Budd emerges on national scene after beating No. 1 grappler
JUSTIN HAAG – Staff Writer
Above the doorway to the UB wrestling room, in the catacombs of Alumni Arena, hangs a blue and white sign with a stern warning.
“Do not enter this room unless you are mentally and physically prepared to pay the price it takes to get to the NCAA tournament, be an All-American and win a National Championship.”
At 133 pounds, junior captain Mark Budd is pushing the limits to make this goal a reality. With his recent victory over the nation’s No. 1-ranked Shawn Bunch from Edinboro University, Budd has not only skyrocketed into the national rankings, but he also became the first Bulls grappler to take down a No. 1-ranked competitor.
Budd defeated Bunch on Dec. 9 in the Erie Civic Center. With three prior career losses to Bunch and trailing going into the final period, most people would have expected a loss, but not Budd. Taking the 2005 national runner-up into overtime, Budd relied on his conditioning.
“I thought he was getting tired, “Budd said in a press release after the match. “I figured I was in better condition than him. I thought that was the change, really.”
With just over 15 seconds left, Budd countered a Bunch shot completing his own takedown and riding it out to victory.
Since the landmark win, Budd has continued his success on the mat, most recently last weekend at the New York State Collegiate Championships where he took first place along with two of his teammates.
Ironically, Budd’s success not only stemmed from the win over Bunch, but also an earlier loss to the Fighting Scot. Last January, Budd lost to Bunch by a mere three points, giving him a newfound confidence that resulted in him winning 38 of his last 43 matches.
Budd carried last season’s momentum into the summer spending his time working hard and working smart.
“He stayed all summer and worked out and worked on the things that he wasn’t best at, “said assistant coach Brandon Newill. “A lot of wrestlers don’t like to do that. They like to do what they’re best at because it’s easy. The hard thing is to work at where you lack, and he’s done a great job at that and come a long way.”
With hard work in the off-season, and his recent victory over Bunch, Budd has found his name rising in the collegiate Wrestling ranks. He is currently ranked 11th by wrestlingreport.com, 15th with NWCA/InterMat/NWMA, and is now ranked 12th in W.I.N. magazine. He has been as high as ninth.
With his new ranking, Budd joins senior captain Kyle Cerminara in the top 15 in the NWCA/InterMat/NWMA poll. Cerminara is currently ranked seventh at 197-pounds, and is the only Division-I All-American in any sport since UB entered the Mid-American Conference.
Cerminara and Budd work out together, sometimes even multiple times a day.
“I told Mark he’s as good as anyone in the country, “Cerminara said. “He just needs to get a little more consistent. More consistency will make him that much more unbeatable. He’s a quiet leader. He wins matches and really leads by example.”
Although Budd has come a long way to the forefront of the wrestling community, he remains quiet about his success and is far from satisfied with just being recognized as one of the best. He wants to be the best.
“Win a national title, “Budd said when asked this season’s goal.
With his work ethic and current standing, Budd has the potential to fulfill the demand of the sign hanging over the doorway to the Bulls’ gym, as well as have his name join Cerminara’s as an All-American.
“Kyle’s name on the back wall is pretty motivating, and I like the sign. It’s there for a reason, “Budd said.
Budd and the rest of the UB wrestlers will be back in action again Saturday at 9 a.m. in Alumni Arena when they host MAC rival Ohio, as well as Delaware State and Ithaca.
Wrestling Gear
