Freshmen wrestler Yoanse Mejias has been a force on the mat this year for NIACC.
Mejias has amassed a 26-2 record with three pins and 11 major decisions this season. These numbers have helped him reach the No. 1 ranking at the 157-pound weight class in the NJCAA.
NIACC head coach Steven Kelly believes that Mejias love for the sport and the time he puts in preparing has helped the wrestler achieve success in his first year with the Trojans.
"Yoanse has done well and is passionate about the sport," Kelly said. "He loves to study video of the top wrestlers."
Mejias, the Miami, FL native, competed at the 145-pound weight class while attending Southwest Miami High School. During this time, he won the state championship in his weight class in 2012.
So far this year, Mejias is 4-1 in NWCA NJCAA national duals.
Even though Mejias is having an impressive season, Kelly thinks the best is still yet to come from the young wrestler.
"Yoanse will continue to develop his wrestling and knows where he needs to improve at," Kelly said. "I like the fact that he takes care of his studies just like his wrestling. I look for him to continue to have success in the future because he has such a good attitude about getting better."
It might just be Mejias' nature when it comes to being completive at on the mat.
"Yoanse is very competitive in everything he does," Kelly said. "If we are playing a game of basketball or speedball, he wants to win."
But wrestling isn't the only thing that Kelly wants to instill into his wrestlers.
"How important going to class is if they want to continue to be a student athlete," Kelly said when asked what he try to teach his wrestlers during their time at NIACC.
Mejias will be back in action at home on Jan.31 at 7 p.m. against Iowa Central.
