Bill Peterman - A big thank you over the last 3 seasons setting up the College Wrestling Fund Booth all over the state. Bill will be setting up at Kids State so stop by during weigh ins friday and the rest of the weekend. Thank you to all our committee members, individuals, businesses, clubs, USA Wrestling Kansas Kids State body, high school programs, etc. STOP BY this weekend.

Sincerely,

Sean McCarthy

As a member of the Kansas wrestling community, I want to also thank Bill Peterman for all the hard work he has done over the last 3 seasons for the Kansas College Wrestling Fund. Bill is a tremendous person for promoting and advocating for our Kansas colleges that have wrestling programs. He truly has put in a lot of work for the Kansas College Wrestling Fund and it is obviously a labor of love for him. If you do take time to visit Bill at the Kansas College Wrestling Fund booth this weekend, I know you will enjoy your visit and will be glad you did.

The efforts of people like Bill, Sean, the other committee members, the USAW-Ks state body, and all the other contributing people and institutions that Sean mentioned, will continue to enable the Kansas College Wrestling Fund to help college wrestling grow in Kansas now and in the future. You are all doing something very worthwhile and special for the Kansas wrestling community. Again thank you!

Please continue to support our Kansas Colleges with wrestling.



USA Wrestling-Kansas Inc. - Kansas College Wrestling Fund (KCWF)
7208 Magnolia Way
Hutchinson, KS 67502-9380
MISSION STATEMENT OF KANSAS COLLEGE WRESTLING FUND:
It is the mission of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund to provide financial support for Kansas colleges and universities with active college wrestling programs. This financial support to Kansas colleges and universities will help provide wrestling, academic and eventual career opportunities for student athlete wrestlers in the State of Kansas.
Individual and corporate donor annual gifting levels:
Platinum Level-$5,000 and above
Gold Level-$2,000 to $5,000
Silver Level-$500-$1,999
Bronze Level-$1-$499
Checks should be made out to: USAW - Kansas College Wrestling Fund
Tax ID – Number 48-0981221 501 c (3) exemption
Thank you for your support of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund
Where to send checks:
USA Wrestling-Kansas Inc. - Kansas College Wrestling Fund (KCWF)
7208 Magnolia Way
Hutchinson, KS 67502-9380


Kansas College Wrestling Fund Committee: Please call or e-mail if you have any questions.

Sean McCarthy – Chairman (913) 579-1835 – cell, e-mail - smokeycabin@hotmail.com

Will Cokeley - Vice Chairman (708) 267-6615 – cell, e-mail – willcokeley@gmail.com

Bill Peterman – Secretary (913) 626-4459 – cell, e-mail – billpeterman@hotmail.com

USA Wrestling – Kansas Inc. – Treasurer (Mike Juby – e-mail – mikejuby@usawks.com)

Wayne Petterson – College Coach – (620) 431-2820 Extension 210 work, e-mail wpetterson@neosho.edu

David Nordhues - College Coach - (O) 785 460 5503 (C) 308 750 2745 - david.nordhues@colbycc.edu

Ryan Smith – College Coach – (316) 617-9025, e-mail smithry@newmanu.edu

Steve Woody – USAWKS – Corporate Board Director (District IV Director) (785) 626-3309, e-mail stripes@ruraltel.net

Travis Keal – Kansas HS Coach Mill Valley, Previous KWCA - President, (913) 645-6050 – cell, e-mail tkeal@att.net

Jeff Butler – Wrestling Supporter (808) 230-1371 – cell, e-mail jrod400@aol.com

Dan Harris - Wrestling supporter Dan.Harris@bakeru.edu - (913) 522-0978


Leanna Grater - leanngrater@twinvalley.net
Multiple Decades of Service to the Kansas Wrestling Community
Treasurer - USA Wrestling Kansas Kids Executive Council
Phone: (785) 632-1887

Jennifer Edison - Edison6@swbell.net
Multiple Decades of Service to the Kansas Wrestling Community
Secretary – USA Wrestling Corporate Board of Directors
Phone: (316) 721-5122




If you have any questions on how to help - feel free to contact any of the KCWF committee members.

We will have a booth setup at the State Freestyle and Greco Championships in Hutch next weekend. Stop by and visit and see how you can help the colleges.

Kansas College Wrestling Fund Donations 2011-2014

Note: Please notify if I left someone off the list or any corrections need to be made.

