By Ed Farrell

Herald Assistant Sports Editor

THIEL COLLEGE heavyweight Kyle Brown annexed his 100th career collegiate win recently by posting a 4-1 mark at the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational.

Brown (101-27), a 3-year starter and 3-time Dean’s List student, has been selected 3 times as a National Wrestling Coaches’ Association Scholar All-American. A physics major, he carries a 3.3 grade-point-average.

In addition, Brown is the 3-time reigning Presidents’ Athletic Conference kingpin and ended as runner-up at the 2005 Midwest Regional qualifier after winning the NCAA Division III Championships’ 285-pound bracket.

“For someone to come up through our program for four years is a great accomplishment. It takes a lot of commitment to be successful academically as well as athletically,” noted Tomcats’ taskmaster Craig Thurber. “Kyle has displayed that commitment during the past few years. He is a leader on and off the mat. Kyle has set the standard for our wrestling program.

“The one thing that I have noticed more than anything is his confidence,” Thurber, a former Greenville High PIAA champion and NCAA Division II All-American at Pitt-Johnstown. “He knows when he steps on the mat he is going to win. Kyle is extremely athletic for his size, and when he has the confidence and desire to win it makes my job a lot easier.”

Brown is 14-3 this season and already twice has been selected PAC wrestler of the week.

“As far as the wrestling program at Thiel goes, I think it is great,” Brown began. “I feel like I have grown up as a wrestler. The coaching style of coach Thurber goes hand-in-hand with the way I wrestle. I believe in what he teaches and that has been a huge factor in my success. Even more important, I trust him as a coach and as someone I could turn to for anything.

“Of course, I would love to be a national champion and that is the goal I am striving for,” Brown continued. “I am sure that as I work to achieve that, all the rest will fall in place, such as becoming a national qualifier, an All-American and a Scholar All-American. I am looking for this to be a big year, not only for myself, but also for a lot of my teammates and my team. I think if we go work hard and do the things we are capable of, everyone will see big things from Thiel College wrestling.”

Thiel travels to Ada, Ohio for the Ohio Northern invite.

ä Another matman performing well is former Reynolds High standout Mason Stewart, a Washington & Jefferson College freshman 149-pounder. Stewart scored a pair of falls and a 3-2 record at the recent York Spartan Invitational, where the Prexies placed 8th in the 11-team event with 23 points.

ä Former Jamestown High standout Joe Herrmann has returned to form for Thiel’s basketball team. Following a sensational freshman season, Herrmann left the Tomcats midway through his sophomore season last year.

However Herrmann hammered home a 30-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist, 5-blocked shots line in leading the Tomcats’ 77-66 non-conference win over Lancaster Bible. By averaging 18.5 ppg., 8.5 rpg., 3 apg. and 2.5 bpg. last week in 2 games the 6-foot-5 Herrmann was chosen PAC player of the week.