Starting from scratch at NIACC

BY MATT PFIFFNER
Publisher, The Predicament

Thirty-two years ago, the door was slammed shut on the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) wrestling program.

The Mason City based school announced is was bringing back the program last November and on Nov. 3 of this year, the Trojans will have their first competition since the NJCAA National Tournament in 1976, when they host the Kaye Young Open Tournament.

The door has not only been re-opened for wrestling, Head Coach Richard Fergola, his staff and wrestlers have kicked it down and plan to stay around a while and build on the school's proud wrestling tradition.

The Trojans finished second in the NJCAA Nationals in 1970, 1971 and 1972. They got over the runner-up hump in 1973 and claimed the National Championship. The program was dropped three years later, after nine seasons, which included nine Regional Championships and an outstanding dual meet record of 126-18-2 under Coach Kaye Young.

"The kids all know the history and know they were good. They've all seen the National Championship trophy," Fergola said. "They know they are wrestling for a school that was dominant back in the day. The way we look at it, we're just going to pick up where they left off."

It's not often, if ever, you see a first-year program as highly-regarded as the one Fergola has built in Mason City. He landed the number one recruiting class in non-Division I wrestling, led by high school standouts T.J. Moen of Saydel, Albert White of Illinois, DaVaughn Perkins of Nebraska and Cody Hogan of Missouri.

Moen won a pair of titles at Saydel, White won four Illinois State crowns, Perkins was undefeated in three seasons in Nebraska and Hogan won State as a senior and opened some eyes with a fifth-place effort at the 2007 Senior Nationals. Moen, White and Perkins all won a National title in Fargo, N.D. during their high school careers.

A pair of transfers could also make an immediate impact in the JUCO ranks for NIACC.

Glenn Rhees wrestled for Dana College in 2005 and will be making his way back into college wrestling at NIACC. Rhees was highly decorated as a prep placing fourth in the California state championships and claimed three Junior Greco All-American honors in Fargo. As a redshirt at Dana College, Rhees placed second at the prestigious Kaufman-Brand Open at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Jordan Graham, who is originally from Mason City, was a starter for powerhouse Wartburg, before coming back to Mason City.

"To be honest, when I recruit, my goal is that I'm going to get the best. I'm finding what I need and trying to get the best. When I recruit, I always feel we'll get the best kids," Fergola said.

As an assistant at Dana College, Fergola helped the team land the number one recruiting class in the nation for NAIA. He has done it again in the Junior College ranks in short order.

"I wasn't worried we weren't going to get kids, because of the area we're in. And getting the number one recruiting class, I did that once at Dana. It doesn't surprise me we did it, but what does surprise me is that we haven't wrestled yet and we did it. It was our program and what we had to offer that sold us," Fergola said.

Moen said Fergola's message of academics first is what sold him on coming to the first-year program.

"Coach Fergola and Coach (Chad) Vance started recruiting me pretty hard. Coach said academics will get you through a lot in life and wrestling is second. That's what I need right now," Moen said. "And it's an opportunity to start something new. If I would have gone Division I and didn't like it, I might have dropped out and been done. But here I can keep building and building until I make the transfer."

So why did Fergola leave Dana just a year after being named head coach and two years after the Vikings won the NAIA National Championship?

"That's been the million dollar question. Why leave Dana and come here? It was a chance to start a brand new program. It's pretty cool. A college coach doesn't get the chance to do that often, if ever, in his career," he said. "To start from the bottom up was a great opportunity. We're just thriving off it right now. And another part was getting to coach in Iowa. They love their wrestling here.

"It's a challenge, but a fun challenge. When you look at the big picture, that's the fun of it. We're starting a new program and in our sport, that's a big deal."

Fergola led the Vikings to a 12-2 record his only year as head coach and a fourth-place finish at the NAIA Championships. The team also went 5-0 in conference duals and finished second at the NAIA National Duals.

The head man at NIACC has produced a lot of results on the mat in his coaching career, but he knows his job is to help his wrestlers produce off the mat as well.

"The main emphasis for my program is academics. With us being a Junior College, the myth is that they're not the greatest students. But academics will be our main focus. That's what these kids and their parents want," he said. "When I talk to recruits, I don't talk a lot about wrestling. I talk about school. It's a big deal to me. Because if these kids fail here, we're not doing our job."

White, who originally committed to Illinois before taking the trail to NIACC, knows he has the right coach.

"Coach Fergola is a good person. He'll stay on your back and that's the type of person I need right now," the four-time Illinois State champ said.

The Trojans have lofty goals this season, despite starting the program from scratch. Fergola said he doesn't let that be used as an excuse.

"I can't tell these guys 'let's just try to be a top five team just because we're a first-year program'. We say we have a shot at being National Champions and that's our goal," he said. "I think we can challenge for it. We want to win a National Championship. And I think these guys and our staff believe it. You can honestly feel it. They're hungry for it and they want it."

Hogan, who is expected to be the 125-pounder for the team, said the team works hard and believes in the goal.

"Everybody wants the National Championship. We're all working hard for it. I'm not used to being in a room like this. Everyone is tough and has a great attitude," he said. "I liked the idea of being part of something new. And it's been exactly what I expected. There haven't been any letdowns."

White added, "We're feeling we can go in and get it done with hard work and focus. We're young, but we feel we can get it done.

"I'm really excited to start the season. I can't stay off the mat. I'm addicted to it. What motivates me is the work I put in. If I put in the work, I expect to win."

The wrestlers and coaches aren't the only ones who are excited for the season to begin. Moen, who became Saydel's first State champion in 32 years his junior season and followed that up with a second title last year, said he gets asked about the wrestling program a lot.

"I'll be in class and students will ask when wrestling starts. And teachers ask too. We're getting a lot of support from everyone," he said.

The Trojans will have plenty of tough competition this season, but you can bet Jan. 23, 2008 is circled on the calendar. That is the day NIACC travels to Fort Dodge to take on Iowa Central, the two-time defending NJCAA National Champions.

"We want to take on all challengers. We're excited about the opportunity to wrestle Iowa Central. We're excited to have a shot at them," Fergola said.
Hogan added, "We're all looking forward to that match. We can't wait to go up against them."

Many people in the wrestling world will be watching that dual with great interest. The powerhouse program with the recent national success against the upstart program looking to build on past success.

And while the focus for Fergola and his staff has been putting a team and schedule together in less than a year, the Trojans are also looking toward the future. Construction has begun on a $5 million athletics facility, which includes a new wrestling room and wrestling offices. The building is expected to be completed next August.