Gold Donors – $2,000-$4,999
Vince and Linda Nowak
District 1 USA Wrestling Kansas
USA Wrestling Kansas
Ace Fund Raising
Dynamic Fastener
Bluechip Athletic

Silver Donors - $500 - $1,999
Kathy & Mike Juby
STA Kids Club and High School Team
Roberts GMC – Kansas City
Steve and Lisa Woody
Paola Wrestling Club
Blue Chip Athletic
Chanute Wrestling Club
Bonner Springs Wrestling Club
Olathe East Wrestling Club and High School Team
East Kansas Storm Wrestling Club
SJA Wrestling Club & Saint James High School Team
Linn County Twister Wrestling Club
Olathe Northwest Booster Club
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)
Pittsburg Wrestling Club
Jr. Viking Wrestling Club
Hays Wrestling Club
Jill and Sean McCarthy
Smokey Valley – District III Tournament USA Wrestling Kansas
District III
Mac Wrestling Club
Tony Dong – Martinelli’s Little Italy - Salina
Robert Tanenbaum & Kelly Jackson
August and Patty Ochs
Eric and Pam Washington
Martinelli's Little Italy


Bronze Donors - $1 - $499
Circle Junior Wrestling Club
Joyce Orendac
Kay and Bill Peterman
Nielson Family Dentistry
Nill Brothers Sporting Goods
Eric Johnson
Baldwin Wrestling Club
Dan Harris
James Renfro
Lawrence Elite Wrestling Club
Leavenworth High School Team
Leavenworth County Spartans
Mathew and Sarah Kuhn
Martinelli’s Little Italy – Salina
Lee and Debbie Girard
Gayle and Don Whitmore
Todd Ackerman
Charles Knox
James and Marjorie Brown
Daniel and Aileen Delforge
Matt and Linda DeJong
Richard and Linda Wagner
Connie Ackerman
Kim and Ted Huck
Mike Espinosa
Expertees LLC
Clearwater Youth Wrestling Club
Mark & Lisa Schafer
Neil Erisman
Security Benefits Plus
D. Kester
Dave & Sue McCarthy
Joe & Marie Cisper
Adam and Sara Polansky
Mark Cody - U of Oklahoma Coach
Bill Zadick - USA Wrestling (Iowa Wrestler)
Doug and Michelle Vander Linden
Brooke Brogren
Richard Brake
Shannon Peters
Tom Peterman
Jeffery and Rebecca Howard
Debora and Mark Schellhase
Celeste and Mike Rains
Thunderbird Wrestling Club
Jerry Tujague
Mike Miller
Gregg Ikenberry
Shannon Peters
Bill Vielhauer
Lindsey and Michelle Perz
Brian Stack
Williams Law LLC – Tom and Shelly Williams
Barry and Shelly Sullivan
Mike Hammer
JP Garrett
Gooch Family – 5Gs
Jeremy and Jonell Sekavec
Eric Akin
Jon Lautt
Shorey Automotive (Michael Luellen)
Ben and Amy Hillman
Karen and Tim Elliot
Tony & Lori Atwood
Jackie and Daniel Gates
Brian and Dana Blew
Dennis and Melinda Shoemaker
Tony Dong
Marcus Cain
Dean and Martin Smith
Jeff Martin
Paul and Ricki Bober
Donnie and Tess Bradley
Jeff and Rebecca Howard
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)


Links to the Kansas College Schedules Rosters, Coaches and other information can be found at

http://kcwf.usawks.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/KansasCollegeWrestlingFund

• Baker University
• Benedictine
• Bethany College
• Colby Community College
• Fort Hays State University
• Labette Community College
• Neosho County Community College
• Newman University
• Northwest Kansas Technical College
• Pratt Community College
* Ottawa University

Please continue to support our Kansas Colleges with wrestling.

Let's continue to give our high school wrestlers opportunities for a college degree and still continue to compete in their sport. Some of these wrestlers will be great business owners, leaders, coaches, teachers, etc.



