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Ohio University redshirt junior Nick Purdue had high expectations at last week's NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia.
“I wanted to finish top eight,” said Purdue, a two-time state champion at Genoa. “That was the ultimate goal. Obviously you want to win it, but I was trying to be extremely realistic with myself.”
An NCAA tourney qualifier at 184 pounds a year ago, Purdue went to Philly with a 29-4 record at 174 after placing second at the Mid-American Conference Tournament on March 5.
His first-round opponent last Thursday was Ryan McGarity (30-17) of Binghamton. Purdue, who had beaten McGarity 9-3 in a dual match on Dec. 12, handed McGarity a 10-3 loss to advance to the second round.
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| Nick Purdue |
“I did feel confident,” Purdue said. “The guy has a funky style and he put me on my back and got a two-count. I knew if I went out there and wrestled solid I would have an easy win. I was nervous, but I knew if I wrestled my game plan I should handle him pretty easily.”
Purdue's next opponent was third-seeded Mack Lewnes (36-2) of Cornell. Purdue said he decided to go right after Lewnes and stay on the attack, but he left himself open and got pinned in 2:45. Lewnes ended up placing fourth.
“I was scrapping hard with with him,” Purdue said. “He didn't get taken down last year until the NCAA finals. That dude is a beast. He took me down at the end of the first period. I tried to hang on to his leg a little too long and he caught me on my back. He was so strong, I couldn't get out of it. I gave him all I had, but it was a disappointing match for me.”
In order to earn All-America status (top eight placers), Purdue still had to win three more matches. His next opponent on Friday was Missouri's Dorian Henderson, who posted a 7-6 win over Purdue.
“I was beating him the whole match going into the third period,” Purdue said. “He's a taller kid, really quick and athletic. I executed my game plan the first two periods and I was picking him apart.”
By the third period, however, Purdue said he began reaching and pushing forward too much. Henderson recorded two late takedowns en route to the win.
“I got away from my game plan,” Purdue said. “I got excited and blew the lead and the match. That was a disappointing way to go out, to say the least, because I had him beat.”
Joel Greenlee, OU's 14th-year head coach, said Purdue had a “great year.” Purdue pushed his career record to 90-36, which includes his redshirt freshman year when he wrestled unattached.
“I don't necessarily think he surpassed my expectations,” Greenlee said. “I expected him to be a guy standing on the (NCAA) podium at the end of the year. Nick is going in the right direction and we'd like for him to be an All-American before his career is over.”
Purdue said losing two out of three matches at last week's NCAAs has given him considerable motivation for next year.
“I believed I was going to be an All-American,” Purdue said. “I didn't get that, but I know I tried my best. Obviously I was crushed when I got knocked out of the tournament, but knowing I tried my best kind of puts away that pride. I'm going to come back better than I was last year and I'll be better than I was this year. It's a process. I'll be back with vengeance, no doubt.”
Purdue, who is majoring in education, said competing at 174 pounds was the best weight to be at for him and for the Bobcats. At Genoa, he won the Division III state title at 171 pounds in 2006 and captured another state title at 189 in 2007.
By the end of last season, Purdue was suffering from tendonitis in both shoulders and that affected his offseason workouts.
“My body was so broken down from a physical standpoint,” he said. “I would get shooting pains in my shoulders. It started after the first of the year and got worse and worse and really cut down on the quality of my wrestling.”
Greenlee said, “Staying healthy is part of the deal. He was a little banged up this year, too, so the big thing is to continue to do what he's done. He's done an unbelievable job, and that's what's put him where he's at.”
Greenlee added that Purdue takes coaching very well and said his junior wrestler's inner drive has never been questioned.
“Nick has an unbelievable work ethic and he's doing the right thing,” Greenlee said. “He's not going to take things you say to him personally. He'll take it the right way. I've been pretty blunt with him and he'll say, 'You're exactly right.' He's a very personable guy. I don't know two people in the world who don't like Nick Purdue, because he gets along with everybody. I'm proud of what he's accomplished.”
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