2023 NAIA The Season: William Penn

 

I've known head coach Aron Scott my entire life and I have first hand experience of how incredible he is at looking at each of his wrestlers individually and knowing exactly what it is they need to work on to improve. While in some cases at some schools it seems that wrestlers are as good when they leave as when they arrived, I can guarantee that isn't the case at William Penn. You will see steady improvement from freshman to sophomore, from sophomore to junior, to junior to senior every year. The Statesmen qualified two to the NAIA championships last season & I see at least four this season if not more. 

149 lbs
Cameron Hargrove 

The Heart of America runner-up & R12 at the NAIA championships, Cameron Hargrove is well on his way to being a better collegiate wrestler than he was a high school wrestler, and he's only a sophomore. 25+ wins last season, look for him to contend for All American honors this year. 

157 lbs 
Steven Skewes 

3rd at the Heart of American Conference championships, Steven Skewes was one placing away from making what would have been his first appearance at the NAIA national tournament. Look for the three time Utah High School state finalist to punch his ticket to nationals this season in what should be a productive year for him. 

165 lbs
Matheson Meade 

After a promising regular season full of some standout performances, it was hard watching Meade get upset in round one of the Heart of America Conference tournament which eventually lead to him not placing. Those sorts things happen. Wrestling as rewarding as it can be in some aspects can be brutally cruel in others. It can be an unforgiving environment at times. Nevertheless I'm not too worried about it, because I know Meade not only can, but he will bounce back. He already proved his tenacity while he was in high school. Taking 3rd at the Tennessee High School state championships as a sophomore, he failed to place as a junior. He came back strong as a senior, taking runner-up honors. It'll be no different here.  He had a bad tournament last season. That's all. He'll be just fine this season. 

174 lbs
Makail Stanley 

Also a standout on the gridiron as well as on the track, we were fortunate that he decided to continue on the mat when he left high school for college. Twenty-two wins on the season last year as a freshman, he made his first appearance at the NAIA championships receiving a wildcard after finishing 4th at the Heart of American Conference tournament.  As do many freshmen, he had his fair share of rookie errors and mistakes, but under the leadership of Coach Scot those shouldn't be an issue any longer. 

184 lbs
Jesse Schwery

I believe as time progresses and Jesse Schwery gains more experience that he'll get better. The two time Iowa High School state qualifier was 6th in the Heart of America last season. Not sure if he'll make the NAIA's this year, but I do think we'll see some vast improvements. 

197 lbs 
Branson Bottorff 

Like Schwery, I see Branson Bottorff making some vast improvements this season & like Hargrove, I believe that when his collegiate career is all said and done, he'll have more accomplishments & credentials as a college wrestler than he did as a high school wrestler.  I'll endorse Coach Scot as a guy to go to if you have the heart, determination & work ethic, but you just need some help on developing your skills, talents, and techniques. Bottorff will soon enough be an example to my testimony. 



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