PLYMOUTH, N.H. - The head coach of the Plymouth State University
wrestling team will earn one of his sports' highest honors next month when
he is inducted into the New England Wrestling Association Hall of Fame.
Tommy Prairie, who is in his third season as PSU's head
wrestling coach, will be formally inducted into the NEWA Hall of Fame at the
annual New England Conference Championships, held this year on Feb. 20-21 at
Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. Prairie, a 2005 graduate
of Williams College, was a three-time New England champion and First Team
All-American for the Ephs who finished his career with a sparkling record of
106-8.
This year's inductees include Prairie along with fellow
wrestlers Keith Poloskey of Springfield College, Leon Dunham, Robert Harris,
and Mike Tobin of Mass. Maritime Academy, and Tim Sullivan and Jesse
Morrison of Western New England College, and Coach Pete Hexter from Mass
Maritime Academy.
"It's a nice way to look at my career as a whole, now that it's
over," said Prairie of his induction. "It's the highest award I've received
because it sums up my whole career. I appreciate it a lot more now, seeing
wrestling from the other aspect."
Since graduating from Williams, Prairie has been involved in
coaching wrestling. He spent a year at Cumberland University in Tennessee
where he coached and earned a Master's degree with honors in business. Now
in his third season at Plymouth State, he guided the Panthers to a 10-8
record last year, their first winning season since 2001-02 and registering
at least 10 victories for the first time since 1998-99.
A native of Delran, N.J., Prairie won the New England Conference
tournament as a sophomore and junior at 125 pounds and earned the Most
Outstanding Wrestler award as a senior after winning the 125-pound
championship. He captured third place and fourth place at 125 in his first
two NCAA appearances in 2003 and 2004, and finished runner-up as a senior.
His sophomore All-America selection came after winning four straight matches
in the consolation rounds en route to his third-place finish. His 108
career wins included more than 20 victories over NCAA Division III
All-Americans.
Prairie was the first three-time All-American wrestler at
Williams and the first national finalist in the history of the school. He
led the Ephs to three straight top-20 places at the NCAA national
championships, the highest finishes in school history, including a
program-best 12th place in 2005.
Prairie credited his former Williams coaches Mike Whalen, Rafael
Vega and Dan Dicenzo with helping him to reach the top.
"Coach Whalen did a lot for me in my career," said Prairie.
"His encouragement at the nationals my sophomore year really helped set the
tone, and defined my whole career. I was undefeated and up 9-1 in the
quarterfinals and got pinned and didn't want to wrestle any more. That was
my only loss that whole year. But he would have none of that, and put me
back out there and I ended up coming back to win four in a row, including
two by pin, and taking third place. He made it to the All-American round
four times as a wrestler and never won, so for me to not wrestle at that
point wasn't an option.
wrestling team will earn one of his sports' highest honors next month when
he is inducted into the New England Wrestling Association Hall of Fame.
Tommy Prairie, who is in his third season as PSU's head
wrestling coach, will be formally inducted into the NEWA Hall of Fame at the
annual New England Conference Championships, held this year on Feb. 20-21 at
Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. Prairie, a 2005 graduate
of Williams College, was a three-time New England champion and First Team
All-American for the Ephs who finished his career with a sparkling record of
106-8.
This year's inductees include Prairie along with fellow
wrestlers Keith Poloskey of Springfield College, Leon Dunham, Robert Harris,
and Mike Tobin of Mass. Maritime Academy, and Tim Sullivan and Jesse
Morrison of Western New England College, and Coach Pete Hexter from Mass
Maritime Academy.
"It's a nice way to look at my career as a whole, now that it's
over," said Prairie of his induction. "It's the highest award I've received
because it sums up my whole career. I appreciate it a lot more now, seeing
wrestling from the other aspect."
Since graduating from Williams, Prairie has been involved in
coaching wrestling. He spent a year at Cumberland University in Tennessee
where he coached and earned a Master's degree with honors in business. Now
in his third season at Plymouth State, he guided the Panthers to a 10-8
record last year, their first winning season since 2001-02 and registering
at least 10 victories for the first time since 1998-99.
A native of Delran, N.J., Prairie won the New England Conference
tournament as a sophomore and junior at 125 pounds and earned the Most
Outstanding Wrestler award as a senior after winning the 125-pound
championship. He captured third place and fourth place at 125 in his first
two NCAA appearances in 2003 and 2004, and finished runner-up as a senior.
His sophomore All-America selection came after winning four straight matches
in the consolation rounds en route to his third-place finish. His 108
career wins included more than 20 victories over NCAA Division III
All-Americans.
Prairie was the first three-time All-American wrestler at
Williams and the first national finalist in the history of the school. He
led the Ephs to three straight top-20 places at the NCAA national
championships, the highest finishes in school history, including a
program-best 12th place in 2005.
Prairie credited his former Williams coaches Mike Whalen, Rafael
Vega and Dan Dicenzo with helping him to reach the top.
"Coach Whalen did a lot for me in my career," said Prairie.
"His encouragement at the nationals my sophomore year really helped set the
tone, and defined my whole career. I was undefeated and up 9-1 in the
quarterfinals and got pinned and didn't want to wrestle any more. That was
my only loss that whole year. But he would have none of that, and put me
back out there and I ended up coming back to win four in a row, including
two by pin, and taking third place. He made it to the All-American round
four times as a wrestler and never won, so for me to not wrestle at that
point wasn't an option.
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