2011-12 Preview
[ wvu returns three ncaa qualifiers for this season ]
Nathan Pennesi
To most, last year’s West Virginia wrestling team would be termed as successful with a 9-4 record overall, a second place finish at the Eastern Wrestling League Championships and five wrestlers that qualified for the NCAA Championships. For coach Craig Turnbull, however, the feeling was that despite all of the team’s success, more could have been achieved given the amount of talent and experience. This season, Turnbull returns for his 34th season at the helm of the Mountaineers, and is again setting the bar high for another promising group of WVU wrestlers. “Looking at who is returning and who we have added to the program, we expect a successful year – just as we do every year,” says Turnbull. “We believe that if people mature and develop like they should, then we should compete in that top 15 to 20 area.” NCAA qualifiers and returners Shane Young (125), Nathan Pennesi (141) and Matt Ryan (184) will be the core of the Mountaineers. “Shane Young and Nathan Pennesi are capable of placing in a top five position at the NCAA Championships,” Turnbull says. “Matt Ryan was a round of 12 guy last year, and he has shown confidence in his training. Placing high in the NCAA Tournament is a very high and realistic goal for him.” While each of those three will be crucial to WVU’s success, three other student-athletes that are returning from injury will also be key cogs to the Mountaineers’ attack. Past NCAA qualifiers Colin Johnston (133) and Brandon Williamson (HWT) both redshirted last season, but each are expected to pick up right where they left off in previous years. “Colin Johnston, at this stage of his career is capable of placing in the top five at the NCAA Championship as well,” Turnbull says. “At heavyweight, we have Brandon Williamson coming back, and he was a round of 12 guy before. As long as he comes back from injury like he should, he will be a potential finalist in his weight class. “That is a pretty good group and nucleus that has high expectations and high potential,” Turnbull says. “We have some people that I believe can place at a high level at the NCAA Championships.”
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Also returning from injury is Lance Bryson (174), who has sat out the past two seasons due to two separate shoulder surgeries. “In this sport, it is so contingent on us staying healthy,” Turnbull says. “Lance Bryson is back in his stride and is highly motivated. He is an achiever. If he develops correctly, he should be fighting to place somewhere on the podium at the NCAA Championships at the end of the year.” Along with returning a strong group of wrestlers, Turnbull will also have the luxury of keeping together one of the nation’s best coaching staffs. Assistant head coach Greg Jones, who is a former three-time NCAA Champion and the 2005 NCAA Championships’ Most Outstanding Wrestler, is one of the nation’s up-and-coming assistants. Furthermore, assistant head coach Danny Felix, who worked his way onto one of the most elite teams in June 2009 - the U.S. World Team - specializes in the development of the lighter weight classes. Both Jones and Felix will be charged with developing a young group of wrestlers that Turnbull believes will be crucial to WVU’s success. “Overall, we hope that we can provide (the younger guys) with the right experiences in the wrestling room,” Turnbull says. “It is a lot easier in a team sport to pick and choose when to put someone in the game. When you are the guy in this sport, there are no timeouts or substitutions. We want them to see where they are gaining and circle the areas that need improvement.” It is Turnbull’s belief that with the coaching abilities of Jones and Felix combined with the strong leadership qualities of the returning wrestlers that the young Mountaineers will find ways to succeed on the mat. “We want the younger guys to have someone to look up to,” Turnbull says. “There are five or six people that have gone through the fire and the challenges of the season. Those people will be providing not just verbal leadership, but also a depiction of how to be a leader.” Along with building on its individual successes, WVU would also like return to the top of the EWL after multiple close calls in the last few years. “The EWL is really challenging,” Turnbull says. “If we had to pick a front runner, it would probably be Pitt, who returns a good amount of their team that won the EWL Championships last year. We were second to them, and we want to find an answer to move past them.” The Mountaineers will use a tough non-conference schedule to prepare for the EWL, including a date with defending national champion, Penn State. “We didn’t soften the schedule up at all. In fact, our out of conference is probably even more challenging than the league will be,” Turnbull says. “Penn State was the national champion last season and will start the year at No. 1 in the country. All of those experiences are a chance to compete against top ten individuals and top ten teams. It will help prepare us for the grind of the EWL.”
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Two- time NCAA qualifier Shane Young finished last season with a 28-10 overall record and an impressive 7-2 mark in the EWL. In his dual matches, the Jeneatte, Pa. native finished with a 7-3 record and outscored his opponents 47-9, while recording seven pins. “Shane Young comes in with a tremendous achievement orientation,” Turnbull says. “In high school, he was one of the premiere wrestlers to come out of Pennsylvania. He has an expectation of achievement. He has been to the national tournament twice. Over the summer, he has put in some very purposeful work.” Young placed second at the EWL Championships last year.