Indiana University Athletics
Pain and Perseverance
4/15/2020 1:01:00 PM | Wrestling
By Liam Cronin
Looking back at the 2019-2020 wrestling season, I would have never guessed how much adversity I would have to endure.
My 2019 summer began with traveling all over the country to compete and train with some of the very best wrestlers our country has to offer. I was fortunate enough to compete at the U23 Greco-Roman World Team trials, which took place early May. During this tournament I ended up winning my first U23 Greco national championship. In doing so I qualified for the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Soon after qualifying for the World Championships I learned that a special wrestle off would take place mid July in Fargo, North Dakota. The winner of this wrestle off would be guaranteed a spot on the U23 World Team. During this time I knew I had to keep focused and continue training hard.
Little did I know that I would receive life changing news. My girlfriend Kennedy, found out that she was eight weeks pregnant with our first baby girl.
At the time we found out Kennedy was pregnant, we were both extremely scared and surprised by the news. We decided to not share the news with anyone until after the wrestle off so I could stay focused on training and making a world team. I spent two months training hard with head coach Angel Escobedo, traveling to the Olympic training center, and CYC wrestling club in Northern California.
Eventually it was time to compete in Fargo, North Dakota for a spot on the U23 world team. The wrestle off consisted of three matches, best two out of three would take the world team spot. I came up short in the first match, won the second match, and lost a close third match which resulted in losing my spot on the USA team. Although I wasn't able to make a world team, the process of all the training and competing over the summer would pay off during the upcoming season.
My next focus after the summer was coming back to IU to start training to become an NCAA champion. Soon after returning to Bloomington, I learned that Brock Hudkins had transferred from NIU to Indiana and we would be competing for the starting spot at 125 pounds. I saw this as an opportunity to work harder and compete with Brock who is a 2x NCAA Qualifier.
As the official 2019-2020 wrestling season was about to begin, everything in my life got turned upside down.
On October 14th, 2019 Kennedy and I had our 20 week check up for our baby Waverly Jane. During this checkup we were informed that our baby had stopped growing at 17 weeks and that the umbilical cord had been giving limited oxygen and blood flow. The doctor informed us that our baby was not going to make it so we were sent to a specialist for a second opinion.
A week later we would have an ultrasound with a specialist where we learned that our baby had passed away the night before, Kennedy would then be induced into labor on October 23, 2019. I was given the opportunity to hold baby Waverly after Kennedy gave birth, it would be a moment I would never forget.
During this time the grieving process would be entangled with the beginning of wrestling, competing for the 125 spot, and school. Battling with depression, anger, sadness, and hundreds of other emotions made going to practice almost impossible. The support that I received from my coaches and teammates was very comforting.
One week after the death of my baby Waverly Jane, I decided to compete in the first tournament of the season, the Michigan State Open on November 2nd. Competing so soon had to be one of the hardest things I have ever done and I would end up winning only one match.
After going 1-2 at the MSU Open, the coaches sat me down to figure out how to help me get through this hard time. The coaches and I would decide it was best if I sat out the next competition. This decision was hard because during this time, wrestling was my escape from the pain I had been enduring. I decided that I felt ready to compete again at the Black Knight Open. The result was not any better than the previous tournament, I would end up going 0-2.
At this point I hit an all-time low, losing a match would just bring back the feeling of losing baby Waverly all over again. It felt like my season had come to an end, I was almost certain I wanted to throw in the towel and quit wrestling. It seemed like all the odds were stacked against me, at this time the starting spot was out of reach.
My coaches encouraged me to see a sports psychologist whom I met with once a week. During this time I kept praying and looking to God for strength. I spent a lot of time self-reflecting and working on myself. Even though I felt like quitting, something inside myself would not allow me to.
I continued to do as many individuals a week with Coach Escobedo, stay and do extra after practice, and improve my mindset.
A turning point in the season was the Midlands Championships on December 29th where I faced the number one wrestler in the country, Spencer Lee in the first round. Going to the Midlands tournament, I began to feel a little more like myself again. I would end up getting pinned in the first period against Spencer Lee which sent me to the consolation bracket. All the trials and tribulations I had endured prior to Midlands, and then getting pinned had sent me over the edge.
I was tired of losing, tired of feeling defeated and feeling sorry for myself. I knew I had to do something if I wanted to reach my goal of being the 2020 NCAA Champion. Even with a 3-6 record heading into the tournament, I believed that I was one of the best wrestlers in the country at my weight even if others did not believe it.
Coming off the Midlands tournament I had a fresh and new perspective on wrestling. I felt like I had a purpose and I knew what I had to do to accomplish my goals. I began to pour all of my energy into being the best I could be and really focusing on improving my mental state.
On January 20th I had the opportunity to wrestle the number five wrestler in the country, Devin Schroder from Purdue. I knew I had the opportunity to prove to myself that I belonged. I would end up winning this match 4-1 which led to a nine-match win streak and beating four ranked opponents. I would finish the regular season ranked 20th in the country.
Heading into the Big Ten Championships, I was the seven seed. Looking at my bracket I felt confident and ready to go. I would end up coming away from the Big Ten Tournament with a 5th place finish which qualified me for my first NCAA Championships.
I knew that all the adversity and obstacles I had endured had been a test of my faith, strength, and belief in myself. A week later I found out the NCAA Championships would be canceled and my season would come to an end. I was heartbroken but I knew that this is just the beginning to something greater that God has planned for me.
