STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) -With the WIAC returning to play starting this week, UW-Stevens Point winter sports are ready to roll. The wrestling team kicks off the season Friday at UW-Whitewater.
They do it with a wrestler who’s best in class. The new #1 ranked wrestler at 133 pounds in Division-III is Pointers senior Matt Berlin.
“I thought it was cool, just seeing my name up there as number one,” said Berlin. “I know I’ve still got to go out, still haven’t wrestled a match this year. I’ve still got to go out and prove I’m worthy of that number one spot.”
But the fact he was ranked #1 without wrestling yet says something about Berlin. He might’ve been surprised, but what about his head coach?
“No, I wasn’t surprised,” said longtime UWSP Wrestling head coach Johnny Johnson.
Why would he be? Berlin went 32-0 last year, was named WIAC wrestler of the year, and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
Except the tournament was cancelled, and his shot at a national title was taken away.
“Yeah it was definitely disappointing, and heartbreaking at first,” said Berlin. “Just last season, putting in all of that work, and getting to the point that you work for all season, just to get to Nationals, just to get that opportunity to wrestle on the national stage.”
While Berlin won’t retroactively crown himself, Johnson has coached seven of the eight national champs in program history.
He knows one when he sees it.
“I’m confident that he would have won that national tournament,” says Johnson. “And you know I’ve had a lot of guys go into that tournament that were high seeds, or that we felt like had that opportunity, and I’d say that he’s up there with the best that we’ve had.”
The silver lining for Berlin? This season won’t count against his eligibility, and he plans to return next year, so he still has two opportunities to make history.
“That’s what was nice,” said Berlin. “Seeing that I lost out on the opportunity last year, but adding it to the schedule this year, I should just get another two opportunities to get my name up there.”
“As one of my alumni said, if you leave eligibility on the table, you’ll regret it the rest of your life,” Johnson says. “I don’t think he (Berlin) wanted to be in that situation.”
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February 01, 2021 at 09:50AM
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Newly ranked as #1 in the country, UWSP's Berlin looks to make up for lost opportunity - WSAW
"make up" - Google News
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