After transferring from Liberty, Terrapins wrestling 149-pound Ryan Diehl wasn’t able to compete last semester per NCAA eligibility rules.
During meets, he was relegated to the sidelines or the bleachers. But that wasn’t why he transferred to this university; Diehl wanted to wrestle.
“It kills me,” Diehl said. “Just watching and knowing I was supposed to be there and I just want to be out there competing with my team.”
After months of competing on the open circuit, Diehl made his dual debut last Friday against No. 12 Rutgers. He fell to Tyson Dippery, 4-0.
Still, Diehl brings experience to the starting lineup. He picked up 13 victories in open matches, tying for third on the team with 157-pounder Lou Mascola. He has also forced six falls, both technical and by pin, which puts him at second-most on the team.
“Coming out of high school, he was one of the best kids in high school,” coach Kerry McCoy said. “He’s got a lot of talent, a lot of ability. It’s one of those things where translating to this level of wrestling is a step, so he’s working on it.”
Because he couldn’t compete the first semester of competition, Diehl focused on specific techniques and getting back into shape.
“Just getting the cobwebs off from the summer time,” Diehl said. “And being able to get in on a shot and finishing, that’s where I’m struggling right now.”
In his first two years of high school, Diehl captured two Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association AA titles before moving to West Virginia and securing two West Virginia AA/A championships.
Because of poor grades, Diehl was not able to attend this university and attended Liberty for two years instead. While wrestling with the Flames, he won two National Collegiate Wrestling Association Championships, with his first in 2014 at 133 pounds and his second at 141 pounds in 2015.
After starting this season off 0-2 at the Binghamton Open, one of the worst performances he can remember, Diehl moved up a weight class. From there, things started to turn around.
Now Diehl is tasked with translating the success he’s found on the open circuit to the Big Ten.
“Experience goes a long way,” Diehl said. “You come to practice, work on the one thing you did wrong in the match or just toughen up. If you translate that to the Big Ten, I think that’d be tremendous stuff.”
Now McCoy can chose between Diehl and 149-pound Wade Hodges. The coach said he isn’t sure yet who will be the regular starter at the weight class moving forward.
While he wants to be competing against Michigan on Friday, Diehl vowed to be prepared and committed, no matter what.
“You can take it from a good heart or a bad heart,” Diehl said. “I’m looking at it with a good heart. It’s coach’s job to make sure he gets the right choice on who goes out. We just follow his orders.”