USA Wrestling-Kansas Inc. - Kansas College Wrestling Fund (KCWF)
7208 Magnolia Way
Hutchinson, KS 67502-9380
MISSION STATEMENT OF KANSAS COLLEGE WRESTLING FUND:
It is the mission of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund to provide financial support for Kansas colleges and universities with active college wrestling programs. This financial support to Kansas colleges and universities will help provide wrestling, academic and eventual career opportunities for student athlete wrestlers in the State of Kansas.
Individual and corporate donor annual gifting levels:
Platinum Level-$5,000 and above
Gold Level-$2,000 to $5,000
Silver Level-$500-$1,999
Bronze Level-$1-$499
Checks should be made out to: USAW - Kansas College Wrestling Fund
Tax ID – Number 48-0981221 501 c (3) exemption
Thank you for your support of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund
Where to send checks:
USA Wrestling-Kansas Inc. - Kansas College Wrestling Fund (KCWF)
7208 Magnolia Way
Hutchinson, KS 67502-9380


Kansas College Wrestling Fund Committee: Please call or e-mail if you have any questions.

Sean McCarthy – Chairman (913) 579-1835 – cell, e-mail - smokeycabin@hotmail.com

Will Cokeley - Vice Chairman (708) 267-6615 – cell, e-mail – willcokeley@gmail.com

Bill Peterman – Secretary (913) 626-4459 – cell, e-mail – billpeterman@hotmail.com

USA Wrestling – Kansas Inc. – Treasurer (Mike Juby – e-mail – mikejuby@usawks.com)

Wayne Petterson – College Coach – (620) 431-2820 Extension 210 work, e-mail wpetterson@neosho.edu

David Nordhues - College Coach - (O) 785 460 5503 (C) 308 750 2745 - david.nordhues@colbycc.edu

Ryan Smith – College Coach – (316) 617-9025, e-mail smithry@newmanu.edu

Steve Woody – USAWKS – Corporate Board Director (District IV Director) (785) 626-3309, e-mail stripes@ruraltel.net

Travis Keal – Kansas HS Coach Mill Valley, Previous KWCA - President, (913) 645-6050 – cell, e-mail tkeal@att.net

Jeff Butler – Wrestling Supporter (808) 230-1371 – cell, e-mail jrod400@aol.com

Dan Harris - Wrestling supporter Dan.Harris@bakeru.edu - (913) 522-0978


Leanna Grater - leanngrater@twinvalley.net
Multiple Decades of Service to the Kansas Wrestling Community
Treasurer - USA Wrestling Kansas Kids Executive Council
Phone: (785) 632-1887

Jennifer Edison - Edison6@swbell.net
Multiple Decades of Service to the Kansas Wrestling Community
Secretary – USA Wrestling Corporate Board of Directors
Phone: (316) 721-5122




If you have any questions on how to help - feel free to contact any of the KCWF committee members.

Member

Registered: July, 07 2001
Posts: 4176
Loc: Shawnee Kansas
Kansas College Wrestling Fund Donations 2011-2014

Note: Please notify if I left someone off the list or any corrections need to be made.

Gold Donors – $2,000-$4,999
Vince and Linda Nowak
District 1 USA Wrestling Kansas
USA Wrestling Kansas
Ace Fund Raising
Dynamic Fastener
Bluechip Athletic

Silver Donors - $500 - $1,999
Kathy & Mike Juby
STA Kids Club and High School Team
Roberts GMC – Kansas City
Steve and Lisa Woody
Paola Wrestling Club
Blue Chip Athletic
Chanute Wrestling Club
Bonner Springs Wrestling Club
Olathe East Wrestling Club and High School Team
East Kansas Storm Wrestling Club
SJA Wrestling Club & Saint James High School Team
Linn County Twister Wrestling Club
Olathe Northwest Booster Club
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)
Pittsburg Wrestling Club
Jr. Viking Wrestling Club
Hays Wrestling Club
Jill and Sean McCarthy
Smokey Valley – District III Tournament USA Wrestling Kansas
District III
Mac Wrestling Club
Tony Dong – Martinelli’s Little Italy - Salina
Robert Tanenbaum & Kelly Jackson
August and Patty Ochs
Eric and Pam Washington
Martinelli's Little Italy
John and Chris Johnston


