BEREA, OHIO -- One thing is certain about Baldwin Wallace University senior wrestler and former Avon Lake High School standout Brian Bucher -- he likes to compete.
"I just like winning," said the 133-pound Bucher, who now resides with his parents in Ottawa Hills, Ohio. "I want our team to be successful but I can only control my match at 133 pounds. During the rest of the matches, I can offer encouragement to my teammates and try to help them from the bench."
Winning is an outcome that Bucher has become accustomed throughout his four-year career. He came into the program and had an immediate impact as a freshman. His 27 reversals and 42 near falls led the team and paced him to a 14-10 overall record. Since that time, he has been known for his ability to reverse control in a match and is BW's all-time leader in that category with 75 and in total near falls with 178. For his career, Bucher is an impressive 75-29 overall with 56 takedowns, 65 escapes and 13 pins.
"I just picked up some moves in high school at Avon Lake," said Bucher on his adeptness in trading control with his opponent. "I still use them. I don't even have names for them. I just try to roll when I need to and use my legs as much as I can."
Veteran Head Coach Rich Fleming, in his 44th season overall as a wrestling coach, including the past 21 at BW, agrees.
"Brian is an excellent wrestler and competitor," said Fleming, who was a lower weight class champ in the Mid-American Conference at Miami of Ohio in the mid 1960s. "He is very aware of his abilities and aware of his opponents' weaknessess."
"Brian is a very, very strong young man who has above-average leg strength," continued Fleming. "When his moves are open, even if he's on the bottom and not in control, he is able to reverse the situation and use his legs to his advantage. It is a very unconventional style, but it works well for him."
"The most impressive thing about Brian is his team-first and never-say-die attitudinal approaches," said Fleming. "When he was a sophomore, he could of just given it up but didn't. I have a great deal of respect for Brian Bucher and wish we had 10 more Brian Bucher's."
Due to his unconventional style, wrestling opponents who are unfamiliar with Bucher's style aids the senior marketing major.
"I try to keep it simple," said Bucher, who currently owns a 15-3 record this season and is seeking his third straight 20-win campaign. "My strengths definitely lie in being on top or bottom, and not in the neutral position. I get taken down more than I should, but that's okay, I guess. I just try not to do anything stupid."
When Fleming hears Bucher discuss his style, he just chuckles and walks away with a big grin.
"Brian's got it right," said Fleming with another laugh. "Sometimes we all just shake our heads. He gets into a situation and then all of a sudden, Brian's back in command again. It just works for him."
Stupid did not occur often during Bucher's sophomore or junior campaigns when he had a combined 45-15 record. As a sophomore in 2006-2007, Bucher was 22-7 overall and had just three reversals and 40 near falls. He followed up his first 20-win season as a junior in 2007-2008 by posting a career-best 23-8 record and led the team with 27 reversals and 60 near falls and had a career-high five pins. He also won an individual title at the Annual John Summa Memorial Tournament and was named as the MVP of the tourney.
"I would like to have another 20-win season as a senior," said Bucher, "but winning an Ohio Athletic Conference title or earning a spot in the NCAA Division III National Tournament are the ultimate goals."
Bucher credits part of his success the past two seasons to the leadership provided two years ago by graduated All-American 285-pounder Byran Kmetz '07 and last season by one of Bucher's best friends in All-American 165-pounder Gino Russo '08. Kmetz and Russo now serve as Fleming's two main assistant coaches and continue to provide influence to Bucher.
"Bryan is hard-nosed, intense and driven and can really motivate you in that way," said Bucher. "Gino is a bit more quiet and reserved but still has that inner intensity and desire to help each of us. They are a great compliment to Coach Fleming and have made our program stronger this year and for the future."
Now a senior, Bucher has taken on that role of leader. Bucher is a lead-by-example type, quiet on the mat, but his presence is known by his teammates.
"I think the others look up to me," said Bucher, "because they know I've been around for four years. Sometimes freshmen don't have a good idea of what college wrestling is about, so I sort of take them under my wing."
"He [Bucher] has done a good job of bringing the younger kids along," added Fleming, who's 19-man roster is laden with seven first-year wrestlers, including 45-year-old junior heavyweight Terrance Haynes (Brunswick Hills/ Glenville). "Brian is a natural leader in the wrestling room. His work ethic and record on the mat speak for themselves. The intanigble is his constant and consistent enthusiam. Its infectious."
In addition to posting his current 15-3 slate this season, Bucher was named as the OAC Wrestler of the Week on November 24 for his 4-0 record at the Olivet (Mich.) College Duals. But despite three seasons of success, an MVP award and a Wrestler of the Week honor, Bucher is not satisfied at all.
"I haven't done anything in the post-season yet," said Bucher, referring to winning an OAC individual title and earning an NCAA tourney berth. "I just want an OAC championship. I know I have to place first at the OAC Tournament to qualify for the NCAAs. That is the lone individual goal."
"Brian is having a good season, but it all comes down to the final few weeks when we host the Summa Tournament and then compete at the OAC tournament," said Fleming. "We need Brian to continue to stay healthy and be ready to peak at the OACs."
Bucher and the Yellow Jackets will return to action on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 against Muskingum College at 7:30 p.m. at home in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium. Then on Jan. 13 when BW hosts Heidelberg College at 7:30 p.m., ESPN will have a film crew on campus as it is doing a story on Haynes for its "E:60" show.
"It's pretty exciting," said Bucher, referring to Haynes, who is 45, married, holds down a fulltime job, goes to school fulltime, is an ordained minister and has gone from 429 pounds down to about 250 pounds in the past 12 months without surgery or drugs. "He's a great inspiration to all of us. Terence has shown all of us that anything is possible with hard work and a great attituide."
If anyone should know, its Bucher, who has had that same mindset the past four years.