Wrestling sends two athletes to Nationals
By Micah McVicker | Staff Writer
Two athletes from the UIndy wrestling team were sent to the NCAA Division II National Championships March 13. Junior Matt Irwin and sophomore redshirt Cory Fornal traveled to Houston, Texas, to compete, but both athletes were eliminated on the first day of the championships.
“Each one of these wrestlers made it to the Sweet Sixteen. There are only 16 people in their weight class, so that was quite an accomplishment right there,” said interim head coach Terry Wetherald. “But if you were to ask them, I’m sure that they would let you know that they’re a little bit disappointed that they didn’t go any further than that.”
Although Irwin and Fornal did reach nationals, the road there was not smooth. Early in the season, head coach Jay Yates was relieved of his position, and Terry Wetherald was brought in. According to Fornal, that transition from Yates to Wetherald was difficult.
Wetherald said that when he stepped in, he told the team that his job was to see that their season continued on a high note and that they were going to work as hard as they could to get them where they wanted to be.
“I was pretty satisfied with the postseason. [We had] pretty good regionals, and ok nationals,” Fornal said. “I want to return to nationals and become and All-American next season.”
Achievements on the mat led to more benefits off the mat. The University’s rich wrestling tradition at UIndy helps significantly with recruiting, according to Wetherald.
Being able to sell to high school wrestlers, who want to wrestle at the next level, that you had two of your wrestlers reached the national championships is an asset for the coaches, he said.
Wetherald said the program has about 10 or 11 active high school coaches in the state of Indiana, another in Illinois, some in Florida and also in the southern states.
“These coaches are alumni of the UIndy wrestling program and spread the word about the tradition, train their kids in this tradition [and] that helps in the recruiting aspect,” Wetherald said.
He also said he has high expectations for the program next year.
“We expect to get some All-Americans,” Wetherald said. “They’re young, and I guarantee you they will be back.”
