Jace Schafer and Mason Rebuck traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to represent CU-Bloomsburg at the NCAA D1 Championships. Despite not making the podium, the Huskies capped the season with a 10-18 dual record which was the most dual wins in a season since 2012-13. Head Coach, John Stutzman, remains optimistic about the future of the program, and getting their name back atop the podium.

“We’re gonna be pretty good, fast. It was good for these young guys to see we can perform at that high level again. We’re just excited to keep this thing going.”

Jace Schafer, a graduate student from Fairport, New York, wrestled in the 125 lb. weight class, with his goal always being to make it to the tournament.

“I knew I could compete with any of the guys, so it was just putting the time in the offseason and getting back on the mat after a big break while in the transfer portal.”

Schafer transferred from West Virginia and was 43-36 in his time there. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows when he got to Bloomsburg though. Right before Christmas, his bursa sac in his knee blew up. However, he still wrestled a few matches on it, leading it to double in size. A later infection and a hospital trip had him out for a month before coming back for the rest of the season.

Coach Stutzman credited his ability to bounce back.

“It threw him for a loop a bit, but he just picked himself off the carpet again and kind of just believed he could do it and just trust it. I think that was a big moment for him.”

Despite the adversity, Schafer finished the season at 23-8 overall, and hopes that the younger wrestlers never count themselves out,

“It doesn’t really matter where you’re seeded or how you have performed leading up to it, as long as you still believe in yourself.”

Mason Rebuck, still just a junior, also finished 23-8 overall. Rebuck wrestled in the heavyweight class, his first year at that. It was a last-minute decision in the summer to jump from wrestling 197 lb. to heavyweight.

“As the season progressed, I knew that if things went my way and I wrestled hard, I would have a chance to make it to the championships.”

Rebuck had been on the team since his freshman year, meaning this was his first season under Coach Stutzman, but he already sees the improvement firsthand.

“The program has gotten significantly better. It’s more organized, more disciplined, and athletes are held accountable. They’re taught to work hard, and there’s definitely been a huge culture change too.”

The change isn’t just seen in the locker room, it’s on paper. This was the first season with 10 wins since the 2012-13 season, which was the last time Coach Stutzman was head coach at CU-Bloomsburg before taking over the University of Buffalo program.

After the visit to the NCAA D1 Championship, CU-Bloomsburg Wrestling isn’t stopping there. On May 1st, they’re sending 11 of their underclassmen to Las Vegas for the Olympic trials to get more reps on a different stage.

“The off-season training is important for me. That’s where I think we make our gains and we’re working out probably 11-12 times a week right now, so it’s fun.”

The podium may have been just out of reach this time, but for CU-Bloomsburg Wrestling, the bigger victory was rediscovering what the program can become. Now, the focus shifts from rebuilding to rising.