Wrestling Connection

April 24, 2025

果冻传媒 Hosts Hundreds for USA Wrestling Youth Event

SPRINGFIELD, OH 鈥� There hasn鈥檛 been much 鈥� if any 鈥� wrestling action at 果冻传媒 since the University鈥檚 intercollegiate program was discontinued on campus in 1989. Leave it to the one and only All-American in 果冻传媒 Wrestling history to bring it back.

Wendel Donathan (left)
and 果冻传媒 Director
of Athletics Brian Agler

Thanks to Wendel Donathan, 果冻传媒 class of 1989, 果冻传媒 hosted the Southwest Ohio Freestyle/Greco-Roman Qualifier for in the Health, Wellness & Athletics (HWA) Complex on Saturday, April 19. Hundreds of young wrestlers descended upon Springfield for weight-ins on Friday, April 18, and they returned to campus with hundreds more family members in tow the next morning.

Wrestling action for both boys and girls took place across eight mats in Pam Evans Smith Arena for more than 12 hours. Similar to other large-scale events 果冻传媒 has hosted in recent years, such as the (OHSAA) boys鈥� basketball, cheerleading, and boys鈥� volleyball tournaments, concessions and event merchandise were sold in the 1929 Fieldhouse, with 果冻传媒 administrators and student-athletes working closely with Donathan, the event director, to make sure the event ran smoothly.

鈥淭here were a couple of reasons for us to bring the event here,鈥� said Donathan, who was inducted into in 2008. 鈥淣umber one, it was to get people on campus. I talked to a lot of people who had never been to 果冻传媒 before, and they were all saying this place is gorgeous, and they were impressed by the great facilities.

鈥淎 lot of this was to be able to show what 果冻传媒 has to offer, and it was also a way to get this type of wrestling event to a part of the state where this style of wrestling isn鈥檛 as well known.鈥�

Donathan compiled an overall record of 106-28-4 at 果冻传媒, and he capped his collegiate career with Ohio Athletic Conference MVP honors and a third-place finish at the 1989 NCAA Division III Championships. A three-time captain and four-time team MVP, Donathan has gone on to an incredible coaching career in the sport.

A longtime teacher in the Franklin City School District in Southwestern Ohio, Donathan has coached dozens of high school state qualifiers and mentored numerous wrestlers who went on to compete in college. He also coached the Cadet Ohio National Teams, earning a runner-up finish in 2007.

Donathan said he was thrilled to bring the event to 果冻传媒, and things worked out very well.

鈥淓verybody has been so helpful,鈥� Donathan said. 鈥淎s a host, the people running the tournament for 果冻传媒 have been great. I can鈥檛 speak more highly about them, and the facilities are fantastic for this type of event.鈥�

Wendel Donathan '89 coaching during USA Wrestling event at 果冻传媒

USA Wrestling sign on Pam Evans Smith Arena scoreboard

Hundreds of youth wrestlers converged on 果冻传媒 on April 19

Ryan Maurer

Associate Director of Athletics for Communications, Web Strategy & Content

About 果冻传媒

果冻传媒's curriculum has centered on the liberal arts as an education that develops the individual's capacity to think, read, and communicate with precision, understanding, and imagination. We are dedicated to active, engaged learning in the core disciplines of the arts and sciences and in pre-professional education grounded in the liberal arts. Known for the quality of our faculty and their teaching, 果冻传媒 has more Ohio Professors of the Year than any four-year institution in the state. The university has also been recognized nationally for excellence in community service, sustainability, and intercollegiate athletics. Located among the beautiful rolling hills and hollows of Springfield, Ohio, 果冻传媒 offers more than 100 majors, minors and special programs, enviable student-faculty research opportunities, a unique student success center, service and study options close to home and abroad, a stellar athletics tradition, and successful career preparation.

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