Mat stars Donahoe, Scott enroll at ‘Boro
BY JOHN DUDLEY
[email protected]
EDINBORO — Paul Donahoe attended his first class at Edinboro University on Monday.
The date for his first official wrestling match in a Fighting Scots singlet remains up in the air.
The former NCAA champion enrolled at Edinboro on Friday, nearly two weeks after his dismissal from the University of Nebraska’s wrestling team.
Donahoe has one year of eligibility remaining and is expected to compete during the spring semester after sitting out this fall to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements.
“I have two goals, “Donahoe said Monday during an interview at McComb Fieldhouse. “I want to become the first two-time NCAA champ from two different schools. And I want to help the team get a trophy.”
Trophies go to the top four NCAA team place-winners. Edinboro’s best finish was a sixth in 1997. But the addition of Donahoe, a two-time All-American from Flint, Mich., along with eight returning national qualifiers makes the Scots an instant favorite to challenge for a third top-10 finish in four seasons.
“Getting Paul is absolutely wonderful, “said senior Gregor Gillespie, who won an NCAA title in 2007, the same season Donahoe won at 125 pounds. Donahoe was third last year. “I think he will make us better and he will fit in great.”
Joining Donahoe is Penn State transfer Garrett Scott, a former three-time PIAA champion from Juniata Valley who competed for one season in college before leaving the Nittany Lions.
Scott is expected to redshirt this year and return with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Both wrestlers arrive with baggage.
Scott’s pursuit of a fourth PIAA title ended when he was suspended from his wrestling team for violating his charter school’s Internet use policy.
He finished his high school career with a 130-2 record and went 21-7 at 141 last season for Penn State, qualifying for nationals. Penn State dismissed him from the wrestling team in May for violating team rules.
Donahoe was dismissed from Nebraska’s wrestling team Aug. 12 after an NCAA investigation revealed he and another former Cornhusker had posed nude for a pornographic Web site.
The school issued a statement apologizing for the wrestlers’ actions, and athletic director Tom Osborne later told the Associated Press that the two had violated NCAA rules twice in five months.
Donahoe declined to comment on the photos, on his dismissal from Nebraska’s wrestling team or on reports that he or teammate Kenny Jordan are considering a lawsuit against the university.
Asked if he was concerned scrutiny will follow him to Edinboro, Donahoe’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m just really thankful they have given me this opportunity to come here and finish my career, “said Donahoe, who was 86-18 in three seasons at Nebraska. “So far everyone I’ve met has been great.”
Donahoe said several other schools expressed interest in him but declined to identify them.
“If we hadn’t taken him, there is a line of schools, schools in the Big Ten, that would have taken that chance, “said Edinboro athletic director Bruce Baumgartner. “I’m sure we’ll get some (criticism). People make mistakes all the time, and I think he deserves a second chance.”
Donahoe said his former high school coach in Davison, Mich., Roy Hall, recommended Edinboro. He took Hall’s advice partly because he knew of Edinboro’s national reputation as a small school that goes toe-to-toe with Big Ten and Big 12 powers.
“I believe that if you put yourself around good people, good things will happen, “he said.
Gillespie said coach Tim Flynn and assistant Cliff Moore consulted Edinboro’s senior captains before deciding to invite Scott and Donahoe into the program.
“People are always going to judge you, “Flynn said. “I made tons and tons of calls and did a lot of research on Paul and Garrett. If I wasn’t completely comfortable with these guys, they wouldn’t be here right now.”
Flynn said Donahoe’s arrival means junior 125-pounder Eric Morrill will redshirt this season. Morrill was one of a school-record 10 NCAA qualifiers for Edinboro last year.
Another returning qualifier, senior 149-pounder Daryl Cocozzo, has left the team for personal reasons, Flynn said.
JOHN DUDLEY can be reached at 870-1677 or by e-mail.
Paul Donahoe
Hometown: Flint, Mich.
Résumé: Two-time All-American who won NCAA 125-pound title in 2007. Went 86-18 in three seasons at Nebraska.
Garrett Scott
Hometown: Alexandria
Résumé: Three-time PIAA champion went 130-2 in high school at Juniata Valley. Was 21-7 last as a freshman at Penn State, qualifying for the national tournament.
Wrestling Gear
