Wrestlers Head into Second Season with Confidence

After last year’s historic inaugural season, the Bluefield College men’s wrestling team is heading into its second year with the experience they did not have a year ago.

Head coach Jason Waelti has recruited each one of his wrestlers and is confident that his group of guys will make an impact in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) this season. 

Coach Waelti, himself, wrestled for Virginia Tech where he qualified for national competition. Before college, he was a four-year starter for William Byrd High School where he served as captain of the team. At William Byrd he was also an All-State wrestler, and a regional and district champion. In fact, he earned his team’s single season and all-time pin records and was named All-Timesland Wrestler of the Year.

It’s that kind of success that Coach Waelti hopes to bring to the BC wrestling program with wresters like Creed Lumpp, who is in his first year at BC. According to teammates, Lumpp already appears to be one of the team’s better wrestlers.

“We have a few guys out with injuries right now, which doesn’t help, but the team is looking pretty solid,” Lumpp said. “I think everyone on the team is getting along pretty well; we’re a family. We just have to work on getting mentally tough and expect to win.”

Lumpp says his goal is to be a national champion at his weight class of 157. He has started off the season well, winning 10 of 11 contests through mid-November, including runner-up and championship awards in two different matches. 

Will Anders, the team captain, is an experienced wrestler from last season. He has been with Coach Waelti for two years. During that time, Coach Waelti says Anders has grown into the leader that he needs to be.

“(Coach Waelti) does a great job with the program,” Anders said. “He has had a vision for this program since day one, and he plans to execute it. He runs hard practices, but is smart and allows our bodies to heal before competition. I am very thankful he gave me this opportunity to be on the team.”

As captain, Anders is responsible for motivating his team, keeping everyone accountable, and working with the coach to help the team function smoothly. Anders said the same about how injuries have been hurting their squad this year.

“Unfortunately, we do have a couple of injuries on the team that have brought our numbers down,” he said. “But that has not stopped the team from working hard and growing as a family.”

Through the injuries have come some bright spots in a season that is just starting. Anders is thrilled with how the new recruits have bought into Coach Waelti’s system.

“The new recruits are fitting in perfectly with the program,” he said. “All of them have bought in, so it feels like they’ve been a part of our program since last year.”

Anders wrestled at the 125 lb. weight level to start off his second season. Though the season might not have started the way he wanted, he still has confidence in himself and in his teammates.

“I personally want to improve my individual record,” Anders said, “while being a leader for the team. I, myself, want to place higher in the conference tournament and qualify for the NAIA National Tournament.”

Issac Wright is also in his second year with the wrestling program. He understands what it is like being in a new situation. That’s why the team, he said, does what it can to make the transition easier for the new recruits. 

“Everyone has been through some tough workouts,” Wright said, “so we all have a mutual respect for everyone, because we know it is not easy.” 

The team’s goal is focused on improvement. Of course they want to win, but if they are getting better with each match they are headed in the right direction.

“As a team, we want to improve our dual meet record and our place in the conference tournament,” Anders said.

Winning is also an emphasis and main goal, but the players simply want to grow as a team and as a family. As team captain Anders put it, “Our team goal is to be conference champions, but also to develop that brotherhood within our team and be close.”