BEREA, OHIO -- The life of a college wrestler is not easy. From cutting weight to fighting through nagging injuries and finding time to balance school work and grueling practices, wrestling is not the sport for the kind-of-heart. But, Baldwin Wallace University senior Korey Leonhard wouldn't have it any other way.
Leonhard, a resident of Kinsman, Ohio and a graduate of Pymatuning Valley High School, is having his best season as a collegian and enjoying every minute of it, having already surpassed his career-best win total of 17 from last year. He's currently 20-8 overall and is a perfect 2-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference dual matches heading into this Saturday's 25th Annual John Summa Memorial Tournament at BW. Wrestling begins in the spacious Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse at 10:00 a.m.
In addition to compiling 20 victories already, Leonhard is tied for second on the team with 45 takedowns and first with 28 escapes and eight reversals. Leonhard's success this season parallels that of a young Yellow Jacket program that enters the Summa tourney as well as next Tuesday's dual match versus OAC-rival Heidelberg University with a 9-7 overall and 2-0 OAC slate.
"I really love the whole competition aspect of wrestling. Everyone on the team will tell you that no one likes practices. It's not a sport that has enjoyable practices," said Leonhard, who has three falls this season. "But nothing is better than just going out there, dominating your opponent and getting a good victory knowing you just pushed yourself."
"He's hard-nosed and everyday he's there working hard, said veteran BW Head Coach Rich Fleming. "Being that he's a senior he wants to do his best. He's not waiting on people like he did in the past. He's going after them right from the beginning and has really responded to the coaching of BW Assistant Coach Joe Heiland."
Leonhard, who has wrestled four different weight classes during his career at BW, has experienced his fair share of injuries. From spraining both his elbows on different days, to lingering knee and rib injuries, Leonhard has certainly spent some time in the training room at the Lou Higgins Center.
"I never really got hurt in high school, but in college I've somehow just kind of become this injury prone person actually. It's kind of become the running joke on the team. It seems like every day I have different injury," commented Leonhard.
Despite the bumps and bruises, Leonhard has settled into to the 165-pound weight class this year. He captured the individual 165-pound title at the Waynesburg (Pa.) University Tournament on January 15 for his first college tournament championship and posted undefeated records both at the University of Mount Union Duals in late November and the Thiel (Pa.) College Mel Berry Duals on January 22.
"I'm definitely more comfortable wrestling at 165 pounds," said Leonhard, who cut about 15-to-20 pounds to get down to 165 during the off-and-pre-season. "Cutting weight is not the toughest part of the sport, but it's something you just have to do and make sure you are careful how you do it."
He also attributes some of his success to the mental aspect of the sport.
"A lot of times you go there you're not always better than your opponent or even in better shape. But when some people will break, I'll keep pushing," said Leonhard. "I'm not always the quickest guy out there or most technically sound, but I feel like my mental toughness is definitely one of my strengths."
Fleming has also seen Leonhard become a more complete wrestler during his career who has turned one of his weaknesses into a strength.
"Now he's very good on his feet and at getting takedowns. That was something he was weak at, but that's getting to be one of his strong points," said Fleming. "He's a good rider and he usually can get out from the bottom. And those are the things that make a good wrestler." Evidence of those facts are the 45 takedowns and the team-leading eight reversals.
A three-sport athlete at Pymatuning Valley High School, earning four letters in wrestling, three in baseball and two in football, Leonhard was a three-time All-Ashtabula Country wrestler and qualified for the OHSAA Division III State Championship as a senior in 2007.
Leonhard knew that he wanted to continue his wrestling career and was looking for a smaller school to do so. Pymatuning Valley Assistant Wrestling Coach and former BW wrestler Dave Miller introduced Leonhard to BW and Coach Fleming.
"Korey has always been a good person from the time I met him," said Fleming, who is the second winningest coach in Yellow Jacket history. "He's hard worker, an excellent team-leader, very good academically and has been a good wrestler for us. There's really nothing bad I can say about him."
As a freshman, Leonhard wrestled at 157 and 165 pounds, serving as the backup to two-time Division III All-American Gino Russo. But when Russo missed time with injuries, Leonhard wrestled in his place and posted an 8-5 record at 165 pounds. He was 11-8 overall as a freshman with 20 takedowns and a pin.
"I felt like a got a lot better that year," said Leonhard of his first college season. "It was kind of a whole different game coming from high school to college. In high school, you think you're doing the right stuff and you think that everything you did in high school going to work for you in college. And then when you get to college, it's just a whole different level of practices and matches."
As a sophomore, Leonhard decided not to cut weight and split time on the mat between the upper weights of 174 and 184 pounds. He posted an overall record of 7-15. "My sophomore year, I didn't have to cut weight so I wasn't as difficult physically, but at the same time, I didn't have as much success," said Leonhard.
Then last year, Leonhard returned to wrestling at the middle weights and rebounded well. He was 17-12 overall, including a 14-10 mark at 157 pounds. He totaled 31 takedowns, 18 escapes, 12 reversals, seven near-falls and two pins. Leonhard's best wrestling came at the end of the season as he placed second at the John Summa Tournament at 157 and fourth at the OAC Championships at 165. For his efforts academically and athletically, he was awarded the BW John Summa Memorial Wrestling Prize.
"He used to do his best wrestling in the third period, now he's doing his best wrestling throughout the whole match, which is making a difference in the number of wins against quality people,"continued Fleming.
Leonhard has carried that momentum into his senior year.
"We have a good group of seniors. We all have been in leadership positions the last couple of years and I feel like we have good team chemistry. Everybody gets along and that's unique because a lot of other teams don't really have that," stated Leonhard.
Off the mat, Leonhard stays busy with a double major in exercise science and finance. He has completed internships in both areas and is currently interning at Retirement Solutions, a financial firm in Lakewood. He is also a member of SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise), the Exercise Science Club and Investment Club.
"Schedules get hectic and sometimes you have to miss certain things. But they are all just good experiences and good ways to make connections," said Leonhard, who graduates in May.
He appreciates the perspective that the sport of wrestling has given him.
But right now, Leonhard is focused on the goal he has been striving for since his freshman year: winning the OAC Tournament and earning a bid in the NCAA National Championships.
"I mean that's really just everything. Everybody wants to make it nationals and give yourself a shot at All-American. It's what I've been working for the last four years."
Only one wrestler from each weight class, the OAC Tournament champion, earns a bid to the NCAA Championships. At 165 pounds, a wrestler from Ohio Northern University was national champion last year at 157 pounds and ranked ninth in the latest NWCA Brute-adidas rankings and another wrestler from Heidelberg University is currently ranked 10th nationally.
But Fleming knows Leonhard's best wrestling is still ahead of him.
"I don't put anything past him because he had lost twice to the kid from Waynesburg and he beat that kid at the Waynesburg Tournament on January 15," said Fleming. "So, I think he knows what his goal is, and hopefully he can achieve it. It's not going to be easy, but don't count him out."
If there is anything that Korey Leonhard has taught the Yellow Jacket wrestling faithful the past four years as well as the Pymatuning Valley faithful for four years prior to that, don�t ever count him out.
Fans can follow all of the action at this weekend's John Summa Memorial Tournament by logging on tohttp://www.bw.edu/athletics/wr/sched/summa2011/ Following the Summa Tournament, BW's next home match is Tuesday, February 8 against Heidelberg University at 7:30 p.m.
FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.
