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By Kaylee M. King DONALDSON, IN – Ancilla College is proud to announce that they will be adding wrestling to the 2016-17 school year sports lineup and have appointed Steve VanDerAa as head coach. VanDerAa was the head wrestling coach at Winamac High School for 20 years and finished with a record of 404-96. He won 14 conference titles, a regional title and nine sectional titles. He also had numerous state qualifiers and placers. VanDerAa proudly coached a two-time state champion who went on to wrestle for Purdue. He also coached Team Indiana in the National Tournament and coached a National Champion and a National Runner-Up. One of the athletes he coached would then go on to later become an NCAA Champion as well. Along with his team accolades, VanDerAa was the recipient of coach of the year for the conference 14 times and was inducted into the Indiana Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2009. “What a tremendous opportunity it is to have someone of Steve’s experience and expertise recruiting and managing our new wrestling program,” said Ancilla Athletic Director Gene Reese. “I am excited about the chance to help these athletes compete at the next level,” remarked VanDerAa. “As I begin recruiting, I am searching for wrestlers that have a passion for and a strong desire to continue in this great sport.” VanDerAa, who is also an Instructor of Criminal Justice at the college, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bob Jones University and his Master of Arts from Grace College. About Ancilla College Ancilla College (www.ancilla.edu), part of The Center at Donaldson, offers 18 associate degrees and 14 athletic programs. Since 1937, the college has been a sponsored ministry of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. It is a small, private, liberal arts school in Donaldson, Indiana. It is located two miles south of U.S. 30 on Union Road near Plymouth, Indiana. For more information on Ancilla go to this link http://www.ancillachargers.com/sport/0/17.php

Brought to you by EI Sports By JEREMY HINES jerhines@cinergymetro.net Former Culver Community wrestling standout Matt Hurford is making a name for himself in the junior college ranks. Hurford recently finished as runner-up in the National Junior College Athletic Association championships. The Ellsworth Community College sophomore has placed runner-up in the championships both of his years at the school. Ellsworth is a two-year college program. So now Hurford is weighing his options and hoping to wrestle Division I for the remainder of his collegiate years. “I’ve got several Division I coaches talking to me,” Hurford said. “I’ve just got to decide what I’m going to do and what the best fit for me is going to be.” At Culver Community High School Hurford ended his senior year on a high note. He won state at 182 pounds, beating Perry Meridian’s Jake Massengale 9-4 in the final. “That was probably the highlight of my wrestling career so far,” Hurford said. “I was so happy after that.” Ellsworth coach Cole Spree was pleased to have Hurford on his team the past two seasons. “He’s the hardest worker we have,” Spree said. “That is ultimately the key to his success. His work ethic and what he expects from himself is second to none. There are times in the room where he gets beat by the other guys, but that’s only because he practices so hard, he warms up so hard, he can wear himself out because he only knows one speed.” Spree said he loves to recruit Indiana wrestlers. Ellsworth is located in Iowa Falls, Iowa. “I’ve got one other kid from Indiana on my team right now (Merrillville’s Isaac Rentas),” Spree said. “A lot of Indiana kids don’t want to go far away. But the kids from Indiana are usually very grounded and seem to all come from very good programs and they know their wrestling.” Hurford admits he has work to do in order to be able to compete at the level he would like to in Division I. “I think my strength and my hard work are my two biggest assets,” he said. “But I still have to improve technique-wise.” Hurford wasn’t always a good wrestler. He started competing in second grade and struggled quite a bit up until about seventh grade. “I think seventh grade is when things really started to click for me,” Hurford said. Wrestling has been an uphill climb for Hurford since the beginning. He didn’t get recruited heavily out of high school, despite winning the state championship. But it didn’t stop him. Instead he went to Ellsworth to improve, and has done so. Spree contributes Hurford’s success to the amount of time he spends working to get better. “Matt doesn’t have freaky speed,” Spree said. “He doesn’t have anything that would make you say ‘wow.’ But he’s got that attitude that no matter what is put in front of him, he’ll go around it, or through it, or over it. He’ll do whatever it takes. That’s why he will continue to be a success.” If you have a story idea for #WrestlingWednesday, email jerhines@cinergymetro.net with your suggestion.