Briggs 16 10 62.50% Carroll(Fort Wayne) 12 Joshua Holden 18 11 61.11% Greenfield-Central 13 Zach Errett 20 12 60.00% Avon 14 Kevin Blundell 10 6 60.00% Monrovia 15 Greg Schaefer 69 40 57.97% Evansville Mater Dei 16 Branden Lorek 14 8 57.14% Crown Point 17 Ed Pendoski 65 37 56.92% Carmel 18 Bill Flatt 23 13 56.52% South Bend Riley 19 Tony Abbott 31 17 54.84% Cowan 20 Bob Read 24 13 54.17% Plymouth 21 Eric Myers 21 11 52.38% Jay County 22 T. Howard Jones Jr. 22 11 50.00% Jennings County 23 Mark Kirchgassner 10 5 50.00% East Central 24 Bob Harmon 57 28 49.12% Castle 25 Chris Joll 47 23 48.94% Chesterton 26 Jim Pickard 40 19 47.50% Goshen 27 Mike Runyon 15 7 46.67% Bloomington South 28 Louie Kuzdas 24 11 45.83% LaPorte 29 Lou Silverman 35 16 45.71% North Central 30 Clint Gard 16 7 43.75% Rochester 31 Brad Harper 62 27 43.55% Penn 32 Scott Ferguson 38 16 42.11% Evansville Reitz 33 Steve Pugliese 22 9 40.91% Tri-West 34 Dave Cloud 27 11 40.74% Pendleton Heights 35 Dean Branstetter 15 6 40.00% Attica 36 Brandon Sisson 10 4 40.00% Floyd Central 37 Chad Shepherd 18 7 38.89% Western 38 Danny Struck 18 7 38.89% Jeffersonville 39 Larry Mattingly 31 12 38.71% Evansville Memorial 40 Andy Hobbs 39 15 38.46% Peru 41 Dan Mikesell 13 5 38.46% Mooresville 42 Doug Smoker 19 7 36.84% Angola 43 Rod Williams 11 4 36.36% Leo 44 Jim HIttler 17 6 35.29% Huntington North 45 Jamie Welliever 12 4 33.33% Southmont 46 Andrew King 20 6 30.00% Oak Hill 47 Tim Alcorn 10 3 30.00% Mount Vernon (Posey) 48 Paul Gunsett 14 4 28.57% Bellmont 49 Jim Wadkins 22 6 27.27% Calumet 50 Blane Culp 11 3 27.27% Columbia City 51 Nick Kraus 11 2 18.18% Garrett 52 Tom Miller 17 2 11.76% Lafayette Jefferson  
All coaches with 10+ state qualifiers from 1992-2019
Rank Coach Qualifiers Placers Friday % Current School Past School 1 Wiley Craft 12 11 91.67%   Lawrence Central 2 Wade McClurg 11 10 90.91% Roncalli Roncalli 3 Todd Kendrick 13 11 84.62%   Franklin Central 4 Frank Svarczkopf, Jr. 12 10 83.33%   Lawrence North 5 Brian Weaver 11 9 81.82% Elkhart Memorial Elkhart Memorial 6 Travis Walls 26 21 80.77%   Griffith 7 Dan Gelarden 15 12 80.00%   Munster 8 Brett Crousore 39 31 79.49%   Lawrence North 9 Nick Petrov 24 19 79.17%   Hanover Central 10 Sean McGinley 100 78 78.00% Indianapolis Cathedral Indianapolis Cathedral 11 Perry Summitt 13 10 76.92%   Bloomington North 12 Darrick Snyder 85 64 75.29% Brownsburg Brownsburg 13 Al Smith 26 19 73.08%   Mishawaka 14 Justin Smith 11 8 72.73%   Warsaw 15 Rod Wartman 11 8 72.73%   Lake Central 16 Chris Cooper 31 22 70.97% Columbus East Columbus East 17 Keith Grant 10 7 70.00%   Indian Creek 18 Maurice Swain 10 7 70.00% Center Grove Center Grove 19 Alan Goddard 10 7 70.00%   Ben Davis 20 Dennis Miesle 10 7 70.00%   Woodlan 21 Duboris Dickerson 13 9 69.23%   Pike 22 Grodie Crick 13 9 69.23%   Evansville Central 23 Jim Tonte 102 70 68.63% Franklin Community Warren Central 24 Mike Atwood 19 13 68.42%   Delphi 25 Paul Nicodemus 19 13 68.42%   Plainfield 26 Lance Rhodes 31 21 67.74%   Indianapolis Cathedral 27 David Maldonado 79 53 67.09% Merrillville Merrillville 28 Mike Goebel 111 74 66.67%   Evansville Mater Dei 29 Paul Voigt 15 10 66.67%   Carroll(Fort Wayne) 30 Bill Kelly 26 17 65.38%   East Chicago Central 31 Lance Ellis 17 11 64.71%   Roncalli 32 Matthew Behling 17 11 64.71% Culver Academies Culver Academies 33 Chad Red 28 18 64.29%   