Athlete of the week: Schmitz records first career win at MVC Open

Last Saturday at the Missouri Valley College Open in Marshall, Mo., sophomore wrestler Colton Schmitz recorded his first ever college win, finishing first in the 149-pound weight class.  

After a first-round bye he won two matches on his way to the championship match against the No. 2 seed Jared Flores of the Northwest Wrestling Club. Schmitz entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed in his weight class.

"What makes him unique is kind of like when you're in battle and bullets are flying all around," head coach David Schutter said. "Those that can keep their head survive. Well, when he is out in competition he keeps his head. He reacts like that and doesn't panic and you know finds a way to win."

Schmitz is 16-5 this season in individual matches. He won his first match of the day 4-2 against Oklahoma City University senior Willie Delk. Then, he beat Missouri Baptist University sophomore Esmond Ford 5-2 in the semi final round and topped Flores by the same score in the final.

"He had three tough matches in a row," Schutter said. "Then the finals match he was behind and had gotten hurt. Calls his injury timeout. Didn't look like he was going to be able to go."

Schutter said Schmitz told him he was going to win the match. The decision was then made that Schmitz would go from his feet rather than the bottom position. Schutter said starting from his feet gave Schmitz an upper hand.

"There is so much that goes through your head," Schmitz said. "There is always that little guy in your head telling you, ‘Oh you can quit. You can give up. This is too hard. This is too tough.' But I've always had that drive and that mental toughness. Just telling myself, ‘Hey, I don't work this hard every day in practice. I don't work this hard all year round to give up here and to lose. I'm going to give it everything that I've got.'"

Last year Schmitz wrestled in the 141 pound weight class. He moved up a class late last season and has stayed in the 149 pound class this year leaving space for freshman Ryan Maus who is better suited to wrestle at 141 pounds.

Schmitz said he had to commit the majority of his free time to making weight before the switch. It was not uncommon for him to devote time before and after practice to running which, along with a modest diet, burned muscle to keep him at weight. Making the move has allowed him to spend more time in the weight room, which he said he enjoys. He said the move up has helped his academic life by creating more time for school work.

"He wrestled 149 at regionals," Schutter said. "His only matches at 149 were a year ago. So you always have a transition period. These guys are bigger. They're stronger. In high school he was a 140 pounder so he is really testing new waters and he is adjusting well. He is figuring out, ‘Man I just can't over wrestle. I can't do this all the time. I can't do that.' Figuring out what works at 149 versus what would have worked at 141. He has made the transition very well."

Schutter said Schmitz has done a remarkable job turning from a three-sport high school athlete to a focused one-sport college athlete.

"[Winning] is a great feeling," Schmitz said. "It is hard to explain. You have all that adrenaline going throughout the match and then you finally get that hand raised and walk off the mat just so pumped up inside. I don't know. It's exciting. It's a blast."