LeClere shakes off slump, revitalizes with Kohawks

CEDAR RAPIDS - Nick LeClere faced a crossroads in his wrestling career that led him to the Coe wrestling room after two years at the University of Iowa.

Frustration mounted while the former North Linn prep was with the Hawkeyes. Two knee injuries and surgical procedures caused him to miss most of last season and affected his performance. LeClere even questioned his involvement in the sport.

“I was in a big slump there for a while,” he said. “A lot of people don't know that. I probably would have come right back. I doubt it would have been permanent.”

LeClere received inducement from the disappointment of younger brother, Chris, a Kohawk freshman still stinging from not winning a state prep title.

“Watching him not get what he wanted to get at the state tournament last year really motivated me,” Nick LeClere said. “I've got to keep going. I can't just quit.”

Coe Coach John Oostendorp, a former Hawkeye All-American and teammate of Iowa Coach Tom Brands, heard of LeClere's inclination while recruiting Chris. He encouraged Nick talk to Brands.

“He helped me out 100 percent,” LeClere said. “The coaching staff, the whole program at Iowa, they're really great. They'd do anything for me still.”

A smaller school is a better fit for him, LeClere said.

“Here, the first thing I noticed was the intensity in the room was basically the same,” LeClere said. “The intensity, the coaches, everybody takes it just as serious.”

LeClere, a red-shirt sophomore, is 12-1. All but three wins have been by major decision, technical fall or pin. His loss was a one-pointer to former Iowa teammate Ryan Morningstar at the Iowa City Duals. He won titles at the Loras Open and Saturday's Simpson Invitational, helping Coe to the team title.

“He brings a lot to the competition,” Oostendorp said. “He has an extra level, a competitive level in matches.”

The Kohawks have an established group of leaders, but LeClere's influence has been felt.

“It's more of a case of leading by example right now,” Oostendorp said.

LeClere hasn't been on a wrestling team without a sibling. He went from wrestling with older brother Daniel at Iowa to joining Chris at Coe.

“I went from following (Daniel), trying to work up to his work ethic and measure up to him to setting that bar high for Chris to do the same thing for me,” LeClere said. “The work ethic and motivation is the same but for different reasons.”