Bronze Donors - $1 - $499
Circle Junior Wrestling Club
Joyce Orendac
Kay and Bill Peterman
Nielson Family Dentistry
Nill Brothers Sporting Goods
Eric Johnson
Baldwin Wrestling Club
Dan Harris
James Renfro
Lawrence Elite Wrestling Club
Leavenworth High School Team
Leavenworth County Spartans
Mathew and Sarah Kuhn
Martinelli’s Little Italy – Salina
Lee and Debbie Girard
Gayle and Don Whitmore
Todd Ackerman
Charles Knox
James and Marjorie Brown
Daniel and Aileen Delforge
Matt and Linda DeJong
Richard and Linda Wagner
Connie Ackerman
Kim and Ted Huck
Mike Espinosa
Expertees LLC
Clearwater Youth Wrestling Club
Mark & Lisa Schafer
Neil Erisman
Security Benefits Plus
D. Kester
Dave & Sue McCarthy
Joe & Marie Cisper
Adam and Sara Polansky
Mark Cody - U of Oklahoma Coach
Bill Zadick - USA Wrestling (Iowa Wrestler)
Doug and Michelle Vander Linden
Brooke Brogren
Richard Brake
Shannon Peters
Tom Peterman
Jeffery and Rebecca Howard
Debora and Mark Schellhase
Celeste and Mike Rains
Thunderbird Wrestling Club
Jerry Tujague
Mike Miller
Gregg Ikenberry
Shannon Peters
Bill Vielhauer
Lindsey and Michelle Perz
Brian Stack
Williams Law LLC – Tom and Shelly Williams
Barry and Shelly Sullivan
Mike Hammer
JP Garrett
Gooch Family – 5Gs
Jeremy and Jonell Sekavec
Eric Akin
Jon Lautt
Shorey Automotive (Michael Luellen)
Ben and Amy Hillman
Karen and Tim Elliot
Tony & Lori Atwood
Jackie and Daniel Gates
Brian and Dana Blew
Dennis and Melinda Shoemaker
Tony Dong
Marcus Cain
Dean and Martin Smith
Jeff Martin
Paul and Ricki Bober
Donnie and Tess Bradley
Jeff and Rebecca Howard
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)


Links to the Kansas College Schedules Rosters, Coaches and other information can be found at

http://kcwf.usawks.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/KansasCollegeWrestlingFund

• Baker University
• Benedictine
• Bethany College
• Colby Community College
• Fort Hays State University
• Labette Community College
• Neosho County Community College
• Newman University
• Northwest Kansas Technical College
• Pratt Community College
* Ottawa University

Update on the first 3 years of the KCWF.

Dear USAW-KS Kids Club Coach, Club President or Club Administrator:

Hello, my name is Sean McCarthy, Head Coach of the STA Kids Wrestling Club in Kansas and Chairperson of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund. It is in my role with the Kansas College Wrestling Fund that I am sending you this letter. I am appealing to each of you, the leaders of Kansas Kids clubs, to help the Kansas College wrestling fund meet its goals and objectives. The Fund needs your help every year!

About three and one half years ago, the United States wrestling community was shocked to learn that the University of Nebraska-Omaha announced it was dropping its legendary NCAA D-II wrestling program. Unfortunately over the last few decades this has become an all too common occurrence for college wrestling programs. Incredibly, the UNO coach was informed of this decision on the very night their program had just won and was celebrating another National D-II team wrestling championship! It was their third consecutive national team title and the eighth national team title overall. For many of us this was a call to action!

In the spring of 2011 a small group decided that the wrestling community needed to become proactive to combat this continual erosion of college wrestling opportunities for our current and future wrestlers. This group worked with the USAW-KS in establishing the Kansas College Wrestling Fund. The fund has now been in existence for a little over three years. The Fund has collected about $65,000 in donations, plus approximately $6,000 in support for promotion materials and operating expenses by the USAWKS Corporate Board. We have also donated $11,000 to the 10 colleges in the first year and $10,000 the second year, and plan to give $11,000 this year to the 11 colleges with wrestling programs – as established by our parameters. After all contributions we will start year four with approximately $32,500. This is a very good beginning for the Fund but we know that a lot more is required to help the Kansas collegiate wrestling programs thrive and grow.

It is vitally important that everyone in the Kansas wrestling community become part of this effort. It is the Fund’s goal for it to be a Forever Fund that will be annually supported by all members of the Kansas wrestling community. Ultimately this Fund will benefit the entire Kansas wrestling community but especially our future young Kansas college wrestlers many of whom are now wrestling in our USAW Kansas Kids Clubs. A strong and thriving state collegiate wrestling presence in Kansas offers more opportunities for current and future college wrestlers. More young families will become involved and stay involved at the Kids wrestling club level if they can see both good collegiate academic and wrestling programs in Kansas.

