‘FROM THE GROUND UP’ -- Local coaches and athletes lead Linfield’s wrestling resurgence
Story by Dylan Wilhelm. Photos by Rusty
Rae.
Dec 13, 2022, McMinnville
N-R/News-Register
On
Sunday, both the men’s and women’s teams fell to the unbeaten Raiders of
Southern Oregon University at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
On
the surface, it didn’t seem like anything more than a typical regular-season
dual. But for Linfield, it served as another stepping stone towards
establishing itself as a prominent wrestling program.
When
Abram Nelson started a wrestling club at Linfield two years ago, his goal was
to have upwards of 20 to 25 students competing in two years.
Two
years later, there are 36 student-athletes on the roster of the men’s and
women’s wrestling team, a unit that is already competing at the Division III
level after just one season as a club team.
The
rapid growth at Linfield mirrors a trend nationwide, where wrestling has surged
in popularity.
The
emergence of the program has drawn the attention of local student-athletes,
including wrestlers from McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton, and Newberg high
schools.
Led
by Dayton native Chad Hanke, the focus is on building the program from the
ground up, setting the foundation to become a prominent program at the D-III
level.
After
a successful collegiate career at Oregon State, Hanke spent time as an
assistant at Cal State-Bakersfield and at American University in Washington,
D.C.
Hanke
said when the opportunity came open at Linfield to lead the resurgence of the
program, he couldn’t pass it up.
“That
was the big reason why I decided to throw my name in,” Hanke said. “I get to
build something from the ground up, and I’m back home.
“My
family never saw me and now they can’t get rid of me.”
Hanke
understands the importance of recruiting local schools, and is still in touch
with longtime Dayton coach Rob Henry and other local coaches in the area.
“There
is an opportunity for you to get a college education at a really good school in
your backyard,” Hanke said.
“I’m
about togetherness and community. So you have to own your backyard first. Those
are going to be your fans, the people that show up and support… hit that first
and then expand on that.”
Jacob
Barnes is one of the local student-athletes on the roster, a state champion at
McMinnville High School who spent last season redshirting at Oregon State.
Like
Hanke, Barnes is excited to be back home and be a part of the group that is
bringing wrestling back to Linfield.
“It
just means so much to be able to kind of help build this program from the
ground up,” Barnes said.
Barnes
recalled memories of attending Linfield football games growing up, mentioning
how his parents attended Linfield in the 1990s and that his grandparents had
always been fans of the school.
He’s
impressed with the strides the team has made, noting how individual
improvements will also help elevate the team as a whole.
On
Sunday, a few of those wrestlers stood out against the Raiders, including Price
Pothier, a Newberg alum who pinned SOU’s Jordan Faifai in just under two
minutes.
On
the women’s side, Paulina Fabela-Santos pinned Southern Oregon’s Kyleigh
Fradelis in just under three minutes and Ayana Medina won by tech fall in her
match against SOU’s Marissa Kurtz.
Barnes
improved to 8-0 with a victory over the Raiders’ Antonio Garcia. His unblemished
record includes a win in Corvallis against his former team, a 2-1 victory over
Oregon State’s Charley Hastriter.
Linfield
senior Elena Kroll took a less traditional path to the collegiate wrestling
mats. After graduating from Hood River Valley High School, Kroll chose to play
lacrosse at the collegiate level, a decision she believed meant she wouldn’t
wrestle again.
Instead,
she is now involved in both sports. She mentioned specifically how special it
is to her to be a part of the program’s restart.
“That’s
where it was the most meaningful,” Kroll said. “In high school, when I first
started wrestling, we were the pioneers of girls wrestling. And so it’s good to
be like the pioneer of this program.”
Hanke
says that Kroll serves as an example of a student-athlete’s ability to play
multiple sports, a pitch that he hopes will serve him well in recruiting.
“I
love it,” Hanke said. “And I tell a lot of people that, you know, hey. If you
have a passion for track, you have a passion for football and wrestling – come
here and do both.”
Barnes
mentioned the importance of finding the right fit as a student-athlete, and how
it is important to find a place where you can grow as a person and athlete.
“I
think it should be that I want to go somewhere where I can make an impact and I
can grow as a wrestler,” Barnes said.
When
asked if it was safe to say he found that at Linfield?
“I
did.”
The
Linfield wrestling teams will return after the winter break and the new year.
The women return to action with a home dual meet on Saturday, Jan. 7 against
Simon Fraser University from Burnaby, British Columbia.
The
following day, both the men and women’s team will host the inaugural Mat ‘Cat
Invitational on Sunday, Jan. 8.
