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The Student News Site of Buena Vista University

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The Student News Site of Buena Vista University

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Search The Tack
Stunts first home competition
Stunt's first home competition
March 22, 2024
When I arrived, to my surprise, a Piper Archer II had just landed and way taxiing back to the hangers.
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March 2, 2024
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Who’s Who in Beaver Sports: Steve Gutschenritter

Whos Who in Beaver Sports: Steve Gutschenritter

Bailey Schafbuch | Sports Co-Editor

Sophomore Buena Vista University (BVU) varsity wrestler Steve Gutschenritter is from Glenwood, IA, and is 15-10 on the season with high hopes to qualify for Nationals.

Gutschenritter has been wrestling since the first grade when his dad’s wrestling career motivated him to get on the mat. His dad wrestled at both the high school and collegiate level, competing for Dana College. Through many weekend tournaments with the Glenwood Optimist Club, Gutschenritter gained the necessary experience to continue his wrestling career in high school and now at the collegiate level.

Though Gutschenritter has had similar goals for both his high school and college careers, placing in the state tournament and qualifying for the national tournament, he has noticed a difference between the levels. The college athletes are obviously much better wrestlers; there aren’t many pushovers.

As with any other thing in life, there are challenges and rewards of wrestling in college.

“The biggest challenge of wrestling is staying motivated,” Gutschenritter said. “Cutting weight is definitely tough on the body, and it can drain you mentally and physically. The season can get really long too, so you just have to stick with it and keep your goals in mind.”

Gutschenritter noted that the biggest rewards of being in wrestling are the mental toughness that the sport teaches, as well as the obvious fitness it provides.

“It’s a lot of mental stuff that carries over into other aspects of life. If you can push yourself through practice or a full seven-minute match, you can push yourself through about anything,” Gutschenritter said.

Sevond Cole, BVU Head Wrestling Coach, agrees that mental toughness is a crucial part of the match.

“He has what it takes. His skills are there, but he needs to focus on mental preparation,” Cole said of Gutschenritter. “If you have watched Steven wrestle, he’s the guy who gets after it and wrestles hard. Every once in a while there can be a lapse. We’re working on staying mentally focused for seven minutes, and he’ll have the chance to take anyone.”

Concerning the matches and his mental preparation, Gutschenritter likes to go off on his own somewhere and jog while running through his wrestling moves in his head. He pictures what the match should ideally look like and imagines himself always taking down his opponent.

His winning mentality matches perfectly with his favorite part of the match.

“The best part is the third period when you know the other guy is gassed, and he has already quit, that you’ve made him quit so you keep taking him down and keep scoring points,” Gutschenritter said.

Off the mat, Gutschenritter excels academically. Cole affirms he knows Gutschenritter is the perfect student-athlete because of his study habits on the bus.

Gutschenritter’s ultimate goal is to qualify for the National Tournament and become an All-American.

“Keep your eye out for Steven in the next couple years, if not this year, because he’s going to be making a difference in Buena Vista wrestling,” Cole said.

Photo courtesy of Steven Gutschenritter

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  • K

    KevinFeb 27, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    Gutsch is also a captain on the BV soccer team. Superb athlete.

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