Feb. 25, 2011
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -To any person that has been around the sport of wrestling, it is no secret that every wrestler has a bit of quirkiness about them. Maryland senior wrestler Jon Kohler is no exception.
Described by Head Coach Kerry McCoy as having a wrestling style that is 'unorthodox,' Kohler admittedly loves to wrestle for the crowd. While pleasing fans with his funky style, the Annapolis, Md., native has placed himself in a position to be the favorite heading into the 2011 ACC Championships.
“I'm pretty unconventional,” said Kohler. “I want the people in the crowd to be like 'ahh' when I wrestle.”
Success at the ACC Championships is nothing new to the fifth-year senior. As a sophomore in 2008, Kohler shocked the conference when he won the tournament as a five seed, much to the delight of the hometown crowd at the Comcast Center. Kohler, however, was not as surprised as those in attendance.
“I kind of expected it honestly,” said Kohler. “That was definitely the match of my career so far.”
After redshirting in 2009 and bumping up 149 pounds last season, Kohler is back at his optimum weight for his senior campaign and has his sights set high for the end of the season.
“I want to be an All-American, that's my goal,” said Kohler. “[Becoming an All-American] would validate everything that I've done my whole life and that's kind of the goal.”
In order to earn All-American status, Kohler will have to place in the top eight at the NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia. There is no question that Kohler, currently ranked 16th, will have his work cut out for him. Nevertheless, McCoy has faith in his standout wrestler and believes winning the ACC tournament will be a crucial step towards Kohler becoming an All-American.
“I say the sky is the limit,” said McCoy of Kohler. “It's a situation that I've talked about with my team and our recruits in that if you win an ACC Championship, you can put yourself in a position to be an All-American.”
Kohler, the youngest of a trio of brothers, started wrestling in sixth grade after his oldest brother, Mike, began wrestling in high school. After a few years with the Navy Juniors, Kohler made the decision to attend and wrestle at Mount Saint Joe's, a high school known for its wrestling prowess in the state of Maryland.
After spending his freshman season on Junior Varsity, Kohler would go on to become a three-time Maryland Independent School State Champion and attributes his college success in part to the high caliber of wrestlers in the Mount Saint Joe's wrestling room.
“On top of [wrestling at Mount Saint Joe's], my brother wrestled at the Naval Academy and I was going in there and working out with college guys while I was in high school.”
Originally planning on attending the Naval Academy like his eldest brother, Kohler decided to attend the University of Maryland after his recruiter and current Maryland Head Assistant Coach, Todd Beckerman, moved from the Naval Academy.
“I just came over here because it was a better fit for me and they have my major and everything,” said Kohler. “It [UMD] has surpassed expectations so far, it has been awesome.”
Now, five years later, Kohler is prepared to put a bow on his college wrestling career and feels that his experience will play a large role to his success in the postseason.
“[Being a senior], I just feel so much more in control of everything,” said Kohler. “Nothing shocks me anymore or surprises me and I know exactly what's going to happen.”
Regardless of what does happen in the postseason, Kohler has no doubt that the sport of wrestling has made a distinct imprint on his life as he moves on from college life.
“I think [wrestling] just makes you tougher at everything,” said Kohler. “You may think something is hard, but it's like, no, you've done more.”
Kohler's quest to become an All-American begins in two weekends at the ACC Championships in Charlottesville, Va.
