Undefeated for the season, with a career record of 122-4. A senior, who has won two previous NCAA titles, and is on an extended winning streak. A member of a legendary wrestling family from one of the sport's hotbeds. An athlete with great skills, impressive technique and a strong work ethic, who recently named the top amateur athlete in his entire state. You might think you could already write the name Greg Jones of West Virginia on the champion line at 184 pounds on your NCAA bracket, and move on. If Las Vegas would set a line on a college wrestling athlete, you might expect Jones to have the best odds to win in St. Louis this year. Then again, nothing is guaranteed in life. And Jones had a difficult year off the mat this season, something that might not have been apparent with all of his success. Jones lost two grandfathers within a week early during the holiday season. For an athlete who has such a close family, it was a very difficult time, especially during the middle of the wrestling season. Around Thanksgiving Day, his mom's father Joe Cackowoski passed away. A week later, Greg's younger brother Donnie, a talented high school wrestler, called and told the family that his other grandfather, Clyde Jones, had just died. Donnie was living with his grandfather at the time. "They both passed away within a week," said Jones. "It was a very trying time for our family. I missed a lot of wrestling, one of our big tournaments. Death is a funny thing. I brought our family closer together." Family is a big part of the Greg Jones story. His older brother Vertus was a NCAA finalist at West Virginia, and was a mentor for Greg along the way. His younger brother Donnie is a top high school recruit who has won two Pennsylvania state titles and is heading to West Virginia in the fall. Their father was their youth wrestling coach, and help the Jones boys to learn how to be champions. "He has a very supportive family, a very achievement-oriented family, with a wider network of support," said West Virginia head coach Craig Turnbull. "The family comes to all the matches. It is really impressive. Each of them are polite and the kind of people you want to have in your program." Greg remembers the lessons he learned as a kid, wrestling with his brothers and some neighborhood friends on the mat in the family home. "My dad was a strict coach," said Jones. "He knew what he wanted to do. I learned at a very young age, about being disciplined and following directions." What Greg has learned from his family, as well as his coaches along the way, is how to win wrestling matches. A NCAA champion as a freshman, Jones faced disappointment as a sophomore when he was defeated early in the NCAA Tournament and did not place. Last year, as a junior, he reclaimed the NCAA title, and has put together an impressive winning streak. His college career will end this weekend, and he has a chance to finish with a flourish. His 49th straight win came in the quarterfinals today, where he faced unseeded Matt Pell of Missouri and the result was never in doubt. Jones scored two takedowns in the first period, another takedown in the second period and two more in the third period. Add in riding time, and Jones advanced to the semifinals with a 13-4 victory. "He has established a diversity of an attack, and kept his energy level high," said Turnbull. "He is doing very well this week. He has learned that for every match to keep his energy at the highest level and be at the optimal focus. He is as prepared for an opponent with a 2-19 record as he is in the NCAA quarterfinals. That is why he does very well at this level." Jones likes to open up his matches, which allows his skill and technique to be displayed. "I'm doing OK right now,"said Jones. "My biggest thing is I want to have a lot of energy. If I have a high pace, I can do well. I am better off if I overwrestle, rather than underwrestle." Jones has a great future after college in international freestyle wrestling. Jones has plans to stay in Morgantown and pursue his Olympic dream. He will be one of the select athletes to train at the new Sunkist Kids National Training Center at West Virginia Univ. and train under 2004 Olympic coach Zeke Jones (no relation), who helped coach Greg Jones throughout his college career. "It is something I always wanted to do for the last five or six years," said Greg Jones. "I lost track of that for a little bit, but I got redirected when I became aware of my abilities. Zeke Jones, a World Champion and Olympic coach, has wrestled and coached at the highest levels in the world. He sees great things in Greg Jones' future. "I think Greg's potential is unlimited," said Jones. "He has all the resources to be a World and Olympic champion. He has a tremendous work ethic and is a student of the sport. His focus is at the highest level. It will be up to Greg to execute the plan to achieve it." By staying in freestyle wrestling and continuing to train in Morgantown, Greg will also be able to work with his younger brother Donnie as he goes through his college career for the Mountaineers. "He wants to be a part of Donnie's career," said Turnbull. "Vertus put out the blueprint for Greg. Greg is dedicated to being a mentor for Donnie." When you talk about Greg Jones, you have to talk about his family. His success is their success. "My family means everything, to put it simply," said Jones. "They have a great deal to do with my career. Without such a strong family bond, who knows where I would be today?"