On the Mat with Stevie Mitcheff
If there is one guy who defines Kent State wrestling, it is fifth-year senior and physical education major Stevie Mitcheff. A wrestler since age six, Mitcheff lives and breathes the sport that molded him into the person he is today.
Mitcheff has been wrestling as a Golden Flash for five years now, and it will be hard for him to give up when the semester is over.
“Wrestling has been a huge part of my life,” Mitcheff said. “It’s made me who I am today and got me to college with scholarships, so it’s done a lot for me. It’s gotten me good relationships with people, and it’s done pretty much everything.”
Mitcheff wrestled for Elyria High School before coming to Kent State, finishing his high school career with a phenomenal 159-24 record. Mitcheff finished on the podium all four years for the Pioneers and qualified for the Ohio High School State Wrestling Championships.
He started at Kent State in 2008, at which point he was red-shirted. Mitcheff said he was very little starting out, only weighing 128 pounds. He said he lacked the confidence to be a big-time starting wrestler, and had a rough start on the collegiate level. Mitcheff was a state champion in high school, but this wasn’t high school anymore. Mitcheff knew he had to learn, train and step it up if he wanted to succeed. Don’t let his size fool you, when Mitcheff steps on that mat, the beast is unleashed.
Year in and year out, the battle-tested Mitcheff remained steadfast in his goal to become a key member of the KSU wrestling team. Last season, he met this goal by placing fourth at the Mid-American Conference Championship.
As of Jan. 25, Mitcheff is 21-9 overall, with 6-3 in duals and 2-0 in the MAC. He has two pins, one technical fall and three major decisions. Lately, Mitcheff has been lighting it up on the mat — especially Jan. 18 and 19 when he dominated both of his matches against Ohio and Clarion in the M.A.C. Center. He destroyed his first opponent 21-3 and crushed his second opponent 11-4.
Mitcheff wrestles every match like it is his last, and he is fun to watch. He even has his own cheering section, made up of his supportive family. They come to all of the home matches to root for their hero.
“We’re a real close family,” Mitcheff said. “Without them I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know if I’d be wrestling in college if it wasn’t for them.”
Mitcheff is currently ranked No. 33 in the nation in the 125 pound weight class and looking forward to a great performance in the MAC Championships in March. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see Mitcheff in Des Moines, Iowa for the NCAA Championships when the season is all said and done. When Mitcheff puts on his headgear and steps onto the mat, anything is possible.
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