2008 Woodie Awards
Brown contributes in postseason
By: Aaron Sides
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Sports
Opportunities do not come often on a nationally-ranked team.
So when Steve Brown got his, he didn't miss it.
After a limited number of matches during the regular season, the sophomore 157-pounder stepped in for injured sophomore Tyler Grayson at the team's dual against Tennessee-Chattanooga.
"When it first happened, Tyler came up to me and said he was hurt pretty bad. I didn't take the situation seriously at first, though," Brown said. "I now have a second chance to prove to the coaches that I can be the starter at 157 pounds."
Brown was not thrust into the starting role right away, though. He had to earn the spot through a challenge match with redshirt freshman 149-pounder Nathaniel Holt, who the coaches were looking at possibly moving up a weight class.
"He proved himself in the challenge match," said coach Tom Borrelli. "It's good to have to prove yourself. If you're just given something, you don't appreciate it."
After earning his spot, Brown (13-8 overall) went 2-1 to close the regular season before winning the Mid-American Conference championship at 157 pounds.
"The MAC tournament was a very important tournament to show the coaches I could be at this level," he said. "I wanted to make the seniors and the other upperclassmen proud."
Borrelli said the first time on the big stage of the conference tournament did not come without some first-time tension.
"He was real nervous at the MAC tournament," Borrelli said. "I think he'll do better this weekend, though."
Brown said that the upperclassmen really helped him to get through that nervousness and get his attention back where it belonged.
"The upperclassmen came and talked to me and told me it was just another match," he said. "That helped to calm my nerves and get me focused on what I needed to do."
With his focus in the right place, Brown was able to earn a 6-3 win in the semifinals against Ohio's Clay Tucker and a 7-3 win in the finals against Northern Illinois' Bryan O'Connor to win the title. However, Brown said he was not satisfied with just a conference title and that a national title is the more important.
The road to a national title will be a difficult one. Brown, who is unseeded going into the NCAA Championships, said he embraces the challenge that comes along with being overlooked.
"I'm happy to be an underdog. I feel confident and ready to go," he said. "The guys who are ranked have reputations to try to uphold. I can just relax and have fun."
Brown's first-round match will be Thursday morning against Army junior Christian Snook (19-10).
sports@cm-life.com
So when Steve Brown got his, he didn't miss it.
After a limited number of matches during the regular season, the sophomore 157-pounder stepped in for injured sophomore Tyler Grayson at the team's dual against Tennessee-Chattanooga.
"When it first happened, Tyler came up to me and said he was hurt pretty bad. I didn't take the situation seriously at first, though," Brown said. "I now have a second chance to prove to the coaches that I can be the starter at 157 pounds."
Brown was not thrust into the starting role right away, though. He had to earn the spot through a challenge match with redshirt freshman 149-pounder Nathaniel Holt, who the coaches were looking at possibly moving up a weight class.
"He proved himself in the challenge match," said coach Tom Borrelli. "It's good to have to prove yourself. If you're just given something, you don't appreciate it."
After earning his spot, Brown (13-8 overall) went 2-1 to close the regular season before winning the Mid-American Conference championship at 157 pounds.
"The MAC tournament was a very important tournament to show the coaches I could be at this level," he said. "I wanted to make the seniors and the other upperclassmen proud."
Borrelli said the first time on the big stage of the conference tournament did not come without some first-time tension.
"He was real nervous at the MAC tournament," Borrelli said. "I think he'll do better this weekend, though."
Brown said that the upperclassmen really helped him to get through that nervousness and get his attention back where it belonged.
"The upperclassmen came and talked to me and told me it was just another match," he said. "That helped to calm my nerves and get me focused on what I needed to do."
With his focus in the right place, Brown was able to earn a 6-3 win in the semifinals against Ohio's Clay Tucker and a 7-3 win in the finals against Northern Illinois' Bryan O'Connor to win the title. However, Brown said he was not satisfied with just a conference title and that a national title is the more important.
The road to a national title will be a difficult one. Brown, who is unseeded going into the NCAA Championships, said he embraces the challenge that comes along with being overlooked.
"I'm happy to be an underdog. I feel confident and ready to go," he said. "The guys who are ranked have reputations to try to uphold. I can just relax and have fun."
Brown's first-round match will be Thursday morning against Army junior Christian Snook (19-10).
sports@cm-life.com
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