Many of the USAW-KS clubs have already contributed in the first three years of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund’s existence. The Kansas College Wrestling Fund committee greatly appreciates all of these previous contributions. These clubs have done so by charging and contributing an extra $1 from their tournament entry fees and/or ticket sales. We hope these clubs will continue to do so and we are hoping that more clubs running tournaments will join them this year and in future years. We urge you to consider doing so this year. If your club does not run a tournament, perhaps instead you could run a fundraising campaign within your local wrestling community to benefit the Kansas College Wrestling Fund this year.

Educate your local wrestling community including the parents of your kids club wrestlers about the Fund and the need to support it. We urge all kids club leaders to learn more about the Kansas College Wrestling Fund and how you can help it reach its goals and objectives. Go to following link for information on the Fund’s website: http://kcwf.usawks.com/

Sincerely,


Sean McCarthy
Chairperson of Kansas College Wrestling Fund



http://kcwf.usawks.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/KansasCollegeWrestlingFund

• Baker University
• Benedictine
• Bethany College
• Colby Community College
• Fort Hays State University
• Labette Community College
• Neosho County Community College
• Newman University
• Northwest Kansas Technical College
• Pratt Community College
. Ottawa University (new program 4 year NAIA school 2014-15 season)


Colby Community College –
Wrestling Website link –

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colby-Community-College-Wrestling/253557661321939

http://www.colbycc.edu/


Labette:
Website Link: http://www.labette.edu/dept/athlet/wrestling/index.htm

Northwest Kansas Technical College – http://www.nwktc.edu/Athletics/wrestling.php
Website Link: http://www.nwktc.edu/Athletics/wrestling.php

Fort Hays State Athletics
Website Link: http://www.fhsuathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wrestling&tab=0

Benedictine - http://ravenathletics.benedictine.edu/athletics/sports/wrestling/schedule
Website Link: http://ravenathletics.benedictine.edu/athletics/sports/wrestling

Newman University
Website Link: http://newmanjets.com/index.aspx?path=wrestling&tab=0

Neosho Community College
Website Link: http://goneosho.com/index.aspx?path=wrestling&&tab=0

Baker University - http://www.bakeru.edu/sports/wrestling

Website Link: http://www.bakeru.edu/sports/wrestling

Bethany College Kansas
Website Link: http://www.bethanyswedes.com/sport/0/28.php

Pratt Community College
Website Link: http://prattcc.edu/pcc-athletics/wrestling

Ottawa University
Website link: http://www.ottawabraves.com/sport/0/26.php

Kansas College Wrestling Fund Donations 2011-2014

Note: Please notify if I left someone off the list or any corrections need to be made.

Gold Donors – $2,000-$4,999
Vince and Linda Nowak
District 1 USA Wrestling Kansas
USA Wrestling Kansas
Ace Fund Raising
Dynamic Fastener
Bluechip Athletic

Silver Donors - $500 - $1,999
Kathy & Mike Juby
STA Kids Club and High School Team
Roberts GMC – Kansas City
Steve and Lisa Woody
Paola Wrestling Club
Blue Chip Athletic
Chanute Wrestling Club
Bonner Springs Wrestling Club
Olathe East Wrestling Club and High School Team
East Kansas Storm Wrestling Club
SJA Wrestling Club & Saint James High School Team
Linn County Twister Wrestling Club
Olathe Northwest Booster Club
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)
Pittsburg Wrestling Club
Jr. Viking Wrestling Club
Hays Wrestling Club
Jill and Sean McCarthy
Smokey Valley – District III Tournament USA Wrestling Kansas
District III
Mac Wrestling Club
Tony Dong – Martinelli’s Little Italy - Salina
Robert Tanenbaum & Kelly Jackson
August and Patty Ochs
Eric and Pam Washington
Martinelli's Little Italy
John and Chris Johnston


