In western Pennsylvania, wrestling has always had a great history. For a lot of boys when they first start wrestling, is it a goal to one day become a college national champion, and for Waynesburg University’s Colby Morris, who sits as the seventh-ranked wrestler in the country after a star-studded season last year, is back for vengeance to get that title.

“One of my main goals is to achieve All American status, reach 100 wins, if possible, and most importantly just have fun and enjoy this sport as for now this is going to be my last season competing,” Morris said.

Morris’s wrestling career started back when he was four years old right here in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. At Waynesburg Central High School, there has always been a long history of great wrestlers and great teams to come out of there. But for Morris everything wasn’t always glitz and glamour.

“Eighteen years of wrestling and it wasn’t always great like now. My level of success really took off my junior year in high school when I finally decided to really take the sport serious, and I would say that was when my wrestling really transitioned from alright to good. I never got a ton of accolades with the sport growing up,” Morris said.

When Morris got to Waynesburg Central High School, he started out with a solid freshman year with a record of 25 wins and 12 losses, while also, placing third in the section and qualifying for regionals. The next two years stayed around the same with having records of 22-16 and 31-12. But things really picked up his senior year when he qualified for states.

After finishing high school, Morris then kicked off his wrestling career at Waynesburg University, where in his freshman year he built a strong foundation for his career by winning the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship, qualified for regionals with a record of 24-7 and ending the season ranked 19^th in the country at 157 pounds.

He then missed his sophomore season, as he was serving in the army reserves, and came back stronger than ever for his junior campaign. In his junior season, he won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship again, qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship and was one match away from becoming an All-American. 

“We know he has all the tangibles and the ability to be standing on the podium in March. The big thing this year is he wants to enjoy his senior year, wants to have fun and wants to be a leader. I think he grew astronomically as a leader last season for our young guys as he pushed everybody more. He’s a great mentor,” said Waynesburg University wrestling Head Coach Aaron McKinney.

Since Morris has been at Waynesburg, his teammates seem to love him as a leader, and they have had good things to say about him.

 “Colby is a great leader and good role model in the room. He’s helped us so much and is a great guy,” said Waynesburg University freshman Jessie Orbin.

Morris isn’t done just yet, as this past weekend in the Ned McGinley Invitational at King’s College, he went 5-0 with three pins and won the 174-pound title. If you want to catch Morris and the rest of the Jackets, they will be in action on Saturday. Nov. 11, at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational in Washington, PA at 9:30 a.m.