The Wayne State College 17-man wrestling club hit the mats with determination in last Saturday’s National Collegiate Wrestling Association Great Plains Conference Tournament.

Despite Mother Nature’s lack of help, the tournament was held at Wayne High School with nine teams and over 40 wrestlers competing for their spot in Nationals.

Wayne State is sending a school record and conference-best 14 wrestlers to Allen, Texas for Nationals.

WSC came in second place in the Great Plains Conference, one point shy of the title at 83 points.

“The key to (the team’s) success was that we prepared well throughout the season,” coach Greg Vander Weil said.

The Wayne State College club finished second to the United States Air Force Academy Prep, which is a Division I club. Nationals will be divided into Division I and Division II schools, so WSC will be the number one D-II club from the Great Plains Conference.

When comparing the feeling to previous years, Vander Weil says it is hard not to be happy.

“Hosting (conference) and coming runner up is the best experience we have ever had as a program,” Vander Weil said.

The top three placers in each weight class qualified for Nationals in addition to two wildcards from the Great Plains Conference.

Junior Jon Williams and senior Jon Mullen earned first place finishes in their weight classes. Both have made it to Nationals every year they have been at WSC. There were six second place finishers and four third place finishers. The two wildcards from the conference also came from Wayne State, Robbie Thomsen and Patrick Donnelly.

Mullen says heart is what got him to conference champion.

“It took a whole lot of heart, sweat and blood day in and day out to be in the position I am in today,” Mullen said. “There is a lot of competition in the wrestling room this year so a guy has to work for everything he gets in there.”

Mullen says he comes out of Nationals better and better each year. He placed in the top 16 in the nation last year and expects that number to improve to one this year.

“Conference champion is just a stepping stone to the overall goal of being a national champion,” Mullen said. “I have been down to the big show three times now so it is no surprise to me what to expect.”

As for the number of wrestlers making the trip to Texas this year, Mullen says the more the merrier.

“Last year having a handful of guys down there screaming for me while I wrestled was plenty enough for me but you throw in double that number? I hope each and every one of them gets what they work so very hard for this year,” Mullen said.

A lot has changed for Mullen his senior year. One of the changes was stepping into the captain role.

“Stepping into the captain role this year has really turned me into a more developed young man,” Mullen said. “It made me think of not only myself but everyone around me and make sure the whole team was always on the same page.”

WSC will be returning 13 out of the 14 national qualifiers next year.

“To qualify as many freshmen as we did is great,” Vander Weil said. “They’re going to go to the show and find whatever success they can and go back next year looking for the podium.”

On top of the club performing extremely well at conference, Vander Weil was named the NCWA Great Plains Conference Coach of the Year. Vander Weil said the best part is that the award is a team recognition including the team’s success and Aaron Schuett’s day-to-day head coaching.

“You can’t be a Coach of the Year without a good program,” Vander Weil said.

“I have to thank Greg Vander Weil and Aaron Schuett for never giving up on me and believing that I could achieve great things,” Mullen said.

Funding for 14 wrestlers is expensive for a club. There is housing and travel in addition to $35 registration fee per wrestler. Vander Weil would like to thank everyone one who has contributed so far.

“It was money well spent,” Vander Weil said. “I think the results speak for themselves.”

If you would like to donate money to the club for expenses towards Nationals please contact Greg Vander Weil.

The qualifiers leave for Texas on Tuesday, have registration Wednesday and wrestle Thursday through Saturday.