Bronze Donors - $1 - $499
Circle Junior Wrestling Club
Joyce Orendac
Kay and Bill Peterman
Nielson Family Dentistry
Nill Brothers Sporting Goods
Eric Johnson
Baldwin Wrestling Club
Dan Harris
James Renfro
Lawrence Elite Wrestling Club
Leavenworth High School Team
Leavenworth County Spartans
Mathew and Sarah Kuhn
Martinelli’s Little Italy – Salina
Lee and Debbie Girard
Gayle and Don Whitmore
Todd Ackerman
Charles Knox
James and Marjorie Brown
Daniel and Aileen Delforge
Matt and Linda DeJong
Richard and Linda Wagner
Connie Ackerman
Kim and Ted Huck
Mike Espinosa
Expertees LLC
Clearwater Youth Wrestling Club
Mark & Lisa Schafer
Neil Erisman
Security Benefits Plus
D. Kester
Dave & Sue McCarthy
Joe & Marie Cisper
Adam and Sara Polansky
Mark Cody - U of Oklahoma Coach
Bill Zadick - USA Wrestling (Iowa Wrestler)
Doug and Michelle Vander Linden
Brooke Brogren
Richard Brake
Shannon Peters
Tom Peterman
Jeffery and Rebecca Howard
Debora and Mark Schellhase
Celeste and Mike Rains
Thunderbird Wrestling Club
Jerry Tujague
Mike Miller
Gregg Ikenberry
Shannon Peters
Bill Vielhauer
Lindsey and Michelle Perz
Brian Stack
Williams Law LLC – Tom and Shelly Williams
Barry and Shelly Sullivan
Mike Hammer
JP Garrett
Gooch Family – 5Gs
Jeremy and Jonell Sekavec
Eric Akin
Jon Lautt
Shorey Automotive (Michael Luellen)
Ben and Amy Hillman
Karen and Tim Elliot
Tony & Lori Atwood
Jackie and Daniel Gates
Brian and Dana Blew
Dennis and Melinda Shoemaker
Tony Dong
Marcus Cain
Dean and Martin Smith
Jeff Martin
Paul and Ricki Bober
Donnie and Tess Bradley
Jeff and Rebecca Howard
Promotional Hats & Water Bottles (several anonymous individuals)


Links to the Kansas College Schedules Rosters, Coaches and other information can be found at

http://kcwf.usawks.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/KansasCollegeWrestlingFund

• Baker University
• Benedictine
• Bethany College
• Colby Community College
• Fort Hays State University
• Labette Community College
• Neosho County Community College
• Newman University
• Northwest Kansas Technical College
• Pratt Community College
* Ottawa University

The Kansas College Wrestling Fund will have a booth in Salina.

KWCA Clinic & USA Wrestling Kansas Meetings - October 31 & November 1

Stop by an see us.

The Kansas College Wrestling Fund will have a booth in Salina.

KWCA Clinic & USA Wrestling Kansas Meetings - October 31 & November 1

Stop by an see us.

Gardner/Edgerton Tournament

The Kansas College Wrestling Fund will have a booth at the Gardner Edgerton High School Tournament this weekend. Stop by and see how you can help our Kansas College wrestling programs. Additionally, come out a support the high school wrestlers and watch some great high school wrestling battles. It will be a good event to take your kids club wrestlers - so they can see what the next level is all about.

Johnson County Classic

The Kansas College Wrestling Fund will have a booth at the Johnson County Classic High School Tournament this month. Stop by and see how you can help our Kansas College wrestling programs. Additionally, come out a support the high school wrestlers and watch some great high school wrestling battles. It will be a good event to take your kids club wrestlers - so they can see what the next level is all about.

Eudora Tournament of Champions

The Kansas College Wrestling Fund will had a booth at the Eudora Tournament of Champions this month. Stop by and see how you can help our Kansas College wrestling programs. Additionally, come out a support the high school wrestlers and watch some great high school wrestling battles. It will be a good event to take your kids club wrestlers - so they can see what the next level is all about.

Thank you Gardner Edgerton, Eudora and Blue Valley High Schools for hosting the Kansas College Wrestling Fund at your high school tournaments.

Good Story - parts of this story are one of the reasons the KCWF was started.

Mike Denney building national title contender at Maryville
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By Craig Sesker USA Wrestling | Dec. 15, 2014, 4:54 p.m. (ET)
The president of the university was there.

So was the vice president. And the athletic director.

And two members of the St. Louis Sports Commission.

They were all in attendance to watch Mike Denney’s third-year Maryville University wrestling team make a significant impact at the 2014 NCAA Division II Championships in Cleveland.