New Palestine 34 Matt Schoettle 22 14 63.64% Perry Meridian Perry Meridian 35 Brian Seltzer 40 25 62.50%   Lawrence North 36 Dan Briggs 16 10 62.50% Carroll(Fort Wayne) Union County 37 David Walpole 16 10 62.50%   Decatur Central 38 Robert Emerick 29 18 62.07%   Lake Central 39 Bob Jarrett 13 8 61.54%   Eastern (Greentown) 40 Jack Grimaldi 13 8 61.54%   Alexandria 41 Joshua Holden 18 11 61.11% Greenfield-Central Greenfield-Central 42 Rob Willman 18 11 61.11%   Floyd Central 43 Zach Errett 20 12 60.00% Avon Avon 44 Kevin Blundell 10 6 60.00% Monrovia Monrovia 45 John Kopnisky 10 6 60.00%   Carmel 46 Brent Faurote 109 65 59.63%   Bellmont 47 Kevin Troy 32 19 59.38%   Roncalli 48 Larry Tharp 22 13 59.09%   Portage 49 Russel Feigert 41 24 58.54%   Beech Grove 50 Dave Thompson 24 14 58.33%   Whiteland 51 Greg Schaefer 69 40 57.97% Evansville Mater Dei Evansville Mater Dei 52 Royce Deckard 64 37 57.81%   Bloomington South 53 Steve Balash 52 30 57.69%   Hobart 54 Keith Hoffar 28 16 57.14%   East Noble 55 Kyle Poyer 28 16 57.14%   Hamilton Southeastern 56 Mike Smorin 14 8 57.14%   South Bend Riley 57 Jim Nicholson 14 8 57.14%   Elkhart Central 58 Branden Lorek 14 8 57.14% Crown Point Crown Point 59 Ed Pendoski 65 37 56.92% Carmel Carmel 60 Bill Flatt 23 13 56.52% South Bend Riley South Bend Riley 61 Trent McCormick 103 58 56.31%   Yorktown 62 Bobby Howard 16 9 56.25%   Lowell 63 John Cook 16 9 56.25%   Valparaiso 64 Bob Hasseman 68 38 55.88%   Franklin Community 65 Lance Beehler 18 10 55.56%   Mishawaka 66 Danny Williams 20 11 55.00%   Warren Central 67 Tony Abbott 31 17 54.84% Cowan Cowan 68 Jamie Wingler 11 6 54.55%   New Palestine 69 Jason Warthan 11 6 54.55%   Columbus North 70 James Colias 11 6 54.55%   Munster 71 Kenny Wallace 11 6 54.55%   Princeton 72 Bob Read 24 13 54.17% Plymouth Plymouth 73 Clarence Warthan 24 13 54.17%   Frankfort 74 Israel Blevins 37 20 54.05%   Avon 75 Mike Ester 26 14 53.85%   Fort Wayne Snider 76 Jake Harreld 13 7 53.85%   Fishers 77 Bob Brennan 15 8 53.33%   Zionsville 78 Jared Williams 40 21 52.50%   Zionsville 79 Eric Myers 21 11 52.38% Jay County Jay County 80 Scott Vlink 86 45 52.33%   Crown Point 81 Rex Peckinpaugh 73 38 52.05%   New Castle 82 Andy Simon 35 18 51.43%   Carmel 83 Leroy Vega 43 22 51.16%   Portage 84 Mark Kerrn 38 19 50.00%   Jimtown 85 Randy Kearby 34 17 50.00%   Columbia City 86 Jim Ledbetter 28 14 50.00%   Warren Central 87 T. Howard Jones Jr. 22 11 50.00% Jennings County Jennings County 88 Todd Sacksteder 20 10 50.00%   Beech Grove 89 Kevin King 18 9 50.00%   Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 90 Chris Campbell 14 7 50.00%   Greenwood 91 Bill Yozipovich 14 7 50.00%   Greenfield-Central 92 Mark Bruner 12 6 50.00%   Brown County 93 Mark Kirchgassner 10 5 50.00% East Central East Central 94 Lee Fry 10 5 50.00%   Prairie Heights 95 Chris Svarczkopf 10 5 50.00%   Fort Wayne North Side 96 Larry Hazuga 10 5 50.00%   Jeffersonville 97 Christopher Kern 10 5 50.00%   Zionsville 98 Bob Harmon 57 28 49.12% Castle Castle 99 Chris Joll 47 23 48.94% Chesterton Chesterton 100 Henry Wilk 43 21 48.84%   Penn 101 Dennis Lewis 27 13 48.15%   NorthWood 102 Jim Pickard 40 19 47.50% Goshen Goshen 103 Terry O'Neill 19 9 47.37%   Westfield 104 Scott Dehart 17 8 47.06%   Wawasee 105 Mike Runyon 15 7 46.67% Bloomington South Bloomington South 106 Ryan Wells 15 7 46.67%   Kokomo 