W&J sports Wrestler Sets School Record for Single-Season Victories
Standout wrestler Josh Etzel battles for a place on the podium at the NCAA Division III Championships.
FIRST W&J WRESTLING ALL-AMERICAN IN 11 YEARS Expectations were high for Josh Etzel ’14 heading into his 2013 wrestling season after competing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament as a 141-pound sophomore. A biochemistry major in the pre-med program with a 3.81 grade point average and dreams of becoming a doctor, Etzel and Head Coach Tommy Prairie discussed ways to alleviate his rigorous daily schedule. Weight management is a hot-button issue in the sport, and staying near 141 pounds was something Etzel had to closely monitor each day. A joint decision was made prior to the season. “I wanted Josh to focus on academics and wrestling and less on worrying about what he was eating,” said Prairie, a second-year coach. “The 157-pound weight class seemed like the best fit. He certainly showed that we made the right decision.” Etzel’s wrestling focus sharpened and he won the 157-pound title at the W&J Open in November. He continued to roll in February, when he won the championship at Baldwin-Wallace’s John Summa Tournament. Two weeks later, he captured his second Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) crown and became the 24th student-athlete in school history to win a pair of league titles. The February PAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Scholar Athlete of the Month entered the NCAA Mideast Regional as the No. 2 seed in the 157-pound bracket with a 30-3 record. A loss in the semifinals ended his 17-match win streak, and he would need two consolation victories to assure himself a national qualifying spot. Etzel responded with a pair of wins to collect a return trip to the national tournament. “The season is a grind and we try to be at peak performance during three different points of the season,” said Prairie. “The regional tournament is certainly one of those moments that you want to be wrestling your best, and Josh knew getting
“I still have two goals that I want to accomplish, becoming a national champion and being accepted into medical school.”
one of those three spots would get him back to nationals.” After losing his opening match at the national championships, Etzel bounced back to win his first consolation bout and then dominated Ryan Arne of St. John’s (Minn.) 6-0 to advance. A medical forfeit guaranteed Etzel’s place as W&J’s first wrestling All-American since Kevin DeJuliis ’03 at the the 2002 NCAA Championship. Etzel finished sixth with a 3-3 record, the highest placement by a Presidents wrestler since W&J Athletic Hall of Famer Dave Krivus ’83 in 1983. “I accomplished my first goal last year (to make the NCAA Tournament) and this year was to get on the podium (finish among the top eight at NCAA),” noted the vice president of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. “I still have two goals that I want to accomplish, becoming a national champion and being accepted into medical school.” Etzel’s 37-7 final record set a school record for single-season victories and with 68 career wins, he is on pace to become only the fourth wrestler at W&J to produce 100 triumphs. Following the season, Etzel was selected a First Team Capital One CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-American. The at-large team is the toughest Academic All-America program to earn a spot on as it features all NCAA Division III student-athletes in 12 different sports.
– JOSH ETZEL ’14
because he’s completely focused on doing things the right way,” noted Prairie. “He’s one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever coached, and the goal is to move up five spots next year and win it all.” Etzel added, “The Academic All-America award might be the most gratifying thing I’ve accomplished. I work pretty hard and academics are my main focus, which makes this honor special.” Lukas Etzel, Josh’s brother has enrolled at W&J with hopes of earning a starting position in the lightweight classes. “I’m excited because we’ve been through this same scenario in high school,” said Etzel, whose older brother Jake also attended W&J. “I hope to set a good example for him, and his presence keeps me in check. He’s a great addition to this program.” This past summer, Etzel worked in biomedical research at Case Western Reserve University. Using experiments with rats, Etzel and his colleagues attempted to develop growth patterns in neo-natal lung development. While on the front end of the research, Etzel hopes to play a role in what could make a difference for many families. “I definitely hope the research can help with neo-natal babies in the future,” he said. “There’s a lot of future work as we are in the early stages, but it feels good to be part of this. I’ve wanted to be in the medical field my entire life.” – SCOTT MCGUINNESS
“I am not surprised at all at Josh’s accolades WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
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