SPRINGFIELD, OH – There hasn’t been much – if any – wrestling action at Wittenberg since the University’s intercollegiate program was discontinued on campus in 1989. Leave it to the one and only All-American in Wittenberg Wrestling history to bring it back.
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Wendel Donathan (left) |
Thanks to Wendel Donathan, Wittenberg class of 1989, Wittenberg hosted the Southwest Ohio Freestyle/Greco-Roman Qualifier for USA Wrestling 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 Wittenberg has hosted in recent years, such as the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) boys’ basketball, cheerleading, and boys’ volleyball tournaments, concessions and event merchandise were sold in the 1929 Fieldhouse, with Wittenberg administrators and student-athletes working closely with Donathan, the event director, to make sure the event ran smoothly.
“There were a couple of reasons for us to bring the event here,” said Donathan, who was inducted into Wittenberg’s Athletics Hall of Honor in 2008. “Number one, it was to get people on campus. I talked to a lot of people who had never been to Wittenberg before, and they were all saying this place is gorgeous, and they were impressed by the great facilities.
“A lot of this was to be able to show what Wittenberg 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’t as well known.”
Donathan compiled an overall record of 106-28-4 at Wittenberg, 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 Wittenberg, and things worked out very well.
“Everybody has been so helpful,” Donathan said. “As a host, the people running the tournament for Wittenberg have been great. I can’t speak more highly about them, and the facilities are fantastic for this type of event.”
