NAIA College Preview Series: #2 Campbellsville

Returning national champ McKayla Campbell. Photo courtesy of CU Athletics.

by Jeremy Eusterwiemann
Twitter: @wiems19

The #2 ranked team by NAIA Coaches Poll is Campbellsville University. For Campbellsville the goal is clear—repeat. Coming off their first national team NAIA title—they’d previously won two WCWA national titles—the Tigers return an abundance of fire power. Last year, ten Tigers finished in the top 4 (8 of which are returning); three of them being finalists. Coach Lee Miracle has been around the sport a long time and he continues to learn and grow. With that being said, he often starts with a very basic but intense approach: Position, Position, Position. Campbellsville wants to win but along the way they have developed a system that aims for these young women to win far beyond the sport of wrestling. The goal is clear: Keep the engine roaring and the Tigers seem poised to do just that.

Here’s an interview with 2020-2021 NAIA Coach of the Year, Lee Miracle.

1. What are your reflections on last season?
Last season filled with many difficulties and obstacles. We had to deal with Covid issues constantly. We would have practice for two weeks then be shut down for two weeks. We just decided to make the best of it and do what we could do when we could do it. This made it challenging but we found our way through it. We were able to get the work done that needed to be done to earn the national championship. In the end, we needed to win last year to heal from having the 2020 National Championship being cancelled after going into it ranked #1 nationally. That hurt. We needed to heal. The best way to heal was to win. The lesson that was driven home last year for me was that everyone gets bad winds in life from time to time. The difference is how you set your sails; always adjusting and moving toward the goal or destination, even if it is one inch at a time. As we say in wrestling, always stalking forward, never backing up.

2. Talk about your returning class. Who are some of the women you have high expectations for this year?
We had ten top 4 All-Americans last year. We lost two from that group. Returning behind national champion Campbell, Randi Robison (136), Angie Vitiritti (130) finished runner-up. Brianna Staebler and Jacqueline Ghent both finished fourth at 191 pounds and 123 pounds, respectfully. Emma Walker (143), Katlyn Pizzo (123) and Kendra Thompson (155) all finished third last season at NAIA Nationals. I of course, have high expectations for all of my All-Americans. I expect that they will improve on what they accomplished last year.

I like to think that some of the girls that did not reach their goals of being an All-American last year will have made the improvements to reach that goal this season. I also like to think we have developed some of the younger girls like JJ Baugher into potential All-Americans over the past year. There were also girls that were injured who will be coming back and making an immediate impact on the lineup. Castro and Sloan have healed up well and are ready to show what they can do. Our goal is simple: Have more All-Americans then we did last year. If we do that, the national championship should take care of itself. If we don’t, there are always teams out there ready to take the title from us.

3. Talk about your incoming freshmen class. Who are some of the names that you expect an immediate contribution from?
I am really careful about talking too much about freshman early in the season. They are going through so much right now with the transition from high school to college life; folkstyle to freestyle; getting into Campbellsville University shape; learning different wrestling terminologies and techniques at a rapid pace, etc. So far the freshman class has impressed me with their work ethic. They seem to be a good group of hard working, great young women who will produce big results in the future. Once we start going live in the wrestling room, I will know a little more about the impact this class will make early in the season.

4. How do you feel about your preseason?
We had a great preseason. I always wish that the team would report back in the fall in better shape. We focus on a six-week conditioning program before we even think about getting on the mat and learning to wrestle. They will not absorb the technique efficiently if their bodies are in a lot of pain from being sore and their minds are tired. We also want them to be in good enough shape to avoid injuries. So we focus on getting them into shape enough to pass our physical fitness test that consists of a three-mile timed run, push-ups, sit-ups, and rope climb. Once they are to that point and beyond, we are ready to start wrestling training.

One significant moment that comes to mind was when we had a timed two-mile run to pass in order to not have Saturday morning remedial physical training for the entire team. The team went into the locker room and had a talk. When they came out they had a plan. They put the slowest runners in front. The rest of the team pushed from behind setting the pace. They passed because they did not do it as individuals. They passed because they came together as a team and worked toward a common goal. That day they learned how much more powerful a group of people can be when they come together.

5. Talk about some of your team's goals this season. Are there any specific events you're excited about?
Have fun! Create lasting memories and relationships. Give 100%. Get better from every practice/match. Demonstrate the best sportsmanship possible win or lose. If we focus and achieve all of this, the winning just takes care of itself. Heck, if you accomplish all of that and somehow get beat, did you really lose? I don’t think so.

6. What are some things you've built into your program that you credit for the success you've had so far?
We wake up earlier than everyone else. We have practice that begins at 5:30am. If you can get a team to buy into that, you have already put them into the top 1% of their peer group. Then we work hard and intentionally. I have developed a system over my past 30 years of coaching. It is constantly being updated and made better. That system is based on fundamentals and position. We do not sacrifice position for points. We start every season with stance and motion. We build onto that slowly and methodically until we have built a competent wrestler who at least knows how to stay in position and defend themselves. Then we teach them to attack smartly without sacrificing position. Trust me when I say it is not fancy but, it is effective.

7. Who are some of the personalities in the room that are providing leadership and shaping your culture?
We have such a variety of personalities in the room. Right now the leadership is kind of rising to the top. I would not want to mention specific names right now on the chance that I would forget someone. We have several leaders doing a great job. It is also nice to have Campbell and Pizzo in the room as GA’s. When we start wrestling live I expect them to bring the tempo of the room up a notch. Once competition kicks off we will start to see more clearly who our top leaders will be.

8. Anything else you'd like to mention?
This should be a great year for Campbellsville all-around. Not only do we expect to have a great competition season, but we are looking forward to having another great recruiting year. I would really like to have another #1 ranked recruiting class like we have had in some of the past years. I know that will take a lot more effort now that NCAA DIV I schools like Iowa are announcing their intentions on starting a women’s wrestling program. I expect more programs to announce in the near future that they will be starting programs at the same time as Iowa. We could have three or four DIV I programs by then. That is going to change the landscape of women’s wrestling tremendously. It will provide more and bigger opportunities to these deserving young women graduating high school. That is very cool. I am glad I have always enjoyed recruiting, I think I am going to have to put a lot more hours into it in the foreseeable future to garner the same results I have been blessed with in the past.