New Coach - Same Direction

The Mott Community College “Wrestling Bears” will be competing in their 7th season as eastern Michigan’s first NCWA collegiate program. This year the team will be joined by two other eastern Michigan teams, Oakland University and Saginaw Valley State University. These healthy rivalries in the making will be competing to determine who will reign as the best of the east. Newcomer, University of Michigan—Ann Arbor NCWA and perennial powerhouse Grand Valley State University will decide the best of the west title.

After 6 consecutive seasons of finishing in the NCWA’s Top 20, the Bears are setting their goals a bit higher. On their way to the 2010 National Championships the team is scheduled to host the 4th annual Mott Bears Open, travel to 5 states in order to face many of the nation’s top ranked NCWA teams, compete at several D1 and NJCAA Opens, and wrestle at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor prior to a Big Ten Dual.

All of this will take place under the guidance of a new coach, Hermon Gillum, successful local high school coach from Clio. Coach Gillum was recently hired as Mott’s second wrestling coach with the announced retirement of founding Coach Paul Holdren. Holdren will use this change of direction to spend more time in ministry. Holdren’s work has not gone unnoticed as the program grew out of nothing into a nationally recognized NCWA contender.

Though Mott is only one of a handful of community colleges in the 160 member NCWA—comprised mostly of NCAA DI and DII universities, and NAIA colleges—the “Wrestling Bears” have finished in the NCWA’s “Top Twenty” four times and “Top Ten” twice. During Holdren’s tenure the team produced one National Champion, 15 all-Americans, finished North Central runner-up twice, posted a 32-8 dual meet record and championed 5 tournament titles. Nine Holdren wrestlers moved on to wrestle at 4 year colleges, while there are presently 5 in the coaching ranks. At last year’s 2009 NCWA National Championships the team finished 8th as the highest ranking community college with 5 all-Americans, while pacing the tournaments with the most team falls (15).

In speaking of his retirement Holdren said, “It has been a pleasure to represent Mott. Our administrators, professors, staff and support personnel are among the best. On behalf of them I’m pleased to pass the torch for the Mott Wrestling Bears on to Hermon. He will be a great asset for the advancement of the wrestling program. Hermon knows the area coaches and will be a great recruiter. Additionally, I see him as a man of integrity who will impact the lives of those he will be coaching far beyond the wrestling mat.”

Derrek Swilley pressures opponent out of grounds, while fans watch.Cortez Flynn is attempting a double bruist lock.