Looking back at the 2019-2020 wrestling season, I would have never guessed how much adversity I would have to endure.
My 2019 summer began with traveling all over the country to compete and train with some of the very best wrestlers our country has to offer. I was fortunate enough to compete at the U23 Greco-Roman World Team trials, which took place early May. During this tournament I ended up winning my first U23 Greco national championship. In doing so I qualified for the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Soon after qualifying for the World Championships I learned that a special wrestle off would take place mid July in Fargo, North Dakota. The winner of this wrestle off would be guaranteed a spot on the U23 World Team. During this time I knew I had to keep focused and continue training hard.
Little did I know that I would receive life changing news. My girlfriend Kennedy, found out that she was eight weeks pregnant with our first baby girl.
At the time we found out Kennedy was pregnant, we were both extremely scared and surprised by the news. We decided to not share the news with anyone until after the wrestle off so I could stay focused on training and making a world team. I spent two months training hard with head coach Angel Escobedo, traveling to the Olympic training center, and CYC wrestling club in Northern California.
Eventually it was time to compete in Fargo, North Dakota for a spot on the U23 world team. The wrestle off consisted of three matches, best two out of three would take the world team spot. I came up short in the first match, won the second match, and lost a close third match which resulted in losing my spot on the USA team. Although I wasn't able to make a world team, the process of all the training and competing over the summer would pay off during the upcoming season.
My next focus after the summer was coming back to IU to start training to become an NCAA champion. Soon after returning to Bloomington, I learned that Brock Hudkins had transferred from NIU to Indiana and we would be competing for the starting spot at 125 pounds. I saw this as an opportunity to work harder and compete with Brock who is a 2x NCAA Qualifier.
As the official 2019-2020 wrestling season was about to begin, everything in my life got turned upside down.
On October 14th, 2019 Kennedy and I had our 20 week check up for our baby Waverly Jane. During this checkup we were informed that our baby had stopped growing at 17 weeks and that the umbilical cord had been giving limited oxygen and blood flow. The doctor informed us that our baby was not going to make it so we were sent to a specialist for a second opinion.
A week later we would have an ultrasound with a specialist where we learned that our baby had passed away the night before, Kennedy would then be induced into labor on October 23, 2019. I was given the opportunity to hold baby Waverly after Kennedy gave birth, it would be a moment I would never forget.
During this time the grieving process would be entangled with the beginning of wrestling, competing for the 125 spot, and school. Battling with depression, anger, sadness, and hundreds of other emotions made going to practice almost impossible. The support that I received from my coaches and teammates was very comforting.
One week after the death of my baby Waverly Jane, I decided to compete in the first tournament of the season, the Michigan State Open on November 2nd. Competing so soon had to be one of the hardest things I have ever done and I would end up winning only one match.
After going 1-2 at the MSU Open, the coaches sat me down to figure out how to help me get through this hard time. The coaches and I would decide it was best if I sat out the next competition. This decision was hard because during this time, wrestling was my escape from the pain I had been enduring. I decided that I felt ready to compete again at the Black Knight Open. The result was not any better than the previous tournament, I would end up going 0-2.
At this point I hit an all-time low, losing a match would just bring back the feeling of losing baby Waverly all over again. It felt like my season had come to an end, I was almost certain I wanted to throw in the towel and quit wrestling. It seemed like all the odds were stacked against me, at this time the starting spot was out of reach.
My coaches encouraged me to see a sports psychologist whom I met with once a week. During this time I kept praying and looking to God for strength. I spent a lot of time self-reflecting and working on myself. Even though I felt like quitting, something inside myself would not allow me to.
I continued to do as many individuals a week with Coach Escobedo, stay and do extra after practice, and improve my mindset.
A turning point in the season was the Midlands Championships on December 29th where I faced the number one wrestler in the country, Spencer Lee in the first round. Going to the Midlands tournament, I began to feel a little more like myself again. I would end up getting pinned in the first period against Spencer Lee which sent me to the consolation bracket. All the trials and tribulations I had endured prior to Midlands, and then getting pinned had sent me over the edge.
I was tired of losing, tired of feeling defeated and feeling sorry for myself. I knew I had to do something if I wanted to reach my goal of being the 2020 NCAA Champion. Even with a 3-6 record heading into the tournament, I believed that I was one of the best wrestlers in the country at my weight even if others did not believe it.
Coming off the Midlands tournament I had a fresh and new perspective on wrestling. I felt like I had a purpose and I knew what I had to do to accomplish my goals. I began to pour all of my energy into being the best I could be and really focusing on improving my mental state.
On January 20th I had the opportunity to wrestle the number five wrestler in the country, Devin Schroder from Purdue. I knew I had the opportunity to prove to myself that I belonged. I would end up winning this match 4-1 which led to a nine-match win streak and beating four ranked opponents. I would finish the regular season ranked 20th in the country.
Heading into the Big Ten Championships, I was the seven seed. Looking at my bracket I felt confident and ready to go. I would end up coming away from the Big Ten Tournament with a 5th place finish which qualified me for my first NCAA Championships.
I knew that all the adversity and obstacles I had endured had been a test of my faith, strength, and belief in myself. A week later I found out the NCAA Championships would be canceled and my season would come to an end. I was heartbroken but I knew that this is just the beginning to something greater that God has planned for me.
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