The dream of one alumni is soon to be a reality.

    Connor McMahon, a graduate from the class of 2012, will be competing in the NCAA Divison I Wrestling Championships March 19-21 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. McMahon wrestled four years at Stow, placing second at the OHSAA State Championship his senior year. McMahon’s high school success brought him to Southern Illinois University, a Divison I wrestling school located in Edwardsville, Illinois. 

   Wrestling at the 165 pound weight class his junior year, McMahon entered the Southern Conference Tournament with the fifth seed out of eight wrestlers. He was overlooked by many, as a fifth seed would certainly not be a favorable victor in the battle for a national championship spot. McMahon was out to make the best of his situation, knowing the odds were not likely, but still possible. 

    “Not being expected to beat anyone took a lot of pressure off of me. I knew the pressure was on the kids I was going against so I went out there with nothing to lose. I was able to wrestle to my capabilities,” McMahon said. 

    McMahon did not just reach his capabilities, he exceeded them. 

    A quick victory over the fourth seed from Tennessee Chattanooga started his run, followed by a win over the number one seed in the tournament from Appalachian State. Reaching the finals, McMahon wrestled the third seed out of Virginia Military Institute, winning the match 4-3 and claiming victory in the SoCon Tournament. 

   McMahon’s victories in the SoCon Tournament not only came against higher ranked seeds, but also were against wrestlers who had previously defeated him earlier in the year. Due to these circumstances, McMahon was awarded the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament along with a spot in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

    McMahon plans to keep the same mentality he had in the conference tournament through his journey at nationals.

    “I’m really just excited to be there. I had some success in high school but I’ve never achieved anything like this. Qualifying for nationals was a dream of mine and no matter what I do I’m going to be happy with the results,” McMahon said. 

    McMahon’s first match at the NCAA Championship will be early March 19, against the tournament’s number one seed, Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State. 

    McMahon said, “I plan on just going out there and giving anyone I wrestle the best match I’m capable of. If I win some matches, that’s just icing on the cake, and if I don’t, I still had a great season.”

On Mon. March 9, Stow alumni David Walker and Northeastern’s basketball punched a ticket to the March Madness tournament for the first time since 1991. Walker played basketball at Stow and led the team to a combined 40-8 record his junior and senior years, earning many awards and offers to play in spotlight games.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Coach Close,” Walker said. “He taught me to do whatever it takes, on and off the court. Whether it’s a deadline for school, or fighting for a loose ball, he taught me to always keep fighting in order to succeed.”

With just four minutes left in the game, Northeastern Huskies (23-11) had built a 22 point lead over William and Mary (20-12). It was the CAA championship, and the winner got to go dancing with a spot in the tournament. The game seemed all but over, until William and Mary decided to not go down without a fight. Scoring the next 16 points, and cutting the lead to just six with 40 seconds left, things got really scary for Walker’s crew.

In the final 30 seconds, the Huskies made their final five of six free throws before Walker buried a game clinching three pointer to put William and Mary’s out of reach. The final score was 72-61.

“I never had a doubt this team would see the tournament,” Walker said. “My freshman year we were very close, and it was only a matter of time before we got another opportunity. We took advantage of it over William and Mary, and now are eyes focus on the tournament.”

During selection Sunday, the Huskies were awarded the 14th seed, and are playing against the winner of the ACC tournament, the three seed, Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish.

“We like being an underdog,” Walker said. “It gives us motive and passion and let’s us played relaxed basketball. We trust in the scouts to give us everything on the Irish, and we will use what we can to our advantage.”