Obstacles prevent Buckeye alum Eric Bartos from returning to collegiate wrestling heights

Mercyhurst junior Eric Bartos burst onto the collegiate wrestling scene his freshman year, making it to the NCAA Division II National Championship and earning Super Region 1 Freshman of the Year after placing third at the super regional. Since that freshman season, the Buckeye alumnus has run into obstacle after obstacle — most out of his control — which has prevented him from returning to that same stage at the top of the wrestling world. Although he's classified as a redshirt junior, it's actually Bartos' fifth year with the 25th-ranked Lakers. The past three have been especially frustrating and trying. As a sophomore, Bartos tore his shoulder and received a medical redshirt. The next season, the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the postseason and gave him a second redshirt. Last year, Bartos caught COVID-19 the week before the Super Regional, bringing his already abbreviated season to a close with just a 2-1 record. "This is my first year that I'm hopefully going to make it through the whole season and make it back to the national (tournament)," Bartos said. "I won't lie to you, the motivation has been a struggle at times, because it feels like an eternity since I got to compete up at the top level." Bartos said his spirits are high this season, not only because of his own belief in what he can do to get back to the national tournament but also how much he believes in his teammates and the type of season Mercyhurst is capable of having this winter. He is 11-3, bringing his collegiate record to 71-28. The .786 winning percentage this season is his highest with the Lakers. "I think that I've stayed motivated all year this year," Bartos said. "It's a lot easier when you've got a good team with you that's got a shot at doing something good." The Lakers went 2-1 in dual meets in December and placed 12th out of 41 teams at the Midwest Classic in Indianapolis, where Bartos reached the podium by placing eighth. "I think it's going really well," Bartos said. "At the beginning of the year we had a lot of freshmen in the lineup and we were banking on them doing well adapting to college wrestling. I think they all are doing really well and a couple of them could make a run at All-American status." More recently, Mercyhurst placed eighth at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Dual tournament earlier this month by going 2-3, even though it entered the tournament ranked 18th in the country. "I think it was a huge confidence boost," Bartos said. "I've been preaching that our team is a really good dual meet team for a while now. We finally got a chance to prove it at the NWCA Duals. No matter how you see it, the team is better than what people thought." The leadership of fifth- and sixth-year veterans like Bartos has helped a mostly young squad develop a winning mentality. "I think after a couple years you learn the ropes and start to be able to explain how mindset is so important," Bartos said. "I'm a firm believer that the most talented guy doesn't always win the weight class. As you get older, you realize it's the guy that carries himself as the champ every day. That's what I try to communicate to my guys." The young guys on the team have bought into what Bartos and others have taught them and the team is beginning to reach its potential despite beginning the league dual slate Wednesday with a 25-17 loss against rival Gannon. Bartos picked up a 16-1 technical fall over Aseel Almudhala to put Mercyhurst ahead 5-4 two bouts into the match. Gannon picked up pinfalls in the final two contests to make up a 17-13 deficit. "(Early on) we had a couple of gaps in the lineup, but guys are starting to realize how to pull their weight," Bartos said. "I think we're going to have a really good dual season in the conference." The strides Bartos said he has made on the mental preparation side of things will likely help him as he pushes toward the postseason and a hopeful return to the national stage. As a freshman, he admitted he did not really know anyone and just went into attack mode against whoever was across from him. Now there are fewer surprises and he refuses to back down to anyone. "From a mental aspect, it's a little harder as you get older," Bartos said. "There's more pressure as you make a name for yourself, but you've been there and done that. You know what the national (tournament) is going to look like and what the competition will be like and you're prepared for it." Bartos is looking for that maturity to serve him well as he looks to outdo what he accomplished as a freshman and even his current ninth ranking nationally at 133 pounds. "I'm going for a (national) title here and I think it's definitely possible," Bartos said. "My freshman year I know there were a couple of guys that were out of reach, but I'm not really scared of anybody in the weight class anymore, because I don't have a choice to be. I know what it's going to take to beat a guy that can win nationals and I'm right there and ready for it." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.