Classroom at Baldwin-Wallace College
BEREA, OHIO -- Hudson resident and Hudson High School graduate Sayre Wuhr is competing in his third and final season of wrestling at Baldwin-Wallace College this winter. He is hoping to lead the Yellow Jackets to an Ohio Athletic Conference Championship this winter. This weekend (Jan. 9-10), Wuhr and his teammates are competing at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania at the Bud Whitehall Division III National Dual Match Championships.
Wuhr is the starting 141-pounder for the 3-0 overall and 29th-ranked (In the National Collegiate Wrestling Coaches Association Adidas-Brute poll) Yellow Jackets. The senior physical education major who itends on teaching and coaching following graduation, has enjoyed success on the mats, in the classroom and in the campus community overall.
Following graduation from Hudson H.S. in the spring of 2001, Wuhr selected OAC rival Capital University to attend college. But, after competing on the wrestling squad as a freshman, Capital disbanded its wrestling program, and Wuhr was left without a team
"It was not the greatest situation," said Wuhr, remembering back to that time. "We did not have a large team but it left some of us out in the cold. If you wanted to compete in wrestling, you had just one choice. You had to transfer. So, I did, and chose B-W."
Wuhr was recruited by a number of NCAA Division II and NAIA schools as well as other OAC programs. However, he felt that after visiting the B-W campus and meeting with the coaching staff that his best opportunity for success in both wrestling and academics was being a Yellow Jacket.
"I’m really happy with my decision to transfer to B-W," said Wuhr, who has a 46-31 career record with eights falls. "I was recruited by a number of different schools after my freshman season at Capital, but felt that my best fit was at B-W.
"When I came to meet with the coaches my first time, they were all extremely nice and really made me feel welcome," continued Wuhr. "I knew that B-W had a good program with a good coach and that the program was getting better. I knew this was going to be my best choice and I haven’t regretted my decision at all."
"We recruited Sayre when he was in high school but was dead set on going to Capital and we wished him well," said veteran Yellow Jacket Head Coach Rich Fleming. "When Capital decided to drop wrestling and made its wrestlers available to the other OAC schools, we went after both Sayre and one of his teammates. The teammate went to Ohio Northern and Sayre came here. He has been an excellent addition to our program in many ways."
During the 2001-2002 season, Wuhr’s first in Berea, he competed in the 141-pound weight class and finished with a 17-10 overall record, including three pins. He recorded 26 takedowns, 15 escapes and six reversals. At the OAC Championship Tournament at Ohio Northern, Wuhr placed fourth with a 2-2 record.
Last year, Wuhr again competed at 141 pounds and experienced a successful season for the second year in a row despite being sidelined for a portion of the second half of the year with a wrist injury. He finished with a 15-6 record. Wuhr had 20 takedowns, six escapes, seven reversals and four pins. He also wrestled one match at 149 pounds. He placed third at the Rochester Institute of Technology Tournament in Rochester, New York and third at the Ohio Northern Invitational. He also finished second at the Heidelberg College Invitational.
At the OAC Championships, Wuhr, wrestling with his wrist tightly taped, won his first match but then lost to the eventual OAC champion, eliminating his chances at a possible NCAA Division III National Tournamnet berth.
"Our goal as a team is to win the Ohio Athletic Conference title," said Wuhr. "Every team member is committed to that goal. But wrestling is an individual sport and you must be highly motivated to achieve as an individual.
"Every wrestler wants to get to the NCAA Division III National Tournament," continued Wuhr. "With just the OAC Champion qualifying for the NCAA Championships, one loss can end a good season. That is why you have to be at your best for the OAC Tournament."
This year, Wuhr is wrestling well again. After five meets, he has a 8-5 record, and feels that he and the team are again much-improved.
"At the beginning of the year, I thought that we might be lacking in intensity," said Wuhr. "But, I was wrong.
"At the RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) Tournament, we began to jell as a team and the momentum has carried over into practice and our meets. At the Ohio Northern Tournament, we looked great and were the highest finishing OAC team. Now, we have been off for the past four weeks and are looking forward to this weekend’s Division III National Duals, the upcoming John Summa Tournament (at B-W on Saturday, February 7) and the OAC Tournament."
"Sayre is one of two seniors on the team this year and therefore is looked at as one of our leaders. He is a leader by example and a very hard-working individual," said 17th-year Head Coach Rich Fleming. "He is hard-nosed and gives you everything he has and just keeps coming at you. Sayre is also the toughest leg-rider when he is on top of his opponent. He absolutely punishes the opposition."
Coach Fleming and Wuhr both agree that the team goals for this season include winning the OAC title.
"In addition to our top goal of winning the OAC Tournament title, we’d also love to win the dual meet title. Our biggest competition has been and will continue to be John Carroll (B-W hosts JCU on Tuesday, February 3 in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium)," said Wuhr. "That should be a great dual match.
"We also know that our goals can only be met through a unified team effort," continued Wuhr. "It takes more than one or two guys. We all have to work toward that goal. We have to motivate each other. We have to support each other. If we do those things well, we can accomplish the goal together -- as a team."
It sounds like Wuhr is beginning his coaching career early!
Following this weekend’s Division III Duals at Lycoming, B-W is idle until Tuesday, january 20 when they travel to Wilmington, Ohio to compete against the Quakers in an OAC dual match at 7:00 p.m. B-W is also at Muskingum on Jan. 27 and at the Elmhurst (Ill.) College Al Hanke Tournament on Jan. 31 before hosting JCU and then the Summa Invitational.
FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by calling 440-826-2327, you can FAX him at 440-826-2329 or you can e-mail him at kruple@bw.edu.
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