Harrington fits in with Kohawks

CEDAR RAPIDS - A former club coach planted the seed in Ryan Harrington's head.

As a result, Harrington's college wrestling career is taking root at Coe College.

'It's a great time, a great team and program,” the Kohawks' sophomore 174-pounder said. 'It's working out really well, I think.”

Harrington will get his first taste of the postseason when 17th-ranked Coe competes in the NCAA Division III Central Regional on Saturday at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque. Action begins at 9 a.m.

Harrington began his career with a red-shirt season at the University of North Carolina and then transferred after the first semester of his second year. He considered his options and his freestyle coach and former Coe wrestler, Shawn Hall, informed him about the Kohawks.

'He's the reason I knew about Coe,” Harrington said. 'He told me great things about Coach (John Oostendorp) and the program. It all fell in line.”

Hall was a two-time All-American at 142 pounds for the Kohawks, placing sixth in 1981 and fifth in 1982. He has had multiple wrestlers compete collegiately. including Coe sophomore Jan Rosenberg, former Wartburg national champion Kodie Silvestri and the Knights' All-American and sixth-ranked 157-pounder Drew Waggenhoffer.

'I have a ton of respect for him and the type of person he is,” Oostendorp said of Hall. 'You can see how effective of a coach he would be.”

Harrington actually arrived in Cedar Rapids in January 2014. Due to NCAA rules, he was not allowed to practice with the team until December. He trained on his own, returning to home in Chester, N.J., during the summer. Harrington joined the lineup at the holiday break, but not contributing was torture.

'It was tough,” Harrington said. 'The motivation of coming back and helping the guys when I was eligible was all I needed.”

He is ranked 10th with a 12-3 record, winning his first 12 matches. Harrington is 1-1 with Wartburg's second-ranked Brandon Welter, and lost to Cornell's returning national qualifier Brent Hamm in sudden victory. The grind of a long college season took its toll, but he has been rejuvenated in the time preceding the regional.

'I had two weeks to clear my head,” Harrington said. 'I'm definitely ready to wrestle now.”

The sights are set on a national championship. Harrington said the coaches and training have prepared him for this tough test. Oostendorp said Harrington is a good person with high goals.

'He's a great addition to our program,” Oostendorp said. 'He has a really great attitude and work ethic. The more guys you can put in your program like that the more it will elevate it.”

The Kohawks have three ranked wrestlers in the field, including top-ranked Farai Sewera (165) and No. 10 Donnie Horner at 197. Horner and Ryan Sheldon, who was ranked earlier this season at 184, are returning All-Americans.

'It will tell how our preparation was down the stretch,” Oostendorp said. 'From what I see, I feel good about our guys going forward. The ultimate test is Saturday.”

The field consists of eight Iowa Conference schools, Cornell College, Augustana (Ill.), Knox (Ill.), University of the Ozarks (Ark.) and Huntingdon (Ala.) College. The top three individuals at each weight advance to the national tournament March 13-14 in Hershey, Pa.

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com