The Terrapins wrestling team finished its season with one loss, an ACC Championship and four individual ACC titles. Seven Terps were selected as All-ACC wrestlers, and junior Josh Asper (165) was an All-American for the second straight year.
But for coach Kerry McCoy – himself the ACC Coach of the Year – it still wasn’t enough.
“Unless you get 10 national champions that get 10 pins in the first period, then no one’s satisfied,” said McCoy, whose Terps sent seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships but finished only No. 31 overall. “Going 15-1 in dual meets and having seven NCAA qualifiers, it was a great overall season and I’m definitely proud of all that, but the ultimate goal was to win a national championship.”
That didn’t happen, but the end-of-season setback didn’t necessarily temper McCoy’s pride over this year. He said this Terps team was more committed than any other in the four squads he has presided over while in College Park.
“They were definitely as committed as any other year, but in certain circumstances, it was even higher,” he said. “The preparation and commitment throughout the season was definitely the highest that it’s been, and that’s just a credit to the hard work that the staff and the guys put into it.”
McCoy hopes that commitment will propel his team into next season, allowing the Terps to at last reach their national-championship goal. And with only one of 10 starters graduating, the Terps may have a chance.
In a season full of wins, it wasn’t hard to find memorable moments. The highlight of the season, McCoy said, was seeing Asper achieve All-America status with a sixth-place finish in St. Louis earlier this month. Senior Kyle John’s win in the ACC Championship also ranked near the top of his list.
“The highlight overall is always when we get an All-American, so when Josh won his match in the quarterfinals to get All-American status was a huge moment,” McCoy said.
“[John] was the ACC champ, he had a lot of wins in dual meets, and a lot of those stand out.”
So do his wrestlers. Seven Terps – John, Asper, Shane Gentry (125), Geoffrey Alexander (133), Jimmy Sheptock (174), Christian Boley (197) and Spencer Myers (heavyweight) – earned All-ACC honors last week, while McCoy won Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season and third in the past four.
“It’s certainly a great recognition,” McCoy said. “Seven ACCs is the most we’ve ever had and the most in the conference, and it’s just a credit to how much effort we put in. We want that to be the standard that we set. We want to be the best in the conference.”
After an offseason spent rehabilitating injuries and refining technique, McCoy explained, the Terps’ next goal is clear: win the national championship they’ve been craving for so long.
“We’re not satisfied because we always want more,” he said, “and we’re looking for it all next year.”
egan@umdbk.com