Denney, a Hall of Famer who led Nebraska-Omaha to seven national championships, brought a strong Maryville team to Cleveland this past March with seven NCAA qualifiers.

But the momentum Maryville built at its NCAA regional came to a screeching halt. The first Saints wrestler fell short in their opening match. And so did the second.

The losses kept piling up as Maryville was 0-6 in a rough first session before young heavyweight Donnell Walker earned a one-point victory just before the break.

The Saints were mired in 30th place with just two points.

“After the first session, our administrators were all in this little huddle talking,” Denney said. “I joked with my coaches that they were all changing their flights to go home early.”

The administrators stuck around and were delighted with what they saw over the next three sessions.

Maryville stormed back with an improbable performance that saw them land five wrestlers on the All-American podium. The Saints went 9-2 in the second session.

Maryville also racked up its share of bonus points and earned the third-place team trophy on the second and final day of the tournament. It was the first NCAA tournament trophy that the Saints had won in any sport.

Not bad considering its highest individual finishers – Walker and Nick Burghardt – each placed fourth.

“I was really proud of our guys,” Denney said. “We had some tough first-round draws, but our guys are competitors and they battled back. They showed some grit.”

Maryville started this season ranked No. 1 nationally and has stayed there entering the holiday break. The Saints won a team title this past weekend at the 26-team Midwest Classic in Indianapolis.

“It was an outstanding performance by our team,” Denney said. “We were missing two starters, but our guys really stepped up in a very tough tournament.”

Six Maryville wrestlers are ranked in the top six in the country. Two-time All-American Keenan Hagerty is No. 2 at 149 with Burghardt (184), Walker (heavyweight) and fellow All-American Zeb Wahle (174) also each ranked second. Wahle’s older brothers, Blu and Henry, were NCAA qualifiers under Denney at Nebraska-Omaha.

Returning Maryville All-American Dimitri Willis is No. 3 at 165 and Greg Hegarty is No. 8 at 157.

Walker, who made the NCAA semifinals as a freshman heavyweight, is an amazing success story for Maryville. He was a state high school champion wrestler in Missouri who also was an all-state football player and a state track and field champion in the shot put.

“Donnell was officially declared homeless in high school, and a family took him in,” Denney said. “This is our version of the movie, ‘The Blind Side.’ Donnell has come in here and done a great job for us. He’s doing well in school and is wrestling at a high level. He would’ve never gone to college if it wasn’t for athletics. It’s a great story.”

Denney is in his 36th season as a collegiate head coach, the first 32 spent at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Denney’s powerful UNO teams won six national titles in his final eight seasons with the Mavericks, earning national three-peats from 2004-06 and 2009-11.

But just hours after winning the 2011 NCAA team title in Kearney, Neb., Denney received a late-night phone call at his hotel following his team’s post-meet celebration.

UNO athletic director Trev Alberts informed Denney by phone that the school was moving to the NCAA Division I level and the school was dropping wrestling.

Just days after the stunning move, Denney received a phone call from Maryville vice president Jeff Miller.

Miller wanted Denney to lead the new wrestling program at Maryville.

“My first recruit had to be my wife, Bonnie,” Denney said. “We didn’t even honestly know where Maryville University was when Jeff Miller called me. We had lived in Omaha for 42 years, so it was obviously a big change moving to St. Louis. Bonnie’s been amazing, she’s so supportive.

“We felt called to do this and God called us to do it. I still have a passion to do this. I love working with these young men, and wrestling is a great vehicle for me to teach and build and make a difference. These kids motivate and inspire me every day. We have some great young men here.”

Denney said the administration at Maryville has been a blessing.

“After they ran us out of town up there, Maryville opened their arms and embraced us,” Denney said. “The administration here has been amazing. They want us to do well, and they’ve been very supportive as we’ve tried to build our program here.”

The Saints broke through with a superb third season under Denney after experiencing their share of ups and downs in the first two seasons.

Denney’s first season in St. Louis was highlighted by true freshman Hagerty finishing second at NCAAs in Pueblo, Colo. The team finished 21st.

Year two was highlighted by former UNO All-American Matt Baker winning Maryville’s first national title. The Saints improved to 11th in the NCAA team standings.

