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Logan Brown shakes hands with Purdue Coach, Scott Hinkle.
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031811 - 9:50PM
What Logan Brown has accomplished in his wrestling career is remarkable considering he came from a the small town of Covington and once had dreams of playing college football at Ohio State.
But after placing third at the state tournament as a junior and finishing his senior season unbeaten at 52-0 and on top of the podium as Covington's first state champion, Brown selected Purdue University as his college of choice and wrestling as his sport.
Now, five years later after redshirting his first year, Brown concluded his career as a four-time NCAA qualifier and one of just sixteen Purdue wrestlers to record at least 100 wins. He also ranks sixth at Purdue with 335 career takedowns and sits in the top 20 with 107 career back points.
"We're very proud of Logan," said Covington High School wrestling coach Tom Barbee, who has made the trip to the NCAA Championships each year to watch Brown compete. "Not only for what he accomplished in wrestling, but because he was so focused, got his degree and has a job lined up."
Thinking back to when Brown came to Barbee a freshman in high school in 2003, Logan was just a strong kid who was rough around the edges in regards to wrestling technique. But Barbee and his staff taught and Logan listened, ultimately becoming a dominant wrestler and a Big Ten recruit.
"Logan has always taken to coaching and that didn't change when he went to Purdue," Barbee continued. "Just they way he is, he's done everything you could ask. He represented himself, Covington and Purdue very well."
It all concluded at the 2011 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia with a disappointing loss to Brent Haynes of Missouri. And Brown isn't quiet ready to reflect on what he's accomplished.
"I'm disappointed," Brown said. "Obviously my goal was to be an All-American. But one day I guess I'll look back on everything I accomplished and feel pretty good about it."
When he does look back, Brown will realize he competed and beat some of the best wrestlers in the nation. He has a win via pin over the 2010 NCAA Champion Max Askren of Missouri and has beaten several All-Americans as well. He has lost to NCAA Champions Jake Varner of Iowa State and Phil Davis of Penn State, as well as NCAA Runner-up Craig Brester of Nebraska.
"That's why you compete, to wrestle the best," said Brown. "Not too many guys can say they competed at this level."
While competing at the highest level of collegiate wrestling, Brown has been labeled as a dirty wrestler by some collegiate coaches and fans. He's been ridiculed on wrestling forums and message boards after physical matches with the likes of Dustin Kilgore of Kent State and Matt Powless of Indiana.
But he takes it all in stride.
"You know, I never worry about what other people think, especially people who don't know me," Brown said. "When you wrestle at this level you have to be aggressive and never back down. That's always been my style. I respect all the guys I wrestled because you have to have a certain amount of toughness to be here. I can always say I gave it my best, win or lose."
After dropping out of the tournament, Brown was pulling for Dustin Kilgore, even though they had a heated match earlier in the season that resulted in bad blood between fans of each program. Kilgore stamped his ticket into the finals by knocking off top seed Cam Simaz of Cornell, another wrestler Brown has beaten previously.
"Absolutely, I'd love to see Kilgore win it," Brown said. "He's a great wrestler and an Ohio guy. I'm glad I was able to wrestle him because you always want to test yourself against the best wrestlers out there and he's one them."
Logan has wrestled the best and his mother Karen even has compiled a scrapbook to prove it. It's complete with video, photos, programs and newspaper articles - all since he was a youngster in youth wrestling and football at Covington.
"My parents have been great," said Logan. "There were a lot of road trips, all those talks on the phone and just a lot of love and support. My mom keeps everything and I'm very thankful for all she's done for me. I wouldn't be where I am without my mom and dad."
Perhaps the biggest gift Logan's parents gave him was instilling the importance of giving back to others. Logan has never forgotten where he came from and has given his time freely whenever he can - even if it means sitting down with the Covington Elementary students to sign free autographs or speaking at the PLUS Overnighter.
Logan even went out of his way to gather a large group of his teammates to buy Kool-Aid from some youngsters who were selling along a sidewalk in West Lafayette.
"That's the way I was raised," Logan explained. "I love to be around kids and if I can have an affect on just one kid it's all worth it. I'd give my shirt off my back for them."
Two Covington youths were fortunate enough to make the trip to watch Logan in action over the weekend, Branden Robinson and Josh Sowers.
"Look at Branden and Josh," continued Brown. "I'd do anything for them and who knows, someday they might be here (at NCAAs) wrestling. If that happens I'd like to think that maybe I helped pave the way a little bit. That would be sweet."
Brown has already paved the way in a sense for Covington wrestlers as he became the first to wrestle at the Division I collegiate level. Next year Andrew DeHart will take his talents to Duke as a four-time state placer and others may follow, like sophomore Kyler Deeter, who took fourth at state this past season.
"I'm so happy for those guys (DeHart and Deeter)," said Logan. "DeHart's really done well and hopefully he can get here (to the NCAA Championships). Kyler's got what it takes too. I talk to him and his grandpa a good bit and I'll help him any way I can."
As for Logan, he already has a job lined up after he graduates, but is uncertain about what he'll do to satisfy that competitive hunger now that his wrestling career is behind him. He's even talked about doing a little MMA fighting.
"I might give it (MMA) a try," he smiled. "Luke (Manuel) and I were talking about it and we have a guy who's trying to set up a small amateur match for us. I don't know if I'll get too serious about it though. One thing I do know, I'm going to do a lot of fishing."
Regardless of what the future holds, Logan can look back with pride on what he's done on and off the mat - not only at Purdue University, but at Covington High School.
And when he does he'll realize he may not be All-American - he's All-World to the people who know him.
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