Host East Stroudsburg seeks to grow under new coach Kutz

East Stroudsburg Univ., which is serving as host of this year's EIWA Championships, has a new head coach. The program is now led by Jason Kutz, a former Lehigh assistant and a top international freestyle wrestler for many years with the U.S. Army. Kutz is excited about the future after his first year in the rugged EIWA.

"It has been a huge challenge, a huge adjustment, but it has been exciting," said Kutz. "The biggest thing about transitioning from assistant coach to head coach is that I no longer supply my input then go home. As head coach, the challenge is still there for you the next morning. Follow-through is huge. It is a skill I had to practice. Now I have it down."

"I was working with a new team I never met. The first time I met these wrestlers was in September. It is a big transition. There are a lot of factors. Basically, all I wanted them to do is fight. It says 'Just fight' on the back of our t-shirts. I am proud as hell of these guys. They came in here and fought," he said.

ESU's Scott Heckman, competing at 149 pounds, was attempting to become the school's first NCAA qualifier since 2000. He won the tough PSAC Championships this year, an indication of his progress and ability. One win in the wrestlebacks today would send Heckman off to Michigan as an NCAA qualifier.

"In the first meeting, I told the team, 'One of you guys in this room is going to the nationals. I'd like it to be more. If Heckman can pull it off, it shows what (assistant) coach (Joey) Rivera and I are trying to do here," said Kutz.

Kutz competed for Lehigh, and then went after his freestyle Olympic dream as an athlete. He was a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, and was talented enough to earn a spot on the Freestyle National Team. Kutz trained a number of years at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, as well as his military training as a fulltime soldier.

"It was vital, essential to me. I use a lot of the lessons, tactics and strategies from the Army. I use them in life and in the room," said Kutz. "One of them is to 'train as you fight.' We have to practice how we compete here. It is not a new idea, but we are trying to do that here. I also stress 'One team, One fight.' It is about teamwork. We are after the same goal."

After the Army, Kutz was an assistant for his alma mater, coaching at Lehigh under Greg Strobel. That experience is also helpful in his efforts at his new institution.

"Working with Greg Strobel was a good experience. I learned a lot from him. I learned how to develop a successful program, rather than just a team. Lehigh is prestigious, this conference is prestigious. For us to be hosting this tournament is an honor. But it is difficult to compete against these guys. We are a different institution than many of the teams here. But it helps me being from a top team and learning how they do things," said Kutz.

Kutz understands the opportunity that a team in this conference has to build a strong program. His next big test will be the recruiting battles in the upcoming weeks.

"Rivera and I have put together a good class. If the guys who are leaning our way commit, it will be a solid class. We are recruiting from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We don't need to go anywhere else," said Kutz.

Roaring Lions seek strong finish to season full of highlights

Columbia Univ. came into the EIWA Championships seeking to complete one of the best season since the program was created 104 years ago. The Lions, under head coach Brendon Buckley, cracked the top 25 in the nation this year when Columbia held a No. 24 national ranking. The team finished the season with a 7-5 record, with wins over respected Ivy League rivals Penn and Harvard.

"It meant a lot," said Buckley of the Top 25 ranking. "It is what we have been working for. It was a goal for the program and the guys in the room. We were on the cusp for years. It was nice to get the recognition."

Columbia has never won the EIWA, and was second way back early in the 20th century. Under Buckley, the Lions were third in the EIWA two years ago, its best finish in recent times.

On Friday, Columbia has placed senior Matt Palmer, the No. 2 seed, into the finals, and have seven other wrestlers in the consolation round on Saturday morning. A good day could give Columbia a number of NCAA qualifiers as well as one of its highest finishes in memory. Regardless of the final results, the season has proven to be very successful.

"When I first came here, the recruiting was to sell a dream. Now, we have realized that level. My goal is to be sustainable. We have five seniors this year. I am sure in a few years we will be back strong. We have five solid recruits in the early signing period. We have leadership. Our freshmen are seeing that his is do-able," said Buckley.

Palmer has been one of those leaders, and is finishing an up-and-down career that has been interrupted by injuries. Buckley points to him as an example of how the program has progressed and the kind of individuals that have chosen the Columbia program.

"He has been the emotional leader of the team," said Buckley. "He has savvy on the mat. He knows how to win, and he loves the big event. He thrives in the finals. A few weeks ago, he beat Harrington of Penn. He wasn't nervous. He had no anxiety. He felt he would have a great performance. Matt has had a tough career. But he is wrestling his best now. It is now the time for him."

Buckley feels that Columbia's setting in the heart of New York City will prove to be exciting to many top wrestlers who want something a little different from their college experience.

"For us, being in New York City is a good thing. Consider Justin Barent. He is from a small town, Worland, Wyo. You might not think he would want to go to the big city. He came in and took advantage of the city. He had an internship at a major architecture firm. He is doing major projects right in the heart of Manhattan. Some people have the mindset that college is in a small rural town, isolated. In New York, you are immersed in a real world setting, with a plethora of opportunities.

Buckley and his Lions no longer have to sell people on the future. He believes the team is already there.

"We have an expectation level," said Buckley. "The last several years, we have been focused on proving ourselves. We now have proven ourselves. When we beat Penn a few weeks ago, it was a big statement. We won seven of 10 bouts. It was the first time in 14 years for us. Now, everybody knows we are a legitimate Div. I wrestling program."

Blair grads a-plenty at EIWA Championships

Blair Academy, for many years the nation's top high school wrestling program, is only about 15 miles east of East Stroudsburg across the Delaware River on the New Jersey side. Blair's respected head coach Jeff Buxton made the short drive on Friday, not only to watch some great college wrestling but also to support a bunch of his former athletes who have progressed onto the college levels.

After going through a bracket sheet, Buxton counted seven Blair grads on the mats, including a number of seeded wrestlers. Those in the tournament from the Blair stable included (by conference seed): No. 1 Max Meltzer of Harvard at 141 pounds, No. 2 Matt Palmer of Columbia at 174 pounds, No. 2 Adam Frey of Cornell at 133 pounds, No. 3 Robbie Preston of Harvard at 133 pounds, No. 3 Zach Hammond of Cornell at 285 pounds, No. 6 Alex Uzstics of Navy at 125 pounds and John Stout of East Stroudsburg at 133 pounds

"It was great to see some of them yesterday, when they stopped by for a workout," said Buxton.

The first round was not pleasant for the Blair bunch, as two of the seeded wrestlers were upset by pins. Usztics was pinned by Greg Hart of Bucknell and Meltzer was planted by Kyle Borshoff of American. In spite of that start, it is certain that a number of his Blair grads will be advancing to the NCAA Championships in Michigan in a few weeks.

Buxton obviously is rooting for his former wrestlers, but says that he stays "very quiet" at the tournament out of respect for the college coaches. Keeping quiet at a wrestling tournament is not easy for a coach as successful as Buxton. Last week, his team won the Prep National Championships once again, and he finds himself as a spectator for the first time since the high school season began in the fall.

He had to be quiet during the semifinals, when a pair of Blair wrestlers met at 133 pounds, with Frey edging Preston, 9-7 in overtime. Buxton will also be quietly watching Saturday afternoon when three of his troops, Palmer, Frey and Hammond attempt to win EIWA individual titles.