Club Corner

Wrestling

KATIE ALDRICH/YH Behind David Farrell, MC '03, also a member of the football team, the club wrestling squad hopes to recapture the national crown it won in 1998.

Most of the team's matches are part of tournaments, but the Bulldogs also compete in a few four-team events. The team mainly competes locally, but it will travel to Virginia to face national opponents later in the year. And for the first time this season, the Elis will face off against teams from Virginia, Florida, and Georgia.

This year's team consists of about 10 wrestlers. In addition to McGill, team leaders include David Farrell, MC '03, and Than Merrill, JE '01, both of whom will have to switch gears quickly now that their football obligations are complete. Farrell, officially a co-captain, is expected to be a threat in both the regional and the national tournaments.

Last year, due to injury, Farrell was not able to participate in the regional tournament or the national tournament. However, while active he defeated the wrestler who later went on to win both tournaments, which serves as a source of encouragement and hope for the season at hand.

Although the team may seem small, it maintains a lofty ultimate goal—to reach and win the national tournament at the end of the season, a feat they managed as recently as 1998. Last season, the squad reached the national tournament again, finishing third. Additionally, McGill hopes that some team members will be named All- Americans.

For now, the squad will focus on upcoming matches as it attempts to qualify for the club regional tournament. A solid performance there would allow it to advance to the national tournament.

"Personally, I want to win at Nationals. That is what I am wrestling for," McGill said. "I also think that a lot of the guys can be All-Americans."

—Lindsey Stimpson

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