Wadsworth's Mason Brugh to wrestle at Ohio University

WADSWORTH — When Ohio University went shopping for an assistant coach last month, the Bobcats were looking for a big name that could attract elite wrestlers to Athens. They decided on Hunter Stieber, and the four-time state champion, three-time national qualifier and two-time All-American landed his biggest recruit to date in Wadsworth's Mason Brugh. Brugh took official visits to Indiana, Harvard, Clarion and Buffalo but chose Ohio thanks to having Stieber in his corner. "I think them picking up Hunter Stieber will be very good for me technically," Brugh said. "I think he'll be able to work with me on a lot of stuff. We have a similar body type. He's just a good guy to work with me. "I'm super excited to get down there and start learning from him. Just getting in the room with him and learning his technique, when I was down there, it was the first two weeks and they saw so much improvement working on their feet. I'm excited to get down there as well." Head coach Joel Greenlee and Stieber will be getting an absolute workhorse in Brugh, who will wrestle between 120-132 pounds for the Grizzlies this season. He enters his final campaign at Wadsworth a three-time state qualifier and two-time state placer. Brugh finished third in Division I last season and was a sectional and district champion with a 35-2 record. He has a career record of 105-12. Brugh, who will wrestle 133 or 141 for the Bobcats, knows it's all about proving himself at the D-I level. "Obviously, if you're the best guy, you're going to wrestle," Brugh said. "Just going down there, wrestling with those guys and being able to compete will be good for me and for them as well. "I'll be able to redshirt my freshman year if it comes to that, but if I can go down there and win the starting job at one of those two spots, then I'll definitely wrestle. I am excited to be able to compete with those guys because they do have a lot of great guys around those weights." Brugh already has been accepted into the business college but is undecided on what path he wants to go in with the major. With a 4.3 grade-point average, the speed of learning shouldn't be an issue, either. Add to that the fact former Wadsworth state champion Jordan Earnest will be a redshirt senior next season and the transition should be a bit easier. "Going down there and spending time with the team, it's just such a family atmosphere," Brugh said. "Not only do you have Jordan, but you have guys like Sal Perrine, Zane Lehman, Dierre Clayton and Colin Roberts. The list goes on of guys that will almost be able to take me under their wing and show me the ropes down there. "I also think that played a huge factor in my decision. It's the family atmosphere and having those guys be there for me." Contact Brad Bournival at bournival929@gmail.com.