Thiel College and head wrestling coach Craig Thurber will be recognizing the school's storied mat program's 50th anniversary Saturday when the Tomcats host Baldwin-Wallace College at Beeghly Gymnasium for a dual meet set to get under way at 6 p.m.
On hand to take part in the celebration will be professional wrestler Kurt Angle, Olympic gold medalist and former two-time national champion at Clarion University.
Over the years names like John Tomlinson, Paul Saternow, Rod and Roy Wilt Jr., Don Valesky, Dana Spires, Dave Weiland, Mike Lewis, and more recently Corey Murphy and Kyle Brown, have put the Tomcats on the map as one of the more successful Division III programs in the country. But prior to those greats, two individuals — Mel Berry and Robert Olson — gave the program the foundation it has been on ever since.
Prior to the arrival of Mel Berry, recognized as the college’s first varsity wrestling coach, the sport was tried on several occasions at the college without success. Berry arrived at Thiel as a part-time coach in 1958 with over 20 years of high school coaching experience, while Greenville High School (1938-1956) served as his proving grounds in the interscholastic ranks.
At Greenville he posted a record of 102-30-2 and recorded seven District X titles, seven undefeated seasons and at one time won 68 straight matches. Tom Seiple won a PIAA individual state championship under Berry in 1952.
At Thiel Berry enjoyed a 20-year career (1958-1978) and finished with a pair of Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) team championships (1963, 1964), 22 individual conference championships and a four-time PAC champion in John Tomlinson (heavyweight, 1966-1969).
He concluded his time at Thiel with a 142-73-5 record. Berry is also a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Mercer County Hall of Fame in 1978.
Early during the fall semester of 1957 Bob Olson, then a strapping sophomore, approached athletic director Joe DeFebo about introducing the wrestling program into the varsity sport ranks. DeFebo, a friend of Berry, asked the Greenville coach for help in starting a successful program at Thiel. Also in the fold to get the program off of the ground was Bob Delett, who wrestled for Berry at Greenville. Delett competed for the Tomcats during their initial club season (1957-1958), but graduated in 1958 and didn’t compete during their first intercollegiate season of competition. After graduating Olson served as Berry’s assistant for 13 years (1965-1978).
Neil Lineman and Robert Loveless followed Berry’s reign as head coaches until 1982, the year Mark Vennis assumed the head coaching position. Over his 18-year coaching career Vennis posted a 148-56-2 dual-meet record, won 11 conference titles (and 11 conference coach of the year honors), had 15 Division III all-Americans, 19 NWCA Scholar-Athletes, and 45 national qualifiers.
During his tenure Vennis served on the NWCA Board of Directors and was a member of many association-wide committees aimed to aid and assist in the betterment of wrestling. For his efforts, the NWCAawarded him with the 25-Year Service Award in 1998. In 2004 Vennis was selected as a member of the NWCA Division III Hall of Fame. Olson also served as a Vennis assistant from the mid-1980’s to the early 1990’s.
Current Tomcat head coach Thurber understands the wealthy history of the program and aims to continue building upon the ground work laid by those before him. He is well on his way, already winning four conference titles and coach of the year honors. Thurber has helped eight of his wrestlers advance to the Division III National Championships with three of them earning all-American honors. Kyle Brown ’07 was also selected as a NWCA Scholar-Athlete on three occasions.
“Thiel wrestling over the past 50 years has been very successful and it is quite an honor to be mentioned with the legendary coaches of the past,” said Thurber. ”This year is unique in the fact that Dr. Olson is one of the founding fathers of Thiel wrestling and is currently serving as the College’s interim President. He spoke to our team about the history of the program and our coaching staff and current team members are really looking forward to adding to the already rich tradition of Thiel wrestling.”
The program has also produced several outstanding coaches including Reynolds HIgh coach Brian Hills, who has led the Raiders to several state team titles.
Angle, a graduate of Mount Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in the Freestyle Heavyweight 100-kg Division. Angle went on to wrestle collegiately at Clarion University for head coach Robert G. Bubb. Angle collected four Eastern League titles and was a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion. He won NCAA titles in both 1990 and 1992 and set a Clarion record with 355 takedowns in dual meets and posted a 116-10-2 career record. Angle will talk briefly prior to the dual meet about his Olympic experience and climb to the top of the wrestling world.
