Vision Quest – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | General, Wrestling
Oct. 21, 2006
By Danielle Warner
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Twenty-one days. There are just 21 days remaining before the Ohio State wrestling team begins its season under first-year head coach Tom Ryan, but in truth the Buckeyes’ debut at the Michigan State Open, Nov. 12, in East Lansing, Mich., and the Scarlet and Gray’s first home dual meet vs. Missouri, Nov. 16, in St. John Arena is far from the beginning of a new era in OSU wrestling. From the moment Ryan and his coaching staff made their appearance on the Ohio State campus April 22, 2006, a transformation took place within the OSU wrestling family courtesy of a campaign, driven by the coaches, toward setting a precedent of greatness within the program.
“With an administration committed to excellence, a proven staff and a state full of passionate wrestling fans, we will build Ohio State wrestling into a program people will be proud of,” Ryan said.
“This is one of the few programs that has dynasty potential,” Tommy Rowlands, an OSU assistant coach, said. “I am excited about what the future holds.”
Although the program is going through a rebuilding phase this upcoming season, there is no question the quest to become a dominant fixture, in not only the Big Ten Conference, but also in the nation is an objective both the coaching staff and the team find obtainable. In fact, ask any member of the team what Ohio State wrestling represents and they believe it signifies an up-and-coming powerhouse, dedicated and determined to becoming a top contender.
“Tom Ryan and the coaching staff have created an excitement that is contagious,” All-American junior J.D. Bergman said. “Coach Ryan is a great man and a great leader.”
First things first. In order to mold some of the best student-athletes in the nation, the coaches have to be top caliber leaders as well. Ryan owns an impressive resume from his coaching tenure at Hofstra that included six consecutive conference titles in the Eastern Collegiate Wrestling Association and the Colonial Athletic Association. In 11 seasons with the Pride, Ryan was named league coach of the year seven times and was a two-time New York State Coach of the Year. A 109-82-2 overall mark at Hofstra, which also consisted of a 47-match (46-0-1) unbeaten streak in dual-match action, warranted action by Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith to snatch up one of the most successful wrestling head coaches in the nation. And the list goes on. At Hofstra, Ryan guided 65 wrestlers to NCAA championship appearances, including eight in 2006. Eleven of his wrestlers also garnered All-America honors, while 45 were individual conference champions.
After Ryan accepted the position at Ohio State, he had the demanding task of choosing a supporting cast. Easy, right? Simply pick the best and go from there, which is exactly what Ryan did. Ryan decided to choose someone who was familiar with the Buckeye tradition and made Rowlands (2001-04), a four-time OSU All-American, an assistant coach. Rowlands, who also has plans to become a member of the U.S. Olympic team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, was joined on the coaching staff by 2006 U.S. Senior World Team head coach Lou Rosselli, who made a lasting impression as head assistant coach at Edinboro (1997-2006). Rosselli helped coach the Fighting Scots to four consecutive crowns in two different spans (1998-01 and 2003-2006) and mentored 17 All-Americans. The core group also will receive substantial expertise from volunteer assistant coach and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, native Joe Heskett, who, like Rowlands, is training for a spot on the U.S. Olympic roster in 2008 as a four-time U.S. National team member. Heskett became the eighth four-time All-American at Iowa State between 1999-2002.
“Great programs stem from great leadership,” Heskett said. “Gene Smith hires the best. Tom Ryan is the best and he has established an entire staff that will develop champions. It’s in our blood.”
With six NCAA qualifiers returning to the Buckeye lineup, the goal of developing national champions is a feat that should not be to difficult too accomplish. Bergman is back in the full swing of things at 197 pounds after medical redshirting last season. Capturing All-America honors with a third-place finish as a true freshman in 2005, Bergman is on track to compete as a finalist.
“J.D. is talented, strong and versatile and expects nothing less than winning the NCAA title,” Ryan said.
Kirk Nail, a 2006 All-American, returns at heavyweight and his rising talent too will serve as a catalyst for this inspired team.
“Kirk’s commitment to himself and his team can potentially be the driving force for him to reach all of his goals,” Ryan said. “He definitely has the talent.”
The remaining four national qualifiers – T.J. Enright, Reece Humphrey, J Jaggers and Blake Maurer – will lend their unique talents on the mat as well, displaying to the state of Ohio and the nation a new identity that will elevate the Buckeyes to heighten success.
What became a recurring theme in Ryan’s plan to bring Ohio State wrestling to national prominence was the need for the Buckeyes to establish relationships within the wrestling community in the state of Ohio, a hotbed for high school wrestling talent.
In fact, Ryan went on a coaches’ tour in August and September at high schools throughout the state to discuss the team’s commitment to wrestling in the Buckeye state.
“Getting to know the Ohio coaches and fans was very important to me,” Ryan said. “I love the excitement, energy and passion that come from every Buckeye fan. Our kids want to win, our fans want to win and our coaches want to win and we will win.”
At this point, it is a matter of executing the lofty goals the 2006 version of OSU wrestling has set for themselves. However, there is an energy and charge that electrifies the practice room at the Steelwood Athletic Training Facility that everyone from the head coach to the fervent freshman feels. Something special is going on with Ohio State wrestling and even if it was not known before, it is definitely known now.
