“I started at a young age and I think that’s where my success came from,” said Luke Willochell.
Division 1 commit, Luke Willochell, began wrestling at the age of four and a mere fourteen years later the wrestler can confidently say that he’s found his calling.
At the age of seven, Luke leapt into the tournament scene. The young grappler struggled to find success in his first season, but a year later he struck gold. The wrestler had qualified for the state tournament and went on to place third. Luke didn’t stop there, placing second at states the very next year. This string of events led Luke to realize the sport could take him somewhere and that it did. “I knew that there was something there and when I got to high school that’s when I started to work hard,” Luke said.
Luke is the youngest of three wrestlers in his family, his older brothers, Jake Willochell and Gabe Willochell, have found the same success that Luke has in the sport. Jake wrestled at Seton Hill and Gabe is currently wrestling at the University of Wyoming. This leaves big shoes to fill, but the wrestler has both brothers in his corner.
Since the beginning of Luke’s career, he’s always had the guidance of his older brothers. Jake and Gabe taught their younger brother everything there is to know about wrestling; the basics of the sport, what to eat and drink, and how to cut weight. The wrestler has their support through thick and thin, as Jake and Gabe would coach him through losses, correcting his mistakes.
“Ever since we were young they’ve been showing me moves. [My brothers] always want me to be the best version of myself,” said Luke.
The bond that Luke has with his brothers played a big role in his college decision. The wrestler got a lot of attention from a variety of schools. His top options were Oklahoma, NC State, UNC, Bucknell, and Wyoming. Luke was originally opposed to the idea of joining his brother in Wyoming.
“At first, I didn’t want to go there, I didn’t want to follow my brother. I went out and saw the campus and just fell in love with it,” Luke said.
On November 19, 2023, Luke announced his commitment to Wyoming University. The school itself was the ultimate factor in the wrestler’s decision. When he visited, the campus stood out to him and allowed him to picture himself at Wyoming.
Another major factor in his decision was the starting spot, at 133 pounds, that he’ll claim during his freshman season. This will pose a challenge for the wrestler, as he’ll be facing older and more experienced competition at the collegiate level.
“It’s going to be tough. I’m gonna be pretty young, wrestling some older guys. They’re going to be stronger and scrappier,” said Luke.
To overcome this obstacle, Luke is heading to Wyoming in June to begin summer training. The wrestler plans to use this time to bridge the gap between the competition he faced in high school and will be facing in college. “I think if I work hard during the full summer training I have ahead at Wyoming I can be prepared come September,” Luke said.
The incoming freshman isn’t going to settle for mediocrity in his first collegiate season. Luke has set his sights on the national stage. As a freshman, the wrestler is striving to place at the Big 12 Wrestling Championship and then continue to the national tournament. “One of my goals is to make the national tournament. That would be super cool,” said Luke.
The opportunity to compete collegiately wasn’t just handed to Luke. He had to work for it.
Throughout high school, the wrestler struggled to make weight, which impacted him mentally as well as physically. Cutting weight is arguably the hardest part of wrestling. As a junior, Luke fought to make weight every week. “I was cutting ten pounds a week and it was terrible,” Luke said.
Fortunately, Luke was able to reap the benefits of his hardships. Throughout his wrestling career, the senior has accumulated many accolades. The wrestler is a four-time WCCA Champion, three-time WPIAL Champion, and three-time state qualifier: placing second his freshman year and taking home fifth as a sophomore and junior. On top of his medals, Luke also reached 100 wins and on top of that, 100 pins throughout his career. The senior believes these accomplishments have greatly impacted his recruitment.
“I’ve had a lot of success throughout high school and I think that’s just caught the attention of colleges,” said Luke.
The senior couldn’t have reached these milestones without the great support system that he has behind him.
A major part of this system is the head wrestling coach, Mark Mears. Coach Mears has been coaching for over twenty years. He’s coached an abundance of great wrestlers and Mears had helped Luke grow into one of the best. “Coach Mears has had a huge impact on me ever since my freshman year. He’ll tell me what I need to do to win and I do it. I find that success and that’s why I’ve gained trust in him,” Luke said.
The wrestler’s parents were a crucial part of his success. His mom and dad always wanted to see their son succeed, not only as a wrestler but also as a person, teaching him to be a good sport. “They are always there for me. They used to drive me to practices all the time and they just wanted me to be the best version of myself,” said Luke.
Wrestling is a challenging sport, both physically and mentally. For Luke to continue to the next level, he had to find the balance between the two. The wrestler believes his ability to remain calm during his matches has allowed him to become a collegiate athlete.“I think in matches I’m very calm and I don’t get too flustered,” Luke said.