“It was a delightful challenge in those early days,” Denney said. “We basically had to start over. We didn’t win a dual our first year and that was tough. Two of my coaches – (UNO national champions) Mario Morgan and Aaron Denson – lost a total of three duals their entire college careers.”

Denney has assembled a strong coaching staff with James Reynolds, Morgan, Baker and George Ivanov among the other assistants.

Ivanov, a two-time All-American at UNO and an NCAA Division I qualifier at Boise State after UNO dropped wrestling, is a top international wrestler in freestyle.

Ivanov, a native of Bulgaria, won the Dave Schultz Memorial International earlier this year in Colorado Springs.

Ivanov is hoping to represent Bulgaria at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas. He and Morgan work in the admissions department at Maryville.

“George brings so much to our room,” Denney said. “He is still competing at a very high level, and he is able to train with our guys. He is a born coach. The guys love him. He has a great personality and really connects with our guys. He is always working with someone and helping them. He’s been great.”

Denney’s team faces a tough challenge in its regional this season with five of the nation’s top 10 ranked teams in their NCAA qualifier.

Denney’s teams, like they did in Omaha, also continue to excel in the classroom. Maryville had a team grade-point average over 3.0 in the 2013-14 school year. Four Saints earned Academic All-American honors this past season.

Maryville resumes competition after the holidays with its next big event being the Division II National Duals.

“We know we’re getting better – we’re still pretty young,” Denney said. “All of our All-Americans last season were freshmen and sophomores. We’ve got a good bunch of guys who have been part of the building process.”

Denney texted his team earlier this week and congratulated them for their big win in Indianapolis.

Then he followed with another message:

“The dogged pursuit of quality and excellence. Keep at it.”

Maryville also will host the 2015 NCAA Division II Championships at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis in March. The NCAA Division I Championships are being hosted a week later about a mile away at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

The only other time the Division I and Division II nationals were held in the same city was in 2010 in Omaha. Denney’s UNO team won the DII title that year.

The Chaifetz Arena is a 10,000-seat arena that opened in 2008 on the campus of Saint Louis University.

“It’s a beautiful arena,” Denney said. “This will be the nicest facility Division II nationals has ever been in. I’m so excited about hosting this, but the whole key to hosting this is we’ve got to have a good team.”

Denney said a number of his past wrestlers from Nebraska-Omaha are planning a trip to St. Louis for the NCAA Division II tournament in March.

“It means so much to me that those guys we coached (in Omaha) are still supporting me and what we’re doing now at Maryville,” Denney said. “We have so much loyalty with the guys we’ve coached.”

Denney, who turns 68 in March, has showed no signs of slowing down.

“I really want to make sure we have this program at Maryville going strong,” he said. “I haven’t even really thought about (retirement). I’m really enjoying what I’m doing right now. I still have a passion for this.”

Sean:

Very interesting and uplifting article for me that brings back memories of how the Kansas College Wrestling fund was started about four years ago in reaction to the UNO wrestling program being dropped after the UNO squad had won another national title. It is great to hear that Coach Denney stayed in the game and is establishing what looks to be another powerhouse program at Maryville. Congratulations to Coach Denney, his assistants, wrestlers and all others making this happen at Maryville. His hard work and committment to his wrestlers achievement both on and off the mat is exemplary and is the essence of the Kansas College Wrestling Fund's mission for the young wrestlers of our state.

Thank you to all of the people who stopped by the Kansas College Wrestling Fund Booth at the Johnson County HS Classic, Johnson County Kids Classic, Eudora HS and Gardner Edgerton HS Tournaments. We are grateful for your continued support.

Chanute Wrestling Club/KCWF
Matt McDonald
1/07/15

To: Sean McCarthy
mattmcdonald898@gmail.com

Sean, once again this year the Chanute Wrestling Club hosted our 20th annual Woods Classic Tournament here in Chanute on 1/3/15. We had 388 entries and collected $1 per entry to donate to the Kansas College Wrestling Fund. I will round up to $400 and get a check in the mail this afternoon.

Thank you for helping lead this effort!


Matt McDonald
Chanute Wrestling Club


Matt,

Thank you and the Chanute wrestling club and all those attending your tournament for supporting the KCWF.

Sincerely,

Sean McCarthy

Awesome job, Chanute Wrestling Club!

I hope someday that several of your wrestlers from your tournament will one day go to college and wrestle at a Kansas college.