107 Cale Hoover 26 12 46.15%   Center Grove 108 Louie Kuzdas 24 11 45.83% LaPorte LaPorte 109 Tony Boley 24 11 45.83%   Warsaw 110 Lou Silverman 35 16 45.71% North Central North Central 111 Bud Palmer 11 5 45.45%   Delta 112 Steve Wewe 11 5 45.45%   Franklin County 113 Bo Henry 11 5 45.45%   Bloomington North 114 Clint Gard 16 7 43.75% Rochester Rochester 115 Brad Harper 62 27 43.55% Penn Penn 116 Rick Stenftenagel 14 6 42.86%   Jasper 117 David Caple 14 6 42.86%   Floyd Central 118 Scott Schwarz 26 11 42.31%   East Central 119 Scott Ferguson 38 16 42.11% Evansville Reitz Evansville Reitz 120 Steve VanderAa 17 7 41.18%   Winamac 121 Steve Pugliese 22 9 40.91% Tri-West Danville 122 Dave Cloud 27 11 40.74% Pendleton Heights Pendleton Heights 123 Scott Raypole 15 6 40.00%   Carroll(Fort Wayne) 124 Dean Branstetter 15 6 40.00% Attica Attica 125 Brandon Sisson 10 4 40.00% Floyd Central Floyd Central 126 James Binkley 10 4 40.00%   New Albany 127 Sam DiPrimio 10 4 40.00%   Fort Wayne Northrop 128 Gene Backes 10 4 40.00%   Evansville Reitz 129 Murray Miller 10 4 40.00%   South Bend Washington 130 James Phillips 10 4 40.00%   Indianapolis Emmerich Manual 131 Kevin Taylor 10 4 40.00%   Wawasee 132 Al Hartman 36 14 38.89%   South Bend Clay 133 Chad Shepherd 18 7 38.89% Western Western 134 Danny Struck 18 7 38.89% Jeffersonville Jeffersonville 135 Larry Mattingly 31 12 38.71% Evansville Memorial Evansville Memorial 136 Andy Hobbs 39 15 38.46% Peru Peru 137 Dan Mikesell 13 5 38.46% Mooresville Mooresville 138 Ed Fox 13 5 38.46%   Carroll(Fort Wayne) 139 Greg Gastineau 13 5 38.46%   Hamilton Southeastern 140 Mark Line 21 8 38.10%   Kankakee Valley 141 Doug Smoker 19 7 36.84% Angola Angola 142 Gary Fox 11 4 36.36%   Franklin Central 143 Rod Williams 11 4 36.36% Leo Leo 144 Tony Grater 11 4 36.36%   McCutcheon 145 Tony Starks 11 4 36.36%   Ben Davis 146 Todd Fakes 11 4 36.36%   Monrovia 147 Derek Bocock 14 5 35.71%   Lebanon 148 Matt Koontz 14 5 35.71%   Whitko 149 Jim HIttler 17 6 35.29% Huntington North Huntington North 150 Mark Scott 20 7 35.00%   Muncie Central 151 David Errett 20 7 35.00%   Martinsville 152 Barry Humble 18 6 33.33%   South Adams 153 Josh Dommer 15 5 33.33%   Leo 154 Jamie Welliever 12 4 33.33% Southmont Southmont 155 Robert Freije 16 5 31.25%   Brownsburg 156 Randy Pursley 13 4 30.77%   Homestead 157 Andrew King 20 6 30.00% Oak Hill Oak Hill 158 Chuck Fleshman 10 3 30.00%   Central Noble 159 Tim Alcorn 10 3 30.00% Mount Vernon (Posey) Mount Vernon (Posey) 160 John Bennett 10 3 30.00%   Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 161 Paul Gunsett 14 4 28.57% Bellmont Bellmont 162 Nicholas Eckert 14 4 28.57%   North Posey 163 George Gardner 18 5 27.78%   South Dearborn 164 Jim Wadkins 22 6 27.27% Calumet Calumet 165 Blane Culp 11 3 27.27% Columbia City Columbia City 166 Ron Anderson 11 3 27.27%   Winchester 167 Eric Burres 12 3 25.00%   New Albany 168 Doug Deters 13 3 23.08%   Franklin County 169 Kevin Wilkinson 10 2 20.00%   Southmont 170 Ken Houston 16 3 18.75%   Twin Lakes 171 Denny Schwartz 16 3 18.75%   Adams Central 172 Nick Kraus 11 2 18.18% Garrett Garrett 173 Scott VanDerAa 15 2 13.33%   Harrison (WL) 174 Tom Miller 17 2 11.76% Lafayette Jefferson Lafayette Jefferson 175 Al Thomas 10 1 10.00%   Logansport 176 Tim Sloffer 12 1 8.33%   Carroll(Fort Wayne) 177 Doug Schultz 13 1 7.69%   Adams Central