Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Michigan

Eastern Michigan wrestling began in the 1956-1957 season and had it not been for the avarice & acquisitive decisions of athletic director Scott Wetherbee, we'd still have Eastern Michigan wrestling today.  Instead, a choice was made after the 2017-2018 season to eliminate wrestling along with men's swimming & diving, Women's softball & women's tennis.  Due to the nearsightedness of Wetherbee's decision, it was discovered that Eastern Michigan's elimination of both women's softball & women's tennis was in violation with Title IX.  A federal judge ordered that women's tennis be reinstated. While women's softball was not reinstated, Eastern Michigan did pay $125,000.  Per Wetherbee's statements, Women's Lacrosse would better suit the needs of the Eastern Michigan student-athletes than would softball.  In the state of Michigan, 88 high schools have girl's varsity lacrosse.  618 high schools have girl's varsity softball.  

Men's swimming & Diving was at the conference level, the most successful program that Eastern Michigan has ever had.  A total of 31 Mid-American Conference titles were won by the Eagles, including a stretch of sixteen consecutive between 1980 & 1996.  They also won national titles at the NAIA level five years straight between 1968 & 1971, winning a NCAA Division II title in 1972.  

As to wrestling, Eastern Michigan enjoyed much success on an individual level between the NAIA, NCAA Division II & NCAA Division I levels as well as on a conference level.  As a team the Eagles won the 1996 MAC title. 

Jerry Umin

Umin had an outstanding senior season for the Eagles that included 42 victories that lead him to a fourth place finish at Midlands, a MAC championship & a seventh place finish at the NCAA tournament. 

Joel Smith

Accumulating 110 victories during his career, Smith won MAC titles his junior & senior seasons of 1988 & 1989.  In his senior year he won 36 matches, taking runner-up honors at the Midlands championships & earning NCAA Division I All American honors with a fifth place finish. 

Lee Pritts
118 lbs 

A native of Western High School in Florida, Pritts was a three time NCAA qualifier for the green & white, winning a MAC title & taking sixth in the nation in 1996.  He later went on to coach at Missouri, North Carolina State, Old Dominion (a program we no longer have) & Arizona State. 

Mike Feeney

A three time NCAA qualifier, Feeney took runner-up honors at the Midlands championships as a sophomore, finishing in eighth place at the 1999 NCAA championships.  He'd go on to qualify twice more in 2000 & 2001. 

Sa'Derian Perry
141 lbs 

A Florida high school state champion for Lake Gibson High School, Perry came to Eastern Michigan with a record of 119-14. In his sophomore year of 2017-2018, he took third at the MAC championships, becoming Eastern Michigan's final All American with an eighth place finish at the NCAA Championships.  He transferred to Old Dominion after Eagle wrestling came to an end & placed fourth at the MAC championships in both 2019 & 2020.  He ended his career with a record of 83-60, having to be told by two different schools in which he competed for that his accomplishments & credentials to them, were not important. 

Jermain Thompson
149 lbs 

A State champion for Kenmore High School, Thompson won a MAC championship for the Eagles in 2007.  He also placed fourth at the Midlands championships. 

Steve Brown
118, 126 lbs 

Owning a total of 117 victories, Brown nearly became a four time MAC champion for the Eagles during his career at Eastern Michigan.  Winning titles in 1984, 1986 & 1988, Brown took runner-up honors in 1985.   He was named the outstanding wrestler of the conference in 1988. 

Ramico Blackman
150 lbs 

MMA's "The General" Ramico Blackman won a MAC title in 1996. 

Tony Venturini

Venturini won MAC titles for the Eagles in 1991 & 1992 

JJ Holmes
165, 174 lbs 

A native of Texas, Holmes began his career at Neosho County where he won an NJCAA title.  Wrestling for the Eagles, Holmes won a MAC title in 2004 as a junior & took runner-up honors as a senior in 2005.  Competing today in MMA, Holmes also placed seventh at the Midlands championships. 

Gage Hutchison
HWT

Racking up 94 career victories, Hutchison was a two time MAC runner-up during his junior & senior seasons of 2017 & 2018.  He also placed seventh & fourth at the Midlands during his sophomore and junior years. 

Doug Harper
118 lbs 

Harper had a standout senior campaign for the Eagles, winning the MAC title in 1989 & graduating with 78 career victories.  During his final two seasons, he placed sixth in two consecutive Midlands championships. 

Dale Kestel
115 lbs 

A state champion for Garden City East High school, Kestel had an outstanding career for the Eagles.  He placed twice at the Midlands earning third & fourth place finishes, ending his career with a fifth place finish at the 1968 NAIA tournament. 

Duke Wellington
191 lbs 

Wellington earned NAIA All American honors in 1963 with a third place finish. 

Rob Ray
167 lbs 

Ray was a two time NCAA Division II All American for the Eagles earning a runner up finish in 1966 & a fifth place finish in 1967. 

Mark Davids
126 lbs 

A graduate of Hazel Park High School, Mark Davids took second in the state before coming to Eastern Michigan.  While competing for the Eagles he made the 1971 NCAA Division II finals.  He later coached wrestling & taught physics at Grosse Pointe South High School.