———
Any past member of the Tomcat wrestling program who would like to attend Saturday's match is asked to contact Thurber in the Thiel wrestling office at 724-589-2814 or by e-mail at cthurber@thiel.edu.
Sports
Thiel celebrates 50th anniversary of wrestling
- Sports
-
-
HIGH SCHOOL WINTER SPORTS: Lakeview, GC matmen win
Lakeview and Grove City mat teams notched victories Wednesday night over West Middlesex and Sharon respectively.
Mercer bowed to Redbank Valley.
-
Roundup: Sharpsville tops Lakeview in OT; GC rolls over Franklin; Titusville upsets Hickory
While the Sailors were sleeping, Luchey was laying out for the lid.
Tyler Luchey’s court-length layin at the buzzer Tuesday night staked Sharpsville High boys’ basketball team to a 58-56 District 10 Region 2-AA overtime win over Lakeview. -
Roundup: Hickory girls beat Franklin in battle of 5-AAA leaders
Knowing its male counterparts upset Franklin 48 hours earlier, the Hickory High girls basketball team was not to be outdone.
Forcing Franklin into a substandard shooting performance, the Lady Hornets harvested a 53-42 District 10 Region 5-AAA win Monday night. -
SPORTVIEW: Reynolds, Greenville are 2 of state's historic programs
CONGRATULATIONS TO the Reynolds High wrestling program which became the fastest Class AA team in the history of the state to reach 700 wins last weekend.
The program, which began in 1960-61 under coach Dick Sherwood, has set a torrid pace for winning since that 4-4 season.
Ironically, the school’s 700th victory came Saturday in the District 10 Dual Meet Championships against long-time rival Greenville, which went over the 700-win plateau in 2009. Greenville is believed to be the first AA team to reach 700 wins, while Reynolds did it in the shortest time. -
Hickory soccer standouts Free, Richards to Ashland University
Hickory High girls’ soccer coach B.J. Rudge believes the bar has been elevated, and his Lady Hornets have helped hoist it.
“In general, soccer has grown in this area ... and what our girls have accomplished is a reflection of the whole (Shenango) Valley,” Rudge recently observed. -
Ft. LeBoeuf beats Reynolds at D-10 AA Team Duals
EDINBORO — The Reynolds Raiders notched the school’s 700th victory in the semifinals of the District 10 Dual Meet Championships Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Raiders, No. 701 will have to come later.
The Raiders topped long-time rival Greenville, 51-16, in the semis to become the first Class AA school in Pennsylvania history to 700 wins. However, in the D-10 finals at Edinboro University’s McComb Field House, the Raiders fell to familiar foe Fort LeBoeuf, 31-28. -
Roundup: Popatak hits 1,000; Hickory, Farrell, Sharon boys win 6-AAA contests
ä Hickory 64, Franklin 52 — At “The Castle” in Franklin, the Knights (9-3, 15-3) led 28-21 at halftime, but coach Nick Cannone’s Hornets (11-2, 13-5) came storming back and outscored the hosts 24-9 in the 3rd quarter and 19-15 in the 4th to win a key Region 6-AAA clash.
Vinnie Mastrian rifled in a career-high 28 points to lead Hickory while Matt Votino scored 22. -
Roundup: WM, Sharpsville, Lakeview grab region wins
When in doubt, defer to Dogan.
West Middlesex High junior point guard Matt Dogan dominated the 2nd half of Friday night’s District 10 Region 1-A contest with visiting VisionQuest.
Dogan deposited 18 of his game-high 27 points after intermission, converting 12 of 16 free-throw attempts, leading the Big Reds to their 9th consecutive conquest, 56-41. -
Greenville's Zahniser headed to St. Francis
Nico Zahniser believes four years of scholastic football prepared him for the next level — and learning how to win and lose was only part of the process.
The Greenville High senior committed to St. Francis University of Loretto earlier this week, where he hopes to become part of a Red Flash resurgence under coach Chris Villarrrial. -
Belichick: Indy friendlier after failed '09 call against Colts
Coach Bill Belichick jokes about the welcome he has gotten since arriving in Indianapolis -- where Colts fans are less-than-friendly toward his New England Patriots -- for Super Bowl XLVI.
- More Sports Headlines
-
