From the ground up: How Albion Wrestling became a threat in four years

February 28, 2025

“A desk and a whiteboard.”

That is how Director of Wrestling Adam Wilson describes his office when he first got hired in 2020. In just four years, the Albion College wrestling program has become one of the most recognizable in the region and is making strides at the national level, both on the men’s and women’s sides. As the season winds down, the program will graduate four individuals that made up that initial class in 2021-22 – Jayla Oberst, CJ Krum, Max Honiss and Owen McDaniel.

Athletes aspiring to compete at the collegiate level spend the recruiting process talking to coaches, visiting facilities and interacting with current individuals on the team. That process alone can be overwhelming and taxing to navigate. Albion wrestling added one more layer – complete blind faith trusting a first year collegiate program in one of the toughest regions in the nation. 

Wilson was hired in the Fall of 2020 and immediately began the recruiting process to begin competition in 2021. Selling a first year women’s program and a revived men’s team wasn’t easy, but Wilson built a rapport with his incoming class, knowing they could be the foundation for a legendary program. 

“In high school, I had a similar experience rebuilding a program after a coaching change. By the time I was a senior in high school we went from losing every dual to being in the conversation to make it to the state tournament as a team,” said Honiss. “I have known Adam for a long time …  When he got the job at Albion, I knew it was an opportunity to use all of my experience building a team in high school and apply it at the highest level.”

Surely those committing to Albion to wrestle were greeted with questions. Wrestlers that excelled at the state level in high school were taking their talents to a college that didn’t even have a wrestling room constructed when the recruiting process first began. 

“Choosing this program over others definitely had some people question me, but I was able to stay close to home and be near my family,” said Oberst. 

“A lot of people thought I was crazy coming to a first year program, and some still do,” said Honiss. “But I had full faith we would end up building a program that would help people develop on and off the mat to become the best version of themselves.”

Craziness has certainly panned out well for Honiss and his fellow class, as he advanced to the NCAA National Tournament a season ago. The program has sported 18 total national qualifiers, 36 regional placers and 22 individual scholar All-Americans. Additionally, Albion’s wrestling room is one of the finest in the region across all divisions.

The Britons went from being completely unknown to a squad teams hesitate to face. In their first season, neither the men’s or women’s squads had a large enough roster to fill a dual and would often have to forfeit at multiple weight classes. The ones that did wrestle did so in a way that had heads turning, immediately taking note this was going to be a tough matchup in the years to come.

“Year one there was always going to be the challenge with such few members on our team,” said Krum. 

“We knew we signed up to work through problems that most incoming freshmen don’t have to go through. We did not have any upperclassmen leaders, so it was up to Adam to help us navigate being leaders, as well as develop into elite wrestlers,” said Honiss. 

“With such few numbers the chance of us making a name for ourselves was always difficult, but we were able to switch the roles around and now we are the team to beat,” said Krum

Krum was right. Albion became the team to beat – on both the men’s and women’s sides – by staying the course. Wilson was loud and clear about his vision for the program since he stepped foot on campus by cultivating a culture where the team learns not just how to win matches, but how to win each and every day.

“I’m not just speaking for myself when I say that I believe all of the early success contributes to character, and there wasn’t really anything special about what we were doing and continue to do … It’s just consistent hard work and a mindset that we operate differently.” said Krum.

After finishing fourth in the region last weekend, Oberst becomes Albion’s first ever three-time national qualifier – men’s or women’s. A local product out of Jackson, Oberst’s legacy will forever be remembered within Albion women’s wrestling, becoming the first female to go through the program. 

“This program has meant more to me than I can ever explain,” expressed Oberst. “I’m definitely not ready to leave behind my team that has turned into a second family that I have made throughout my career at Albion.”

Albion wrestling has made it apparent their athletes’ legacies carry over beyond the mat. With both teams holding GPAs over 3.0, you can also find wrestlers involved in SAAC, as tour guides and in other groups across campus. 

“I want my legacy to be that I set the standard for what is to come, while also being remembered for embracing challenges with grit and resilience. Not just that, but the new men and women coming into this program know that it’s possible to make an impact outside of the wrestling room,” said Krum. 

An impact outside the wrestling room is certainly what this class has done. Krum was recently named the MIAA Senior Sportsman of the Year for his leadership, dedication and impact as a four-time team captain. He was the College’s first-ever NCAA Division III SAAC Representative, spearheading numerous community outreach initiatives, organizing SAAC Clinics and the Winter Carnival. He is not alone in that, as Honiss and McDaniel are actively involved on campus as well. 

Bode Brown, redshirting this season, was also part of that initial recruiting class in 2021 that has created a standard of excellence. Brown has been instrumental with his “leading by example” mentality. Last year, Jeremy Sarter transferred into Albion, making a quick impact as well. He will graduate this year alongside McDaniel, Krum, Honiss and Oberst, also etching his name in a well-crafted class. 

The class is prompt to credit Wilson for the program’s success – both on and off the mat. It didn’t take long for the wrestlers to realize they hit a home run when it came to the leader of their program, as Wilson proved it from the start.

“Adam Wilson is the reason this is all possible, he had a vision for something people said wasn’t possible and made it possible,” reflected Honiss. “He is the most dedicated person I know, built this team up from the ground, and has put in so much time to make everything possible. I truly don’t think anyone else would be able to do what he has done in four years.”

“I think we have been able to accomplish all that we have done because we have always had Adam in our corner, and he has been our number one supporter since day one,” added Oberst.  “If it wasn’t for the love, dedication, desire and support he has given us all, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

While Oberst punched her ticket to the National Tournament last weekend, Honiss, McDaniel, Sarter and Krum will wrestle this weekend at the NCAA Regional for a chance to advance on the men’s side.

That desk and a whiteboard? It did wonders for Albion wrestling.